Meet Our Team

With over 35 years of experience in supply chain, distribution, and logistics at Air Liquide / Airgas, Mike Evans brings a wealth of expertise to Rinchem. He has led one of the largest distribution operation zones in Airgas’ bulk business and played a pivotal role in centralizing national logistics. Mike’s efforts in optimizing logistics processes and implementing a global scheduling tool have been instrumental in enhancing efficiency across Air Liquide. Mike holds a BBA from the University of Phoenix and an MBA from the University of Houston. His leadership and innovative approach have consistently driven success and operational excellence throughout his career.

Ali Jiwani brings a wealth of expertise from his previous role as Senior Program Manager at Airgas, an Air Liquide Company. At Airgas, Ali played a pivotal role in the North America Bulk Distribution and Logistics of tractors and railcar portfolios, overseeing the entire life cycle and procurement process. His strategic approach, grounded in data and analytics, elevated operations to a “World Class” level, fostering collaborative relationships and cross-functional teamwork to align with organizational vision and strategic plans. With over 15 years of experience, Ali is a valuable addition to both the Procurement and Fleet Management team and the Rinchem Leadership team, having successfully overseen substantial budgets, driven operational efficiencies, and maintained the highest safety standards. Ali holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of Houston and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Illinois, with a focus on Strategic Innovation and Business, complemented by Green Belt certification.

Director of International Freight Forwarding

Previously serving as the Material Control & Logistics Manager at ChampionX, Stephanie showcased her leadership prowess in managing international chemical solutions and services for upstream and midstream oil and gas operations. Her expertise extends to overseeing plant logistics, surpassing business metrics, and demonstrating exceptional leadership within the industry. With a career spanning over 25 years, Stephanie has excelled in roles such as International Logistics Manager at Ecolab, where she exhibited strategic planning and operational excellence, consistently surpassing expectations and delivering strong economic results. Holding a Bachelor of Science from Sheffield State University, Cleveland, Ohio, Stephanie is recognized for her dedication to safety, commitment to customer satisfaction, and has been honored with a Supply Chain Leadership Excellence Award.

Ty Johnson leverages a 15-year background in retail management expertise to help lead Rinchem’s operations. Joining as a supervisor in 2013, he has steadily progressed through leadership roles managing critical sites across the country including MN, NJ, CA and his most recent role includes opening and managing one of Rinchem’s most advanced warehouses in Cornelius, OR. Ty’s passion lies in driving operational efficiency through continuous improvement, ensuring smooth daily operations across all Rinchem locations as he serves in his current role of Director of Operations.

Matthew Walters has a rich background encompassing over 15 years of diverse experience in technology, leadership, and operations. Formerly a Senior Director at Airgas, Matt spearheaded the development of a comprehensive technology roadmap, seamlessly integrating people, processes, and technology within a vertically integrated supply chain. His specialization lies in the intricate interrelation of data, demonstrating prowess in leveraging diverse sources. With a foundation in serving in the US Navy in Nuclear power principles, Matt’s career journey has included roles as a field engineer for drilling services and as a competency manager. Holding a degree in Engineering/Industrial Management from the University of Arkansas, Grantham, Matt has achieved recognition as a Technical Community Leader (TCL) Level 2 and International TCL. A dedicated advocate of servant leadership, Matt is committed to driving operational excellence through strategic insights.

Frank joined Rinchem in 2016 as a Product Development Manager providing strategic oversight of our Chem-Star customer portal development. Frank brings over 20 years of information technology experience and has a diverse background in both manufacturing and logistics, with extensive experience in IT Architecture. At Rinchem, he sets IT strategy and direction and coordinates the continued development of an innovative, robust, and secure supply chain management portal. Frank has an MBA from the University of New Mexico and a bachelor’s degree from New Mexico State University.

Menno joins Rinchem from Ceva Logistics, where in his last position he was Executive Vice President and CFO for North America. Menno has 25 years of experience in the Shipping and Logistics industry, having worked for Maersk and Ceva in the Netherlands, France and the USA. He held various roles, both at the global and the regional level, including Business Control, Strategy and M&A, Finance Transformation and as Finance Director. He also worked as a Management Consultant at McKinsey & Company. Menno has a master’s degree in economics from the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and a MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business.

