TEXTILES.ORG
Wooster, Ohio-based Seaman Corp. announced in a Dec. 10 press release the promotion of John Crum from president and chief operating officer to president and CEO effective Dec. 9, 2015.
After 35 years as president and CEO, the last five as CEO and chairman of the company’s board of directors, Richard Seaman is retiring as CEO, but will remain in his role as chairman of the board.
Prior to being named president and COO in 2014, Crum served as co-president, executive vice president, and vice president of operations in his 18 with Seaman. He has been an officer of the company since 2001. Crum joined Seaman Corp. in 1997 with 12 years of experience in manufacturing management and engineering.
“Richard and I have worked closely over the past five years to make sure this transition is as seamless as possible for our customers and associates,” said Crum. “As the future CEO of Seaman, I plan to continue to passionately carry out the Seaman Corp. legacy of providing the highest performance industrial fabrics and high performance roofing systems for our customers, meeting or exceeding their expectations.”
Richard Seaman, CEO of Seaman Corp., will retire from his current position after 40 years, but he will continue his role as Chairman of the Board. The board of directors promoted COO and president, John Crum, to take over Seaman’s position.
Seaman began his career with the company at 15-years-old as part of the business that his parents started in 1949. He worked with his father for 10 years after graduating from Bowling Green State University.
Seaman took over as CEO in 1978 after his father, Norman Seaman, died of lung cancer. As the new CEO he faced business challenges but always had the vision of building a company that would succeed him.
In the upcoming year, Seaman plans to travel with his wife, spend time on their sailboat and determine how best to serve as a resource to the company in his role of Chairman of the Board.
Seaman Corp. was founded in 1949 by Norman Seaman, who served as president for almost 30 years. Richard Seaman, Norman’s son, joined the company in 1960, working for the company in his high school and college years, later serving as plant manager and vice president of manufacturing until 1976, when he was named president.
Headquartered in Wooster, Ohio, with additional manufacturing in Bristol, Tenn., Seaman Corp. produces high-performance fabrics and geomembranes, products for military applications, architectural structures, truck tarps, and inflatable boats.