Succeeds retiring CEO William C. McGinnis, who will serve as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors
CALABASAS, CA, MAR 11, 2016 – National Technical Systems, Inc. (“NTS”), the leading independent provider of environmental simulation testing, inspection, and certification solutions in the United States, announced today that William C. McGinnis will retire as Chief Executive Officer after 35 years of exceptional service to the Company. Mr. McGinnis will be elevated to the role of Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and will remain actively engaged in both the governance and strategic direction of NTS. Dr. Vicki Panhuise, former NTS President of Testing, will serve as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer.
“Vicki is a strong and experienced executive who has added considerable industry and operational expertise to NTS’ senior leadership team. The Board is confident that under her leadership, NTS will continue to enhance its technological and service offerings and capitalize on the growth opportunities NTS is pursuing in partnership with its customers,” said Dean Flatt, Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Mr. Flatt continued, “On behalf of the Board, I sincerely thank Bill for his invaluable contributions and outstanding service throughout a long career at NTS. We are indebted for his passionate leadership, business acumen, dedication, and testing industry expertise.”
In announcing his retirement, McGinnis commented, “This company – our people, our customers and our service to industry – means a great deal to me personally. I am truly confident as I pass the executive reins over to Vicki that she will continue to move our business and brand forward during this exciting time for NTS.”
“I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Bill and congratulate him on his remarkable career at NTS,” said Panhuise. “I am honored to lead this great organization and am committed to working with the team to drive forward our strategic priorities to best deliver for our customers and the industries they serve.”
Prior to this promotion, Dr. Panhuise was NTS’ President of Testing, leading NTS’ national network of technologically advanced testing laboratories. An accomplished industry veteran, Panhuise started her 30-year career at General Electric as a nondestructive test engineer before joining Honeywell International. During her tenure at Honeywell, Dr. Panhuise held a number of senior executive positions, including Vice President of Regional Aircraft, Vice President of Commercial & Military Helicopters and Vice President of Military Aircraft. After leaving Honeywell, Dr. Panhuise served as the President of Airborne Systems Group, which she led through the sale of the business to TransDigm Group. Dr. Panhuise earned a B.A. in Mathematics from Wells College, both an M.S. and Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and an MBA from the University of Arizona. She is a Six Sigma Leadership Black Belt and a member, and the former President and Chairman of the Board, of the American Society of Nondestructive Testing.
NTS is a portfolio company of Los Angeles-based Aurora Capital Group.
About National Technical Systems
National Technical Systems, Inc. (NTS) is the leading independent provider of environmental simulation testing, inspection, and certification services in the United States, serving a broad range of industries, including the civil aviation, space, defense, nuclear, telecommunications, industrial, electronics, medical, and automotive end markets. During its more than 50 years in business, NTS has built the broadest geographic presence and sole national footprint in the United States, an unparalleled breadth of capabilities, and has fostered continuous innovation, making NTS a unique one-stop resource to meet its clients’ demanding and evolving requirements. Operating through a network of 25 technologically advanced testing laboratories across the United States, this geographically diverse footprint puts NTS facilities in close proximity to its more than 4,000 clients, allowing NTS to serve the nation’s most innovative companies with industry-leading accessibility and responsiveness. NTS’ offering spans more than 70 distinct environmental simulation and materials testing categories, including climatic, structural, dynamics, fluid flow, EMI/EMC, lightning, product safety, acoustics, failure analysis, chemical, and other industry-specific tests, allowing it to handle its clients’ most demanding needs. Additionally, the company is accredited by numerous national and international organizations, which allows NTS to have its test data nearly universally accepted worldwide. For additional information about NTS, visit our website at www.nts.com or call 800-270-2516.