ALPHARETTA, GA — Exide Technologies has appointed Phillip Damaska, 53, as the company’s new executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective April 1, 2008.
Damaska brings more than 30 years of experience to his new role at Exide. He joined the company in January 2005 as vice president, Finance, and was subsequently appointed vice president and corporate controller in August of that same year. Since March 2006, Damaska has held the position of senior vice president and corporate controller and has overseen all of the company’s internal and external financial reporting and the preparation of annual operating plans and forecast updates as well as provided guidance in the company’s efforts to comply with requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
“During his time at Exide, Phil has demonstrated leadership and financial acuity while earning the respect of the entire executive team and our board of directors,” said Gordon Ulsh, president and chief executive officer of Exide Technologies. “He has played a fundamental role in strengthening Exide’s stability and profitability, and his guidance as chief financial officer will help the company as we drive toward achieving our goals of growth and profitability.”
From 1996 through 2004, Damaska held a variety of positions at Freudenberg-NOK, the joint venture partnership between Freudenberg and Company in Germany and NOK Corporation in Japan. During his tenure, he served as president of Corteco, an automotive and industrial seal supplier that is part of the Freudenberg-NOK global group of companies. He also held several finance-related positions of increasing responsibility.
Damaska holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Albion College and an MBA from the University of Detroit. He also is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Michigan.
Damaska succeeds Francis Corby Jr., who has served Exide as executive vice president and chief financial officer since March 2006. During his tenure, Corby has been instrumental in helping the company refinance its bank debt and complete two separate equity rights offerings. He plans his retirement to coincide with the conclusion of the company’s fiscal year 2008.
“As a mature, experienced leader, Fran infused Exide with financial stability at a critical time in our company’s evolution, bringing a number of internal issues under control,” said Ulsh. “He took the lead, for example, in strengthening our corporate accounting controls and compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley. We are grateful for his many contributions that have strengthened our position in the financial marketplace.”
For more information about Exide Technologies, go to: www.exide.com.
