Qarbon Aerospace Inc., a manufacturer
specializing in medium-to-large complex
composite components and assem-
blies, has announced a significant lead-
ership transition. Effective 6 November
2023, the company welcomed Michael
Canario as the new CEO, marking a stra-
tegic move to propel Qarbon Aerospace
into a new phase of growth and innova-
tion. This development follows the depar-
ture of Pete Wick, who stepped down
after years of dedicated service.
Gefran Inc., a manufacturer of industrial
sensors, controls, and instrumentation, has
announced the appointment of Karston
Just as the company’s chief sales officer.
As the newest executive hire, Just will
spearhead Gefran’s sales strategy, revenue
generation, and support for Gefran
customers around the world.
On 13 November 2023, Virgin Galactic
Holdings Inc. appointed Luigi Brambilla
to Virgin Galactic’s board of directors.
Brambilla is an experienced investment
and capital markets executive with an
18-year track record of experience across
the travel and leisure, wellness, entertain-
ment, and financial sectors—including
10 years at the Virgin Group.
Verisurf Software has appointed Michael
Weidler to the position of sales engineer
in the Midwest region. Weidler will work
closely with the existing regional sales and
support team to best serve customers’
inspection and measurement needs.
TPI Composites Inc. (TPI), announced that
it has appointed Charles (Chuck) Stroo
as COO, Wind, effective 27 November
2023. In his role, Stroo will lead TPI’s
global wind manufacturing operations.
Prior to joining TPI, he served in multiple,
global operational roles at Collins
Aerospace, most recently as vice presi-
dent of power and controls operations.
Stroo started his career with Collins
Aerospace more than 20 years ago
as an engineer before transitioning to
operational roles. He holds a bachelor of
science degree in electrical engineering
from Iowa State University and a master of
business administration from St. Ambrose
University.
After three years as Board Chair of The
Australasian Corrosion Association, Dean
Ferguson handed over the reins to
fellow director Kingsley Brown. With the
election of directors for 2024 completed,
the Board appointed Kingsley as Chair,
supported by Scott Gaebler as Vice Chair.
RETIREMENTS
ASNT member Mike Hamel announced
his retirement from Test Equipment
Distributors LLC (TED) effective
29 December 2023. Hamel spent
nearly 30 years with the company (the
last 17 years as president) and has
been part of the NDT community for
39 years. Hamel started his journey in
NDT as a member of the USAF in 1984
and stayed involved through the USAF
Reserves until his retirement from the
military in 2007. Prior to coming to TED,
Hamel was a Level III in MT/PT.
DEATHS
ASNT Lifetime member Dr. Borislav (B.)
Boro Djordjevic died on 26 November
2023 at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore,
Maryland. He was born on 25 August
1951 in Brežice, Yugoslavia, and immi-
grated to the US in 1968, residing in
Williamsburg and became a US citizen in
1976. He attended the College of William
&Mary where he graduated with a BS in
Physics in 1973. He continued to pursue
his education at Johns Hopkins University,
earning both his MSE in mechanical and
materials engineering (1978) and his PhD
in materials science (1979).
Djordjevic leaves behind an impres-
sive legacy of academic and industrial
accomplishments. He contributed heavily
to the aerospace industry including work
for the NASA space shuttle program. He
returned to academia for a time at his
alma mater Johns Hopkins to serve as
Director of the Center for Nondestructive
Evaluation to mentor and guide future
generations of engineers and world-
changers. He began his own consulting
company, MAST Inc., to continue advising
and offering consultation work, even
after his formal retirement. During his
career at Martin Marietta Laboratories,
Djordjevic received an Outstanding
Achievement Award in 1983 and 1984.
He was also the recipient of the Martin
Marietta Jefferson Cup in 1984, the corpo-
ration’s highest award for outstanding
technical achievement. He later received
the Research Award for Sustained
Excellence from ASNT in 2014 and the
Robert C. McMaster Gold Medal in
2021. In April 2020, he was recognized
by Marquis Who’s Who with the Albert
Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement
Award. Djordjevic was very involved in
ASNT’s councils and committees. He
was also a reviewer and contributor for
many of ASNT’s publications including the
Ultrasonic Testing Handbook and served
as an ATE for Research in Nondestructive
Evaluation.
ASNT Fellow Don E. Childers died on
9 November 2023 after a long illness.
He was 86. Childers joined the Navy in
August 1954 and proudly served aboard
the Navy destroyer, The USS Halsey Powell
(DD 686), based out of Long Beach,
California. He received a China Service
Medal for his service in the Pacific during
those years. In 1967 Childers went to
work at the NASA facility in Clear Lake
City, Texas, and it was there that Childers
started his long, much-loved career in
the field of NDT. It was an interesting and
exciting time to be involved in the space
industry. In the 1970s, Childers went to
work for Southwestern Laboratories,
an engineering and NDT company in
Houston. After several years there, he
went to work for Metco/Mistras Group
and served as their NDT Corporate
Level III for several years. He was a
consultant and taught NDT methods
for several companies in the Greater
Houston area, Montgomery County, and
the Montgomery County Community
College. He was a member of the Greater
Houston Section of ASNT. Childers and
his wife, Patricia, were early supporters
of both ASNT and the Houston Section,
and watched the Society grow to be
what it is today.
Do you have news you’d like to share with the
NDT community? People Watch publishes notices
of ASNT members’ promotions, retirements,
honors, and other milestones. Please send notices
to the ASNT press release inbox at press@asnt.org.
