Company News.

* Frank W. Murphy Mfr., Tulsa, OK, has acquired Williams Telemetry from William Communications. The business will be a subsidiary of Murphy under the name Internet Telemetry Corporation (iTC), which develops computer-based communications. * JCB, Inc. has moved corporate headquarters to a new location: 2000 Bamford Boulevard, PO Box 957, Pooler, GA 31322. The new phone number is 912-447-2000, and the fax number is 912-447-2299. The company has closed its operations at White Marsh, MD, but the Burlington, ON, Canada, office of JCB Excavators remains. * Titan International Inc. is leaving the lawn and garden and ATM OEM business and will transfer three Titan facilities to the tire and wheel unit of Carlisle Companies, Inc., according to a report in PRNewswire. The report said Titan and Carlisle had entered into an agreement in which Titan would sell the Slinger, WI, operation, sell the assets of the Clinton, TN, tire plant and lease the Greenwood, SC, plant to Carlisle. * Williams Controls, Inc. has sold the agriculture equipment business of Hardee Williams Inc. and Waccamaw Wheel Williams, Inc. to an affiliate of Chicago Partners II, Inc. The sale price was reported to be approximately $2.9 million cash and notes, plus the assumption of up to $200,000 in liabilities. Through its affiliate PACC, LLC, Chicago Partners also owns Fleischer Mfg. * John Deere Worldwide Commercial & Consumer Equipment Division recently completed work on the company's 300,000th tractor, a 4400 hydrostatic-drive compact utility model, at its manufacturing plant in Augusta, GA. The count also includes utility tractors assembled at the division's Horicon, WI, facilities. * Caterpillar Agricultural Products, Inc. recently dedicated a new facility in Emporia, KS, which will primarily manufacture components for Caterpillar's agricultural equipment. When it begins operations later this year, the facility will make rubber components for Caterpillar's rubber-belted track system used on Challenger tractors, Lexion combines and VFS track trailers.

People

* Paolo Monferino has been named president and chief operating officer for CNH Global N.V., succeeding Steven G. Lamb. Monferino has been executive vice president of the Fiat Group and has more than fifteen years experience in the agricultural and construction equipment industry. * Thomas H. Patrick, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Merrill Lynch & Co., has been elected to the board of directors of Deere & Company, Moline, IL. * Richard J. Fotsch, senior vice president of Briggs & Stratton Corporation, has been elected to the board of directors for Gehl Company, West Bend, WI. * Mid-America Equipment Retailers Association has presented its Distinguished Service Award, given for outstanding lifetime contributions to the association and industry, to Jerry McConaha, president of Superior Implement & Supply Company, Inc. (SISCO), and Phil Kaster, president of Kasco Manufacturing Company, Shelbyville, IN. * Deere & Company recently announced new administrative heads for several corporate divisions: John J. Jenkins, president, Commercial and Consumer Equipment; Dr. Richard L. Bartsh, president, John Deere Health Care, Inc.; H.J. Markley, senior vice president, Worldwide Human Resources; John K. Lawson, senior vice president, Technology and Engineering. The Deere Power Systems Group, which supplies engines and other components, will now report to Pierre Leroy, president of the construction equipment division. In other appointments, James R. Jenkins was named senior vice president and general counsel. * Russell E. Hutchison has been named director of product safety and technical services of the Construction Industry Manufacturers Association (CIMA). He will spearhead the association's initiatives addressing product safety and environmental changes affecting the industry. * Gary Little has been promoted to president and COO of Agra Placements International, recruiters for the agricultural and horticultural industries. He has been with the company for nine years and most recently managed the Lincoln, IL, office. * James L. Irwin has been appointed vice president of the North American Case IH Agricultural Business. He will oversee marketing, sales, product support, dealer network and communications. He was most recently the vice president of North American agricultural equipment sales for Case Corporation. * New appointments at Iron Solutions, St. Louis, MO, include Scott Derksen, vice president of Internet services and Laurie Eisenhauer, director of communications. Derksen will direct the web development team in strategy and direction of new Internet products and services. Eisenhauer will be responsible for developing communications with industry partners. * James A. Wier will serve as president and CEO of Simplicity Manufacturing and also as president of the Simplicity subsidiary, Ferris Industries. His appointment coincided with the recent purchase of Ferris by Simplicity. * Patrick A. Taylor has been named vice president of operations for Diamond Chain Company, Indianapolis, IN, a division of Amsted Industries. Taylor will be responsible for manufacturing, materials, maintenance, machine shop and manufacturing development lab. Replacing Taylor as plant manager of machined products at the Geneva and DeKalb plants of Burgess-Norton Mfg. Co., another division of Amsted, is Robert E. Weiss. * Robin America, Inc., Wood Dale, IL, manufacturer of engines, generators and pumps, announces these promotions: Ron Kruger to vice president of customer service and Art Porter to vice president of sales and marketing. * Ames-True Temper, Parkersburg, WV, has restructured its marketing department, naming Chris Monroe as director of advertising and merchandising. Promotions include

Keri Moore to advetising manager, Kathy Uppole to merchandising manager and Brenda Cunningham to marketing service coordinator. * Ann Jorgensen has been elected chairman of the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation, McLean, VA, succeeding Michael M. Reyna who was appointed chairman and CEO of the Farm Credit Administration. Jorgensen has experience as a farming partner, small business owner, tax accountant and commodity broker. * Thomas L. Jarboe has been named director of sales and marketing for Walbro Engine Management, a subsidiary of IT Group Automotive Systems. He will be based in Cass City, MI, and will be responsible for sales, marketing and business development in North America and Europe.