Why This Matters to Distributors: Independent Welding Distributors Cooperative has made three management changes since July, bringing in experienced industrial gas and distribution executives while promoting from within to oversee accounting.
Independent Welding Distributors Cooperative has made three management changes across its gas programs, information technology, and finance operations.
IWDC is a member-owned cooperative that serves independent welding, industrial gas and related distributors with purchasing programs, supplier relationships, marketing support, and other services.
IWDC named Terran Bergdale vice president of gas programs and John Gaither director of information technology. The cooperative also promoted Jayna Tucker to corporate controller.
Bergdale joined IWDC Aug. 3 and is responsible for leading the cooperative’s gas programs. She is working with Rich Mansmann on a leadership transition that will continue through the end of 2026. Mansmann will then remain with IWDC in a limited role as gas technologies fellow.
Bergdale previously was director of quality for specialty and medical gases at Meritus Gas Partners. Before joining Meritus, she was vice president of operations and gas technologies at A-OX Welding Supply and quality control manager at Absolute Air.
She spent about a decade at A-OX, where she established the company’s specialty gases business in 2014 and later moved into broader leadership roles.
Bergdale also chaired the training committee for IWDC’s PurityPlus specialty gas program from 2015 through 2025 and served on the Gases and Welding Distributors Association Safety Committee from 2019 through 2025.
She holds a doctorate in chemical and biological engineering, a master’s degree in materials engineering and science and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.
Gaither joined IWDC Aug. 31 and is responsible for the cooperative’s IT department. Tina Estes will continue supporting IWDC’s electronic data interchange program as a fractional consultant.
Gaither has more than 30 years of IT leadership experience, including positions with industrial distribution and manufacturing companies Acorn Distributors, Jobsite Supply, American Art Clay Co., and Tube Processing Corp.
He also taught IT courses for more than 16 years as an adjunct faculty member at Indiana Vocational Technical College.
Gaither holds a Master of Business Administration in global supply chain management from the University of Indianapolis and a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Ball State University.
Tucker, meanwhile, was promoted to corporate controller effective July 6. She joined IWDC in March 2024 as accounting manager.
In her expanded role, Tucker oversees accounting operations, including accounts payable, accounts receivable and internal controls. She also is responsible for developing IWDC’s accounting team, improving financial processes, and reporting.
Before joining IWDC, Tucker held accounting management positions at The Cellular Connection, or TCC, and worked as an analyst and accountant for Agri-Stats Inc. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Indiana University.
The appointments put new or expanded leadership in three operational areas at IWDC: gas programs, technology, and financial operations.
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