Fujikura Ltd. has appointed Jody Gallagher, president and CEO of fiber optic cable manufacturer AFL, to its board of directors. Gallagher is the first non-Japanese board member elected to the company's board. Since assuming the role of president and CEO in 2005, Gallagher has navigated AFL through the global economy. He has advocated for growing the company both organically and through acquisition. In 2018, under Gallagher’s leadership, AFL was recognized by Spartanburg (S.C.) Community College as an Economic Visionary and by the YMCA of Greater Spartanburg with the Middle Tyger Community Impact Award. Gallagher is a graduate of Clarkson University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting. He earned an MBA from the University of Texas. Gallagher was honored as a South Carolina Ambassador for Economic Development in 2015 and a United Way of the Piedmont’s Chairman’s Award in 2011. AFL is an international manufacturer providing end-to-end solutions for the energy, service provider, enterprise, and industrial markets as well as several emerging markets. Headquartered in Spartanburg, S.C., AFL also has operations in Mexico, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujikura Ltd. of Japan. Fujikura is a developer of electrical equipment, manufacturing power, and telecommunication systems.