Our Team

President
As president of Riverside Refractories, John Morris oversees the management and strategy of the company. With the company since 1980, he served as general manager for the Canadian subsidiary from 1987 to 1990. Prior to joining Riverside, John worked with the Campus Crusade for Christ at the University of Illinois-Champaign. He graduated from Auburn University with a degree in industrial management. John has been an active member of The Refractories Institute, AIST, and the National association of Manufacturers. He and his wife Libbie have three children.

Vice President, Research and Development
Mike Alexander joined Riverside as technical sales manager in 1988. He’s now responsible for product development, engineering design of refractory systems, and technical support to the customers and sales force. He previously worked in product development for Quigley and Ferro. He holds a degree in ceramic engineering from Alfred University and studied in the graduate program at Rutgers University.

General Manager, Riverside Refractories Canada
Rick Grigg is responsible for overseeing Riverside’s Canadian division and has been with the company since 1980. He previously worked at an Ontario environmental agency, and is a graduate of the University of Toronto.

Vice President, Sales
Responsible for managing and motivating sales and service staff, Robert Kuhn focuses on retaining current customers and developing new accounts. He joined Riverside in 1987, after working in the industry for 10 years with companies including General Refractories, CE Refractories and Magneco- Metrel Inc. He has been an active member of the AIME, ISS, Western States Blast Furnace & Coke Plant Assn., and AIST since 1980.  He currently sits on the Board of Trustees for the AIST Foundation. Bob holds a B.S. degree in technology from Purdue University, and he and his wife, Marsha, are the parents of a son and a daughter.

Vice President, Finance
Responsible for accounting and financial reporting, Dan Merryman has been with Riverside since April 1996. He formerly served as vice president of finance and administration at CAPCO Pipe Company, Inc., where he worked for 26 years. Merryman holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Alabama’s Jacksonville State University, and also spent four years in active military duty. He and his wife, Debbie, are the parents of two daughters.

Vice President, Operations
Bill Morris is responsible for maintaining Riverside’s overall plant and production facilities. He holds a degree in political science from the University of Alabama and is a member of the third generation to run the family business. He and his wife, Mariellan, are the parents of a daughter and two sons.

Vice President, Purchasing and Traffic
Ed Morris is responsible for purchasing all raw materials and packaging supplies. He began working at Riverside in 1980 as a summer job, and joined the company full time in September of 1987. Ed holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Alabama, and he and his wife, Wendy, are the parents of three sons.

Vice President, Industrial Sales and Service
Lee Morris is responsible for Meltzona Clay sales and industrial sales. He also serves as construction manager for the southeast, which involves estimating installation jobs, pricing the products and labor, and delivering quotes to customers. Lee graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in business management in 1980 and has been with Riverside since. He is a member of the American Foundrymen’s Society, the Iron and Steel Society, and the Association of Iron and Steel Engineers. Lee and his wife Sally are the parents of two children.