The People Issue 2023

Fourteen industry leaders are profiled in this annual special section.

Now in its sixth year, ELEVATOR WORLD’s issue devoted to people has come a long way since it debuted in 2018. That year, in our excitement, we featured 40 vertical-transportation (VT) industry professionals with experience ranging from only a few years to more than 75. It was quite a group. Since then, we’ve scaled back the number featured each year, and now, we feel we’ve got it about right. This year, we received more nominations than ever before, so deciding who to feature was difficult.

For the past two years, 14 individuals have been featured. The result is a true list of VT professionals who are pillars of the industry and at the top of their game, with experience ranging from a couple of decades to nearly 40 years. They include entrepreneurs who come from a long line of elevator professionals, leaders of both independents and OEMs, field supervisors, marketing moguls, engineers and champions of safety. One has overseen the VT system at a university for decades, helping ensure accessibility for all. As always, several honorees are from the NYC area, but some are also based in the U.S. Midwest, the Northeast, the South and the West. We have a company leader (fourth generation elevator man) based in Toronto, and OEM leaders based in Mumbai, India; Kilkis, Greece; and Shanghai, China. The Shanghai executive is, incidentally, the only woman on the list. That’s certainly not for a lack of qualified nominees, but rather, a reflection of our striving to select the most qualified, worthy candidates. Our industry is traditionally male-dominated, and it just so happens the majority of those selected this year are men – a good portion of whom are headed toward retirement. From OEMs to independents, VT companies are increasingly proactive about achieving greater gender parity in the executive ranks, and we expect this will be reflected in future editions of the EW People Issue. 

John Curzon

AEG

“John Curzon is a serial entrepreneur and much sought-after leader in the elevator industry,” observes his business partner, wife, and nominator Åsa Magnusson, who works alongside Curzon at brand and communications consultancy Curzon Creative Ltd. With several business successes to his credit, Curzon is a “forward-thinking, creative individual” who has successfully developed a variety of businesses in North America, Europe and Asia (China, in particular). In 2008, Curzon was elected to the board of the National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC), holding the role of treasurer until 2012. He served as volunteer chair of NAEC’s International and New Directions committees and was instrumental in creating NAEC’s NexGen young leadership initiative, which is still going strong. In September 2020, Curzon joined American Elevator Group (AEG) as its vice president of marketing and communications. Prior to AEG, he held a similar position at Vantage Elevation, responsible for brand strategy and development, coupled with developing new sales channels for both existing and new products. Curzon remains very proud of the Vantage brand structure he was instrumental in creating, bringing together several business entities under a single, powerful umbrella identity. In addition to his engagement with AEG, Curzon today operates as an independent consultant to the international elevator industry through the agency Curzon Creative Ltd. The agency offers a unique, industry-tailored service that covers all aspects of brand development and communications, using a tried and tested process that has already underpinned remarkable success for several well-known elevator businesses. Magnusson says: 

“If you’re a leader in the elevator industry and haven’t yet had a chance to meet John Curzon, you will still no doubt be familiar with his work. Over the years, John has made a tremendous impact on a number of well-known industry businesses and transformed the way they present themselves and how they communicate with the market. John is a true visionary who enjoys the challenge of bringing out the best in an organization and its people — and helps to create consistent business value every step of the way.”

