Bernard Rzepka appointed CEO of A. Schulman

The US-based A. Schulman Inc, an international supplier of high-performance plastic compounds and resins, has appointed Bernard Rzepka as President and Chief Executive Officer of the company, effective January 1, 2015. In addition, the Board of Directors has nominated Joseph Gingo, the company's current Chairman, President and CEO, to continue as Chairman of the Board after his retirement as President and CEO on December 31, 2014. The changes are part of A. Schulman’s succession planning process, and the nomination of Gingo as Board Chairman is subject to his re-election as a director by shareholders at the company's annual meeting this December.
 
David Birney, A. Schulman's Lead Director, stated, “This transition is the result of a rigorous, disciplined and multi-year succession planning process led by the Board, and we are confident in Bernard's leadership. As a critical member of A. Schulman's leadership team, we are certain that Bernard will continue to execute our proven strategies to drive growth at A. Schulman.”
 
"Throughout Bernard's 22-year career with A. Schulman, he has shown outstanding leadership and dedication to customer relationships. His operational expertise and strong commitment to our growth strategy have helped create significant value for our customers and shareholders," added Gingo.
 
Rzepka said, "Joe has transformed our company and we built exceptional teams over the years. I am honoured to be chosen to lead A. Schulman and together we will continue to execute on our strategy through our unwavering focus on safety, smart sales and smart savings. We are committed to further strengthening our company's position to serve high-value, high-growth markets in the specialty chemicals industry.”
 
Rzepka, 54, was named Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer of A. Schulman in April 2013. In this position, he has been responsible for implementing corporate strategy and growth plans within the global operations as well as promoting excellence in the company's procurement and marketing organisations. During his career with A. Schulman, he has served in a variety of global management and technology positions including Vice President and General Manager, Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA); head of the Europe Engineered Plastics and Masterbatch business units; and as Managing Director of Germany.