Personnel Notes

BHS grows sales team

Bulk Handling Systems (BHS), Eugene, Oregon, has announced a new organizational structure for its North American sales team, adding three new hires and promoting a veteran employee.

The all-new separation technology specialists (STS) team consists of Travis Curtis, Randy Roy and Richard Sweet. The STS team will focus on core solutions applications, including BHS Tri-Disc screens, Nihot air density products and National Recovery Technologies (NRT) In-Flight Sorting optical sorters.

Curtis, having been at BHS subsidiary NRT since 2014, joins BHS to cover the Southeast and Central U.S.

Roy, new to BHS, will cover the northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada regions.

Sweet, promoted from within to the position of senior applications engineer, will cover the northwestern U.S. and western Canada. He also will be responsible for continuous technical training for the entire BHS sales force.

Integrated material recovery systems for single-stream recycling, mixed waste processing and construction and demolition recycling are the foundation of BHS’ business, according to the company. Projects of this size and scale are the responsibility of BHS’ regional sales managers. New to this role are Ken Smakula, who covers the U.S. Atlantic Coast, and James Haidos, who is responsible for the Central U.S. and eastern Canada.

Smakula has nearly 30 years of experience as a senior sales manager focusing on clinical laboratory automation, and Haidos has served for eight years as sales development manager for a publicly traded Silicon Valley tech company.

In Memoriam: Jon Kneen

Jon H. Kneen, co-founder of equipment manufacturer Al-jon, died in his home in Naples, Florida, Jan. 26, 2016. He was 89.

According to an obituary published in the Ottumwa Courier, Kneen returned to the family farm in that Iowa city after serving in World War II, helping to modernize its operations. He then went on to co-found Al-jon, a manufacturer of recycling equipment, in Ottumwa in 1963.

The obituary notes that Kneen had a “heart for helping others” that “started at a young age.” He did this in part though his roles with Indian Hills Community College, Iowa Wesleyan College and the University of Iowa.

He is survived by his wife, Nita; two sons and business partners, Kendig and Tim; and many grandchildren.

Services will be held in the spring.

Memorials may be made in his name to Indian Hills Community College, 525 Grandview Ave., Ottumwa, Iowa, 52501.

WestRock names chief supply chain and technology officer

Norcross, Georgia-headquartered WestRock Co. has announced that Shan Cooper has been hired to the post of chief supply chain and technology officer. In this new role, her responsibilities include WestRock’s supply chain and technology functions, as well as the company’s recycling business. Cooper will report to Chief Executive Officer Steve Voorhees.

“Shan is an accomplished business leader who will bring additional manufacturing, technology and supply chain expertise to WestRock,” Voorhees says.

Cooper most recently served as vice president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, and general manager of its Marietta, Georgia, facility which designs, produces, modifies and maintains military aircraft for the United States and countries around the world. She also served concurrently as Lockheed Martin Aeronautics vice president of business ethics.