Ayala named Aurora president

Marcia Ayala has been promoted to president of Aurora Specialty Textiles Group Inc., a subsidiary of Milwaukee-based Meridian Industries. Ayala, who started at Aurora in 2006 as director of research and development, was promoted to vice president of research and development in 2014 and promoted again to company vice president in 2015. She played a key leadership role at Aurora during the company’s recent transition from its former plant in Aurora, Ill., to a new manufacturing facility in Yorkville, Ill., which involved bringing in a new generation of textile equipment and technology.