Austin Powder’s board of directors elected Lamar Duhon as president and CEO.
Duhon succeeds John Rathbun, who led the company as president since 2017 and as president and CEO since 2018. Rathbun also takes over as chairman of the board.
“Today’s announcement follows a comprehensive and deliberate process to identify the right leader to guide Austin through its next phase of growth and long-term value creation,” Rathbun says. “Lamar is a proven operator and team builder with a clear ability to translate strategy into results. With the support of our experienced leadership team, he is well prepared to build on our momentum and lead Austin into its next chapter.”
According to Austin Powder, Duhon brings more than 25 years of global experience leading large-scale industrial businesses and complex service organizations. Most recently, he served as president of the pumps division at Flowserve Corp., where he oversaw a global portfolio serving customers across critical infrastructure markets. He previously led Flowserve’s aftermarket services and solutions business.
Earlier in his career, Duhon held senior leadership roles at Halliburton and Baker Hughes.
“The selection of Lamar as CEO reflects a thoughtful transition as Austin continues nearly two centuries of industry leadership in blasting and industrial explosives,” says Ben Gelinas, board member at Austin Powder. “This builds on Austin’s enduring commitment to safety, customer partnership, operational excellence and a people-first culture. Lamar’s leadership ensures continuity in our values while positioning the company for continued innovation and growth.”
Fellow Austin Powder board member, Jack Davis, is pleased to see Rathbun step into his new role.
“We are especially pleased that John will assume the role of chairman of the board, a natural next chapter in a remarkable 40-year career that began at Austin Powder in 1986,” Davis says. “Over decades of service and leadership, culminating in his tenure as CEO, John has strengthened our culture, deepened customer relationships and reinforced Austin’s legacy as a trusted industry leader.
“On behalf of the entire board, we thank John for his extraordinary stewardship and continued commitment to the company’s employees, customers and long-term success and look forward to working with him on the board of directors,” Davis adds.
Related: Austin Powder names president for US, Canada services
