Badger Meter hires Bockhorst
He will assume role of COO, senior vice president on Nov. 1
Badger Meter Inc. announced Friday it has appointed Kenneth Bockhorst to the newly created position of senior vice president and chief operating officer.
Bockhorst brings more than 20 years of experience in global operations management to the Milwaukee-based independent water meter manufacturer.
Bockhorst, who most recently served as executive vice president of the energy segment of Menomonee Fallsbased Actuant Corp., will assume his new role at Badger Meter on or before Nov. 1.
Bockhorst, 44, becomes the heir apparent to Badger Meter CEO Richard Meeusen, 62, who also serves as chairman and president of the firm.
“I’m probably a couple years from retirement,” Meeusen told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in a telephone interview Friday.
Previous Badger Meter COOs have been promoted to CEOs.
“One of our ongoing priorities is to develop the next generation of Badger Meter leaders. As a key member of the senior management team, Ken will play a vital role in developing strategies for our continued growth and innovation, both domestically and internationally,” Meeusen said.
Meeusen is only the fifth CEO in the company’s 112-year history.
“One of the things I’m excited about is we have a Milwaukee guy coming into the role,” Meeusen said. “We don’t make changes very often, and when we do, we are very careful.”
As COO, Bockhorst will oversee the company’s municipal water and flow instrumentation manufacturing, engineering, sales and marketing, and acquisition activities.
He will also assume responsibility for the company’s continuous improvement initiatives and new product development.
Bockhorst spent the past six years at Actuant.
“I’m thrilled to join such a capable senior leadership team at Badger Meter, a company I’ve long admired for its commitment to high-quality products, innovative technology, and helping customers improve their water usage and overall sustainability efforts,” Bockhorst said. “The board and senior leadership team are a dynamic group that is committed to thoughtful, strategic growth, and I’m looking forward to being a part of this exciting time at Badger Meter.”
In fiscal 2016, Badger Meter achieved record sales, earnings and earnings per share, in addition to marking its 24th consecutive year of increased dividend payments.