Stephen G. Kaniewski President & Chief Executive Officer
Stephen G. Kaniewski was appointed president and chief executive officer of Valmont® in 2018. Before this appointment, he was president and chief operating officer after serving as group president of utility and vice president of global operations for irrigation. Steve joined Valmont in 2010, leading the corporate IT group.
Steve has gained varied experiences in international manufacturing, marketing and IT, spending half of his career focused on running operations and the other half in the IT space, working with industrial goods manufacturers. During his time at Belden, he served as vice president of global IT applications. Prior to that, he was vice president of operations for Belden’s specialty division and country director for Mexico.
Before Belden’s merger with CDT (Cable Design Technologies) in 2005, Steve worked as vice president of operations for its specialty division in Mexico and the U.S. Prior to CDT, he worked as a technology consultant for companies implementing ERP systems and as manager of fulfillment operations for National Media, a direct marketing company.
Steve currently serves as a member of the board of directors and the executive board committee for the United Way of the Midlands and as chairman emeritus of the board for the AIM Institute, where he has served since 2011. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Santa Clara University in 1994.
Avner M. Applbaum Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Avner joined Valmont® Industries in 2020 as executive vice president and chief financial officer. He is responsible for developing and implementing the company’s financial strategy. Avner oversees financial activities, including accounting and controllership, financial planning and analysis, tax, investor relations, internal audit and treasury. In addition, he leads the information technology function.
Prior to joining Valmont, Avner held several CFO positions for private equity-backed companies and spent more than 15 years in senior financial and operational roles in publicly traded manufacturing companies, including Ametek, Belden and TE Connectivity (formerly Tyco Electronics). Earlier in his career, he worked for Ernst & Young.
Avner has a proven track record of enhancing shareholder value, leveraging lean and technological advancements. His experience includes developing and deploying lean management systems and forecasting models to provide consistent, accurate and reliable information, supporting strategic decision making. Avner received his Bachelor of Arts in accounting/economics from Bar-Ilan University in Israel and is a certified public accountant.
J. Timothy Donahue Executive Vice President, Corporate & Business Development
Tim serves as executive vice president of corporate and business development. He is responsible for driving accelerated inorganic growth and improved shareholder value through targeted merger and acquisition initiatives, geographic expansion across portfolios and selectively divesting product lines.
Tim joined Valmont® in April 2018 as vice president and general manager of engineered support structures, North America region. In 2019, he became president of lighting and transportation, where he led Valmont’s global operations, covering 23 countries and 35 manufacturing facilities focused on strategic growth and improved profitability.
Before joining Valmont, Tim worked for Sprint Corporation in Overland Park, Kansas, leading various domestic and international business units. In his 20-year career with Sprint, he served in multiple positions, including regional president, vice president of sales, and chief marketing officer of Sprint Business. Tim earned his Bachelor of Science degree in business management from McNeese State University and his Master of Business Administration from Harvard University.
Diane M. Larkin Executive Vice President, Global Operations
In her role as executive vice president of global operations at Valmont®, Diane leads efforts to maximize the company’s manufacturing footprint across the entire enterprise. She’s also responsible for developing a long-term strategy for aligning operational performance with the global strategic plan and its growth initiatives. Diane joined Valmont in the summer of 2020, bringing decades of strategic operations and manufacturing experience with her. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in political science from UCLA. Diane then served as an officer in the United States Army for 10 years before entering the private sector.
T. Mitchell Parnell Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer
In his role as executive vice president, chief human resources officer, T. Mitchell Parnell is responsible for providing the strategic direction that helps to align and optimize the human capital potential within Valmont®. Mitch joined the company in 2015 as the vice president of human resources for structures.
Prior to joining Valmont, Mitch held positions as vice president, human resources; vice president, global human resources; and chief human resources officer for large publicly held and privately owned industrial and construction companies.
Mitch’s experiences include leading initiatives focused on cultural transformation, operational efficiency, organizational change and leadership development. Mitch joined Valmont to help lead the realignment of global talent within structures to support the business’ growth initiatives. He was promoted to his current position in 2023.
Mitch received his Bachelor of Science in business management from Troy University in 1989. Since then, he has earned a strategic HR management certificate from Harvard Business School, and he is a graduate of the University of Michigan’s strategic communications program.
Aaron M. Schapper Group President, Infrastructure
In his role as group president, infrastructure, Aaron is responsible for the strategic leadership of the infrastructure segment. His focus is on executing a global approach for Valmont®, leveraging the company’s footprint, talent and technology. Aaron joined Valmont in 2011 as the vice president and general manager, international irrigation. In 2015, he added the responsibilities of global-engineering oversight before being named president of utility in 2016.
Aaron started his engineering career in the composites industry in 1999, moving to China in 2002, where he created and led the engineering department at Orbit Irrigation, based in Shanghai. His roles quickly grew to encompass quality, operations, marketing and Asia sales. When Aaron was promoted to general manager in 2007, his duties expanded to include acquisitions and the establishment of the company’s green-field manufacturing sites in Ningbo, China, and Taipei, Taiwan. Aaron served in that capacity until joining Valmont.
