Ron Kaplan retiring as president and CEO of Trex

Published May 8, 2015 by Veronica Garabelli

Ron Kaplan, the president and CEO of  Winchester-based Trex Co. Inc., a manufacturer of wood-alternative decking and railing products, has announced his retirement, effective Aug. 17. He will be succeeded by James E. Cline, Trex’s senior vice president and chief financial officer

 Kaplan, who will remain chairman of the board of directors, says the  board conducted a rigorous search for the right CEO.

“We are delighted to have found that person in Jim Cline, who has been chief financial officer since 2008, was key to our successful turnaround and has been instrumental in our recent successes,” Kaplansaid in a statement.

Kaplan was named to Virginia Business’ list of Most Influential Virginians in its March issue.

Before joining Trex, Cline served for three years as president of Harsco GasServ, a division of Harsco Corp. that makes containment and control equipment for the natural gas industry. It has  annual revenues of approximately $400 million, 15 manufacturing locations, and more than 1,700 employees.

From 1994 through 2005, he was the vice president and controller of Harsco GasServ. From 1976 to 1994, he served in various capacities with Huffy Corp., including as the director of finance of its True Temper Hardware subsidiary, a manufacturer of lawn care and construction products.

Cline received an undergraduate degree in accounting from Bowling Green State University.

Trex also said that Bryan H. Fairbanks, its senior director of supply chain and executive director of international business development, will succeed Cline as CFO, and that F. Timothy Reese, senior vice president, operations will retire.

Fairbanks, who joined Trex in 2004, has served as senior director of supply chain since 2006, and as executive director of  international business development, since 2012. From 2004 to 2006, he was director of financial planning and analysis. Before that, he held numerous senior finance roles with Ford Motor Co.

Fairbanks earned an undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Dayton and a master of business administration degree from the University of Pittsburgh.