J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 • M A T E R I A L S E V A L U A T I O N 99
2401 ME January.indd 99 12/20/23 8:01 AM
specializing in medium-to-large complex
composite components and assem-
blies, has announced a significant lead-
ership transition. Effective 6 November
2023, the company welcomed Michael
Canario as the new CEO, marking a stra-
tegic move to propel Qarbon Aerospace
into a new phase of growth and innova-
tion. This development follows the depar-
ture of Pete Wick, who stepped down
after years of dedicated service.
Gefran Inc., a manufacturer of industrial
sensors, controls, and instrumentation, has
announced the appointment of Karston
Just as the company’s chief sales officer.
As the newest executive hire, Just will
spearhead Gefran’s sales strategy, revenue
generation, and support for Gefran
customers around the world.
On 13 November 2023, Virgin Galactic
Holdings Inc. appointed Luigi Brambilla
to Virgin Galactic’s board of directors.
Brambilla is an experienced investment
and capital markets executive with an
18-year track record of experience across
the travel and leisure, wellness, entertain-
ment, and financial sectors—including
10 years at the Virgin Group.
Verisurf Software has appointed Michael
Weidler to the position of sales engineer
in the Midwest region. Weidler will work
closely with the existing regional sales and
support team to best serve customers’
inspection and measurement needs.
TPI Composites Inc. (TPI), announced that
it has appointed Charles (Chuck) Stroo
as COO, Wind, effective 27 November
2023. In his role, Stroo will lead TPI’s
global wind manufacturing operations.
Prior to joining TPI, he served in multiple,
global operational roles at Collins
Aerospace, most recently as vice presi-
dent of power and controls operations.
Stroo started his career with Collins
Aerospace more than 20 years ago
as an engineer before transitioning to
operational roles. He holds a bachelor of
science degree in electrical engineering
from Iowa State University and a master of
business administration from St. Ambrose
University.
After three years as Board Chair of The
Australasian Corrosion Association, Dean
Ferguson handed over the reins to
fellow director Kingsley Brown. With the
election of directors for 2024 completed,
the Board appointed Kingsley as Chair,
supported by Scott Gaebler as Vice Chair.
RETIREMENTS
ASNT member Mike Hamel announced
his retirement from Test Equipment
Distributors LLC (TED) effective
29 December 2023. Hamel spent
nearly 30 years with the company (the
last 17 years as president) and has
been part of the NDT community for
39 years. Hamel started his journey in
NDT as a member of the USAF in 1984
and stayed involved through the USAF
Reserves until his retirement from the
military in 2007. Prior to coming to TED,
Hamel was a Level III in MT/PT.
DEATHS
ASNT Lifetime member Dr. Borislav (B.)
Boro Djordjevic died on 26 November
2023 at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore,
Maryland. He was born on 25 August
1951 in Brežice, Yugoslavia, and immi-
grated to the US in 1968, residing in
Williamsburg and became a US citizen in
1976. He attended the College of William
&Mary where he graduated with a BS in
Physics in 1973. He continued to pursue
his education at Johns Hopkins University,
earning both his MSE in mechanical and
materials engineering (1978) and his PhD
in materials science (1979).
Djordjevic leaves behind an impres-
sive legacy of academic and industrial
accomplishments. He contributed heavily
to the aerospace industry including work
for the NASA space shuttle program. He
returned to academia for a time at his
alma mater Johns Hopkins to serve as
Director of the Center for Nondestructive
Evaluation to mentor and guide future
generations of engineers and world-
changers. He began his own consulting
company, MAST Inc., to continue advising
and offering consultation work, even
after his formal retirement. During his
career at Martin Marietta Laboratories,
Djordjevic received an Outstanding
Achievement Award in 1983 and 1984.
He was also the recipient of the Martin
Marietta Jefferson Cup in 1984, the corpo-
ration’s highest award for outstanding
technical achievement. He later received
the Research Award for Sustained
Excellence from ASNT in 2014 and the
Robert C. McMaster Gold Medal in
2021. In April 2020, he was recognized
by Marquis Who’s Who with the Albert
Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement
Award. Djordjevic was very involved in
ASNT’s councils and committees. He
was also a reviewer and contributor for
many of ASNT’s publications including the
Ultrasonic Testing Handbook and served
as an ATE for Research in Nondestructive
Evaluation.
ASNT Fellow Don E. Childers died on
9 November 2023 after a long illness.
He was 86. Childers joined the Navy in
August 1954 and proudly served aboard
the Navy destroyer, The USS Halsey Powell
(DD 686), based out of Long Beach,
California. He received a China Service
Medal for his service in the Pacific during
those years. In 1967 Childers went to
work at the NASA facility in Clear Lake
City, Texas, and it was there that Childers
started his long, much-loved career in
the field of NDT. It was an interesting and
exciting time to be involved in the space
industry. In the 1970s, Childers went to
work for Southwestern Laboratories,
an engineering and NDT company in
Houston. After several years there, he
went to work for Metco/Mistras Group
and served as their NDT Corporate
Level III for several years. He was a
consultant and taught NDT methods
for several companies in the Greater
Houston area, Montgomery County, and
the Montgomery County Community
College. He was a member of the Greater
Houston Section of ASNT. Childers and
his wife, Patricia, were early supporters
of both ASNT and the Houston Section,
and watched the Society grow to be
what it is today.
Do you have news you’d like to share with the
NDT community? People Watch publishes notices
of ASNT members’ promotions, retirements,
honors, and other milestones. Please send notices
to the ASNT press release inbox at press@asnt.org.
J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 • M A T E R I A L S E V A L U A T I O N 99
2401 ME January.indd 99 12/20/23 8:01 AM
