Dr. Scott Nykaza is being promoted from chief operating officer to president and chief operating officer. Nykaza received his master’s degree in plant breeding from Kansas State University and his doctorate from Colorado State University. He worked for the DeKalb Seed Company and later for Monsanto for 10 years. While at Monsanto, he earned his Master of Business Administration degree from Michigan State University. In 1999, Nykaza joined Kalsec as purchasing director, and in 2004 he was promoted to vice president of procurement. He became executive vice president of sales and marketing in 2010, and chief operating officer in 2011.
“Scott Nykaza’s depth and breadth of experience in plant breeding and genetics, sourcing, sales and marketing, and operations management has been instrumental in positioning Kalsec as a vertically integrated provider of spice, herb and hop extracts to the global food and beverage industries,” says George Todd, chairman of the board and CEO. "Under his leadership, Kalsec is sourcing raw materials in 38 countries and has sales in 70 countries through its direct sales force and network of channel partners."
In other appointments, Julie Heine is being promoted to vice president of sales, Americas; and Gustavo Puente to vice president of procurement. Heine has served in various roles and leadership positions during her 18 years with the company, most recently in building and implementing a North American vision for sales growth. In her new capacity, she will be responsible for business development in the United States, Canada and South America, and will begin leading the customer service team. In his new role, Puente will lead the company in global procurement and vertical integration initiatives. Puente will manage plant breeding efforts, farming operations at the Kalsec Southwest facility, and the entire supply chain for crops produced and overseen by Kalsec.
Paul Filby and Tom Barry are being promoted to executive vice presidents. Filby will increase his role by overseeing all Kalsec global sales initiatives and will continue to lead international business development efforts. Barry will begin leading the logistics and finished goods planning teams in addition to his current marketing and product management responsibilities.
“These individuals have vast experience and passion for organizational results, and outstanding focus on our customers,” says Nykaza.
Kalsec is the leading global producer of natural spice and herb flavor extracts, colors, antioxidants, and advanced hop products for the food and beverage industry. For more than 50 years, Kalsec has consistently delivered high-quality, innovative ingredient solutions that make products look better, taste better and last longer. Kalsec is headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with facilities in the United States, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.kalsec.com.
