April 27, 2006 -- The Foundry Educational Foundation, at its recent annual meeting, approved new officers to lead the foundation for the coming 12 months. The event was held at Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.

For the coming year, FEF’s board members are: president, Bill Barrett, president/CEO of Neenah Foundry, Neenah, WI; first vice president, William Powell, manager. of Melt & Metallurgy for ThyssenKrupp Waupaca, Waupaca, WI; second vice president, Dana Coulombe, regional sales manager, Foseco Canada, Guelph, ON; secretary Joe Costabile, sales manager for Hickman, Williams & Co., Oak Brook, IL; and treasurer, Rob Steele, general manager, F.A.C.T., Atlantic Beach, FL.

Continuing to serve on the board as immediate past president is Mike Swartzlander, vice president of Ashland Specialty Chemical and general manager of Ashland Casting Solutions, Columbus, OH. Bill Sorensen continues as FEF’s executive director and a board member. Prior to their meeting, the FEF Board and their spouses toured the Purdue metalcasting program’s academic, research, and production facilities.

The FEF’s next meeting will be its annual College Industry Conference at Chicago’s Drake Hotel, November 16-17, 2006. The Industry Information Session will be held on Thursday evening this year, Nov. 16, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. The CIC scholarships will now be awarded on Friday evening, Nov. 17. FEF will not stage the traditional Saturday morning awards breakfast at this year’s CIC.