Prent Corporation President and CEO Joseph T. Pregont recently announced key leadership changes which will continue building and strengthening the company’s role in the global medical packaging industry.
Prent Corporation is the world’s leading designer and producer of custom thermoformed packaging for the medical device industry. Headquartered in Janesville, WI, USA—and the winner of 14 WorldStar medical packaging awards—Prent operates nine Class 8 Clean Room facilities in China, Malaysia, Denmark, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Arizona and Wisconsin.
“Through a concerted effort, we have developed a deep and highly effective executive team across all levels of Prent. This announcement,” explains Pregont, “recognizes the tremendous performance and experience these employees bring to our company. We will continue to leverage and grow their capabilities—and that of other talented company leaders around the world—to support our customers and achieve our business goals.
“This group has the knowledge and strength needed to continue delivering on our 47-year legacy of creating the high performance packaging our customers have come to know and expect,” says Pregont.
• JAMES O’DIERNO has been promoted to the position of Executive Vice President of Sales & Chief Operating Officer. Originally joining Prent in 1986 as a Sales Representative, Jim has been a key contributor to Prent and GOEX’s market expansion. From 1988 to 1994, Jim worked for GOEX Corporation, first as a Sales Manager and then as Vice President of Sales. Jim returned to Prent in 1995 as the Vice President of Sales and became Prent’s Senior Vice President of Sales in 2004 before being promoted again in 2010 to Executive Vice President of Sales. Jim holds a Degree in Industrial Marketing and resides with his family in Fontana, WI.
• SARA LEMKE has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer. She joined Prent in 1993. Today she’s responsible for the Finance and Information Technology Departments of both Prent and its subsidiaries around the world, in addition to GOEX, our sister company. Sara is a CPA with a degree in Accounting. She serves as the treasurer of three Wisconsin nonprofit organizations, including Project 16:49 (empowering unaccompanied homeless youth to take action to achieve their goals), the Endowment Foundation of First Lutheran Church and the First Senior Housing Corporation.
• MITCH BENSON has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Manufacturing Services. He joined Prent as the Director of North American Manufacturing in 2008 before being promoted in 2010 to Vice President of Materials Management and Project Engineering. His responsibilities include overseeing the Departments of Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Machine Build and Maintenance. Prior to joining Prent, Mitch worked for 24 years at Gilman Engineering and Manufacturing Corp. in various leadership positions. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater and resides with his family in Janesville, WI. Currently, he serves on the Forward Janesville Board of Directors as Treaasurer.
• RON STEURER has been promoted to Vice President of Manufacturing. With 41 years of hands-on Prent thermoforming experience and degrees in engineering, Ron brings a comprehensive body of production knowledge and total quality to our customers’ packaging projects. He’s held every manufacturing position at Prent and today specializes in new project startups (including new facilities), troubleshooting and ensuring global employees are trained in Prent’s best manufacturing practices. Ron is well known in Janesville for his work in youth sports. He and his wife Deb live in Janesville.
• CHRIS BLADL has been promoted to Vice President of Product Development. He joined Prent 22 years ago as a Designer, after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Stout’s Industrial Technology and Product Development Department. Today Chris is a member of the University’s Engineering Technology Advisory Board. He and his Product Development teams have been responsible for many of Prent’s most innovative, award-winning package designs. Chris lives in Milton with his wife Vicky and their two children. He enjoys hunting, fishing and family time.
• DON HANDROW has been promoted to Vice President of Product Development with the Tool Room remaining under his direction. He joined Prent 22 years ago as a Designer, after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Stout’s Industrial Design BFA program. His relationship with his alma mater has continued over the years by serving on the school’s Packaging Advisory Board and helping to create an industry-taught medical packaging program. In addition, he’s a member of Blackhawk Technical College’s Advanced Manufacturing Advisory Board. Don has won several WorldStar and AmeriStar Packaging Awards and is a member of SPE and IoPP.
• MARK ROTHLISBERGER has been promoted to Vice President of Manufacturing—Americas. He joined Prent Flagstaff in 2010 as Plant Manager. Additional new responsibilities include the oversight of our facilities in Puerto Rico and Costa Rica. Mark is a Mechanical Engineering graduate of Kettering University (formerly GMI Engineering Management and Institute) and an MBA graduate of Regis University. Prior to joining Prent, he held Plant Manager positions at Dometic in Juarez, Mexico and Matrix Wire in Alabama. Spanish proficient, he lives with his wife and children in Arizona. Mark enjoys hiking, golfing and motorcycling.
• GAIA LENZ has been promoted to Director of Manufacturing and is responsible for overseeing Janesville’s manufacturing units and the Piloting department. She joined the company three years ago as a Production Unit Manager. She has been developing and implementing process improvements in the production areas, Quality Sample and Secondary Departments. Previously, Gaia was the Plant Manager for Lavelle Industries in Whitewater. She holds a Masters of Business Administration-Operations Management and a Bachelors of Science, both from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. Gaia enjoys spending time with her kids, being outdoors, volleyball and reading.
Prent Corporation World Headquarters
2225 Kennedy Rd., POB 471
Janesville, WI, USA 53547-0471
01.608.754.0276
www.prent.com
MEDIA CONTACT: Vicki Damron, Marketing Director, 01.608.758.1150 vdamron@prent.com