Richard E. Newsted
President and Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Newsted joined Meridian in May 2001 and was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer in October 2005 and elected a Director of the Company in December 2006.  He previously served as the Company’s President from April 2005 through September 2005 and as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer from May 2001 through March 2005. 

Prior to joining Meridian, Mr. Newsted served from 1994 to 2001 as Executive Vice President in various manufacturing, sales and finance capacities at AK Steel Holding Corporation, an integrated steel producer. Prior to that, Mr. Newsted worked in various roles in the finance department at National Steel Corporation, an integrated steel producer, from 1979 to 1994, culminating in his being named Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary in 1993.

Mr. Newsted received a Master of Business Administration degree, with honors, from the University of Notre Dame and graduated magna cum laude from Ball State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting.  Mr. Newsted is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Management Accountant and a Certified Cash Manager.  In addition, Mr. Newsted serves on the Board of Directors of NIBCO, Inc., and chairs their Audit Committee and is a member of their Compensation Committee and Nominating Committee, a privately held worldwide manufacturer of flow control products for residential and commercial construction, industrial, fire protection and irrigation markets.  Mr. Newsted also serves on the Board of Directors, as Non-Executive Chairman, of privately held Meridian Lightweight Technologies, Inc., the largest supplier of lightweight magnesium die castings in the world.