Contech Appoints Mike Rafi as President and Chief Executive Officer

Contech Engineered Solutions LLC (Contech), a leading provider of innovative engineering and site solutions for the residential, commercial and infrastructure markets, has announced that after a thorough search, Mike Rafi has been named president, CEO and a member of the board of directors.

“I am excited to announce that Mike Rafi is our new President and CEO,” said Contech chairman of the board Tim Bernlohr. “The Board of Directors conducted a thorough process to find the right leader for the organization. Mike has all of the qualities that were important in making this hire. Mike stood out amongst a deep pool of candidates and became an obvious choice. He is the right person who can take this organization to the next level,” said Bernlohr.

“It is a privilege to be asked to lead Contech. I look forward to working closely with the Board and driving Contech’s next phase of growth, building on the solid foundation established by our great senior leadership team and associates,” said Rafi.

Rafi has been with Contech since 2008 and was named acting president and CEO in October 2014. Prior to that, he served as president of Pipe Solutions, Contech’s largest business segment. He has been a senior leader at Contech for the past seven years and has been intimately involved in virtually all aspects of the company’s business. He has been responsible for strategic planning, business development and mergers and acquisitions, and during the economic downturn, he led and managed all organizational redesigns, helping the company restructure its workforce, improve productivity and significantly lower fixed expenses. He also supported and completed two balance sheet restructurings and successfully closed eight acquisitions and multiple strategic alliances, many of which are key contributors to the company’s financial success today.

Prior to joining Contech, Rafi was with JLG Industries Inc., an Oshkosh Corp., serving as vice president and general manager, Caterpillar Alliance Group.  He worked there for eight years before being recruited to Contech and rose through the ranks, ultimately responsible for managing a $400 million-plus business and leading global teams, consisting of engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, sales, service, marketing, product development and finance.  At JLG he helped to improve top- and bottom-line performance, expand JLG’s North American market share and international sales, and drove significant savings through effective supply chain management.

As a leading provider of site solution products and services for a variety of end customers, including the civil engineering segment, the Contech portfolio includes bridges, drainage, erosion control, retaining walls, sanitary sewer, stormwater and wastewater treatment solutions.