PARSIPPANY, N.J., August 14, 2023 –Conventus Polymers LLC, a leading distributor of high-performance engineering thermoplastics, has announced the appointment of Keith Lovellette as Director of Commercial Talent Development, based in Pittsfield, MA. Lovellette will develop and manage the Commercial Leadership Program to maximize incoming talent and lead training and future recruitment.

Lovellette spent 36 years with GE Plastics/SABIC before retiring this past April, he held many commercial roles including North America Distribution Manager, Senior Sales Manager US & Canada and most recently as Regional Sales Manager for North America/Canada responsible for the company’s Engineered Thermoplastic portfolio. Lovellette holds a BS from the Isenberg School of Management-UMass Amherst.

Barbour Plastics, an extruder of thermoplastic profiles announces the promotion of Michael Casey Sr. to President. In 1999 they hired Michael Casey as New Product Development Manager and since then he has worked in many positions at the company. Michael Casey has dedicated the past 24 years to growing Barbour Plastics Inc into a dynamic manufacturer with diverse capabilities that service many top-level US OEMs in various markets.

Tru-Form Plastics announced Jason Wagner has joined their team as the new Plant Manager. For over 35 years, Jason has worked in multiple roles at plastic processing facilities. In his new role at Tru-Form Plastics, Jason will be overseeing daily operations in the facility while optimizing strategies for continued safety, quality, and cost control.

Hoffer Plastics is pleased to announce the hire of Jeff Klabunde as Vice President of Operations. Leveraging 33 years of experience, Klabunde will be responsible for driving operational excellence across the organization to maximize productivity. He will oversee all operations-related functions, including automation, plant maintenance and more.

M. Holland has announced the promotion of Frank LaRocque to Vice President, Global Sourcing, Polyethylene (PE). In his role, LaRocque will oversee the company’s global sourcing efforts for PE, leveraging his extensive knowledge and expertise gained from 25 years of experience in the plastics industry, including 16 years as an M. Holland employee.

During his tenure at M. Holland, LaRocque has demonstrated a high level of dedication and an ability to drive success in various leadership positions, most recently serving as Director of Sourcing, Resale. LaRocque will collaborate with the resale, distribution and international teams at M. Holland to align domestic and global strategies to meet the growing demands of the PE market. 

PARSIPPANY, N.J., May 9, 2023 –Conventus Polymers LLC, a leading distributor of high-performance engineering thermoplastics, has announced the appointment of Audrey Hoffman as Product Line Manager, based in Columbus, OH. Hoffman will work towards improving the function and development of business relationships, reporting, and strategy related to the Conventus Polymers portfolio.

Hoffman worked most recently as Business Development Manager – ETP’s for MTI International, where she worked in a multifunctional role supporting the field team.  Prior to that, she worked as Product Line Specialist for Nexeo Plastics.  Hoffman holds a BS in Plastics Engineering from Penn State, Behrend.

Conventus Polymers LLC has announced the appointment of Brian Nourse as Vice President – Strategic Initiatives, based in Richmond, Va. Nourse will lead three strategic initiatives across Supply Chain, Product Line Management, and Application Development to accelerate the company’s growth.
Nourse was formerly at Afton Chemical where he held several leadership positions including multiple global product management roles, Vice President for two different commercial regions and most recently as Vice President of global supply. Prior to that, he worked at SABIC Innovative Plastics (and GE Plastics) for nearly 15 years where his experience included roles in application development, global marketing, and sales leadership. He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan.

M. Holland has announced the promotion of Matt Zessin as director, global automotive to help accelerate the company’s growth in domestic and international automotive markets. In this position, Zessin will lead M. Holland’s global Automotive group by identifying resins for new automotive applications and collaborating with key stakeholders to source materials internationally to meet clients’ needs. Zessin joined M. Holland in 2016 and has more than 10 years of experience working with prominent industry leaders, including Polymer Z and Roadrunner Transportation Services.

Conventus Polymers LLC has announced the appointment of Aaron Foss as Director of Sales, based in Columbus, Ohio. Foss will be responsible for leading, growing, training and managing the newly created Sales Development Engineering team across the U.S. and Canada.

