Hepner New Telefast COO

John Wolz

Jeff Hepner is the new executive vice president of Telefast Industries Inc., president Kathleen Ferry announced.\
Hepner was vice president of sales & marketing at Lake Erie Screw Corporation for the past four years. He began his 30-year fastener career with his father�s rep agency, W.A. Hepner & Associates Inc. where he represented Lake Erie, Mellowes, Amanda Bent Bolt and Auto Bolt & Nut. Hepner joined Lake Erie in 1978 in outside sales.
�He has been in the bolt business, but he understands our business. The processes are the same, and we have many of the same customers,� Ferry said of nut manufacturing.
The change completes Telefast�s new management team after the death of Jeff Ferry, 43, in June.
Jeff Ferry founded Telefast in 1986 with one nut-forming machine, five employees and shared factory space. In 1995 Telefast opened a 50,000 sq ft plant in Berea, OH.
Kathleen Ferry, who holds a master�s degree in accounting from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University, has stepped up her role at Telefast. Previously she managed the financial end, and her husband headed sales and operations.
Ferry commended Telefast employees for doing their jobs without interruption during the difficult transition this summer.
�Our customers have been wonderful,� Ferry said. �We�ve had a good summer, with sales up from one year ago. We are now poised to grow.�
Ferry also said the Internet trading portal started by Jeff Ferry in 2000, 1stFastener.com, has been mothballed. Refunds have been sent to subscribers.
�I can�t do it all, and I decided to put my efforts into Telefast. It was my husband�s vision, and he was the driving force behind it.�
Ferry held out the possibility that 1stFastener may be brought back at �some later date.�
Kathleen Ferry is fourth generation in the fastener business. Her great-grandfather was Charles Wasmer, who began in fasteners in 1886 with Lamson & Sessions and later started United Screw & Bolt. Her grandfather, John Wasmer, founded Wasmer Bolt & Screw in 1928 and Lake Erie Screw in 1946. �2002 FastenerNews.com