Southwire Announces New Executive VP, Promotions on Executive Leadership Team

Southwire (Carrollton, GA):  The company announced some upcoming changes to its executive leadership team, including the addition of two new executive leaders. To better equip the business to respond to market needs, two new executive leadership positions, executive VP, Residential and Commercial Group, and executive VP, Utility and Industrial Group, have been created. Additionally, the position of executive VP of Operational Excellence will become executive VP of Operations with expanded responsibilities. These three positions report to COO Norman Adkins.

Juan Hernandez has been promoted to executive VP, Residential and Commercial Group. Since 1997, Hernandez has served Southwire in various capacities, most recently as senior of Infrastructure. In his new role, he will continue bringing his expertise and experience to the organization in an expanded capacity and formally join the executive leadership team.

Veronica Braker will maintain her position on the executive leadership team with an expanded role. Braker joined the organization last year, leading strategic efforts such as environmental health and safety, quality, maintenance, lean, Modernization and Vertical Integration. Now, as executive VP, Operations, she will acquire responsibility for overseeing all operations and manufacturing across the organization.

Finally, Southwire is excited to welcome Rohan Kelkar to the organization as executive VP, Utility and Industrial Group. Kelkar comes to Southwire from Schneider Electric, where he served as executive VP for the company's global Power Products business from 2021 until present. Prior to his time at Schneider, Kelkar spent more than 20 years at General Electric serving in executive roles and brings multi-disciplinary expertise in strategy, global operations, research & development, product development and business management.  Kelkar will lead the Utility and Industrial groups together as one unit while serving on the executive leadership team. Kelkar officially joined the Southwire team on Jan. 27, while Hernandez and Braker will formally assume their new roles on March 31.