Linda Mast is the new president of Gorton Heating Corp. following the retirement of her mother.

Linda Mast is the new president of Gorton Heating Corp., Cranford, N.J., following the retirement of her mother, Marie Klinefelter. Mast, who has worked in various capacities at Gorton for the past 13 years, follows a tradition of family ownership that dates back to 1932.

In that year, Marie's father, Henry Feil and Joseph Gorton bought the original company, Gorton-Lidgerwood founded in 1887, for $1. Feil had worked for the New York City-based company since 1923, and ran it with Gorton until Gorton's death in 1949.

In 1955 Marie's husband, Glenn Klinefelter, joined Gorton's sales force and became president in 1964, after Feil's retirement. In 1978, Glenn died at age 53, and Marie, with no business experience, stepped into the leadership role of the company.

Mast plans to build on the company's strong base, continue the company's strong trade presence and develop new products. Mast graduated from North Carolina State University. She is a member of the Union Country Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Businesses.