Carpenter Technology Corp. has named Tony Thene to lead the finance function, effective January 31. He succeeds K. Douglas Ralph, who announced last September that he would leave the firm. Thene now heads finance for the engineered products and solutions business at Alcoa Inc.
Rex Jackson has been promoted to the top finance spot at JDS Uniphase Corp. He has been acting CFO since last September, and before that was senior vice president, business services.
Idexx Laboratories Inc. has announced that Merilee Raines plans to retire after the company stockholder meeting in May. Raines, who joined the animal health-care firm in 1985, has been CFO since 2003.
Rich Bartolotta has been named finance chief of First Advantage. He is a former CFO of Nasdaq Japan, and more recently was vice president, finance, of the U.S. business unit at IMS Health Inc.
Recreational-vehicle manufacturer Thor Industries Inc. has named Dominic Romeo to the top finance spot. Previously, he led the finance function at Idex Corp.
Ellen Wolf plans to retire as head of finance at American Water Works Co. during the first half of this year. A search for her replacement is under way.
Information-security firm SafeNet Inc. has selected Michael Branca as its new finance chief. He takes over from interim CFO Greg Repas, who will remain at the company as chief accounting officer. Most recently, Branca was vice president, finance, at BMC Software.
Jeffrey Blade, chief financial and administrative officer of women’s accessories designer and manufacturer Vera Bradley Inc., has resigned. Kevin Sierks, vice president-controller and chief accounting officer, will serve as interim CFO until a permanent replacement for Blade is named.