Board of Directors

Robert A. Bruggeworth serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Qorvo, Inc., a global leader in the design and manufacture of high performance RF components and compound semiconductors. Prior to the merger of RF Micro Devices, Inc. (“RFMD”) and TriQuijnt Semiconductor, Inc. to form Qorvo, Inc., Mr. Bruggeworth served as President and Chief Executive Officer of RFMD and served on the RFMD board of directors. Prior to his appointment as President and CEO, Mr. Bruggeworth served RFMD as both President of the company and Vice President of wireless products. Before joining RFMD, Mr. Bruggeworth held a variety of positions at AMP, Inc., a $5.5 billion supplier of electrical and electronic connection devices, including Divisional Vice President and Area Director for AMP's Asia Pacific Central region; Divisional Vice President of Operations, Asia Pacific; and most recently Divisional Vice President of Computer and Consumer Electronics, based in Hong Kong, China. Mr. Bruggeworth attended Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. Mr. Bruggeworth currently serves as a director for Qorvo, Inc. and Seagate Technology Holdings plc. Mr. Bruggeworth became an MSA director in 2007.

William M. Lambert served as MSA’s Non-Executive Chairman of the Board from May, 2018 through May, 2020, following retirement as Chief Executive Officer and President in May, 2018.  Mr. Lambert joined MSA in 1981 as a design engineer and over the years has served the company in a variety of capacities. He was named General Manager of the company's former Safety Products Division in 1997 and, in 1999, was elected Vice President. From 2003 to March, 2007, Mr. Lambert served as President of MSA North America. One of Mr. Lambert's career highlights was the development of the patented Quick-Fill® System, an accessory for MSA Air Masks that allows firefighters to quickly replenish their air supplies in emergency or routine-use situations. In 2002, Mr. Lambert was honored for his contributions to North American firefighter safety by Design News magazine, which named him the publication's 2002 "Special Achievement Award" winner. Mr. Lambert holds a Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Penn State University and a Master's degree in industrial administration from Carnegie Mellon University. Mr. Lambert currently serves as a director of Kennametal, Inc. He became an MSA director in 2007.

Diane M. Pearse is the retired Chief Executive Officer and President of Hickory Farms, LLC, a leading multi-channel retailer of specialty foods. She held this role from March 2016 through January 2022.  From May 2015 to March 2016, Ms. Pearse held the position of Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Finance for Garrett Brands, LLC a privately held U.S. based consumer products company. Before joining Garrett Brands, Ms. Pearse served as Senior Vice President of Operations and Merchandising for Redbox Automated Retail, LLC, a fully automated DVD rental company and wholly-owned by Coinstar, Inc. Ms. Pearse also held the position of Chief Financial Officer for Crate and Barrel, a leading specialty retailer of home furnishings, from 2001-2010. Ms. Pearse holds a Bachelor's degree in accountancy from the University of Illinois-Urbana and a Master's degree in business administration from DePaul University.  Ms. Pearse currently serves as a director for Li-Cycle.  Ms. Pearse became an MSA director in 2004.

Rebecca B. Roberts retired in 2011 as President of Chevron Pipe Line Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Chevron Corp, where she was responsible for a network of more than 10,000 miles of pipelines transporting crude oil, petroleum products, chemicals, natural gas and natural gas liquids in North America. Prior to her role as President, Ms. Roberts served as President of Chevron Global Power Generation. In this role, Ms. Roberts was responsible for managing Chevron’s portfolio of commercial power plants in the United States, Asia and Europe, and for identifying new growth and business development opportunities for power generation worldwide. She began her career as a chemist with Texaco, advanced through several technical positions and was serving as the country manager in Panama prior to the company’s merger with Chevron. Ms. Roberts graduated from McNeese State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry. Ms. Roberts currently serves as a director for AbbVie, Inc. and Black Hills Corporation. She became an MSA director in 2013.

