Phoenix Contact receives Department of Commerce recognition

The U.S. Department of Commerce recently recognized Blomberg, Germany, based Phoenix Contact for contributing to job creation and economic growth in the United States.

The manufacturer of automation, control, power, and connectivity products has its U.S. headquarters located outside of Harrisburg.

Ian Steff, U.S. Department of Commerce deputy assistant secretary for manufacturing, and Brian Lenihan, executive director for Select USA, presented a certificate earlier this month to Phoenix Contact executives in Hannover, Germany.

Select USA is a government-wide program led by the U.S. Department of Commerce with the goal of creating and retaining jobs.

The U.S. subsidiary of Phoenix Contact was established in 1981. It employs more than 800 Americans, the majority in Pennsylvania.

The more than 360,000-square-foot Harrisburg site serves North and South America and offers development, manufacturing, sales, and support services, and is a logistics center.

Also earlier this month, Phoenix Contact USA named Kevin Zak vice president and general manager. Zak previously served as the company’s vice president of the Industrial Controls and Electronics Division.

Zak will oversee channel operations, marketing, sales and service functions within the United States.

Zak joined the company in 1994 and moved to Harrisburg in 2007 to become the national sales manager for the company’s industrial business.