TreadStone Technologies names Eric Shepardson president and COO

By AI, Created 10:03 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – TreadStone Technologies appointed Eric Shepardson as president and chief operating officer as founder Gerald DeCuollo shifts to chairman and CEO. The move comes as the New Jersey company expands manufacturing and pursues broader commercial growth in energy, defense and advanced manufacturing markets.

Why it matters: - TreadStone Technologies is adding a commercial operator with experience in advanced materials, defense compliance and scaled sales as the company pushes into larger markets. - The leadership change is designed to support manufacturing expansion and global growth at a stage when operational discipline matters more. - The company’s coatings business targets corrosion, cost and performance problems in electrochemical energy and defense applications.

What happened: - TreadStone Technologies named Eric Shepardson president and chief operating officer. - Founder Gerald DeCuollo moved into the roles of chairman and chief executive officer. - The company announced the leadership change on May 19, 2026. - TreadStone is based in Monmouth Junction, New Jersey.

The details: - Shepardson most recently served as vice president of sales and business development at Bodycote, where he led commercial growth across defense, aerospace, nuclear energy and advanced manufacturing. - Earlier at AHT Technologies, a Dow Corning subsidiary, Shepardson built a specialty coatings business from startup through full-scale commercialization. - Shepardson has also held senior P&L and commercial roles at Ergon, PPG Industries and Sherwin-Williams. - His background includes defense market compliance work with FAR, DFARS, ITAR, EAR and CUI requirements. - DeCuollo said Shepardson brings the commercial discipline and operational experience TreadStone needs for its next phase of growth. - Shepardson said TreadStone’s coatings platform addresses real performance and cost challenges across energy, defense and advanced manufacturing. - Shepardson also said the technology is differentiated, the customer base is growing and the company sees a path to market leadership. - TreadStone’s patented coatings are designed for electrochemical energy systems and protect metal components from corrosion and chemical attack while maintaining electrical conductivity. - The company says the coatings can reduce material costs, extend component life, improve system efficiency and speed commercialization across electrolyzers, fuel cells, flow batteries, aerospace and military platforms.

Between the lines: - The title shift suggests TreadStone wants a leadership split between founder oversight and day-to-day commercial execution. - Hiring a president and COO with deep industrial and regulated-market experience signals the company is preparing for more complex operations and larger customer relationships. - The focus on defense, aerospace and energy points to a strategy built around high-spec markets where technical performance and compliance can drive differentiation.

What’s next: - TreadStone will likely lean on Shepardson to expand commercial operations and support manufacturing scale-up. - The company is also positioning itself for broader market entry beyond its current customer base. - DeCuollo will remain involved as chairman and CEO while TreadStone pursues its next phase of growth.