# William Lambert

> William M. Lambert is a Pittsburgh-based engineer and corporate director who joined MSA in 1981, developed its patented Quick-Fill breathing apparatus accessory and served as president and CEO from 2008 to May 2018. He remains an MSA director and is chairman of Kennametal, where his announced board retirement is scheduled for October 27, 2026. His civic and educational commitments include Pittsburgh cultural institutions and student support at Penn State Harrisburg.

- **Role:** Chairman of the Board at Kennametal Inc.; director at MSA Safety Incorporated (as of October 24, 2026)
- **Organizations:** MSA Safety Incorporated, Kennametal Inc., Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business, Penn State Harrisburg, Senator John Heinz History Center, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, International Safety Equipment Association, EQT Corporation (former director)
- **From:** Pittsburgh, United States
- **Education:** Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Design Engineering Technology, Penn State Harrisburg, Master of Science in Industrial Administration, Carnegie Mellon University
- **Known for:** Developed MSA’s patented Quick-Fill breathing apparatus accessory., Design News Special Achievement Award, 2002., Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, manufacturing category, Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia, 2012.

## Career timeline

- **1981** — Joined MSA as a design engineer; subsequently developed its patented Quick-Fill breathing apparatus accessory.
- **1997** — Named general manager of MSA’s Safety Products Division.
- **1999** — Elected MSA vice president.
- **2003** — Became president of MSA North America, effective January 1.
- **2007** — Elected president and chief operating officer in March; joined the MSA board in December.
- **2008** — Became MSA president and CEO in May.
- **2010** — MSA completed its $280 million acquisition of General Monitors during his leadership.
- **2015** — Elected MSA chairman in May; MSA completed the approximately $190 million Latchways acquisition in October.
- **2016** — Joined Kennametal’s board as an independent director.
- **2017** — MSA completed the Globe Manufacturing acquisition in July; Lambert announced his planned CEO retirement in December.
- **2018** — Retired as MSA president and CEO in May; became non-executive chairman. Joined EQT’s board in November.
- **2019** — Became chair of Kennametal’s audit committee; EQT board service ended in July.
- **2020** — Concluded MSA non-executive chairmanship in May while continuing as a director.
- **2023** — Became Kennametal board chairman, effective November 1.
- **2026** — Kennametal announced his planned board retirement at the conclusion of the October 27 annual meeting; the transition remains pending as of October 24.

## Achievements

- Developed MSA’s patented Quick-Fill breathing apparatus accessory.
- Design News Special Achievement Award, 2002.
- Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, manufacturing category, Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia, 2012.
- Penn State Alumni Fellow, 2012.
- Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania Business Hall of Fame, 2019.
- Tepper Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award, 2020.
- Heinz History Center History Maker in Leadership, 2025.
- National Association of Corporate Directors Fellow.

## Latest updates

- **2026-07** — Kennametal announced that Lambert will retire from its board following the October 27, 2026 annual meeting, with Joseph Alvarado becoming chairman October 28.
- **2025-06** — Honored among the Heinz History Center’s 2025 History Makers at the June 5 award dinner.

## Links

- Website: https://investors.msasafety.com/board-member/william-lambert/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-lambert-8991741b

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/william-lambert
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-24