January 2, 2018 — Columbia Manufacturing, Inc., a world-class supplier of fabricated sheet metal and components for turbine engines, has hired Robert Friedland as Chief Operating Officer.
As Chief Operating Officer at Columbia Manufacturing, Mr. Friedland will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of sales, manufacturing, and quality functions. He brings to the position more than 30 years of experience in the industrial and renewable energy manufacturing industries.
Prior to joining Columbia Manufacturing, Mr. Friedland was President & CEO of Proton Onsite in Wallingford, CT. A key player in the state’s fuel cell industry, Proton manufactures machines that generate hydrogen. Mr. Friedland helped found the company in 1996 and successfully led it to profitability. Mr. Friedland grew the company from $11 million in 2007 to approximately $30 million in 2017 and negotiated the acquisition to Norway’s NEL ASA in 2017.
“This announcement is part of the strategic shift from our company’s history as a family-owned company to professional management,” said Kathryn Conlon, Columbia Manufacturing President & CEO. “Mr. Friedland’s proven skills of being adept at optimizing organization performance and driving profitable growth make him the perfect choice to lead Columbia Manufacturing forward to the future.”