With over 20 years at Rinchem, Chris began his employment in operations, but quickly found his stride in the commercial side of the business where he was top in sales from 2003 to 2007. He then moved from Sales Manager to Director to VP of Sales and later served as Rinchem’s SVP and Chief Operating Officer. Chris’ broad leadership remit includes global, cross-functional responsibility. During Chris’ career with Rinchem, he has held leadership roles in nearly every aspect of the business including interim CEO. Chris has extensive experience in new market development and global business growth. As a result, he has been instrumental in facilitating customer growth and implementing processes of innovation to better serve customer needs. Chris has a BA in Marketing and Public Relations and obtained his MBA from Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management.

Vickie Urias is the Director of IT Operations at Rinchem Company LLC based in Albuquerque, NM. Her scope includes all global infrastructure, business applications, user support and cybersecurity. As an Albuquerque native, she attended the University of New Mexico and has bee in IT roles for over 20 years both in private sector and consulting leading technical and PMO resources. A resourceful and strategic results-oriented business professional with the ability to deliver at a high level in fast-paced IT organization. Strong expertise in operational efficiency and continuous improvements. Recognized for ability to build strong relationships and foster change through motivational and inclusive techniques resulting in maximum adoption and productivity. A versatile leader and contributor skilled in translating metrics to align decisions with strategic initiatives. In her 8 ears at Rinchem, she has taken a struggling Foundational IT environment to a secure, reliable, and cost-effective enterprise organization leveraging cloud services while ensuring a robust Rinchem’s cyber security posture.

Troy has been with Rinchem for over three years. He oversees the sales, marketing and technology teams. His prior experience in the private sector brings a wealth of experience.

Lorena Hutton studied political science at Gonzaga University, law at the University of Arizona, and business at Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Lorena began her career as a litigation and regulatory attorney representing national companies in areas of contract disputes, complex taxation law, employment law, administrative law, and general environmental law. Lorena then joined Rinchem as its General Counsel where she oversees the legal matters of the business and provides strategic legal advice to management. At Rinchem, Lorena has been deeply involved in contract drafting and compliance, employment and labor relations issues, regulatory compliance, real estate, and property law issues, and business planning and negotiations.

Matt joined Rinchem in 2018 after spending 13 years optimizing healthcare supply chains where he focused on transformative supply chain technology. Matt spent multiple years living and working in Asia, focusing on our international operations, and driving global standardization. As the Vice President of Global Warehousing Operations, Matt is focused on driving precision within Rinchem’s core tenets of Safety and Quality and emphasizes technology and business intelligence to operationally scale for the future.

Dustin has been with Rinchem for 7 years. After managing our Hillsboro warehouse, he transitioned to software management and business intelligence. He currently manages one of Rinchem’s largest partner customer accounts.

Mike (“Ging”) brings a wealth of knowledge & experience to his role in Business Development. He has over 15 years of experience working with both suppliers & manufacturers for their supply chain needs in the semiconductor arena.

Gabriel Batiz has over 25 year of supply chain experience working in both distribution and manufacturing. He holds a bachelors of science in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M and a Master of Business Administration from University of Minnesota. His expertise includes facility and process engineering solution design, construction and project/program management. Most recently Gabriel has spent the last 10 years building facilities for the high tech account sector at DB Schenker. Prior to that Gabriel was lead designer for Amazon fulfillment centers where he designed the first Amazon Robotics fulfillment center solution now ubiquitous through out the world and managed an equipment design budget of over $250 million. His career also includes several engineering management roles for companies such as Best Buy in MN and Blockbuster Video in TX. Gabriel resides in Alamo Heights, TX with his spouse Carmelita and two daughters Sofia and Francesca. Sofia is in her second year of Mechanical Engineering at Rose Hulman in Indiana and Francesca will soon be starting first year premed at Loyola Marymount. In continuing the families education tradition, Gabriel hopes to also start a Doctoral program this year at Our Lady of the Lake University were he will focus on leadership studies.

