Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, July 2026 — Kennametal Inc. has announced the appointment of Amanda Cole as Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, effective July 21, 2026. In her new role, Amanda will lead the company’s global human resources strategy, with responsibility for talent development, organizational effectiveness, leadership capability, and building a high-performing workforce to support Kennametal’s long-term growth.
Announcing the appointment, Sanjay Chowbey, President and CEO of Kennametal, highlighted Amanda’s extensive industrial HR experience, cross-functional leadership, and commitment to continuous improvement. Her appointment reinforces the company’s focus on strengthening its people strategy and advancing organizational excellence across its global operations.
Amanda brings more than 20 years of leadership experience spanning human resources, organizational transformation, talent management, leadership development, change management, and business strategy. Prior to joining Kennametal, she spent over 20 years with Wesco Distribution, where she most recently served as Vice President, HR – Electrical & Electronic Solutions Business and IT & Digital Functions. In this role, she served as the senior HR executive for an US$8.9 billion global business unit, partnering with executive leadership to drive workforce strategy, organizational design, talent development, succession planning, digital transformation, and leadership capability across 50+ countries supporting more than 7,000 employees.
During her tenure at Wesco, Amanda progressed through several leadership positions, including Vice President, HR – Utility & Broadband Solutions Business Unit and IT & Digital Functions, Human Resources Director, Human Resources Manager, Training & Development Manager, and Lean & Process Improvement Consultant. Across these roles, she led enterprise-wide transformation initiatives, organizational redesign, leadership development, performance management modernization, workforce planning, and culture transformation while supporting global business growth and operational excellence.
Earlier in her career, Amanda served as Project Manager & Manufacturing Engineer at Graco Children’s Products (A Newell Rubbermaid Company), where she led new product introductions, manufacturing improvement initiatives, operational projects, equipment upgrades, and process reliability programs, providing her with a strong operational and engineering foundation.
Amanda completed the prestigious Chief Human Resources Officer Program at Wharton Executive Education in 2022 and holds an MBA in Business Administration and Management from the University of Baltimore (2004–2006).
About Kennametal
For more than 75 years, Kennametal Inc. has been a global leader in advanced materials and industrial technology, delivering productivity through materials science, precision tooling, and wear-resistant solutions. The company serves customers across industries including aerospace, earthworks, energy, general engineering, and transportation, helping manufacturers improve precision, efficiency, and operational performance through innovative engineering solutions.
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