Governance > Key Operations Personnel

Smith-Midland Corporation (VA):Ashley Smith | Wesley Taylor | William Kenter | Steve Ott | Matthew Smith | James Dean
Smith-Carolina Corporation (NC): Louis Marusik
Easi-Set Industries: Moffette Tharpe

Smith-Midland Corporation (VA)

Ashley B. Smith
President and Chief Operating Officer

Ashley B. Smith

President and Chief Operating Officer, asmith@smithmidland.com

Mr. Ashley Smith has served as Vice President of Smith-Midland Corporation (DE) since 1990 and as a Director since 1994. He is the current President/Chief Operating Officer of Smith-Midland (VA) and during his time working with Smith-Midland Corporation, has previously held these positions of Vice President of Sales to Smith-Midland (VA) and Managing Director to Easi-Set Industries, leading Smith-Midland Corporation (VA) to the highest sales levels in its’ history without increasing the sales force.

Ashley has been active as a leader on several industry committees including the internationally recognized trade association, National Precast Concrete Association. He volunteers locally where he is a founding member of the citizens’ committee to open the Fauquier County Branch Library, is a member of the citizens’ committee to raise funds to provide lights for the Liberty High School Football field, and serves as a soccer coach. Smith holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Bridgewater College.

Wesley A. Taylor
Vice President of Administration

Wesley A. Taylor

Vice President of Administration, wtaylor@smithmidland.com

Mr. Wesley Taylor has served as Vice President of Administration to the Company since 1989 and as a Director since 1994, he previously held the positions of Controller and Director of Personnel and Administration for Smith-Midland (VA). Prior to his career with Smith-Midland Delaware, Wesley worked for the criminal justice system as Assistant Superintendent in a maximum security facility, after 8 years he entered the private sector and subsequently worked in Human Resource Administration to both the petroleum and printing industries. Mr. Taylor holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwestern State University.

William A. Kenter
Chief Financial Officer

William A. Kenter

Chief Financial Officer, wkenter@smithmidland.com

Mr. Kenter joined Smith-Midland Corporation (VA) in August 2008. From September 2007 to August 2008, Mr. Kenter was Controller for the Mount Vernon Printing division of Consolidated Graphics, Inc., a commercial printing company. From January 2000 to August 2007, Mr. Kenter served as President and CEO of PenGraphix Printing Solutions, a commercial printing company. From June 1994 to August 1999, Blue Dolphin Designs, a national apparel company. Under Mr. Kenter's tenure, Blue Dolphin Designs received the annual Chamber of Commerce Small Business Award for 1996.

Mr. Kenter holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting, both from the University of West Florida in Pensacola, FL. Mr. Kenter served as a Helicopter Pilot in the United States Marine Corps from 1969 to 1974 rising to the rank of Captain.

Steve Ott
Vice President of Engineering

Steve Ott

Vice President of Engineering, sott@smithmidland.com

Mr. Ott has served as Vice President of Engineering since 2005. He is a registered professional Engineer, licensed in several states. He also supports design activities for licensees of Easi-Set Industries and is active on various committees including R&D, Safety, and Lean Manufacturing.

Mr. Ott is an active member of the Precast Prestressed Concrete Institute and serves on various committees including, Architectural Precast, Blast, and Productivity. He has written several articles and design manuals relating to the precast concrete industry and contributed in the re-write of the Architectural Precast Concrete Manual, 3rd Edition.

Previously Mr. Ott worked as Engineering Manager for the Shockey Precast Group in Fredericksburg from 2001 through 2005 and as a Senior Project Engineer from 1998 through 2001. Prior to this, he worked in Belgium for a large precast manufacturing company and as a consulting engineer from 1991 through 1997. From 1988 through 1991 he worked at Brandow and Johnston Structural Engineers in Los Angeles, California as a structural engineer. He has designed and overseen hundreds of projects throughout the United States and Europe including commercial, public, and private projects of all sizes and complexities.

Mr. Ott holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Structural Engineering from the University of California at San Diego as well as a Master of Business Administration from the University of Mary Washington.

Matthew I. Smith
Vice President of Sales and Marketing

Matthew I. Smith

Vice President of Sales and Marketing, msmith@smithmidland.com

Mr. Matthew Smith has served as the Vice President of Sales and Marketing since 2008, having previously held the position of Utility Sales Manager during the preceding nine years. He also worked as Sales Manager for Smith-Carolina from 1990-1993.

Mr. Smith is an active member in the local community, serving as chairman of the Fauquier County Transportation Committee, Vice President of the Southern Fauquier Business Owners Association and is an active member at the Midland Church of the Brethren. He earned his degree in Business Administration from Bridgewater College, where he now serves as the National Chair of the Bridgewater Fund Committee.

James Dean
Vice President of Project Management

James Dean

Vice President of Project Management, jdean@smithmidland.com

Mr. "Jimmy" Dean has served as the Vice President of Project Management since 1993. He has been with Smith-Midland Corporation (VA) for 25 years. His career has included working with major precast companies including TXI and Shockey Precast Group.

While at Smith-Midland Corporation (VA) Mr. Dean has brought expertise to both operations and management of installation and erection of precast concrete products. He is a graduate of Virginia Tech University with a degree in civil engineering.

Smith-Carolina Corporation (NC)

Louis Marusik
General Manager

Louis Marusik

General Manager, lmarusik@smith-carolina.com

Mr. Louis Marusik rejoined Smith-Midland Corporation (DE) to serve as General Manager of Smith-Carolina in 1997. His primary oversight is for all aspects of this company in the Carolinas' market area.

Louis has a long history specializing in almost all phases of Concrete Products Manufacturing. His background ranges from Precast Concrete: Architectural building cladding materials, Parking Garages, Underground Utility Manholes, Catch Basins, Vaults, and Prestress Bridge Girders, amongst various other specialty applications. His duties and responsibilities over the years have ranged from Quality Control Manager, Estimator, Scheduler, Production Manager, Yarding and Trucking Operations, Field Erection Coordinator, and Projects Management.

In the 80's Louis served five years with Smith-Midland (VA). During this time a good relationship was established, which has since proven to benefit the success of both companies working together overcoming the distance between them.

Easi-Set Industries

Moffette Tharpe
Managing Director

Moffette Tharpe

Managing Director, mtharpe@easiset.com

Mr. Moffette Tharpe has been with the company for eleven years. He co-founded Easi-Set Industries in 1978 with Rodney Smith and served as its president for over five years. After a 20-year absence, he returned to the company in 2005 to serve as its Managing Director and provide leadership through its next stage of growth.

During his absence, Mr. Tharpe was a partner in a precast manufacturing company in eastern Pennsylvania for ten years. The company, a PCI-certified plant, manufactured and supplied precast concrete products for DOT projects located in five states and the District of Columbia. The company's precast products included median barrier, security barrier, noise wall, retaining wall, underground electrical products, rail platforms, and various structural products.

Mr. Tharpe is very active in the National Precast Concrete Association having served as a Director, Marketing Committee Chairman, and Transportation Products Committee Chairman. He now serves on the Building Products Committee and the Architectural Subcommittee.

Mr. Tharpe earned a bachelors and masters degree in engineering. He is very active in the community and has served as a Director in his local Chamber of Commerce.