Andy Darnley

Nationwide Lifts

Described by nominator Nationwide Lifts Sales Representative Tom Tracy as a pioneer in the elevator industry, Nationwide Lifts President Andy Darnley has been a devoted innovator for the past 20-plus years. Darnley’s notable successes include founding Nationwide Lifts in 2003, co-founding Elevation Innovation (dumbwaiter manufacturer) in 2004, contributing to the launch of Visilift Elevators (glass elevator manufacturer) in 2007, launching elevators.com in 2014 and founding Artisan Elevators (custom elevator manufacturer) in 2018. A native of upstate New York, Darnley earned a degree in electrical engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology. He spent five years working for a tech giant in northern California before realizing he didn’t like “the cubicle life.” With three generations of elevator mechanics in the family, Darnley inevitably was drawn to the elevator industry.  Launched in 2003 in Queensbury, NY, Nationwide Lifts is comprised of a group of independently owned offices across the country, specializing in elevators, wheelchair lifts, dumbwaiters and stairlifts. National marketing, unique products and an amazing team have helped the Nationwide Lifts’ network grow over the past 20 years, Darnley says. “The owners are family. We’ve built a great company together!” he observes. Darnley created Artisan Elevators in 2018 to design and build one-of-a-kind elevators. This company provides the perfect platform for innovating – custom glass elevators, birdcage elevators, unique shapes and more. Clients come to Artisan with new challenges, and the team designs creative solutions. With several patents pending, Artisan Elevators is making its mark on the elevator industry. Last year, Darnley launched his most impactful design to date: the Atlas Interlock (ELEVATOR WORLD, April 2023), which solves the ASME A17.1 residential 3/4-in. rule. This ultra-thin interlock fits within the 3/4 door gap allowed by code. Its patent-pending design saves valuable installation time and provides the cleanest possible look for landing doors. The interlock debuted at the National Association of Elevator Contractors convention in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2022. “It’s a game-changer for anyone in the residential elevator industry,” Tracy says. 

Ray Downs

TEI Group

Several names come to mind when one thinks of safety in the elevator industry, and Ray Downs, senior vice president of Environmental Health & Safety at NYC-based TEI Group, is certainly one of them. “Ray is an icon in our industry, relentlessly setting the standard for safety for decades,” says his nominator, TEI partner and Vice President of Technical Support and Education Wayne Locker. “He has championed the 9 Safety Absolutes with a vision for a standardized safety program for the entire industry.” After earning a business administration degree from Miami’s Biscayne College, Downs worked for General Motors Corp. as safety/labor relations manager for 11 years, managing employee health and safety control for more than 5,400 employees. Later earning an MBA from Saint Peters University in New Jersey, Downs gained most of his elevator industry experience as a Northeast regional environmental health and safety manager, field operations manager and project manager at Otis. When hired to oversee TEI’s safety program in 2012, he introduced The Elevator Industry Field Employees’ Safety Handbook to all of the company’s field employees. He believes the book is vital to the industry, as it touches on all elements of safety. When Downs is not leading safety programs at TEI, he can often be found at industry events throughout North America, jumping on stage for hands-on demonstrations about proper procedures such as log out/tag out. A contributor to ELEVATOR WORLD, Downs is nearing retirement, but his safety message will reverberate for years to come. Downs says: 

“Over my 33 years in the industry, I’ve always had one goal: that all the employees with whom I interact get home safely every night. I’ve always felt that if I made one person, for my entire career, decide to do something safely that avoided their being seriously or fatally injured, then I would have been a success. Because they did what I said or took what I said to heart — the policies, processes and procedures — my entire career has been worth it for changing just one person’s mind.” 

John Forshaw

Cascade Elevators

Four years ago, John Forshaw leveraged his four decades of industry experience to create Cascade Elevators, together with his business partner, in Arlington, Washington. Providing repair, maintenance and modernization services, Cascade Elevators — on track to achieve US$100 million in market share over the next five years — is one of the fastest-growing elevator companies in the state. Forshaw’s nominator Cascade Elevators Chief Operations Officer Andy Plumblee says his commitment to safety and determination to provide quality customer service is driving Cascade’s progress and bettering the industry. Forshaw has worked as both a certified elevator inspector and licensed elevator mechanic. Being a company owner/managing partner hasn’t kept him from hands-on work. “John’s passion for the industry keeps him in the field turning wrenches,” Plumblee, said. “He is so respected in western Washington that mechanics from larger companies ask to come work for him.” Prior to Cascade Elevators, Forshaw owned four different elevator companies in Florida. Forshaw recognizes that many people have directly or indirectly contributed to his career and hopes “in some small way” others can say the same about him. He credits his start to Wesley McNeely, who was a mechanic at Miami Elevator Co. when Forshaw was a 16-year-old security officer on one of his jobs. The complex where Forshaw worked had around 30 elevators, and after running into each other frequently, they struck up a friendship. McNeely came to learn how Forshaw was helping his mother pay the family home’s mortgage. “Without the generosity of Wesley McNeely, I would never have received the opportunity to work in this trade,” said Forshaw. “I would have ended up on a very different career path with a very different outcome.” Forty years later, reflecting on his role in the worldwide vertical-transportation industry, Forshaw said he is “a small cog in the wheel” and feels “so totally privileged to have been invited in.” 

