COMMERCE CITY, CO -- Atlas Copco Mining, Rock Excavation and Construction has appointed Shawn Cheney to the position of business line manager – rock drilling tools, and Jason Blais to Cheney's former position as vice president of specialty stores.

Torbjorn Redaelli, president and general manager of Atlas Copco Mining, Rock Excavation and Construction LLC, said, "Shawn's industry experience with distributors, business lines and store channel sales, coupled with his strong results-driven approach, makes Shawn well suited for this position."

Cheney joined Atlas Copco as the vice president of its road construction equipment company in 2010 after holding a variety of management positions over 13 years for other companies. Cheney earned his mechanical engineering degree from the Colorado School of Mines and his MBA from Indiana University.

"The vast experience Jason has held in several positions during his career with Atlas Copco, not to mention his own experience as an end-user in the industry, gives him a unique skillset and the overall expertise in the mining and construction business to ensure his success in his new position," said Redaelli.

After joining Atlas Copco Construction and Mining as a service technician and sales support representative in 1997, Blais assumed the position of technical product specialist and service coordinator, becoming a demo and training specialist in 1999. In 2001 Blais became an area sales manager until his promotion to store manager of the Abingdon, MD, customer center in 2007. Blais was also product manager for down-the-hole drilling products, and most recently, regional manager for Atlas Copco stores in the Southeast U.S. region since 2012.  

"Jason's industry expertise and the emphasis on customer satisfaction he has consistently exhibited throughout his 20-year career in sales and support roles combine to make him the perfect choice for this assignment," said Redaelli.