Mr. Mapes retired as president and chief executive officer of Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: LECO) (global manufacturer of arc welding and automation solutions) in December 2023, a position he held since December 2012 after serving as chief operating officer in 2011. He also retired as Executive Chair of Lincoln Electric in December 2024, and served as a director since 2010. Prior to that, he served as executive vice president and a divisional president of A.O. Smith Corporation (NYSE: AOS) (residential and commercial water heater and boiler manufacturing) until its divestiture in 2011. Mr. Mapes experience spans more than 35 years of industrial manufacturing in large, global, publicly-traded companies. Beyond his keen understanding of the manufacturing industry, Mr. Mapes has significant experience developing and implementing strategic operating plans, mergers and acquisitions, global operations and international compliance. Additionally, his service on other public boards enables Mr. Mapes to provide meaningful insight on corporate governance and financial matters. Based on his strong background, experience and performance in senior leadership roles and as a director, our Board believes Mr. Mapes represents each of the key skills and qualifications noted for him in the Director Skills Matrix on page 9, and will continue to effectively serve our Board, our business, our management team and our shareholders.