Aaron has earned numerous degrees, including a Bachelor of Arts in Mandarin Chinese and a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of Utah, as well as a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
Renee L. Campbell Senior Vice President, Investor Relations & Treasurer
As senior vice president, investor relations and treasurer, Renee supports the company’s long-term growth strategy, focusing on investor relations strategy, capital allocation and capital structure, treasury operations, cash management and risk management.
One of Renee’s key responsibilities is creating a treasury center of excellence focused on cash optimization, capital allocation and working-capital improvement, assuring that the finance function achieves its strategic goals and enhances stakeholder value. She also directs the communication of sustainability and corporate social-responsibility efforts and serves as the company’s liaison for all government, public and media relations.
Renee began her career at Valmont® in 1995, holding a variety of increasingly responsible financial-management roles, including vice president, investor relations and corporate communications. She has been instrumental in advancing the company’s investor relations strategies across the organization by broadening awareness of Valmont among institutional investors and educating current and prospective investors about the company’s business strategy, performance and outlook.
Renee’s career path includes serving as director of corporate treasury at West Corporation and vice president of global cash operations at ACI Worldwide. She earned her BS in business administration from the University of Nebraska — Lincoln.
Gene N. Padgett Senior Vice President, Finance & Chief Accounting Officer
Gene joined Valmont® in November of 2022 as senior vice president, finance, and chief accounting officer. In this role, he is responsible for the accounting and SEC reporting functions. He also leads the implementation of advanced technology and automation to streamline processes, redeploy capital and strategically position talent.
Prior to arriving at Valmont, Gene was senior vice president and chief accounting officer for DXP Enterprises. Previous professional experience includes controllership and tax roles at Enbridge Energy (formerly Spectra Energy Corporation) and Duke Energy Corporation. He started his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Gene has consistently helped build strategic, technical, and operational accounting and finance functions in various industries. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting from Prairie View A&M University and is a certified public accountant.
Ellen S. Dasher Vice President, Global Taxation
As vice president, global taxation for Valmont®, Ellen’s primary responsibilities include worldwide tax planning and reporting as well as domestic compliance and examination.
She began her career at Valmont in 1996 and has held various roles within the tax department, covering a broad range of taxation including federal, state and local, international, tax controversy as well as the accounting for income taxes. Ellen started her career with the accounting firm Arthur Andersen.
Ellen is a certified public accountant and a member of the Nebraska Society of Public Accountants and the Tax Executives Institute. She graduated from the University of Nebraska — Lincoln with a Bachelor of Science in business administration.
R. Andrew Massey Vice President, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary
R. Andrew “Andy” Massey came to Valmont® in 2006. In his role as vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary, Andy’s responsibilities include oversight of all legal and regulatory compliance at Valmont.
Prior to joining Valmont, Andy spent 10 years as the general counsel and corporate secretary for EFJ, Inc. EFJ designs and markets wireless communications radios, infrastructure, systems and encryption technologies. Andy’s duties at EFJ included serving as the lead executive for successfully listing the company on the NASDAQ stock exchange, developing and directing all corporate legal functions, acting as chief negotiator for international service-and-supply contracts and overseeing human resources regulatory compliance.
In 2012, the University of Nebraska — Lincoln (UNL) awarded Andy the Alumni Master’s Award. Andy received his Juris Doctorate from the UNL College of Law. While earning his Bachelor of Science at UNL, Andy was elected student body president and served as a member of the University’s board of regents.
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Data About Us
FY2022 annual sales (USD) $4.3B
Continents on which we operate 6
Valmont brands 31
Countries with Valmont facilities 21
Global manufacturing sites 84
Countries in which we do business 100+
Global employees 11,000+
Global markets 2
Valmont Leadership
Stephen G. Kaniewski President & Chief Executive Officer Avner M. Applbaum Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer J. Timothy Donahue Executive Vice President, Corporate & Business Development Diane M. Larkin Executive Vice President, Global Operations T. Mitchell Parnell Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer Aaron M. Schapper Group President, Infrastructure Renee L. Campbell Senior Vice President, Investor Relations & Treasurer Gene N. Padgett Senior Vice President, Finance & Chief Accounting Officer Ellen S. Dasher Vice President, Global Taxation R. Andrew Massey Vice President, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary
Valmont History
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Valmont History
1946 1947 1954 1959 1960 1963 1966 1967 1968 1970 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2004 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013 2014 2016 2017 2018 2020 2021 2022
1946 A $5,000 investment by Robert Daugherty allows Valley Manufacturing to expand beyond building farm elevators.
Discover More
01 Agriculture
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From precision irrigation to remote crop health monitoring to fulfilling the promise of tomorrow’s technology, Valmont is advancing agricultural productivity to help feed the world. View Agriculture
02 Infrastructure
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Valmont infrastructure strengthens power grids against the effects of climate change and connects communities and people by closing the digital divide. View Infrastructure
03 Sustainability
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Valmont innovates, engineers and manufactures sustainable solutions to the world’s biggest challenges, for our business, our customers and everyone on the planet. View Sustainability
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