
NEII Announces 2019 Board of Directors
CENTREVILLE, VA. (June 3, 2019)
The board of directors will lead the NEII mission as the organization continues to represent the global leaders in the building transportation industry through advocacy and code development.
CENTREVILLE, VA. (June 3, 2019) - The National Elevator Industry, Inc. (NEII), the premier trade association representing the global leaders in the building transportation industry, announced the election of its new Board of Directors and officers at NEII's 85th annual meeting in West Palm Beach, Florida. The new leadership team will serve a one year term. The elected Board of Directors and officers include:
- Tom Vining, President – A global industry leader with three decades serving Otis customers, employees and shareowners, Vining serves as president of Otis Americas, where he is responsible for the overall leadership and operating performance of Otis in North and South America.
- Greg Ergenbright, Vice President – Ergenbright has been President of Schindler Elevator Corporation’s U.S. operations since 2013. He has more than 20 years working in the elevator industry.
- Karen Penafiel, Secretary – Penafiel is the executive director of NEII and leads the staff team. She has over 28 years of building trade association management and advocacy experience.
NEII welcomes new Board member Gary Krupp, Fujitec America, Inc. – Krupp organizes and oversees the management of operations, engineering, manufacturing, sales and marketing and service across the United States and Canada as the president of Fujitec America, Inc. Mr. Krupp has over 25 years in the elevator industry and began his career with Fujitec in 2002.
Krupp joins the returning members of the NEII Board of Directors:
- Larry Wash, KONE Americas — Wash serves as KONE Americas executive vice president and chief executive officer, a position he's held since 2012. Wash previously worked as president of Global Services for the Climate Solutions sector of Ingersoll Rand, vice president of service and contracting for Trane within North and Latin America, and in various leadership roles with Xerox and Eastman Kodak. Wash was the immediate past president of NEII.
- Sterrett Lloyd, Draka Elevator Products – Lloyd currently holds the position of president at Draka Elevator Products where he directs the company's worldwide operations. He began his lifetime of industry service as a contractor and is the third generation of his family to work in the industry.
- Jon McCabe, thyssenkrupp Elevator Company – A well-respected leader within thyssenkrupp Elevator for more than 30 years, McCabe currently serves as executive vice president-field, a position he has held since 2017. McCabe previously served as vice president of new installation operations – US.
- Erik Zommers, Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc. – Zommers is senior vice president/general manager of Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc.'s elevator and escalator division. He has been with Mitsubishi Electric since 1989 and is in charge of all US operations for the division.
The NEII Board of Directors sets the strategic direction of the association to drive its mission to advance safety and innovation in the building transportation industry throughout North America.
“In my second term as president of the NEII Board of Directors, I look forward to continue building on our association’s successes in the areas of safety, advocacy, and code development," said Tom Vining, president of NEII. "It is an honor to serve alongside this group of recognized leaders in the building transportation industry as we continue to promote safety, advocate for consistency in code adoption and enforcement, drive innovation and performance, and maintain equipment choice.”
About NEII
NEII is the premier trade association representing the global leaders in the building transportation industry. Its members install, maintain, and/or manufacture elevators, escalators, moving walks, and other building transportation products. NEII‘s membership includes the six major international companies – Fujitec America, Inc., KONE, Inc., Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc., Otis Elevator Company, Schindler Elevator Corporation, Thyssenkrupp Elevator Company and several other companies across the country. Collectively, the NEII members represent approximately eighty percent of the total hours worked within the elevator and escalator industry, employ more than 25,000 people in the U.S. and indirectly support hundreds of thousands of American jobs in affiliate industries.
For more information about NEII, please visit www.neii.org.

About Nicole Van Velzen
Author
With over 17 years of communications and marketing experience, Nicole Van Velzen joined NEII as the Director of Communications in August 2017. In this role, Ms. Van Velzen serves as a partner with NEII’s public relations firm to advance our mission through media and other outreach, manages the monthly Insider newsletter, increases awareness through social media channels, and works closely with NEII’s Communications Committee.