Joe Hennessey

Universal Elevator

Joe Hennessey got started in the vertical-transportation (VT) industry in his teens, going on night call and weekend jobs with his father. He began working on elevators right after high school. Over his 38-year career, Hennessey has held “every position there is,” including helper, mechanic, installer, troubleshooter, adjuster, estimator, owner — and his current title — agency director and supervisor at NYC-based Universal Elevator. A full-service elevator company offering modernization, repair, testing, violation removal and 24/7 maintenance to some of NY and New Jersey’s most elite and demanding buildings, Universal Elevator prides itself on its customer service, comprehensive maintenance plans and use of brand-name, non-proprietary VT equipment. Hennessey has been in his current role for more than five years, and previously, he served as vice president of Ultimate Elevator for eight years. His nominator, Universal Elevator CEO Malcolm Basch, called Hennessey the quintessential supervisor. “In today’s day and age, finding someone who actually trains and teaches the trade to young employees is something unique,” Basch commented. Drawing upon decades of experience working in the trade’s various positions, Hennessey is sharing his expertise with the next generation. “His elevator knowledge is off the charts, and he deserves to be recognized as a leader of elevator men,” Basch noted in his nomination. Hennessey said what he likes best about Universal Elevator is not so much his title of supervisor as it is the mutual respect between him and the company’s owners. The company is led by Basch and Hennessey, along with Jeffrey Spitz, who oversees major projects. “Here we don’t think of each other as titles,” Hennessey said. “We are a team that is known in the industry as being honest, while getting the job done the right way.”

Brian Hilfrank

SCS Elevator Products Inc.

SCS Elevator Products Inc. East Regional Sales Manager Brian Hilfrank has an “endless list of contacts” and “unbelievable enthusiasm” for his company, customers and the industry. “Brian has the uncanny ability to talk to anyone about anything and works a room at sales functions like no one I have ever seen,” SCS Elevator Products Inc. Vice President of Sales Mark Munson, Hilfrank’s nominator, said. Before joining the SCS team in 2018, Hilfrank held leadership positions in various companies, including large multinational organizations, mid-cap private equity firms and family-owned small businesses, in several industries. “The elevator industry is very intertwined with customers also being suppliers,” Hilfrank said. “It’s also not a pretentious industry — the people are very grounded and real.” SCS, an elevator products supplier with an emphasis on elevator signage, braille and buttons, is headquartered in Red Wing, Minnesota, and Hilfrank is based out of Boston, Massachusetts. He regularly travels to attend elevator industry association functions in New York, Florida and Chicago. Munson said that Hilfrank, a National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC) and Canadian Elevator Contractors Association member and Massachusetts Elevator Safety Association past president, is known to almost everyone in the industry as “one of the good guys.” Hilfrank is active in promoting new ideas at SCS, like when he suggested the company sponsor a puppy through Guide Dogs of America. Sponsoring Kona, a service dog in training, was a fitting way to give back for SCS, which was first established by Robley G. Cook, a visually impaired individual who used the services of a guide dog. “Thanks to Brian’s effort, SCS won the spirit award at the NAEC national convention in 2021,” Munson commented. When asked what he enjoys most about working at SCS and in the industry, Hilfrank shared that his list is too long to cover. “Suffice it to say, it’s all about the people you work and deal with on a daily basis,” he said. “When you enjoy the people, the rest falls into place.”