Enrique brings over two decades of experience in the Specialty Chemicals, Industrial Gases, and Construction Materials industries. In his most recent position he was Global Director Sales Operations. His other functional experience includes leadership positions in Commercial Strategy, Sales Administration, Logistics and Transportation Planning, and Quality Assurance. He holds an MBA from the Tuck School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from ITESM.

Chris Easter has more than 35 years of experience in the transportation and logistics industry. He most recently served as CEO at Daseke, Inc. (NASDAQ: DSKE) (“Daseke”), having started his career there as Chief Operating Officer in January of 2019. Prior to Daseke, Mr. Easter served in key transportation and logistics roles with the United States Army lead and was awarded the Bronze Star during Operation Desert Storm. Chris also held leadership roles with Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT), where he oversaw the warehousing and transportation of imported goods, and Schneider National, Inc. (NYSE: SNDR). In more recent years, he also served as CEO of Keen Transport and Chief Operating Officer of Roadlink Intermodal Logistics.

Gwen joined Rinchem in 2005 as the HR Manager and has been with the organization for nearly 20 years. Her background at Rinchem includes multiple directorships focused on Human Resources, Organizational Development, EHS, Compliance, and Quality Customer Service. In her previous career, she spent her time in Operations within the Customer Service Industry. With her extensive time at Rinchem, Gwen works to serve as a mentor to the organization’s Managers and Directors. She holds two bachelor’s degrees in Old Testament Theology, Human Resources, and Organization Development. Currently, Gwen is Rinchem’s Director of Global Talent Acquisition. Ultimately, Gwen’s goal is to serve the Workforce Development Community to cultivate talent wherever she goes.

Jeff joined Rinchem in 2023 with over 15 years in the 3PL sector focusing on chemical warehousing and transportation. Throughout his career Jeff has held several leadership roles in a variety of manufacturing operations which lends to his understanding of supply chain requirements for his customers operations.

Chuck joined Rinchem in 1997 as Business Development Manager (BDM) to lead Rinchem toward a supply chain and logistics concentration. Chuck excelled in a broad range of the firm’s global transportation and logistics positions: BDM, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Executive Vice President of Operations, and President before becoming CEO and President in 2021.

Chuck’s strategic vision and comprehensive knowledge of all lines of business is instrumental in Rinchem’s aggressive growth (internationally and domestically) and strategic acquisitions to expand Rinchem’s service area footprint.

Chuck has an uncanny knack for asking the right questions, an MBA from Southern Methodist University, and when he’s not leading Rinchem to its next success, you can find him spending time with his family, skiing, or training for triathlons.

Rodney brings over 25 years of Human Resources experience including standing up new talent acquisition programs from the ground up as well as implementing transformational programs for Fortune 100 companies in the Distribution and Logistics, Industrial Services, Engineering, as well as Oil and Gas industries. Rodney brings a vast array of valuable knowledge and expertise in building programs that create sustainable candidate pipelines in fast-paced environments in the AMER, APAC, and EMEA talent markets. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources from Stephen F Austin State University along with his PHR, SHRM-CP, and CDR certifications.

Taimur has worked for two of Rinchem’s long-term customers and brings extensive knowledge of chemicals, electronics, logistics, accounting, finance and international business to the organization. In his most recent position, Taimur was the CFO of Raven Industries, a $450 Million publicly traded manufacturer of high-tech agricultural equipment. His other work experience includes positions with Price Waterhouse Coopers, Ernst & Young, ICI Chemicals Company, and A&R Logistics. Taimur holds an MBA from Washington University and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Lafayette College in Pennsylvania.

Abby brings over 30 years of Human Resources experience. She will serve as the strategic business partner leading the development and execution of the strategic people plan focused on talent, culture, organizational effectiveness, compensation, and performance management enabling the business to deliver on growth and profitability. Most recently, Abby was Vice President, Human Resources for the Aerospace, Defense and Marine division of TE Connectivity. While there, she worked closely with senior management to lead the development and execution of a business and culture transformation strategy to better position the business for future growth. Prior to that, Abby spent several years with Air Liquide, a global industrial gas firm where she held the role of Vice President of Airgas Merchant Gases, An Air Liquide Company, and was also the head of HR for the U.S. Air Liquide Industrial Merchants division. Abby started her career with The Boeing Company where she spent 20 years supporting both Defense and Space as well as the 787 Dreamliner Program in Charleston, South Carolina. Her career has also included roles of increasing responsibility with GE Oil & Gas, Texas Instruments and Continental Airlines. Abby holds a bachelor’s degree in business from LeTourneau University and a Master’s in Human Resources and Employee Relations from Pennsylvania State University.

