Editorial Advisory Board - Ceramic Industry

Dr. Charles E. Semler has a long track record with the refractories industry. He was manager of refractories technology with The Winters Co. in Tucson, Ariz., from 1997-1999, working as an international refractories consultant.

Prior to that, Dr. Semler worked as an independent refractories consultant for 11 years, and was Professor of Ceramic Engineering and Director of the Refractories Research Center at Ohio State University for 12 years. Prior to joining Ohio State University, he worked in the industry for seven years, three of which were spent with Harbison-Walker Refractories Co.

He is a Fellow and Life Member of the American Ceramic Society, and has served as Chairman of the Refractory Ceramics Division, Chairman of the Phase Equilibrium Committee, Chairman of the Central Ohio Section and Vice President - International. He is also a member of other organizations, including ASTM, the Australasian Ceramic Society, and the Iron & Steel Society. He was involved in the creation of the Unified International Technical Conference on Refractories (UNITECR) and served on the U.S. UNITECR Board from 1989 to 1995. He was named a Distinguished Life Member of UNITECR in 1991, received the St. Louis Refractories Award in 1995, was named a charter board member for the "Industry and Innovation" class of the International Academy of Ceramics in 1996, and serves as a technical editor for the Technical Association of Refractories, Japan (TARJ). Dr. Semler has written the Refractories column in Ceramic Industry for the past several years. He currently works as an independent refractories consultant.

Chris Pilko - President, Nabertherm Inc.

Chris has more than 14 years of management, sales and service experience with kiln manufacturers and is an alumnus of the ceramic engineering program at Alfred University in Alfred, N.Y.

Reed Slevin - Business Unit Director, Thermoanalytical Instruments, Orton Ceramic Foundation

For the last 11+ years (3+ years at Orton and 8 years at Harrop Industries) Reed has been responsible for the sales and development of thermoanalytical instruments for high temperature materials.

Prior to that, Reed has held R&D, sales, marketing, and corporate management positions in advanced materials, microelectronics, electronics, technical ceramics, refractories, traditional ceramics, and glass for companies including 3M Company, Harbison Walker, National Beryllia and others. Reed received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in ceramic engineering from Ohio State University in 1972/3.

Surinder K. Maheshwary—Director of Quality
Assurance/Process Improvement, Dal-Tile International

Surinder K. Maheshwary came to the U.S. after obtaining a graduate degree in chemical engineering with a minor in glass/ceramics and a postgraduate diploma in chemical engineering (polymers/materials) at Panjab University in India. From 1978-1999, Surinder worked with Stark Ceramics, Inc., in Canton, Ohio, most recently serving as vice president of operations. In January 2000, Surinder joined Dal-Tile International as director of quality assurance and process improvement for its multi-plant locations worldwide.

Surinder has achieved several major accomplishments in the ceramic industry, including designing a firing cycle for a single-fired 127-in. tall porcelain insulator; developing a zero-discharge closed-loop wastewater and solids recycling system; developing a “clean closure” of hazardous waste lagoons; and developing numerous new products in the glazed facing tile and brick industry. Surinder serves on the Ceramic Technology Advisory Board for Hocking College; the Stark State College of Technology: Tech-Prep program; and the Canton Joint Engineering Council.

Matthew Centa - Technical Support Manager-Ceramics and Glass, Rio Tinto Minerals

Matt is based in Rio Tinto Minerals' Denver, Colo., office and handles a variety of technical service responsibilities for the company, which mines, manufactures and refines talc, borax, boric acid, anhydrous borax and boric anhydride for the glass and ceramic industries.

James E. Houseman, Ph.D. - President, Harrop Industries, Inc.

Jim joined Harrop Industries in 1965 and was named the company's president in 1978. He served as president of the American Ceramic Society from 2000-2001. Jim earned his doctorate in ceramic engineering from The Ohio State University in 1970.

If you would like to contact any of these board members, please e-mail the editor at suttons@bnpmedia.com.

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