Sebi Joseph

Otis India

Sebi Joseph, president of Otis India, joined Otis after finishing his engineering degree at National Institute of Technology (NIT), Kozhikode, India. What he thought would be a two-year experience actually “transformed into re-inventing myself here every day for the past 35 years, making it an exciting, meaningful and fulfilling journey,” he said, adding that working for a company with such a long-standing presence has been a learning experience. He has worked in a number of roles in various locations across the company, and now his responsibilities encompass management of overall business and operations, leading the strategy and direction, overseeing financial performance and developing partnerships with customers and other stakeholders. He also plays a role in Environment, Social and Governance (ESG), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and technology, specifically digital innovations. Joseph said he has a passion for innovation and advancements in the industry and that “Otis has many milestones in the form of cutting-edge technological features” as a technology leader. In his role, Joseph said his first focus is on his employees: “We have multiple actions on the people front, and our initiatives on well-being, diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as their development, continue.” Reflecting on his time in the industry and his various roles, Joseph said:

“If I talk about what personally helped me to contribute to the business, it is my experience of working with people from various cultural backgrounds in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and India, which has been instrumental in keeping me motivated and aiding in the growth of the business. This experience has enabled me to establish rapport and develop strong relationships with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, which is essential in addressing complex problems and conflicts that arise in any business or industry.”

Enakshi Biswas, head of Otis India Communications, nominated Joseph, saying, “Sebi Joseph, a stalwart in the industry, has made an indelible mark in the industry with his incisive insights.”

Stephen Lake

University of Alabama

According to nominator A. Brent Marley, “Stephen Lake is an elevator legend at The University of Alabama, [whose slogan is] ‘Where Legends Are Made.’” With 37 years of experience leading the Elevator Shop, he has overseen its growth from two to three technicians to a team of 18. He has also seen the number of elevators on campus increase from approximately 75 to almost 275. Under Lake’s leadership, the elevator technicians and apprentices provide 24/7 preventive maintenance, repairs and upgrades and support graduation ceremonies and sporting events, including Alabama football games in Bryant-Denny Stadium, which seats 101,821 and has 25 elevators, two escalators and two wheelchair lifts. To manage the increasing workload, Lake initiated and oversees an apprenticeship program that is based heavily on the National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC) Certified Elevator Technician (CET^TM) program. Additional training specific to the university is also included. The apprenticeship program is registered with the U.S. Department of Labor through the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship and takes about five years to complete. So far, the program has graduated seven elevator technicians. Once an apprentice completes CET examination, they can take the NAEC CET Supervisor exam to qualify to take on their own apprentices. Additionally, Lake ensures learning opportunities for his staff by arranging continuing education and attendance at professional conferences such as Elevator U. Marley said, “Stephen’s long hours of dedicated service to the University keep the campus’ elevators safe and functional for our riding public. He is a recognized leader in the elevator field throughout the state of Alabama and beyond.” 

When Lake started in the industry, he didn’t realize he’d make a career out of it, but said it has proven to be a great learning experience. He said he’s had the opportunity to meet highly thought-of industry icons along the way, adding: “Rubbing shoulders — I’ve learned a lot over the years, and it’s had a real positive influence on me.”

John Linsley

Gillespie Corp.

Upon earning a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Connecticut, John Linsley began his career at Gillespie Corp. in 1989. Over the past three decades, he’s designed more than 400 diverse projects. When Linsley first started at the company, he trained under another engineer for less than a year before graduating to the title of project engineer. He has been Gillespie’s engineer manager since 1996, shouldering the responsibility of managing the department, checking all work, assigning jobs and keeping track of projects from submittal to fabrication drawing. “This is in addition to his own projects,” said Gillespie President Gary West, Linsley’s nominator. Many of those projects have won ELEVATOR WORLD’s Project of the Year contest in various categories, ranging from a special ballroom elevator that transports the bride and groom from a lower level into the center of the dance floor (EW, January 2004) to a solution for a yacht that provided wheelchair-access to the cabin from the deck (EW, January 2020). “John singlehandedly developed and designed Gillespie’s Shallow Pit and Limited Overhead Safety Systems used on both passenger and freight elevators around the country,” West said of his ingenuity. “He applies his knowledge of engineering principles, elevator code, safety considerations and an ability to think ‘outside the box’ to solve complex problems.” In his role at Gillespie, Linsley hands down that knowledge to the next generation of design engineers. He says his favorite aspect of working in the vertical-transportation industry is interacting with the owners, contractors, architects and consultants that come to Gillespie for help with problems. Linsley often collaborates with Senior Project Engineer Yakov Mikhlin to develop these solutions, such as the 2023 Project of the Year-winning design of hidden handicap accessibility lifts for the U.S. Senate chamber that Mikhlin spearheaded (EW, January 2023). As the industry changes, Linsley enjoys learning new things. Both a master teacher and continuous student, Linsley — like many of his projects — is “one-of-a-kind.”

