Friday, February 15, 2008

GT Solar names new CFO, other execs

GT Solar Inc. of Merrimack, N.H., has added a quartet of new executives -- including a new CFO, Robert Woodbury -- to its team, preparing the company for anticipated expansion and growth, the photovoltaic system maker reports.

The addition of a new CFO, general counsel, vice president of operations, and vice president of human resources caps GT Solar's two-year expansion, which has seen a doubling of its head count from approximately 125 employees two years ago to 250 employees today.

Woodbury, former CFO of Brooks Automation Inc., will join the photovoltaic equipment manufacturer in the same capacity, while semiconductor industry veteran Edwin Lewis will join as VP and general counsel. Lewis previous served in similar positions at publicly traded companies Photronics Inc. in Connecticut and American Science and Engineering Inc. in Billerica.

Also joining GT Solar are Rick Tattersfield, former VP of quality and technical services for Illinois-based ITW Corp., who is the company's new VP of global operations, and Brian Logue, the founder of HR consultantcy Highstreet Advisors Inc., who joins GT Solar as its new VP of human resources.

Last April, the New Hampshire company filed documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission announcing its intention to take the company public in an offering valued at $200 million. No date for the IPO has been announced.

Founded as GT Equipment in 1994 by Kedar Gupta and John Talbott, GT Solar makes manufacturing lines for the production of photovoltaic systems. Gupta retired from the company late last year, passing the reins to CEO Tom Zarrella.