Executive Team

William E. Downs
Vice President Power

William E. Downs has a 21-year tenure with the company and following the June 2006 acquisition of Stock by Schenck Process he holds the position of Vice President Power within the Schenck Process Group. His vast experience in the Stock business encompasses customer service, contract management and design management and prior to being Stock’s President he held the position of Vice President of Engineering. William E. Downs is now responsible for developing the global synergies in IBS Power within the worldwide network of Schenck Process companies. With a solid background in engineering, William E. Downs received his BSc degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Akron, USA and a MBA from Cleveland State University, USA.

Peter Groll
Vice President Transport Automation

Peter Groll has a 17-year tenure with the Schenck organisation and holds the position of Vice President Transport Automation within the Schenck Process Group. During his long service he has held various positions within the Schenck organisation including product development, product management and technical sales. Peter Groll is now responsible for developing the global synergies in IBS Transport Automation within the worldwide network of Schenck Process companies. With a solid analytical engineering background, he holds a Masters degree in Engineering from the University of Darmstadt, Germany and holds professional association to various international working groups and organisations related to measuring and diagnostic equipment including European Committee for Standardisation (CEN).

Bernd Neumann
Vice President Heavy

Bernd Neumann has a 25-year tenure with the Schenck organisation and holds the position of Vice President Heavy within the Schenck Process Group. During his long service he has held various positions within the Schenck organisation including project manager responsible for establishing the Chinese weighing business unit and sales manager for the steel industry. Bernd Neumann is now responsible for developing the global synergies in IBS Heavy within the worldwide network of Schenck Process companies. With a strong strategical and engineering background, he holds a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Mike Petkovich
Vice President Mining

Mike Petkovich has a 3-year tenure within the Schenck organisation and holds the position of Vice President Mining within the Schenck Process Group. During his tenure he has held the position of Managing Director of Schenck Process (Tianjin) Industrial Technology Co. Ltd.. Mike Petkovich is now responsible for developing the global synergies in IBS Mining within the worldwide network of Schenck Process companies. With broad experience in the global coal industry, he holds Bachelors degrees in Management, Marketing and International Business from Indiana University, USA and a Masters Degree from the Norges Handleshøyskole in Norway.

Peter Rieper
Vice President Light

Peter Rieper has a 6-year tenure with the company and holds the position of Vice President Light within the Schenck Process Group. Throughout his career, Peter Rieper has held various management positions in the fields of material handling, project management and sales management. Peter Rieper is now responsible for developing the global synergies in IBS Light within the worldwide network of Schenck Process companies. With a strong strategical and material handling background, he holds a Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Applied Science in Hamburg, Germany.

Jürgen Biebel
Vice President R&D

Jürgen Biebel has a 35-year tenure with the Schenck organisation and holds the position of Vice President R&D within the Schenck Process Group. During his long service he has held various engineering positions within Schenck’s Weighing and Feeding Division including process technology, transport automation and quality & product management. Jürgen Biebel is responsible for advancing R&D and CIT within the worldwide network of Schenck Process companies. With a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering from the Staatliche Ingenieurschule, Rüsselsheim, Germany his career has combined a thorough knowledge of process technology with product development.

Horst Klein
Vice President Operations

Horst Klein has a 22-year tenure within the Schenck organisation and holds the position of Vice President Operations within the Schenck Process Group. During his long service he has held various commercial and operation positions within the Schenck organisation including purchasing, assembly and material management.  With a solid background in supply chain management, Horst Klein is a qualified Industrial Accountant. Responsible for purchasing, assembly and logistics, Horst Klein heads the continuous improvement initiatives within these fields across the Schenck Process Group.

Edgar Blum
Director of After Sales Business & Components

Edgar Blum has a 16-year tenure within the Schenck organisation and holds the position of Director of After Sales Business & Components and of Managing Director of Schenck Process France. His broad experience in business processes is based on various management positions in marketing, sales and order processing. Acting across the Schenck Process Group, Edgar Blum is responsible for the spare parts & components business and the implementation of a worldwide service support structure. With a strong operational and engineering background, he holds a Masters degree from the University of Karlsruhe, Germany majoring in Engineering and Business Administration.

Pia Heintz-Kästner
Director of Human Resources

Pia Heintz-Kästner has a 25-year tenure within the Schenck organisation and holds the position of Director of Human Resources. During her long service she has held various positions within the Schenck organisation including personnel recruitment, personnel care and development. Acting across the Schenck Process Group, Pia Heintz-Kästner is responsible for Human Resources. With a strong operational background she holds a Bachelors degree in Business Administration from the University of Applied Sciences in Ludwigshafen, Germany.

Wolfgang Kleinschmidt
Director of Finance and Controlling

Wolfgang Kleinschmidt has a 16-year tenure within the Schenck organisation and holds the position of Director of Finance and Controlling. During his long service he has held various positions within the Schenck organisation both in Germany and the USA including controlling, finance and marketing. Acting across the Schenck Process Group, Wolfgang Kleinschmidt is responsible for implementing financial and controlling structures. With a solid commercial, financial and engineering background he holds a Masters degree from the University of Darmstadt, Germany majoring in Engineering and Business Administration.

Stewart D. Murdoch
Director of Business Development & Marketing

Stewart D. Murdoch has a 10-year tenure within the Schenck organisation and holds the position of Director of Business Development and Marketing. With a profound understanding of the world of bulk material and powder handling he has held business development and sales & marketing management positions in both Germany and the UK. Acting across the Schenck Process Group, Stewart D. Murdoch is responsible for business development including M&A and marketing. Stewart D. Murdoch graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University, UK in 1993 with a Masters degree in Bulk Solids Handling Technology. In addition to his strategical and engineering expertise, he graduated with a MBA from the OUBS in 2003 followed in 2004 with Membership of the Chartered Management Institute (MCMI).

© Schenck Process GmbH, 2010