Sally Loh

Otis China 

In March, newly appointed president of Otis China Sally Loh was named the first female regional president in company history, becoming, according to Otis CEO and President Judy Marks, a key part of “an exciting time in our parity journey.” In her new officer role, Loh is tasked with evaluating and responding to market dynamics to ensure ongoing growth and development of Otis’ business through innovative product and service offerings. She is focused on digital transformation across Otis’ service, new equipment, field installation, manufacturing and enterprise operations across China — a critical part of the vertical-transportation industry and of Otis’ global footprint. “With rapid urbanization and ongoing digitalization efforts, China is often seen as a catalyst for the taller, faster, smarter world we at Otis seek to help create and sustain,” Loh’s nominator, Otis Senior Public Relations Manager Ed Jacovino, said. “Sally has been an integral part of evolving Otis China, bringing innovation to market and leveraging the new capabilities of digitalization for our business and our customers.” Now based in Shanghai, Loh has more than 23 years’ experience at Otis in Singapore and China, starting as a senior auditor and ascending to chief financial officer (CFO), chief operating officer — and now — Otis China president. Throughout her time at Otis, Loh has helped lead important regions for the company by maintaining a focus on engaging Otis colleagues to meet the needs of customers and passengers. Loh earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Nanyang Technological University Singapore and an MBA from The University of Manchester in the U.K. “Sally’s years of experience and deep knowledge of our operations and team in China uniquely position her to lead our China region business,” Marks said in appointing her.

Mike Pattison

KONE Inc.

Mike Pattison’s vertical-transportation industry career spans three decades. This year, he marked his 23rd year with KONE. “It has been an absolute blessing working for and growing with the company over the years, as I have been afforded the opportunity and the tools to grow and develop as a leader,” Pattison said. Upon receiving his undergraduate degree from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, Pattison was recruited by Montgomery Elevator Co., which would later merge with KONE. After completing Montgomery’s training program in Moline, Illinois, he was assigned to the company’s Washington, D.C., branch as a new equipment sales representative. Today, as KONE vice president Mountain West district, Pattison has full profit and loss (P&L) responsibility within all business segments for all branch offices within the district. He said the most rewarding part of his job is witnessing his team members develop and flourish in leadership roles. “Mike is a person that has constantly gone out of his way to recognize other people in the organization and in the industry,” KP Consulting VP/Consultant Kurt Schieszer, Pattison’s nominator, said. “He has continued to promote great talent and build quality leaders in our industry.” Prior to his current role, Pattison served as branch manager with P&L responsibility for KONE’s business operations in Wyoming, Colorado and western Nebraska and as regional director of business development for KONE’s west region. When asked what leadership means to him, Pattison said his approach could be summed up as “simply engaging with and listening to my team members, supporting them to the best of my ability, removing obstacles on their behalf and openly recognizing their successes.” In nominating him, Schieszer commented that Pattison “is a true model of leadership in our industry and deserves to be celebrated himself.”

Hank Peelle

The Peelle Co.

