Southwire is pleased to welcome two new senior vice presidents to the company’s leadership team. John Wirtz began serving as the company’s Senior Vice President of Utility on April 15. Beginning April 30, Dan Stuart will join the organization as the Senior Vice President of Information Technology Services (ITS).

John Wirtz

Wirtz brings 30 years of electrical industry experience to Southwire’s leadership team. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of High Voltage Products at ABB, a leader in digital industries specializing in electrification, industrial automation, motion and robotics & discrete automation. Wirtz has also worked with Eaton Corporation, where he was responsible for leading global initiatives to develop electrical vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) and advance electric transportation infrastructure.

“I am pleased to welcome John to Southwire,” said Norman Adkins, Southwire’s Chief Commercial Officer. “His extensive experience in the electrical industry will be crucial to our strategic success. He also has wonderful leadership capabilities and a keen understanding of the utility market and its megatrends. I look forward to working with him as we accelerate growth in this space.”

In his new role, Wirtz is responsible for leading the team and strategic vision for Southwire’s full line of Low, Medium, and High-Voltage Cables & Conductors that move power from the generation source to buildings and homes, as well as working closely with a strong network of distributors, municipalities and contractors.

“I am very excited to be joining the Southwire team,” said Wirtz. “I have been in the electrical industry for over 30 years, and Southwire has always been one of the benchmarks when it comes to doing what is right ethically, exceeding customer expectations and giving back to communities. I look forward to being part of the Southwire team, as we continue to build on Southwire’s long history of product innovation and customer service.”

Wirtz holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Purdue University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Xavier University. He, his wife Molly and their dog Beefcakes currently reside in North Huntingdon, Pa., and will be relocating to the Carrollton, Ga. area. They have three adult children - John, Grace and Charlotte.

Dan Stuart

Stuart joins Southwire from Breakthru Beverage Group, a privately held beverage distributor operating in 16 markets, where he was instrumental in automation and implementation of various technology systems. With more than a decade of IT experience, Stuart will lead the company’s enterprise systems, including planning, implementing, operating and support of the organization’s technology applications and infrastructure.

“Dan will be an incredible asset to Southwire’s leadership team,” said Guyton Cochran, Chief Financial Officer. “Our technology systems are critical to our continued success and future growth. With Dan’s experience, knowledge and leadership, we will continue on our strategic journey to be the world’s best in wire and cable.”

Prior to his tenure at Breakthru Beverage Group, Stuart served as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Vice President of Business Services at Charmer Sunbelt Group, now known as Breakthru Beverage Group, and CIO at D&H Distributing, a leading technology distributor. Throughout his career, Stuart has been responsible for leading IT operations at the executive level across 23 countries and was recently elected to serve on the Americas' SAP Users' Group (ASUG) Board of Directors – the World's Largest Independent SAP User Group dedicated to help people and organizations get the most value from their investment in SAP technologies.

“I’m looking forward to joining Southwire and contributing to a company with a solid vision, great corporate values and most importantly, where everyone is given the opportunity to play a key role in the company’s success,” said Stuart.

Stuart holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from Albright College in Reading, Pa., and an MBA from the University of Maryland, UC. He and his wife, Anne, currently reside in Lititz, Pa., and will be relocating to the Carrollton, Ga. area.

For more Southwire updates, stay tuned to southwire.com/newsroom.