He will replace Gordon Harnett, who is retiring from the Cleveland, Ohio-based company on June 2. Harnett announced his intentions in February of this year.

Hipple, a Drexel University alumnus who joined Brush in 2001 in the position of its alloy strip division’s vice-president, took the reigns of chairman and chief in May of last year. Prior to his work with the company, he was a 21-year veteran of LTV Steel.

The board seat left vacant by Harnett’s departure will also be filled by Hipple, the company said. He will be the only member of the company’s board of directors who is a Brush employee.

“The board of directors has great confidence in Dick Hipple’s ability to continue and build on the tremendous progress made at the company since Gordon Harnett assumed the helm,” said company lead director John Sherwin.

“We are excited about opportunities for the future under Dick’s leadership.”

Hipple added, “I am honoured and excited to have been asked to carry the company forward. We are off to an impressive start in 2006, and we believe that our strategy of product innovation, geographic expansion, customer service, strategic acquisitions, and a continuous focus on cost and waste reduction will be a long-term winner for Brush Engineered Materials.”