Few, if any, elevator suppliers or contractors can claim they are part of a company still producing the same product by the same ownership in the same industry for five generations, says The Peelle Co. Vice President of Business Development Mike Ryan, who nominated former Peelle President Hank Peelle. Peelle is part of the fourth generation of Peelle family members who have continually guided the company into the future. Last year, he was succeeded by his son, JT, as president (ELEVATOR WORLD, November 2022). Hank Peelle continued the family tradition of manufacturing freight elevator doors that began prior to company incorporation in 1905 and continues today. He also expanded the elevator door product line to include passenger entrances and replacement panels. Under his direction, Peelle divested itself of builder products such as pass-through windows, special-purpose doors and miscellaneous metals to better support the elevator industry. Through Hank Peelle’s leadership, the company experienced significant growth. It continually sought new ways to improve its products and services, and employees were encouraged to support and assume leadership positions in organizations such as the National Association of Elevator Contractors, the Canadian Elevator Contractors Association, the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation, Elevator Conference of New York and regional associations. Additionally, Hank Peelle is an active member and past chair of the ASME/ANSI Code Committee. In his top role at Peelle, Hank Peelle oversaw sales, installation, engineering, manufacturing and R&D in locations including Smithtown, New York; Brampton, Ontario, Canada; and Singapore. He worked directly with senior management on sales and marketing, production, accounting, process improvement and developing and implementing corporate mission and strategy. After earning a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, Hank Peelle earned an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a doctorate from the University of Phoenix.

Stavros Stavropoulos

Doppler

Stavros Stavropoulos entered the lift industry in 1982 after graduating as a shipbuilding marine engineer from the National Technical University of Athens. He founded his first company in 1991 and then Doppler in 2000 in Polykastro, Greece. The company launched its first branch in Athens in 2001, which also saw construction of the first Doppler panoramic lift. This was followed by the company’s global expansion in Cyprus, Italy, Germany and the U.A.E. In 2023, the company celebrates a new showroom and offices in Thessaloniki, Greece, and has an established presence in 90 countries with more than 200 partners and 20,000-plus installed lifts worldwide. Nominator Eleni Papadopoulou, Doppler marketing specialist, said that he has “covered the void” with options like the rooftop lift, the inclined and 60tn platform lifts. She added: 

“Since he always champions engineering excellence and has committed himself to technological innovation as a bespoke solutions provider, his greatest achievement is the establishment of the company in manufacturing different, complete lift packages, leading to successful global exportation and expansion.” 

As CEO, Stavropoulos spends his time maximizing the value of the businesses and is an active decision maker. He is actively involved in R&D, researching products and integrated elevator solutions. He makes decisions about new product lines, generating and maintaining competitive advantages, potential new markets and mitigating risks, among many others. He also introduced a new technique of manufacturing modernization, the patented ReNaissance method, that transforms any hydraulic lift into a contemporary traction machine-room-less elevator with minimum energy consumption, disturbance and cost. Stavropoulos said, “Having built something from scratch, seeing it grow, designing new products and having established a global client portfolio makes me proud of my path and Doppler’s path. Since we have proven ourselves in technological innovation, whenever someone thinks of Doppler, they think: ‘solution, adaptability and responsiveness.’ That always was and remains the ultimate goal.”

Christopher Todd

Pride and Service Elevator

Christopher Todd, president of Pride and Service Elevator, is a second-generation elevator man. His father worked for Otis after serving in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War and, later, started his own company, which is where Todd’s career started. The pair installed elevators across the world — including in American embassies in Europe and Asia — as Todd’s father was a Department of Defense contractor. Schindler bought that company in 2005, and Todd worked there for five years. During that time, he was selected as part of the Top Range Team and worked on the World Trade Center Tower 3 and 4 project. In 2010, Todd purchased Pride and Service Elevator — which serves the tri-state area from offices in NY and New Jersey — and quickly grew from three employees to more than 100. In 2020, Todd partnered with American Elevator Group to provide additional benefits to his clients. The project he said he is most proud of is 498 7th Avenue in NYC, which was a 23-car destination-based modernization with new machine-room-less installs and six escalators. Another proud moment was being able to give a multimillion-dollar distribution to his employees through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) trust that he had previously set up. Nominator Angel Sanchez, repair superintendent at Pride and Service Elevator, said the checks were “life changing” for employees, adding, “Besides his generosity, I have never met a president of a company that cares as much as he does for his employees’ well-being, and he always has time to hear issues that employees might have.” Todd credits his father’s influence for his ability to stay the course. “He was a military man and believed that steel sharpens steel and that you must persevere in the face of adversity,” Todd said. “I also believe that the cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”