Kennametal yesterday expanded Pittsburgh's ranks of female executives, naming Textron executive Cathy R. Smith executive vice president and chief financial officer.

Cathy Smith

Smith, 41, succeeds F. Nicholas Grasberger III, who left the Latrobe toolmaker in December to become senior vice president and chief financial officer of Armstrong Holdings, a Lancaster-based producer of flooring and ceiling products.

The appointment is effective April 11. Smith currently is chief financial officer of Textron's Bell Systems unit, which had revenue of $2.3 billion last year. Bell's products include helicopters, weapons, surveillance systems and piston aircraft engines. Prior to joining Bell in Fort Worth, Texas, the Bakersfield, Calif., native held a similar position with the Intelligence and Information Systems unit of Raytheon, a defense and aerospace supplier.

"Cathy's experience in all facets of finance and operations in the industrial and defense arena make her a perfect fit," Kennametal Chairman, President and Chief Executive Office Markos I. Tambakeras said.

FedEx Corp. last month promoted Gretchen G. Smarto to vice president of its Pittsburgh-based FedEx Ground unit. Smarto, an 11-year veteran, had been vice president and controller of the unit.

Other high-ranking female executives in the region include U.S. Steel CFO Gretchen Haggerty; Alcoa executive vice president Barbara Jeremiah; Equitable Resources senior vice president and general counsel Johanna O'Loughlin; PPG Industries Treasurer Susan Kreh; and American Eagle Outfitters CFO Laura Weil.