Business News
Kenneth Wisnoski Named President of Alcoa Business Responsible for Primary Product Growth, Bauxite, Energy and Africa
Wednesday 12. March 2008 - Alcoa (NYSE:AA) announced today that effective immediately Kenneth Wisnoski, 53, has been named President, Global Primary Products - Growth, Energy, Bauxite and Africa.
He succeeds Jon Erik Reinhardsen, who resigned from Alcoa to become CEO of Petroleum Geo-Services ASA, in Norway. Mr. Wisnoski had been vice president of this business unit, which is involved in smelting, bauxite and energy growth opportunities and projects worldwide. As President, he will also manage operating accountabilities for the African region.
“Ken has extensive international management experience both from an operations and development perspective as well as engineering and construction experience,” said Bernt Reitan, Executive Vice President, Alcoa and Group President Global Primary Products.
Biographical Information on Mr. Wisnoski follows:
Ken Wisnoski joined Alcoa in 2005 in his most recent position as vice president, Global Primary Products Growth. In 2007, the business unit expanded to include responsibility for growth opportunities in energy and bauxite, and responsibility for Africa. During this two year period, Alcoa completed construction of its first greenfield smelter in 20 years in Iceland, a new anode plant in Mosjøen, Norway, and a major refinery expansion is currently underway in São Luis, Brazil.
Prior to joining Alcoa, Mr. Wisnoski was president, Europe and Africa for El Paso Corporation, one of North Americas largest independent natural gas producers and owner of North Americas largest interstate natural gas pipeline system. Earlier, he was employed for 17 years by Brown & Root, an international engineering and construction contractor involved in the oil & gas, metals, power and civil industries. While there, he held a variety of project management and senior and executive management positions.
Mr. Wisnoski, who grew up in Texas, graduated from the University of Dallas in 1976 with a bachelors degree in Psychology. He did post graduate studies at Angelicum University, in Italy, and in 1984 obtained an MBA degree from the University of St. Thomas, Houston, Texas. He is past Chairman of the United Nations Gas Center based in Geneva, Switzerland.