Rich Walker Promoted to President and CEO of AAMA

Rich Walker has been promoted to president and chief executive officer of the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA), having previously held the position of Executive Vice President, and will direct and oversee all organizational objectives and program operations for the entire association. This realignment was approved during the AAMA National Fall Meeting by the AAMA Board of Directors as recommended by both the Board Executive Compensation and Strategic Planning Committees. One of the key goals of the Strategic Planning Committee is to advance AAMA's already dominant position as the leader in the fenestration industry, and Walker's promotion is part of this effort, according to chairman of the board John Brunett of Simonton in Parkersburg, W.Va., who is charged with providing guidance for and management of high-level strategic initiatives of the association.

"Rich's 20 years of industry experience and 10 years with AAMA are proof of his tenacity and dedication to the industry. He has executed at a level that gives the AAMA Board confidence in promoting him to this position, which is better suited to his scope of responsibilities and more clearly represents the activities of the organization," said Brunett.

Since joining AAMA, Walker has served as the executive vice president, technical director and Southeast region director. During his tenure as the executive vice president, Walker spurred AAMA's membership to its current level of over 400 members; ensured fiscal stability; and promoted quality window, door, curtain wall, storefront and skylight products. As technical director, he represented member interests in all national, state and county codes, and increased participation in the AAMA product and profile certification program. As Southeast region director, he ensured member interests were addressed in regulations promulgated in the Southeast U.S., in particular, the states of Florida, North Carolina and Texas and the Florida counties of Dade, Broward and Palm Beach.

After graduating from Lafayette College with a B.S in Chemical Engineering, Walker earned an MBA in Finance from the University of Connecticut. He currently resides outside of Cleveland, in the town of Medina, Ohio with his wife of 29 years, Diane. They have two children, Kate and Adam.