Northbrook, IL — Bell Flavors & Fragrances has promoted several staff members to strategic roles at company’s headquarters in Northbrook, IL, and Middletown, NY. The company says the appointments strengthen its global strategy across key segments such as manufacturing, quality control, finance, culinary and supply chain management.
“This new wave of promotions is once again proof that our collaborative and innovation-driven company culture provides the mentorship and education for our team members to grow their personal skills and advance their careers,” says Maureen West, senior director of global human resources.
Thom Heinz has been promoted to vice-president, vendor management and strategic sourcing. In this new role, Heinz will analyze emerging market and industry trends impacting raw material and sourcing strategies. The company notes this forward-looking approach will keep it ahead of developing market and supply chain issues amid current changes.
In addition, Casey Schallert becomes senior corporate chef, reporting to Chris Warsow, senior director, flavor applications/corporate executive chef. Since joining Bell more than three years ago, Schallert has served in multiple roles with increasing responsibilities on the Culinary Applications team.
Sabrina Entwistle has been promoted to the new position of associate director, quality systems, leading all quality, continuous improvement, and EH&S activities at the Middletown, NY, facility. A main responsibility for Entwistle is to continue fostering a culture of continuous improvement at Middletown while embracing change management across all quality-related departments, the company says.
Now serving as associate director, manufacturing, Ken Beecher is expanding his responsibilities to all production activities at the Middletown, NY, facility. The company notes he will focus on with exceeding customer satisfaction goals while assuring compliance with employee safety, product quality, food safety and defense, regulatory, as well as employee conduct policies and procedures.
Mike Smith has been promoted to senior director, manufacturing-fragrance in Middletown, NY. Smith assumes additional leadership responsibilities to develop and implement strategies, policies and procedures at the Middletown facility. He will continue as the Middletown facility leader providing direction and guidance to the on-site team.
As director, manufacturing-flavors at the Northbrook, IL, facility, Jake Pupillo will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies, policies and procedures ensuring the Northbrook manufacturing team embraces change management and operational efficiencies. He will continue his responsibilities as the Northbrook manufacturing leader overseeing the liquids, spray dry, extractions, dry blending and reaction teams.
Zig Polak has been promoted to senior manager of material, planning and logistics – flavors in Northbrook, IL. Polak assumes additional responsibilities to develop and implement strategies, policies and procedures ensuring that the Northbrook warehouse, shipping and receiving teams operate effectively and efficiently through change management. He will also continue to lead material, planning and logistics, providing direction and guidance to the warehouse, shipping and logistics teams, the company says.
Mike Barron is now senior director, information technology, leading the company’s in-house IT technical team on activities including programming, network configuration and support, as well as software evaluation, data security and integrity.
As the new vice-president, finance, Allan Kaplan will lead the accounting team and the financial analyses of the company’s global business. In addition, Kaplan will support the capital budget and spend process, secure appropriate business insurance and oversee all other areas within the corporate financial structure.
Theresa Link has been promoted to the newly created position of director of cost accounting and will direct the financial implementation of the company’s new fully costed product system. She will also work closely with the operations team to evaluate specific direct labor and overhead costs assignable to each type of product produced. The team will also conduct time and motion studies as appropriate and establish cost drivers for each product category as the basis of certain cost allocations.
Brian Enriquez is the new senior manager, financial reporting and pricing, based in Northbrook. In this role, Enriquez will continue to lead the pricing process on new products and formulation changes while working closely with R&D, and switching his focus once the new cost accounting system is in place to calculating appropriate margins on fully-absorbed product costs, including direct labor and overhead.
Madeleine van Overbeek has been promoted to senior financial analyst at the Northbrook facility. In this role, she will continue to provide analyses of the business in a variety of financial areas. Since joining Bell in 2019, van Overbeek has performed valuable financial analyses and financial statement work, the company reports.
Wesley Loyas assumes the role of quality control chemist taking on increased responsibilities in the QC department at the Middletown facility. He is also in charge of assuring full compliance with employee safety, product quality, food safety and defense, regulatory, and employee conduct policies and procedures for the New York operation.
“I am personally very proud to welcome our newly promoted employees to their new titles and roles. We are able to promote from within, to fill these globally significant positions, as we continue to focus on growing our corporate learning and talent development. Our investments in learning and development, will enable Bell to grow our employee engagement and customer experience with even greater success in the future,” says Ron Stark, president & CEO of Bell Flavors & Fragrances.