Foss was formerly a Senior Product Manager at both Osterman and Nexeo Plastics. Prior to that, he was a District Manager for the Midwest District at Nexeo Plastics. Foss started his career at SABIC Innovative Plastics in commercial positions, before working at Nexeo Plastics (formerly Ashland Distribution) in a series of commercial and product management positions with increasing responsibilities including sales, sales management, and product management. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Physiological Psychology from Arcadia University.

Beacon MedTech Solutions is pleased to announce the hiring of Becky Kozodoy as Director of Quality Control and Regulatory Affairs. Leading the Beacon MedTech quality team, she will optimize the company's world-class quality management system, drive quality improvement initiatives, standardize quality processes across teams and ensure compliance.

PolySource has announced that Kevin Kwiatkowski has joined them as the new Director of Sales. Kevin studied Marketing at the University of Dayton before getting his MBA at Indiana Wesleyan University. After working at Nexeo Solutions, he became the Director of International Engineering Thermoplastics at MGI International. At PolySource, Kevin will continue his excellent work as the new Director of Sales, working alongside our team of Fixers to develop new business strategies into the future.

M. Holland has announced the promotion of Marc Fern as president and chief operating officer to support the company’s accelerated growth and the next phase of its evolution. Fern is a company veteran of 26 years and member of M. Holland’s board of directors. He has risen through M. Holland’s ranks, serving in multiple sales leadership roles and most recently as executive vice president, commercial. As president and COO, Fern will oversee the company’s commercial, operations, marketing, and innovation and technology departments. He will focus on leading the company to advance organizational growth and meet evolving customer needs.

M. Holland has announced the promotion of Monica Christler as executive vice president, commercial. In this role, Monica will oversee the distribution and resale business units and serve on the company’s executive leadership team. Christler joined the M. Holland team in 2012 after the company acquired Christler Chemical & Plastics, Inc. She most recently served as M. Holland’s director, distribution sales, where she implemented a number of successful growth strategies and supported the improvement of profitability across multiple sales regions.

M. Holland has announced the promotion of Michael Foldvary as vice president, distribution. In this position, he will be responsible for sales and sourcing within the U.S. and Canada. Foldvary joined the company in 2019 as director, distribution sourcing, and has a proven track record for strengthening M. Holland’s domestic and international sourcing relationships and leading the distribution product portfolio. His career in the plastics industry comprises various leadership positions, including experience with implementing portfolio strategies across distribution channels, fostering strategic business relationships, and developing business and marketing strategies.

ADVANTAGE POLYMERS API Resins- Distributor of Thermoplastics added Joe Condo [email protected] to its sales team.
Joe has developed a diverse portfolio of business - resin sales including toys, closures, food packaging, bins and crates.
Joe resides in the Cincinnati Metropolitan area with his wife, son and two daughters.

Conventus Polymers LLC has announced the appointment of Sean Mertes as Application Development Engineer, based in Minneapolis, Minn. Mertes will be responsible for managing ongoing and new commercial projects with OEMs and molders in the upper Midwest (Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota). In addition, he will provide technical service for the Western region and lead a series of technical webinars on a variety of topics including processing, high-performance polymer chemistries, mold flow, and more.
Mertes was formerly an Application Development Engineer at AMCO Polymers, focused on large strategic captive and non-captive OEMs. Prior to that, he was in sales with Polymer Technologies & Services covering the upper Midwest. Mertes started in plastics distribution with Nexeo Plastics (formerly Ashland Distribution) with 14 years as a Senior Technical Service Representative followed by two years as an Application Development Engineer. Prior to resin distribution, he worked for six years as a plastics engineer at Falcon Plastics, a custom injection molder.
Mertes holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from South Dakota State University. He is a graduate of the American Injection Molding Institute (AIM) and is involved with the local chapter of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE).

Henri Asselin recently joined Beacon MedTech Solutions as Vice President of Engineering and Technology. With more than 25 years of experience, Asselin leads the engineering team and plays a critical role in driving program management, tooling and automation efforts that incorporate new technologies, processes, and customer-driven trends.