Personnel News

It is with great pleasure that Ahern Ireland™ announces the appointment of Sean Hopkins as Field Sales Representative.

This is a newly created position at Ahern Ireland, which expands the in-country team, reporting to David Roddy, Sales Director. In his new role, Sean will be responsible for maintaining existing customer relationships in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, as well as developing new accounts and increasing sales within the territory.

Sean brings experience of the agricultural sector to Ahern Ireland, having previously worked for his family’s agricultural contracting business, where he gained exposure to international markets when travelling overseas to complete harvests. He holds a degree in Road Transport Technology & Management along with a degree in Process & Engineering Management from Limerick Institute of Technology, from which he graduated in 2020.

Of the appointment, David Roddy, said, “We are really excited to welcome Sean to our team. With his exposure to the equipment sector, we feel he will be a valuable asset as we continue to expand our presence in Ireland. He brings a fresh perspective to the business, as well as lots of energy and enthusiasm, and I am confident he will be a big hit with our existing and future customers.”

Sean added, “I am thrilled to have this opportunity to join Ahern Ireland, and be a part of their continued growth in the territory. I am very much looking forward to meeting our customers and becoming part of this industry.”

Officially opened in June 2019, Ahern Ireland is a division of Ahern International owned by Don Ahern. Focused on equipment sales, service and spare parts, Ahern Ireland is the official distributor for Snorkel™ aerial work platforms and Ruthmann Bluelift tracked spider lifts in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Sean joined Ahern Ireland in early January and will split his time between being out in the field and office-based at Ahern Ireland’s facility in Rathcoole, Dublin, once normal operations can resume. Sean’s contact details can be found here.

Share This

It is with great pleasure that Ahern Ireland announces the appointment of Robert Hickey as Branch Manager.

With overall responsibility for day-to-day operations, Robert will lead Ahern Ireland’s existing team of three, implementing processes and systems to ensure the continued growth of the business. He will work alongside David Roddy who continues to lead sales efforts in the territory, with direction from Ahern Ireland Managing Director, Andrew Fishburn.

Officially opened in June 2019, Ahern Ireland is a division of Ahern International owned by Don Ahern. Focused on equipment sales, service and spare parts, Ahern Ireland is the official distributor for Snorkel™ aerial work platforms and Ruthmann Bluelift tracked spider lifts in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Robert brings 12 years’ experience working in after-sales roles within the plant equipment industry to the newly-created role of Branch Manager at Ahern Ireland. He previously worked for Liebherr Ireland, where he was promoted from Spare Parts Co-ordinator to Service Supervisor.

Of joining Ahern Ireland, Robert said, “I am really pleased to be joining Ahern Ireland at this early stage in the journey. The business, which launched in June, already benefits from a dedicated team, fantastic facility, and a strong level of support and investment from our owner, and I look forward to building upon these solid foundations, making Ahern Ireland the ‘go to’ provider of work at height equipment and technical services in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.”

Andrew Fishburn added, “Robert has a strong background in the equipment industry, and fully understands the value of exceptional after-sales support to ensure the growth and longevity of the business. Our existing team have done a phenomenal job in setting up and establishing Ahern Ireland, and with Robert’s leadership, I am confident we can move to the next level in customer service and support.”

Robert joined Ahern Ireland on 16th September 2019, and has assumed the position with immediate effect. He is based at Ahern Ireland’s facility in Rathcoole, Dublin.

Share This

It grieves us deeply to announce the passing of Art Moore, the founder of Snorkel, a current Snorkel board member, and a pioneer in the access industry, on June 19, 2019. We have been incredibly fortunate to have been graced with Art’s innovative vision, insightful wisdom, whimsical humor and cheerful personality for 94 years.

Known for his drive and determination, Art’s career has set an extraordinary example and left a lasting impact on the global work at height industry. His imaginative designs and pursuit for quality helped to shape the industry in its infancy and set standards still followed to present day.

Developing 17 industry-defining models in less than a decade, Art built the foundation for Snorkel, today a leading global manufacturer of aerial lifts. He was probably most well-known for the Snorkel TB-42 telescopic boom which became a standard in the industry for many years, as well as the introduction of the first ‘big boom’ which reached 126 ft. (38m). His vision will continue to influence the company he started 60 years ago and the industry he changed for the better with his innovations.

Over the years, Art’s industry contributions have been recognized with honors like the International Awards for Powered Access Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016, and induction into the American Rental Association’s Hall of Fame in 2017.  Following the acquisition of Snorkel by Don Ahern in October 2013, Art became a Snorkel board member providing his global insight and product knowledge.

