MANSFIELD, Ohio (Jan. 3, 2017)—The Board of Directors of The Gorman-Rupp Company elected James C. Kerr to the position of chief financial officer effective January 1, 2017, in accordance with the company’s succession planning announcement of July 6, 2016, according to a statement from the company.

Kerr joined the company in July 2016 as vice president of finance. Previously, he served as executive vice president and chief financial officer of Jo-Ann Stores Inc., a formerly publicly held retail chain of residential consumer products with sales in excess of $2 billion. Kerr was with Jo-Ann Stores Inc. for the prior 17 years.