Management

Craig Hill
Corporate Executive Officer
July 19, 1956 - August 3, 2010

Mr. Hill’s career in the vacuum industry began at Nor-Cal Products during 1974, while he was studying Business Administration at Southern Oregon College, Ashland, Oregon. In 1978, he went to work for VSI Corporation in Los Angeles, California, but later returned to Nor-Cal, where he managed several departments within the company. In 1985, Craig was made President and General Manager, and in 2004 he became CEO.

On Sunday, July 25, while in Monterey attending a motorcycle race, Craig Hill suffered a heart attack. He later succumbed to complications in Stanford University Hospital on Tuesday, August 3. Under Craig’s leadership, Nor-Cal grew into a world-class manufacturer of high-vacuum products for the semiconductor, thin film coating, lighting, solar and research markets. Before Craig’s untimely death, he entrusted the continued leadership of the company to Tom Deany, Nor-Cal’s President.

In addition to being a businessman, Craig was an avid sportsman. He loved motorcycles, from Harleys to motocross. Cars, from Hummers to Lamborghinis, were one of Craig’s passions and his trade mark. He loved anything to do with the water, including swimming, skiing and boating. Craig was reserved in public, but to people who knew him well, he was genuine, generous, fun loving and a loyal friend. Craig will be sorely missed by his father, family, friends and employees.

Tom Deany
President

Mr. Deany has over 33 years experience in the vacuum industry, beginning with the manufacturing of ultra-high vacuum systems at Varian Associates. He served in various executive positions at MDC Vacuum Products, Hayward, California, and Leybold Vacuum, Export, Pennsylvania, before coming to Nor-Cal Products in 1987 as Director of Marketing and Sales. He was promoted to Vice President and General Manager in 1992, responsible for marketing, sales, operations and finance. In 2004, Mr. Deany was promoted to President.

David Stone joined Nor-Cal in October 2006 with over 25 years experience in executive management positions in manufacturing companies as President, Vice President and CFO. Since joining Nor-Cal, Mr. Stone has been instrumental in improving the company’s financial and operational productivity and has played the lead role in the formation of Nor-Cal’s three wholly-owned international subsidiaries. Mr. Stone graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Science in Business/Finance.

A 27 year veteran of the aerospace and semiconductor industries, Mr. Mallory has led market focused development, management and global promotion of advanced technology and control systems for fortune 500 companies and is the holder of multiple controls patents. Mallory founded the company’s research and development division in 1997 and was appointed Vice-President of Business Development in 2002. Mallory is responsible for top-line growth through world-wide sales, applications and customer service. Mr. Mallory earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from Iowa State University and attended the Executive MBA at the University of Houston.

Kaveh H. Zarkar joined Nor-Cal in December, 2009. Prior to joining Nor-Cal, Mr. Zarkar was Vice President and General Manager at MKS Instruments, Inc, Andover, MA, where he led the Pressure/Flow Measurement, Control and Analytical product groups. Dr. Zarkar’s experience spans 30 years in fluid instrumentation for semiconductor, solar and biopharmaceutical processes and markets. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology, Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, Business Administration from University of Bridgeport, and a Bachelor of Science in Physics.