Board of Directors

Robert E. Kersey attended DePauw University and graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1957 with a degree in Economics and Engineering.  He was then employed by Ryan Aeronautical, later served in the U. S. Army Reserve for a short time.  In late 1959, he joined the family businesses.  Upon the death of his father, he became President of Rochester Metal Products Corp.  He has also served as a Director of two Banking companies, one Bank’s foundation and President of the other family businesses.  He is a board member of the Indiana Cast Metals Association and of the Indiana Manufacturers Association where he served on the Executive Committee for eleven years.

Brad Hinkle joined Rochester Metal Products in 2015 as Chief Financial Officer; he was promoted to Chief Executive Officer in 2022. Brad graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in Accounting. Brad started his career as a CPA with Coopers & Lybrand (now PricewaterhouseCoopers). After spending time working as a CPA, Brad returned to Indiana University and obtained an MBA degree.

Brad has focused on expanding automation in production and increasing the use of diagnostic tools to significantly improve uptime and efficiency.

Prior to joining Rochester Metal Products, Brad spent 21 years at Zimmer Biomet in a variety of project management and financial leadership roles, where he focused on manufacturing operations and continuous improvement across multiple sites worldwide.

From 1983 to 2017, Steve dedicated his private law practice primarily to employee stock ownership plans (“ESOP’s”); he structured over 350 ESOP transactions for public and private companies throughout the U.S. He also designed and implemented equity and non-equity-based incentive compensation plans for public and private companies. He was directly involved in drafting the S corporation ESOP enabling legislation in the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997. Steve was a co-author of the S corporation ESOP “anti-abuse” statutes known as the “Breaux Ramstad” legislation.

Steve currently sits on the boards of directors of three 100 percent ESOP-owned corporations, Concrete Supply Co. Inc. (Georgia), Rochester Metal Products Corp. (Indiana) and Dividend Assets Capital Holdings, Inc. (South Carolina). For several years, he was a director of Brent Scarbrough & Company, Cathedral Holdings, Inc., and Tech Systems, Inc. (all Georgia-based 100 percent ESOP-owned corporations). He currently serves as a lead director, chair of the nominating and governance committees, and a member of the audit and finance and compensation committees.

Steve served on active and reserve duty for 26 years in the Air Force JAG Corps. and retired as a Colonel. During his reserve duty at the Pentagon, he conceived of and drafted the “401(k)” plan for members of the armed services, which is now part of the Federal Thrift Savings Plan.

In 2004, Steve founded and served as the President of Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA, a charitable organization which has provided over $60 Million in grants to the wildlife conservation programs of the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya. He currently serves as a Trustee of Sheldrick Wildlife Trust UK.

John Andrews has spent his entire career, spanning six decades, in the foundry industry. His experience is rooted heavily in operations and manufacturing with a proven track record in performance improvement and turnaround capabilities. He was hired at the age of 18 at his hometown foundry in Homer, Michigan, where he worked labor during the summers and holiday vacations to fund his college education. John holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Michigan State University. John began his professional career as Melting and Pouring Foreman. He then took a position at a large foundry in Wisconsin as Manufacturing Manager and was promoted to Plant Manager where he served for more than a decade. He then accepted the position of Plant Manager at Neenah Foundry where he was immediately tasked with improving the performance of one facility and soon after another under-performing facility. Over the next 20-plus years, he was promoted to Operations Manager, then Vice President of Manufacturing and finally Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Manufacturing with full responsibility for Neenah Foundry operations and with five other manufacturing facilities around the country reporting through him. He was active in AFS throughout his career and presented at the chapter and national levels. He served on and was Chairman of the Greensand Molding Committee. He received a Service Citation from AFS for his contributions to the industry. John’s work experience spanning from his start on the shop floor to the C-level provides him with unique insights and the ability to successfully interface with and maintain positive relationships with stakeholders and employees in all job functions and at all levels. Since retiring from Neenah Foundry John has stayed active in the foundry industry.

John graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a B.S. in Metallurgical Engineering. After working for 10 years in the foundry industry, John was accepted to the Executive MBA program at Xavier University. He received his M.B.A. from Xavier while continuing to work full-time. 

John dedicated his entire career to the metal casting industry. He began his career in the technical arena as a Metallurgist before moving into managerial roles in various departments within a number of foundries. Over the past 30 years, John has held various executive level roles within the industry. He most recently worked for Cadillac Casting Inc. and Grede LLC. He retired from Grede in 2022. He was also a member of the Board of Directors for the American Foundry Society from 2019 through 2023. John joined Rochester Metal Product’s Board of Directors in 2023.

Mark Flinchum is a senior partner in Katz, Sapper & Miller’s Business Advisory Group, and co-chair of the firm’s ESOP Services Group. Mark is a 1987 graduate of Indiana University and has been with KSM for over 35 years. Mark advises clients on strategic tax planning decisions, business analysis and structuring, advocacy in IRS tax matters, succession planning, and consulting on financial statement issues.

Mark has extensive experience and expertise related to employee-owned companies. Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP) knowledge includes determining the potential of a sale to an ESOP, establishing an ESOP structure, tax planning opportunities in creating an ESOP, advising on the proper accounting for an ESOP, and assisting with ESOP operational issues beyond the transaction, including employee-owned company sales to a third party. Mark represents many ESOP-owned businesses and currently serves as a director of three successful ESOP companies.

Mark’s industry experience includes manufacturing and distribution, transportation, hospitality, professional services, and agriculture businesses. He is a frequent contributing author to firm publications, industry publications, and on ESOP matters.

John Whitenack has been a member of the Board of Directors of Rochester Metal Products since January of 2020.  Mr. Whitenack is Chairperson of the Compensation Committee, and Member of the Audit Committee.  Mr. Whitenack co-founded Florida Powered Products, LLC with his son in February of 2023, and is active in the business today.

Mr. Whitenack has over 20 years as the CEO and Board Chair of multiple companies across multiple industries.  From 2007 until 2020, Mr. Whitenack served as President and CEO of various Steel Partners Holdings including Indiana Tube Corporation, Lucas Milhaupt and Modus Link.  From 1997 to 2007 Mr. Whitenack was President and CEO of several Private Equity ventures and President of GE Aircraft Engines Accessory Services.  Additionally, Mr. Whitenack has held positions in manufacturing management at GM and medical device sales for Snowden Pencer.

From 1987 to1992 Mr. Whitenack was a Captain in the United States Army Field Artillery where he served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.  Mr. Whitenack holds a B.S. Degree in Management Studies from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.