Rob Foster, incoming CFO of ATI Inc., effective Jan. 1, 2026 [Photo: ATI]
ATI Inc., the big name in high-performance materials out of Dallas, just shook things up. They announced that James Robert “Rob” Foster is stepping into the role of senior vice president of finance and chief financial officer starting January 1, 2026.
### The Transition at ATI
Foster is taking over from Don Newman, who isn’t heading out the door just yet. Newman will transition into a strategic advisor role to the CEO as of January 1. After that, he’ll officially call it quits on March 1, 2026. This gives him some time to help ensure everything transitions smoothly.
### Foster’s Deep Dive
Rob Foster’s got some serious chops. Before his new gig, Foster served as the president of ATI’s specialty alloys & components business. He’s been a key player in taking ATI’s exotic alloys game to the next level. Before that, he was the VP of Finance, Supply Chain, and Capital Projects, overseeing the global finance scene and capital deployment.
### A Word from the Top
Kim Fields, ATI’s president and CEO, gave Foster a nod by saying, “Rob is a proven P&L leader.” Fields noted his enterprise-wide experience which plays right into ATI’s growth plans. Not to mention, he’s had a major hand in transforming Specialty Rolled Products.
### Foster Speaks Out
Foster himself chimed in, “I’m honored to become ATI’s next CFO.” He sees a bright future with tons of opportunities for growth, highlighting ATI’s strong balance sheet and focused strategy.
### His Journey Before ATI
Before jumping on the ATI bandwagon in 2012, Foster had senior roles at API Technologies Corp. and Spectrum Control Inc. He tackled ERP implementations, acquisition integrations, and beefed up internal controls. Oh, and he started off his career crunching numbers as an auditor at Ernst & Young (EY).
### ATI’s Bigger Picture
ATI isn’t just about aerospace and defense. They’re also a key player in electronics, medical fields, and specialty energy markets. They crank out materials that stand up to the toughest jobs out there.
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### Also Worth Mentioning
– Keith Schroeder’s over 40 years in finance roles is noteworthy.
– James Cook is retiring with 24 years under his belt.
– Anthony DiSilvestro’s jumping into KDP at a big moment, with $18 billion on the line.
– Donna Guy’s bringing 25 years of financial leadership experience to her new post.
– Last week, Caterpillar marked its 100th year anniversary in the U.S., highlighting its century-long innovation journey.
And that’s what’s going down at ATI Inc. Stay tuned because this company’s not slowing down.