Don Ahern, said, “For many years, Art Moore was a mentor to myself and others in the early years of the access rental and dealership business, and he ultimately became a close friend. He will be a great miss to Snorkel and the wider industry, and I send my sincere condolences to Sue and family at this difficult time.”

Art’s legacy extends beyond his outstanding achievements in the access industry. He lived for adventure, traveling around the globe, and never shying away from adrenaline with friends and family by his side.

Art is survived by his loving wife, Sue, and his daughter, Melissa Moore and husband Aaron Snyder; son, Arthur Jr.; daughter, Kristyn Sanders; stepdaughter, Lourenda Block; and grandchildren, Zen Moore, Aubrey and Ainsley Sanders.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, June 27 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at Meierhoffer Funeral Home in St. Joseph, Missouri.  A service will be held on Friday, June 28 at 10:00am, followed by a burial in the Memorial Lawn.  A Celebration of Life will take place at Snorkel’s Elwood, Kansas facility at Noon on Friday, June 28.

Share This

The Ahern family of companies is pleased to announce the promotion of Amelia Pearce from global marketing director to vice president of global marketing at Ahern Companies.

Reporting directly to Don Ahern, Amelia develops and delivers global marketing strategies for all brands within the Ahern family of companies. Based at Xtreme Manufacturing and Snorkel global corporate headquarters in Henderson, Nevada, Amelia oversees a team of 10 who deliver shared marketing services globally.

Owned by Don Ahern, the Ahern family of companies includes Ahern Rentals, Xtreme Manufacturing, Snorkel, Diamond A Equipment, Xtreme Cubes Corporation, Equipment Parts Plus, AX Transportation, Xtreme Financial Services, as well as all Ahern International distribution locations in Australia, Japan, Germany, Chile, Argentina, Canada, and Spain.

“I am extremely pleased to promote Amelia to vice president of global marketing. She has demonstrated remarkable talent and tenacity in delivering world-class marketing across our global brands. Her passion, focus and leadership have elevated our marketing to a new level. On behalf of the entire Ahern family of companies, we look forward to continued excellence from Amelia and her team,” said Don Ahern.

Originally based in the UK, Amelia has been working with the Snorkel brand since 2007. She relocated to the U.S. in 2014 to join the Ahern family of companies as global marketing director.

Share This

Henderson, Nevada, USA (11th June 2018) Xtreme Manufacturing and Snorkel are very pleased to announce the appointment of James “Jim” Masters to the newly created role of Vice President of Engineering Operations.

Reporting directly to Matthew Elvin, this new role has been created as part of an initiative to redefine the Xtreme and Snorkel engineering management duties. Jim will work alongside Jeff Eckhardt, Vice President/Chief Engineer, and together they will lead a global product development team of more than 20 design engineers based in the U.S., U.K. and New Zealand.

Under the new structure, Jim will be responsible for the non-technical management of the engineers, which includes capacity planning, project management, and budgeting. Jeff will continue to oversee all technical aspects of design and production of new product development.

Jim brings an extensive background in new product development and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley to the role. His career began in 1980 leading teams working on seating designs for the space shuttle, before moving into senior engineering management roles with a number of suppliers to the automotive industry.

In June 1996, Jim joined Lear Corporation as the President of the Lear Technology Division. Following success in this role, Jim was promoted to president of Lear Worldwide Engineering in 1999, overseeing more than 1,500 engineers globally, before being promoted in 2001 to President of the Lear Electrical and Electronics Division with responsibility for more than 3,700 employees and 5 manufacturing facilities.

After departing Lear Corporation in 2004, Jim held a number of strategic leadership roles with companies within the automotive, mass transit and commercial OEM manufacturing sectors. Throughout his career, Jim has obtained 14 patents.

In 2012, Jim joined Coast Composites LLC in Santa Ana, California, where he held the role of Vice President – General Manager, installing Lean and Visual factory disciplines, as well as leading the complete turnaround of a Boeing 787 mandrel tooling program. In January 2014, Jim was appointed Vice President of Operations, Engineering, ME, Quality, Continuous Improvement and Tooling for Ariens Company in Brillion, Wisconsin, where he managed 3 manufacturing facilities with more than 1,200 employees, and successfully launched more than 22 new products.

In his new role at Xtreme and Snorkel, Jim’s first task will be to expand the team, recruiting skilled talent that will help to accelerate product development goals.

