ST. LOUIS — Barry-Wehmiller Companies Inc. has promoted Kyle Chapman to President, joining his father, CEO and Board Chairman Robert Chapman, in leadership of the 135-year-old, $3 billion-plus global manufacturing and engineering solutions firm. As Chapman steps into his new role after serving as Barry-Wehmiller’s Interim Chief Financial Officer for much of 2020, the organization welcomes Michael Monarchi as Chief Financial Officer.
“This is a unique two-generation opportunity to leverage my 51 years of experience and Kyle’s skills and 20 years of private equity and operating experience, with both Bank of America and BW Forsyth Partners, to steward the lives of our 12,000 team members and shape Barry-Wehmiller’s next two decades,” said Bob. “The blend of our experience and skills creates a powerful partnership, as we continue to validate that you can create economic and human value when you embrace the principles of our Truly Human Leadership culture.”
After working at Bank of America, Chapman’s tenure with Barry-Wehmiller began in 2009 when he cofounded BW Forsyth Partners, Barry-Wehmiller’s thriving $600 million-plus hybrid equity firm that unifies the best of Barry-Wehmiller’s business strategies and long-term orientation, with the best private-equity investment strategies. His involvement with Barry-Wehmiller has continued to grow over time, as he served as a strategic financial advisor from 2015 to 2019 to the company’s leadership team, while co-leading BW Forsyth Partners. When the COVID-19 pandemic and related global market uncertainty escalated shortly after being appointed as Iinterim CFO, Chapman's instincts and actions, in collaboration with Barry-Wehmiller’s senior leadership team, helped preserve the health of the organization.
CFO Michael Monarchi joins Barry-Wehmiller from Eaton, where, as vice president of finance of the $2.5 billion hydraulics division, he helped drive financial and operational performance improvements, while guiding the business through a cultural transformation. Prior to Eaton, Monarchi worked for General Electric for more than 20 years, where he participated in the company’s financial management and corporate audit staff programs, and held numerous leadership positions in the power and aviation divisions. He was drawn to Barry-Wehmiller’s impressive growth trajectory, as well as its people-centric culture.