Sandra Phillips Rogers serves as Senior Vice President of Corporate Resources and General Counsel for Toyota Motor North America, Inc., including continued responsibility as Toyota North America’s Chief Diversity Officer.  Previously, Ms. Rogers served as Group Vice President, General Counsel, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Diversity Officer and Corporate Secretary for Toyota Motor North America, Inc.  and prior thereto, as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. Prior to joining Toyota in 2012, Ms. Rogers was a partner at the global law firm of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius. She also served as Senior Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Chief Litigation Counsel at Pfizer, Inc.  Ms. Rogers received her Bachelor of journalism and Juris Doctor degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. She is active on the boards of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the University of Texas Law School Foundation. Ms. Rogers currently serves as a director of The Chemours Company. Ms. Rogers became an MSA director in 2017.

John T. Ryan III served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MSA until his retirement from the Company in 2008. Following his retirement, he remained the Non Executive Chairman of the Board until May 2015, when he retired from that role. He continues to serve the Board as a director. Mr. Ryan joined MSA in 1969 and from 1974 to 1986 served in the company's International Division covering operations in South America, Asia and the Middle East. Mr. Ryan was Executive Vice President from 1986 to 1990, overseeing the company's U.S. operations. He was elected President of MSA in 1990, and in 1991 assumed the additional responsibilities of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Ryan graduated from the University of Notre Dame and received an MBA from Harvard University. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a member of the Advisory Council of Business at the University of Notre Dame and a trustee of the Extra Mile Foundation that supports inner-city Catholic schools in Pittsburgh. He is also a past member of the Executive Committee of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, a past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Industrial Safety Equipment Association, a past Chairman of the Pittsburgh Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and a past Vice Chairman of the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh. Mr. Ryan became a director of MSA in 1981.

 Luca Savi serves as Chief Executive Officer and President of ITT Inc. ITT is a diversified leading manufacturer of highly engineered critical components and customized technology solutions for the transportation, industrial, and energy markets. Prior to being appointed CEO, Mr. Savi served ITT as President and Chief Operating Officer, and before that as Executive Vice President of the Industrial Process and Motion Technologies businesses, among other roles. Before joining ITT in 2011, Mr. Savi served as Chief Operating Officer, Comau Body Welding at Comau, a subsidiary of the Fiat Group, and as Chief Executive Officer, Comau North America. Mr. Savi previously held leadership roles at Honeywell International, Royal Dutch Shell and Ferruzzi-Montedison Group. Mr. Savi holds a degree in chemical engineering from the Politechnic of Milan in Italy and an M.B.A. from London Business School. He became an MSA director in 2021.

William R. Sperry serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Hubbell Incorporated, an international manufacturer of quality electrical and electronic products for a broad range of non-residential and residential construction, industrial and utility applications. Prior to his current role, Mr. Sperry served as Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Development and Head of Investor Relations of Hubbell Incorporated. Before joining Hubbell in 2008, Mr. Sperry was Managing Director, Industrials Coverage, for Lehman Brothers, Inc. He also previously served as Managing Director in the Investment Banking Division of JPMorgan Chase & Co., and prior to that held a variety of roles in the consulting and banking industries. Mr. Sperry holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Williams College and received an MBA from Harvard Business School. He became an MSA director in 2019.

Nishan J. Vartanian is Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of MSA.  Mr. Vartanian joined MSA in 1985 as a sales representative.  Over his 35-year career with the company, he has served in a variety of roles of increased responsibility.  In 2010, Mr. Vartanian led MSA’s integration of California-based General Monitors, the company’s largest acquisition.  From August, 2013 to May, 2015, Mr. Vartanian served as President of MSA North America, overseeing MSA’s largest business segment.  In May 2015, he was named Senior Vice President and President, MSA Americas, assuming responsibility for MSA’s business in North America, Mexico and Latin America.   He was named President and Chief Executive Officer in May, 2018.  In May, 2020, Mr. Vartanian was elected Chairman of the Board, becoming just the sixth Chairman in MSA’s 106 year history.  He became an MSA director in 2017. Mr. Vartanian earned his Bachelor’s degree in management from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.  In addition to his MSA responsibilities, Mr. Vartanian serves on the Board of Trustees for the Manufacturers Alliances for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI), the Board of Trustees for the International Associates of Firefighters (IAFF) Foundation, and the Board of Trustees of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development (ACCD), chairing the Infrastructure Committee. He is also a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland's Pittsburgh branch and serves on the board of Koppers Holdings Inc..