Matthew Elvin, CEO, Xtreme Manufacturing and Snorkel, said, “Our strategy is to add greater depth and structure to our global product development team to help bring more fresh ideas to fruition. Bringing Jim on board will facilitate talent acquisition and ultimately bolster new product development for our companies.”

“Working as a team, Jim and Jeff have the skills, experience, and determination to build a world class product development team that will put us at the leading edge of the industry.”

Jim Masters added, “I am excited and encouraged by the talent already here at Xtreme and Snorkel, and I am looking forward to building a full all-star team, that can take our product development to the next level. Having someone with Jeff’s technical expertise as an associate is a big advantage, and I am confident together we can make a real impact to the businesses.”

Jim has relocated with his wife to Las Vegas, Nevada for his new role, joining members of their family who reside in the city.

Share This

Henderson, Nevada, USA (1st June 2018) Xtreme Manufacturing and Snorkel, global manufacturers of rough terrain telehandlers and aerial work platforms, are pleased to announce the promotion of John Gill to Chief Manufacturing Officer (CMO).

Reporting directly to Xtreme Manufacturing & Snorkel CEO, Matthew Elvin, this is a new role that has been created to provide direction at an executive level overseeing all manufacturing operations.

John Gill joined the business in November 2016, as Director of Manufacturing Operations based at the Snorkel facility in the U.K. Originally from North East England, he began his career in the power generation industry before joining Komatsu in 1988 in its production engineering department. During his 13 years with Komatsu, he held positions within production quality and purchasing management, before being promoted to manufacturing director in 1997, where he was responsible for manufacturing, purchasing and materials strategy development for Komatsu Europe

In 2001 he joined JCB as managing director of JCB Heavy Products, a role that he held for eight years, before becoming managing director of the telehandler division, a job he held for four years. He then left to take up an 18 month assignment with Siemens Wind Power in Denmark before joining Terex in January 2016 as general manager and operations director for its Minerals Processing Systems plants in Coalville, UK and Subang Jaya, Malaysia.
Since joining the team, John has been fundamental in improving the efficiency and output of the European production facility, and now is responsible for developing and implementing world class production methodology across all of the manufacturing sites within the group. In his role of CMO, John will ensure that manufacturing excellence is embedded in the business, through continuous improvement across the key areas of safety, quality, cost and delivery.

Matthew Elvin, CEO said “This role has been added to the executive team as a logical step in our group’s development. John brings a significant level of manufacturing experience to our business, and his leadership across all of our production sites will help us to continue to develop and exceed our customer expectations globally.”

Of his new role, John Gill said, “I have enjoyed making a difference with Snorkel to date, through the implementation of lean production techniques and I look forward to contributing to the business on a global basis. I am excited to work with the production team members around the world.”

John’s promotion is effective immediately. He will remain based in the U.K. but will travel regularly to all facilities.

Share This

Washington, Tyne & Wear, U.K. (24th May 2017) Snorkel UK, the sales and service provider for Snorkel in the U.K. and Ireland, are pleased to announce the appointment of Dave Roddy to the new position of Business Development Manager.

With over 30 years experience within the industrial and construction sectors, Dave has a proven track record in sales and account management. Within the past 10 years, Dave has amassed significant experience within the aerial work platform sector, having worked in senior account management roles with a number of manufacturers, including Genie, JLG and Haulotte. Most recently, Dave held the position of UK Market Manager for IPAF.

In his role as Business Development Manager at Snorkel UK, Dave will be responsible for further developing strategic accounts in the West of the UK and Ireland.

Of his appointment, Dave Roddy said, “Snorkel UK is gaining a solid reputation in the marketplace. It is an exciting time to join Snorkel UK and to be part of a team who are completely focused on delivering a first-class product and a consistently high level of service to its customers in the U.K. and Ireland.”

Andrew Fishburn, Managing Director at Snorkel UK, said, “Dave is highly respected within the industry and is a fantastic appointment for Snorkel UK. He undoubtedly brings significant experience to our team, and will be able to utilize his years of customer development within the rental, tool hire and end user sectors in this new role.”

“This appointment continues to reinforce Snorkel’s position and continued investment in the UK market. We welcome Dave to the Snorkel family and look forward to his success within the role.”

Dave is field-based, but is supported by the Snorkel UK team based in Washington, Tyne & Wear. Dave will be present at Vertikal Days which opens later today at Silverstone Racecourse in Northamptonshire, UK. Find Snorkel UK at Stand 105/107.

Share This