WAUKESHA, Wis. — Waukesha Foundry is pleased to announce a strategic sales leadership succession plan designed to support the company’s long-term growth while ensuring continuity for customers, employees, and key markets.
As part of this plan, longtime Sales Manager Todd Kurtz has been promoted to Senior Sales Executive, and Jake Denor has joined the company as Director of Business Development & Sales. Together, Kurtz and Denor will work closely over the coming years to support customers, strengthen market relationships, and facilitate a seamless transition of knowledge and expertise. Both positions report directly to Steve Cooke, President of Waukesha Foundry.
Kurtz has been an integral part of Waukesha Foundry for 35 years, beginning his career as an hourly employee in 1990 and progressing through numerous roles across the organization before becoming Sales Manager. Today, he represents four key markets—petrochemical, defense, aerospace, and industrial equipment—and serves as a vital link between customers, engineering, and production.
Throughout his career, Kurtz has built a reputation for developing strong customer relationships rooted in honesty, communication, and a deep understanding of Waukesha Foundry’s processes and capabilities. His extensive experience and customer knowledge have played an important role in the company’s growth and success.
“Todd’s contributions to Waukesha Foundry over the past 35 years have been tremendous,” said Steve Cooke, President of Waukesha Foundry. “His technical knowledge, commitment to customer service, and ability to build lasting relationships have helped shape our organization. This succession plan allows us to preserve that expertise while positioning the company for continued growth.”
Denor joins Waukesha Foundry with a background in investment casting, strategic B2B sales, business development, and customer-facing project management. His experience includes supporting complex casting programs, developing technical quotations, and helping align customer requirements with engineering, operations, quality, and supplier capabilities.
Prior to joining Waukesha Foundry, Denor held roles in casting sales and capital equipment project management, gaining experience in both customer-facing sales and hands-on foundry environments. His background includes working with casting processes, tooling, quality requirements, technical quotations, and customer applications, while collaborating closely with engineering, operations, quality, and supplier teams to support projects from initial inquiry through production.
“Jake brings a strong combination of technical casting knowledge, commercial experience, and customer focus,” said Cooke. “This move strengthens our sales organization, supports our succession planning strategy, and positions us well for continued growth in the years ahead.”
“I am excited to join Waukesha Foundry and work alongside Todd and the entire team,” said Denor. “The company has built an outstanding reputation for quality, expertise, and customer service, and I look forward to learning from the team while helping support our customers and contributing to the company’s continued growth.”
“I am excited to join Waukesha Foundry and work alongside Todd and the entire team,” said Denor. “The company has built an outstanding reputation for quality, technical expertise, and customer service. I look forward to learning from the team’s experience while helping support our customers and contribute to the company’s continued growth.”
About Waukesha Foundry, Inc.
Founded in 1912, Waukesha Foundry, Inc. is a trusted leader in the production of intricately shaped cast components for demanding applications across a range of industries, including petrochemical, food processing, military, and aviation. With the ability to produce castings from under one pound to over 6,000 pounds in more than 200 different alloys, Waukesha Foundry delivers unmatched flexibility and precision. From lightweight tooling parts to complex, heavy-duty castings, Waukesha Foundry has done it all, and is ready to do it for you.
