Wabash, Indiana. May 4, 2026.
The Ford Meter Box Company has announced the appointment of Christopher J. Shanks as its eighth President, succeeding Steven R. Ford. Shanks, who previously served as Executive Vice President and General Manager, brings extensive experience in manufacturing, engineering, and operations, along with a strong background in efficiency initiatives, facility modernization, and workforce development since joining the company in 2000. His prior leadership roles include positions at Boeing Aircraft Company, Johnson Controls Automotive, and Atchison Casting Company, and he has been actively involved in key industry organizations. Shanks holds multiple academic degrees spanning business administration, industrial engineering, quality management, and business management, and has served as a director of the company for 24 years. He resides in Wabash, Indiana, with his wife, Sheri. They have two grown sons.
About Ford Meter Box:
The Ford Meter Box Company, Inc. is a manufacturer of water meter setting and testing equipment, service line valves and fittings, and pipeline coupling, repair, and restraint products for the waterworks industry and ancillary markets. Founded by Edwin Ford in 1898, the privately held company operates manufacturing facilities in Wabash, Indiana, and Pell City, Alabama, and is certified to the ISO 9001 quality standard. A member of the American Water Works Association, Ford Meter Box employs a workforce of approximately 900 in support of water purveyors and stocking distributors in sixty countries around the world.