Bill Avise to Guide Wire Association in 2014

The Wire Association International (WAI), Inc. announces the appointment of William (Bill) Avise as president of the association for a one-year term that commenced on January 1, 2014. Avise will serve as chairman of the Board of Directors and as the 60th president of the 84-year-old association, which is headquartered in Guilford, Connecticut, USA.

Avise has been at the forefront of an ongoing association-wide initiative to increase WAI membership, which has resulted in hundreds of new members representing both industry manufacturers and suppliers. "Being a member of the WAI is one of the best ways to support our industry. With the new website and more webinars having an operations focus, the value of being a WAI member has improved significantly. In addition to WAI members having access to thousands of technical/operations papers, the networking opportunities with other wire industry peers are invaluable," said Avise. 

Bill Avise to Guide Wire Association A WAI member since 1993, Avise has been actively involved in the organization's leadership through his participation on the Executive Committee; as a member, and later co-chair, of the Conference Programming Committee; and as Executive Committee Liaison to both the Paper Awards and Member Relations Committees.

He has also contributed to the American Wire Producers Association (AWPA) since 1994, serving as the organization's Operations Committee Chairman from 1999 to 2004.

Avise currently holds the position of president of the Wire Group and vice president of Leggett & Platt. His career in the wire industry started in August 1970 at Union Wire Rope (Armco) in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. From 1970 to 1975, he worked as a wire drawer while attending college at Central Missouri State University. After graduating with a B.S. degree in business in 1975, he became a shift supervisor and progressively worked up to the position of operations manager. In 1988 he accepted the position of plant manager with Leggett & Platt at the Merit Steel facility in Kouts, Indiana. Following a promotion to vice president of operations, he relocated to Carthage, Missouri, and became president of the Wire Group in 2009.

Leggett & Platt®, which pioneered sleep technology when it introduced its bedspring more than 125 years ago, is an S&P 500 diversified manufacturer. Serving a broad suite of customers that comprise a "Who's Who" of U.S. companies, Leggett & Platt conceives, designs, and produces a diverse array of products that can be found in most homes, offices, and vehicles. Founded in 1883, the company is made up of 20 business units, 18,000 employee-partners, and 130 facilities in 17 countries. Leggett & Platt continues to infuse its products with its trademark innovation, helping customers enjoy more comfortable lives.



source wireworld