Daniel Blais to lead WAI in 2024

Daniel Blais to lead WAI has been appointed as the 71st president of the Wire Association International (WAI). His term of office began on January 1st and will last for a year. With its headquarters located in Madison, Connecticut, USA, the 94-year-old association will have Mr. Blais as its chair of the board of directors.

The Wire Association International is a not-for-profit association with 1,800 individual members in 50 countries. The association serves the educational needs of the wire and cable manufacturing industry through a variety of products and services. WAI manages the Interwire Trade Exposition and the WAI Operations Summit & Wire Expo and publishes the Wire Journal International and the Wire Journal International Reference Guide

Daniel Blais to lead WAI has been employed with Prysmian Group since 1987 and currently serves as vice president for North America engineering and Canada manufacturing utilities. Based at the company’s headquarters in Highland Heights, Kentucky, USA, he oversees the engineering of all North American production locations and serves as the director of operations for the four manufacturing plants located in Canada.

Daniel Blais to lead WAI was joined the executive committee in 2019 after becoming a member of WAI in 2011 and the board of directors in 2018. In addition to serving on the Interwire Industry 4.0 task force and the finance committee, he co-chaired the 2022 conference programming committee. His mechanical engineering bachelor’s degree is from Sherbrooke University in Quebec, Canada.

Speaking on his appointment, Mr. Blais stated that the WAI remains the resource that members and business professionals turn to for the most recent data and instructional materials pertaining to wire and cable. I’m excited to take the association on a path to consistently enhance its services in order to better meet the requirements of our members and professionals in the field.

An international network of volunteers oversees The Wire Association International. Members of the association’s 2024 executive committee, including immediate past president Kurt F. Breischaft (SDI La Farga Copperworks), Rebecca Cranford (Southwire Co.), second vice president David Fisher (James Monroe Wire & Cable Corp.), and first vice president Eric Bieberich (Fort Wayne Wire Die), will be joining Mr. Blais for the 2024 term.