Chair & Vice-Chair
The Aircraft Carrier Industrial Base Coalition selected new leadership for 2007 and 2008. After serving as a co-chair of the organization for two years, Richard Giannini, President and CEO of Milwaukee Valve Company, was promoted to Chair of the coalition, with Darrell Grow, Chief Operating Officer of Ammcon, serving as Vice-Chair. Widely recognized as leaders in the aircraft carrier industry, Mr. Giannini and Mr. Grow bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the coalition that will be critical in raising awareness about the aircraft carrier industry and industrial base. To read more about the Mr. Giannini and Mr. Grow, please click on the following links.

 

 

 

Richard A. Giannini
President & CEO
Milwaukee Valve Company

 

Richard A. (Rick) Giannini is President and CEO of Milwaukee Valve Company, a privately held business established in 1901. Milwaukee Valve is internationally recognized for its state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and new product innovations covering a wide range of applications.

 

Mr. Giannini has been the President and CEO of Milwaukee Valve since July 1998. Milwaukee Valve is a leading manufacturer of valves for the Marine, Commercial and Industrial Markets. The company is also the United States Navy's largest supplier of bronze navy standard valves. Milwaukee Valve is also a leading supplier of valves for the Commercial Construction Industry, and has two joint venture operations in China to support its Commercial and Industrial product offerings.

 

Milwaukee Valve operates a state-of-the-art bronze foundry and manufacturing operation in Prairie du Sac, WI. In addition to the bronze navy standard valves, the company offers valves manufactured in iron, brass, titanium, copper-nickel, carbon and stainless steel, and other specialty materials. The product line includes ball, butterfly, gate, globe, angle, check and specialty valves.

 

Over the course of his 25-year career in the valve-manufacturing industry, Mr. Giannini has held numerous positions of increasing responsibility. He started in 1980 with Marpac, formerly a division of Mark Controls. In 1984, Mr. Giannini was promoted to Assistant Controller of the Mark Controls International division. In 1986, he was promoted to Controller of the Marpac division. In 1988, Rockwell International acquired the Marpac division from Mark Controls. Following the Rockwell acquisition, Mr. Giannini was also appointed Controller of the McCanna division. In 1989, Rockwell sold its Measurement and Flow Control Group to British Tire and Rubber (BTR). The Group consisted of six valve and meter manufacturing companies including the Marpac and McCanna divisions. In 1994 Mr. Giannini was promoted to President of the Marpac and McCanna divisions of BTR.

 

Mr. Giannini received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Accounting and Business Administration in 1979 from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL. He also earned his CPA certificate in 1981. Mr. Giannini is married with three daughters.

 

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Darrell Grow
Chief Operating Officer
Ammcon Corporation

 

Darrell Grow is the Chief Operating Officer of the AMMCON Corporation. When AMMCON was founded in 1973 by Clifford Grow, it was known as Suburban Machine Works. During the 1980’s the company started contracting business with its largest customers, the defense and heavy equipment industries.

 

In 1989, Suburban Machine Works built a 12,000 square foot facility at its current location in Hillsboro, Oregon and changed its name to AMMCON. Today, AMMCON employs over 40 people and houses a number of modern machines in its 35,000 square foot facility. AMMCON continues to grow and in 2006, the company is planning to add another 12,000 square foot expansion to its Hillsboro facility.

 

While in College, Mr. Grow worked as a machinist and as a quality control inspector for AMMCON. In 1986, Mr. Grow became Vice-President of AMMCON and was in charge of all defense related products. In 2000, he and his wife, Cathrine, purchased AMMCON, and he became the Chief Operating Officer. In addition to serving on the regional board of the Aircraft Carrier Industrial Base Coalition, he has also been a member of the Submarine Industrial Base Council since it was founded.

Mr. Grow graduated from Pacific University in 1986 with a Bachelors degree in business administration. He enjoys fishing and has been very active with the Boy Scouts and held various positions within that organization including cub master. He lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife and three children.

 

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