Longtime Gripnail Corp. President Dave Ashton is retiring at the end the year, officials with the Providence, Rhode Island-based company announced.

Ashton has been with the employee-owned sheet metal fastening machinery manufacturer for 22 of his 42 years in the HVAC industry, Gripnail said. He will continue to be on Gripnail’s board of directors and will work as a consultant during the transition.

In other company news, CEO Chris Ryding recently named Louis Terlizzi vice president of sales.  He previously led its original equipment manufacturer sales division.