Sheet metal forming and sheet metal products manufacturer Roper Whitney has hired an operations director.

Southern Illinois University graduate Jeff Doty has now taken the position. An expert in lean manufacturing, company officials said he will bring a lot of insight to the position.

Doty said he is looking forward to the job.

"Roper Whitney is staged for strong growth. Its name is well known in the market and has a loyal customer base and pride for American-built innovation,” Doty said. “The opportunities to strengthen the company with a lean culture will drive the company to be a power house in its current market. Simultaneously, initiatives that are currently in process on the engineering side will foster even stronger market share. However, the most encouraging aspect about Roper is that the ownership is dedicated to the company growth and expansion through innovation and customer service."