Coatings manufacturer Rudd Co., Seattle, has appointed Jeff Takac Vice President of Sales & Marketing.

Aakash Chemicals,Glendale Heights, IL, has hired Shaun Mueller to be the company’s Technical Director, Coatings for its Global Technical Innovation Squad.

D.B. Becker Co. Inc., Clinton, NJ, has hired Tom Papasso to be the company’s Northeast Technical Sales Manager.

Michelman has hired Jean-Marc Verhaeghe as the company’s new Managing Director, Europe.

AkzoNobel announced that effective April 26 Ruud Joosten will become the Executive Committee member responsible for Decorative Paints.

Christine Gehres has joined pigments supplier LANSCO COLORS, Pearl River, NY, as Senior Vice President of Sales.

Michelman, a developer of water-based functional coatings, surface modifiers and polymers, has formed a new Engineered Wood business unit and has made four personnel changes to better align its resources with customer needs.

Pump Solutions Group (PSG), a business unit within Dover Corp., has named Chris Distaso Director of Engineering for PSG's Grand Terrace facility.

Paint and coating additives manufacturer Dover Chemical Corp. has made a series of leadership changes designed to prepare the company for future growth.

Specialty chemical supplier Sartomer USA LLC has appointed Dr. Heather Rayle as Senior Business Director.