Bead’s Board of Directors is made up of outside members from various fields of expertise. They have a fiduciary responsibility to the Shareholders to oversee the management of the business and corporate affairs in accordance with the company’s Bylaws.
Ken Bryant joined Bead in 1998 and immediately implemented a new strategic vision for the company based on its core strengths and Lean manufacturing principles. Ken right-sized the organization, purchased modern new facilities and established an outside board of directors to guide and monitor Bead’s progress. Currently, Ken sits on the Executive Board of the New Haven Manufacturer’s Association (NHMA). Formerly, he was the Chairman of the Metal Manufacturing Education and Training Alliance (METAL), member of the Industrial Board of the International Association of Management of Technology (IAMOT), executive Board member of the West End Community Development Corp. in Bridgeport, and a board member of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council. Ken earned a BA from Beloit College and a MA from the National College of Education. He has been a board member of Bead Industries since August 1987 and sits on the Compensation Committee.
Mr. Cote has held various accounting and financial roles at Pricewaterhouse-Coopers, Xerox Corporation, Emhart Corporation and Wang Laboratories. In 2004, Mr. Cote retired from TransAct Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ-TACT), a $60 million manufacturer of specialty printers, where he held the position of Executive Vice President, CFO, Treasurer and Secretary, and was a member of the Board of Directors. He assisted in taking the company public in 1996. Mr. Cote earned his BS degree from the University of Hartford and is a CPA. Mr. Cote is also chairman of the board at The Prout School and board member and treasurer of The Palms of Bay Beach, Inc. He has been a board member of Bead Industries since April 2001, and sits on the Compensation Committee.
Mr. Egan brings over 30 years experience as General Manager and VP of Operations at various manufacturing companies across Connecticut including Applied Tech Products, Rexam Cosmetic Packaging, and The Stanley Works. His specialties include lean manufacturing, quality systems, flow technology, and continuous improvement. Currently, his is the Director of Parish Services for the Archdiocese of Hartford. Mr. Egan earned a BS from Northeastern and an MBA from Boston University. He is a member of the Boston University Manufacturing Roundtable and the American Institute of Industrial Engineers. Mr. Egan has been a board member of Bead Industries since January 2002.
Mr. Ruby has over 40 years of management consulting, strategic planning, business valuation, corporate finance and operating management experience. As financial director of a Fortune 500 consumer products company, he designed and implemented their first strategic plan, evaluated acquisitions, analyzed new products and managed the finance department. He was head of mergers and acquisitions for a diversified NYSE corporation where he completed a number of transactions. As president of two divisions, he restored one operation to profitability and expanded the other to a multi-plant operation. Prior to founding Parker Benjamin, Mr. Ruby was senior merger and acquisition specialist at an investment banking firm. He holds a BS in Aeronautical Engineering from MIT and an MBA from Harvard Graduate School of Business. He has also been qualified to perform business valuations for the IRS and FDIC. Paul is an active member of the Board of Directors of a number of closely-held family businesses. He has been a board member of Bead Industries since October 2001, and sits on the Compensation Committee.
