By Tim Sullivan
 
The Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association is looking for a new executive director after the abrupt departure last week of Michael C. Metallo.
 
ILMA President Stan Ziemski, chairman and president of American Oil & Supply Co.,  declined to say whether Metallo had resigned or been fired, or to otherwise discuss the nature of his departure. During a telephone interview, Ziemski said Metallo “did a very fine job” at some things, but added, “Part of his problem was that he didn’t have any (lubricants) industry experience.”
 
Metallo joined ILMA in August 2000, replacing Richard H. Ekfelt, who was executive director from mid-1995. Before joining ILMA, Metallo had been chief staff executive for an education organization.
 
Ziemski said the Executive Committee of ILMA’s Board of Directors will search for a replacement, but that it first must decide the type of experience appropriate for the association’s top employee.
 
“The question is, what does ILMA need?” he said. “Do we want to look at folks who have industry background, or do we want to look for someone who has association management experience?”
 
For the moment, Metallo’s duties have been split between ILMA’s outside legal counsel Jeffrey Leiter of Collier Shannon Scott, and ILMA Board member Mark Sever of European Lifestyle Products (a marketer of herbal and animal-based supplements).  Sever, who preceded Ziemski as association president, was formerly president of Pitt Penn Oil Co.
 
Based in Alexandria, Va., ILMA has approximately 300 members and an annual budget of about $2 million.