Lincoln Electric elects president, CEO

Lincoln Electric Holdings Inc. has elected John M. Stropki, Jr. as president and CEO of the company, effectively immediately, succeeding Anthony A. Massaro, who held the position for eight years. Massaro had previously announced his intention to retire and has agreed to remain as chairman for an interim transitional period. Stropki is the seventh CEO in the company's 109-year existence. He was selected after an evaluation process conducted by a special search committee of the company's board of directors that examined internal and external candidates.

Stropki, who joined the company 35 years ago while attending college, was named executive vice president and president, North America, in 1996. He was elected to the board of directors in 1998, and became COO responsible for North America, Latin America, Europe and Russia, Africa, and the Middle East in 2003. Stropki has a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from Purdue University and an MBA from Indiana University.

Stropki is an honorary member of the American Welding Society, serves on the Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI Presidents Council, and is a member of the Gas and Welding Distributors Association. He is on the board of governors of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association and has served on the boards of the Greater Cleveland Growth Association and the Great Lakes Science Center. He is active in the American Lung Association and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.