The Fabricators & Manufacturers Association
International, Rockford, Ill., announced the retirement of Gerald M. Shankel as president and CEO, effective October 1. The FMA board ofdirectors has appointed Edward S. Youdell, group publisher of FMA Communications Inc., to succeed Shankel.
Shankel will serve as president emeritus to ensure a successful transition before he leaves the organization at the end of the year. Shankel was hired as president and CEO of the FMA in 2002.
Youdell was promoted to FMA vice president effective immediately and will assume the president and CEO role on October 1. Youdell has served as group publisher of FMA’s publishing affiliate since early 2007. The organization said this move is the next step in a comprehensive planning process initiated more than a year ago by Shankel with the executive committee of the FMA board to ensure a thoughtful, proactive leadership succession plan.
Youdell joined FMA after serving more than 18 years in the publishing and tradeshow industries. As group publisher, Youdell has been responsible for FMA Communications Inc., the publishing affiliate of FMA which serves the metal processing, forming and fabricating industries by publishing business-to-business magazines, e-newsletters, vendor directories and websites.