Randal Ferman
Randal Ferman has more than 45 years’ experience in the pump industry. He is a registered Professional Engineer in California and in Texas. During his 32 years with Flowserve, a global pump manufacturer, his responsibilities covered a broad range of engineering assignments. He is presently Principal, Ekwestrel Engineering LLC, Austin, Texas, providing services on new and existing pumping equipment and systems. His clients span a range of industries including oil & gas, electric power generation, water, wastewater, solids handling, pump manufacturing, engineering and construction, energy efficiency, pipeline transportation, and pump service and repair.
Jaclyn Herrera
Jaclyn Herrera is the Chief Marketing Officer and Bridgebuilder at ChasmBridge, a CHIEF member. Whether planning for long term brand management or driving revenue results, Jaclyn brings a strategic mind with clear road paths and measurable results.
She specializes in high growth-oriented businesses that are aiming to make a transaction, enter new markets, dramatically improve revenue results or that are going through major cultural change. Through a relentless focus on the customer experience, Jaclyn has increased revenue opportunities through lead generation by $6M/month, improved total cost of ownership of technologies through aftermarket pull through by 28%, and designed customer journey maps that improve experience and engagement with NPS results as high as 9.
Her incredible leadership has resulted in many personal and business awards including - business industry recognition, marketing recognition for product launches and exhibition results, and project industry recognition.
Margaret Misera
Margaret Misera is a Rotating Equipment Engineer at Wood Plc. She has 10 years of experience in the specification and selection of rotating equipment for midstream and downstream applications as well as recent exposure to new equipment applications in the renewables and upstream sector. She has gained recognition as Industry Person of the Year in 2019 for Empowering Pumps and Equipment and currently holds a Professional Engineering License in the State of Texas. She earned her B.S.M.E from Baylor University and M.S.M.E from Villanova University where she gained a detailed background in the analysis of thermal fluid systems. In her free time, she enjoys playing soccer and being with her family at the lake.
Ron Frisard
Ron Frisard has spent 30 years as a technical expert in Mechanical Packing and Industrial Gasketing. He has traveled over 900,000 miles (3.8 times the distance to the moon) to customers around the globe. Ron is currently the Packing and Gasketing Global Product Line Director for AW Chesterton. He manages the design, development, analysis, and execution of training. He also handles skill- based performance improvement programs. These programs meet the needs of Chesterton’s sales representatives and customers. Ron has also been considered an "industry influencer" and an Industry person of the week by Empowering Pumps and Equipment.
Stephanie Hajducek
Stephanie Hajducek is a Territory Sales Manager for SAMSON Controls – a market leader in control valves for industrial processes. She works closely with her inside sales team to promote SAMSON Controls solutions and after sales services while cultivating lasting relationships as her customer’s trusted advisor. Stephanie has also held positions with other industry leading companies such as Bechtel, ChevronPhillips, Citgo, Steel Dynamics and The Chemours Company.
In January 2022 Stephanie started a 501c3 nonprofit organization called This One’s for the Gals that helps girls with career exploration and workforce development. Focusing their efforts on the construction, energy, and manufacturing industries, TOFTG likes to say that they talk to girls about career pathways that not a lot of people talk to girls about.
Stefanie Vaughan
Stefanie is part of the 4th generation of Vaughan family who owns and operates Vaughan Company, Inc. Vaughan Company is a manufacturer of centrifugal chopper pumps, screw pumps, hydraulic mixing systems, and other specialty products sold worldwide. She has worked for the business for 25 years. Her role is Marketing Director, Trade Show & Event Coordinator, and Ops Challenge Vaughan Maintenance Event Coordinator for the 2023-2026 season. Stefanie currently is a member of the WEF MARC, WEFTEC Advisory Committee, PNCWA Member, PNCWA Women of Water, SWPA Member, and WiM (Women in Manufacturing) Member. In her spare time, she likes to coach softball, soccer, and basketball for her kids, watch live music, and get new tattoos.
H.J. Dewes
Howard (H.J.) Dewes, Business Development Manager, HVAC- Hydronics for the ABB Drives business, has spent more than thirty years at ABB, where he has contributed to the growth of the business, from the factory floor and logistics to channel management, sales, business development, marketing and acquisition integration.
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A tenacious learner with the capacity to view matters from multiple perspectives, H.J. leverages in-depth research, critical thinking and strong analytical skills to develop effective, broad-based plans. As an independently motivated, customer-focused, team player with strong interpersonal skills, he has a proven track record as a strategic leader, who leverages cross-functional teams to optimize results.
H.J. served in the United States Navy and holds a degree in from Marquette University with majors in Organization Leadership and Communication Studies. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Hydraulic Institute (HI), which drives quality, performance, and energy standards for the pumping community, and on the National Electrical Manufacturers’ Association’s (NEMA) Artificial Intelligence Task Force. Previously, he actively participated in The Water Council and Midwest Energy Research Consortium’s Strategic Energy-Water Nexus Task Force.
ADVISORY BOARD
Nadine Tribur
Nadine Tribur is the Director of the Instrumentation and Electrical Engineering and Engineering Solutions Departments at S&B Engineers and Constructors in Houston, Texas. She has over 10 years of leadership experience overseeing a department of over 500 engineers and designers located across 15 offices in seven states and servicing multiple business units. Additionally, she is an innovator; assessing business needs, return on investments, facilitating the implementation/ integration, and defining governance of engineering software. She volunteers her time to the University of Houston Downtown Industrial Advisory Board, is an active participant on the NCEES PE test committee for Control Systems and participates in professional development seminars at various colleges.
Gakuo Ndonga
Gakuo Ndonga is senior engineer with WD Bearings. He has spent over ten years working in the fluid industry with expertise in rolling element bearing applications for fluid machinery.
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Greg Case
Greg Case is the Chief Innovation Officer at Taco Comfort Solutions, a global leader in hydronic-based heating and cooling solutions with over 30 years of experience in engineering, HVAC, and new product development. Greg holds an Executive Certificate in Strategy and Innovation from MIT Sloan School of Management and 2 Engineering degrees from the California Maritime Academy. In his current role, he leads the product innovation and strategy for the company, focusing on delivering customer-focused and energy-efficient products that enhance comfort and performance. He also directs the research initiatives that support the company's mission of providing sustainable and innovative solutions for the residential and commercial markets. Greg is passionate about creating products that solve real-world problems and improve the quality of life for people and the environment, bringing a diverse and collaborative perspective to everything he does.
Tomas Dobrovolskis
Tomas holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago and an MBA from the same institution, obtained in 2022. His career commenced at Yeomans Chicago Corporation/Grundfos, where he honed his expertise as a Project Engineer in the pump industry. With a solid six-year foundation, Tomas transitioned into the industrial fan sector, taking on a pivotal role as a New Product Development Manager. In 2015, Tomas played a central role in establishing Hidrostal in the United States, an endeavor that has marked a significant milestone in his 18-year tenure in the fluid dynamics field. His professional journey is distinguished by a commitment to innovation in pump technology, spearheading project leadership, product design, and the creation of educational materials within the engineering community. When not immersed in engineering challenges, Tomas dedicates his time to his family and pursues his passion for the outdoors.