AAON increased the size of its Board of Directors and appointed Robert L. Buttermore III and Patrick J. Jermain as independent directors, effective July 28, 2026. Buttermore will serve on the Board’s Compensation Committee, while Jermain will join the Audit Committee.
The appointments are part of AAON’s ongoing Board succession and refreshment process, which focuses on aligning director experience with the company’s evolving strategy, expanding scale, and long-term growth opportunities.
AAON said the additions strengthen the Board’s experience across enterprise operations, global manufacturing, supply chains, capital allocation, finance, technology, risk management, and corporate governance.
The company is continuing to invest in capacity and expand its position across the commercial HVAC and mission-critical cooling markets, including systems designed for data center environments.
Buttermore serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer at Rockwell Automation. He oversees the company’s global manufacturing, sourcing, logistics, customer care, and trade compliance operations.
During his career at Rockwell Automation, Buttermore has held leadership positions spanning general management, global business operations, commercial growth, and Asia-Pacific operations. He previously led the company’s Power Control business and managed strategic expansion initiatives serving industrial, semiconductor, energy, HVAC, and data center customers.
Buttermore holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from The Ohio State University.
Jermain recently retired as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Plexus Corporation, a global manufacturing services company.
During his 12-year tenure as CFO, Jermain helped guide Plexus through growth, portfolio transformation, capital allocation decisions, and long-term value creation initiatives. He also advised the company’s Board and executive leadership team on financial strategy, risk management, merger and acquisition evaluations, investor relations, and governance.
Before joining Plexus, Jermain held senior finance roles at several publicly traded manufacturing companies and began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Jermain earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Wake Forest University and a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
AAON said the appointments will support its efforts to scale operations, invest in growth, and expand its leadership across the commercial HVAC and mission-critical cooling sectors.
The company designs and manufactures configurable and custom HVAC equipment for commercial, industrial, and data center indoor environments under the AAON and BASX brands.
KEY QUOTES:
“AAON has entered a period where the opportunities in front of us are larger than at any point in our history. As we continue scaling the business, investing in capacity, and strengthening our position in high-growth markets, it is important that our Board evolves alongside the enterprise. Bob and Pat each bring decades of leadership experience within highly respected public companies and add complementary capabilities that will help guide AAON through its next chapter of growth and value creation.”
A.H. “Chip” McElroy II, Independent Chairman Of The Board Of AAON
“AAON has accomplished a great deal over the last several years, but we believe the opportunity ahead is even greater. Our focus is on building a company that continues to create value for customers while expanding our capabilities, scale, and leadership position in the markets we serve. As part of that effort, we are intentional about ensuring our Board continues to evolve alongside the business. Bob and Pat bring experience and perspective that strengthen an already strong Board and will help support our long-term strategy as we continue building for the future.”
Matt Tobolski, President And Chief Executive Officer Of AAON
