Chad Equipment, LLC, a Birko company, has added Robert Ogren to its team as director of sales and marketing.

"We're delighted to have Bob on board," said Mike Gangel, Chad's president. "He's very familiar with the needs of processors and knows how our equipment can help enhance food safety."

With over 22 years of experience in the food equipment and food safety business, Ogren brings a unique perspective to his new position with Chad. He will sell Chad's specialty meat harvest and processing equipment to protein processors. He will also work with Birko's technical representatives to promote Chad's preventive maintenance programs for its equipment.

Before joining Chad, Ogren was the national sales manager for System Cleaners A/S, a Danish based manufacturer of automated food and beverage plant cleaning systems. At System Cleaners, he also served as a director of North and South American sales. He began his career in 1991 at Specialty Food Equipment, an industrial food equipment distributor in the Midwest. At SFE he served as director of foodservice operations and ultimately as company president before joining System Cleaners A/S in 2006.

He earned a bachelor's degree in English with an emphasis in economics from the University of Kansas.