Kim Koontz has spent her entire career in Air and Ocean Freight Forwarding and has been with Rinchem since 2015. She brings a wealth of experience to Rinchem and is an expert of hazardous and perishable products servicing both the semiconductor and pharmaceutical high tech industries. For seven years, Kim served as the company’s Manager of Freight Forwarding and was promoted to Director of Freight Forwarding in 2022. Prior to Rinchem, Kim worked at one of the largest Freight Forwarders for 15 years as both an Operations Manager and Customer Advocate.

Drew Peterson is the Director of Customer Experience. As part of his responsibilities, he works closely with Rinchem’s top partners and oversees the Advocates, Experience, and Marketing teams. Before joining Rinchem in 2019, Drew had 14 years of experience as an Executive with startup organizations. Drew specialized in restructuring companies from the ground up by building a scalable infrastructure to achieve corporate growth targets.

Andy joined Rinchem in 2014 as a Business Development Manager and then moved on to US Sales Manager where he was responsible for Rinchem’s US sales team. In his current role as Director of Sales, Andy works to develop a sales team capable of creating long-term, global partnerships and identifying and securing target customers. Andy got his start in the supply chain world as an Account Executive for Reddaway where he helped develop specialized LTL solutions for multiple companies across all lines of business. He received his BA in Business Finance from Washington State University.

Bonnie has been with the company for fifteen plus years.  Bonnie started out as a CSR, and moved up through the operations group, holding titles such as Management Trainee, Facility Manager, GM of Transportation and is currently VP of Asset Based Transportation. Bonnie has a BA in Business and Supply Chain, that was obtained while working at Rinchem. She has played a role in many aspects of the business and has spent the last five years working to grow the revenue of Rinchem’s transportation line of business to match that of the warehouse. She currently sets the strategy and expectations of Rinchem’s asset-based transportation.

Ken joined Rinchem after completing a Master’s degree in accounting at BYU and working for Deloitte as a CPA.  As a fluent Chinese speaker, he has played a critical role in the establishment and continued growth of the company in international markets, having spent 10 years living and working in Asia.  Ken has held leadership responsibilities in sales, operations and G&A disciplines where he has contributed significantly to Rinchem’s aggressive growth.  He has enjoyed playing critical roles in acquisitions and customer relationship management and has driven excellence through operational standardization and cross-pollination of Rinchem culture.  He currently has responsibility for Finance, IT, HR and Legal.

Melody Moore is the Director of Quality & EH&S. With over a decade of experience in logistics, compliance and quality, Melody has been dedicated to implementing and maintaining programs that ensure a safe, secure, healthy, and reduced accident work environment for Rinchem.

Ray joined Rinchem in 2019 and brings 35+ years of operations and logistics experience. Prior to joining the Rinchem Team, Ray was a customer for over 18 years. Ray graduated from East Stroudsburg University, with a BS in Environmental Science. Ray started with Rinchem as Director of Operational Improvement, and currently has responsibilities include overseeing multiple Rinchem Warehousing operations.

Ben has recently joined Rinchem in 2021 and brings 8+ years in Asset, Non-Asset, and Drayage transportation experience. Ben got his start in the transportation industry, working for one of the largest and most successfully LTL carriers domestically. During his transportation career he has been a CDL driver, Management Trainee, Inbound/Outbound supervisor, Operational Supervisor, Solution Specialist, and Service Center Manager before coming over to the Rinchem team. He received his BS in Business Administration with a focus in Marketing and Communications from Mars Hill University. Also, he has received his MBA from the College of William and Mary in 2020.

Jim joined Rinchem in 2019 as Director of Sales & Marketing for Rinchem International. Jim has been in the logistics industry for nearly 30 years where he has been dedicated to developing customized supply chain solutions.

Elaine joined Rinchem from 2021 March as the director of operations. She has been working for a few global logistics companies with more than 24 years’ hands on experience in 3rd party Logistics including Freight Forwarding, Import/Export Supply Chain Management, Warehousing & Distribution Management, Customer Relation Management and Total Logistics Solution Development. From the level of day-to-day operations to the P&L management. She is responsible for warehouse operations and her primary focus is to establish and develop international warehouse operation teams for Rinchem in Taiwan, Korea, Israel and Ireland.

Lisa joined Rinchem in 2020 as Director of International G&A. She has been leading the efforts to establish finance fundamentals in the international space, enhance the quality of Rinchem’s account processes, while also working to strengthen financial control in review and approvals. Additionally, Lisa has been overseeing G&A in HR and providing general administrative support. She has almost 30 years of experience in finance and accounting experience working with MNCs primarily in the pharmaceutical industry.

Zach started with Rinchem in 2011. He held positions as our Operations Manager in Hillsboro and Program Manager/Customer Advocate before moving to Director of Operations. He has a BA from Arizona State University in Business Communications. Zach’s Director responsibilities include overseeing multiple Rinchem Warehousing operations.

Sandi joined Rinchem in 1991 as the only accountant among its 50 or so employees. She received a BBA from Eastern New Mexico University in 1985 and became a CPA in 1989. At the time she was hired, Sandi had 6 years of experience, primarily in public accounting. She has held several positions within Rinchem over the past 30 years, and she currently focuses on complex business analysis, customer pricing, and system prototype development. She also manages Rinchem’s commercial insurance program and negotiates contract terms.

Robert is a strategic and results-driven leader with a 25-year career in the Banking, Retail, & Specialty Logistics industries.  His leadership experience includes leading executive level positions over Finance, Human Resources and IT functions. As a Senior Level Executive with Rinchem, Robert focuses on multinational acquisitions, strengthening Rinchem’s financial processes, developing reliable technology services, and continually strives to improve corporate culture. Prior to joining Rinchem, Robert was a successful finance executive with a multi-national specialty retailer where he participated in the development of the China retail market.  

Dustin has been with Rinchem since 2012, and he has held many different Transportation leadership roles, such as Manager Trainee, Transportation Planning Manager, TMM Manager, and Director of Global Transportation. As Vice President of Global Transportation, he is responsible for the Freight Forwarding, Brokerage, and the Total Materials Management lines of business. Dustin got his start in the transportation industry, working as a Transportation Planner for one of the largest trucking carriers in North America, and provides over 15 years of Supply Chain and Logistics experience. He received his BA in History from Eastern Illinois University and served in the US Air Force before that.

Executive Team

Chris Easter

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Chris Sower

SVP, CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

Menno Groeneweg

SVP, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Lorena Hutton

SVP, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER & GENERAL COUNSEL

Mike Valentine

SVP SALES AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Matt Jensen

SVP GLOBAL WAREHOUSING

Mariusz Dzwolak

VP & CONTROLLER

Directors

Sandi Privett

Director Sales Ops & Risk Management

Mike Gingerella

Director Strategic Accounts

Melody Moore

Director of Quality and EH&S

Avi Doron

Managing Director Israel

Stephanie Perez

Director International Freight Forwarding

Matt Montgomery

Director Financial Operations

Dustin Richins

Director Strategic Accounts

Rodney Smoczyk

Global Director HR Ops & Talent Acquisition

Elaine Lee

Director International Operations

Ali Jiwani

Director of Procurement & Fleet Management

Nick Dionisopoulos

Director of M&A and FP&A

Enrique Flores

Director Business Sales Operations

Drew Peterson

Sr. Director of Operations & Client Experience

Ray Sierminkski

Director of Operations

Mike Evans

Director of Transportation Operations

Vickie Urias

Senior Director Technology

Jim Yang

Director of Asia Sales and Business Development

Zach Tabor

Director of Operations

Ty Johnson

Director of Operations

George Swartz

Director Business Development

Chase Dabney

Director of Business Applications & Intelligence

Terrell Bolton

Director Business Development