Vantage - Leadership Team

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Leadership Team

Our leadership team represents decades of industry experience coupled with entrepreneurial spirit and passion for natural chemistry.

Noel Beavis

Chief Operating Officer

Noel joined Vantage (formerly Unichema International) as a Technical Sales Representative in 1979. In his time with Vantage, he has served as Production Manager, General Manager, Vice President Technical and Vice President Operations. As a veteran manufacturing executive, Noel enjoys facilitating business growth by developing high performing teams and steering innovative investments. To drive businesses forward, he draws on experience obtained through many internationally diverse and challenging roles. His involvement has led to many cross functional opportunities in multi-national and private equity environments.

Noel holds a Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering from Monash University in Australia.

Craig Yuen

Chief Financial Officer

Craig joined Vantage as Chief Financial Officer in June 2015. Prior to this, he spent 11 years in public accounting at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP serving middle market manufacturing and distribution companies and 10 years at Northstar Aerospace, a publicly owned industrial manufacturer serving in various roles including Chief Financial Officer, Chief Strategy Officer and Corporate Controller. He has led teams across all functions of manufacturing in growing and turnaround environments.

Craig holds a Bachelor’s in Accounting from the University of Illinois and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Chicago.

Allison Yake

Chief Technology Officer

Allison joined Vantage as the Chief Technology Officer in April 2016. Prior to this, she spent 7 years in various technology and leadership roles in different business units at E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. Most recently, Allison was at The Chemours Company, FC. as the Global Technology Manager for their Fluoroproducts Industrial Resins business. She has led cross-functional teams with a focus on new product development, product line renewals, innovation for growth, and process and quality improvements.

Allison holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Biomedical Engineering from Bucknell University, and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University.

Ben Topercer

Chief Human Resources Officer

Ben joined Vantage as the Chief Human Resource Officer in June 2016. Prior coming to Vantage, Ben developed his career with companies including Rexam, Henkel, Eaton, and Premier Farnell. With each role he expanded his responsibilities, all with the common goal of developing a business-first HR solution to help the organization meets its objectives. He has led teams across multiple disciplines of human resources in international manufacturing and distribution businesses.

Ben holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in International Business from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse and a MBA with an emphasis in HR from Marquette University.

Drew Richardson

Vice President of Manufacturing

Drew joined Vantage (formerly ICI – Uniqema) as a Graduate Trainee in Operations Management in 2002. He began his career in the Oleochemicals business as a process engineer and quickly moved into roles of increasing responsibility including North American financial analyst, corporate process engineer in Europe and commissioning manager of a new specialty chemical batch facility. Drew was then promoted into manufacturing leadership positions including production manager, site manager for several manufacturing facilities, and most recently responsible for all of Vantage’s manufacturing locations. Drew’s expertise lies in developing high performing teams, creating a continuous improvement culture, and executing capital expansions. Under his leadership there is a proven track record of driving growth with impeccable service to Vantage’s customers.

Drew holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Germano Coelho

Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Performance Materials

Germano joined Vantage in February 2018 as a Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing and member of the Executive Leadership Team. In this role he is the global commercial head of the Performance Materials division, with P&L responsibility, overseeing our commercial activities for industrial surfactants and surface treatment technologies. Germano is a passionate leader with strong international commercial background and 20 years of experience in the specialty chemicals industry. Prior to joining Vantage, he spent most of his career with Evonik (formerly Degussa) in roles of increasing responsibility in Sales & Marketing Management, Commercial Leadership and Business Management, in Brazil, Germany and in the United States.

Germano holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Faculdade de Engenharia Industrial (FEI) in Brazil and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Syracuse University, Whitman School of Management.

Michael Sabatelli

Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Oleochemicals

Michael joined Vantage (formerly Unichema International) as a Technical Sales Representative in July 1998. He then moved into the Strategic Account Manager role and assumed the leadership position of Sales Director in January 2011. Soon thereafter, Vantage named him Business Director before promoting him to Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, of the Oleochemical division, in July 2015. He carries over 17 years of experience in the Oleochemical industry.

Michael holds a Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering and a Master’s in Business Administration from West Virginia University.

Serge Rogasik

Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Personal Care

Serge joined Vantage in 2018 as Senior Executive Vice President for Vantage’s Personal Care division and member of Vantage Executive Leadership Team. Serge is a growth-oriented executive with over 20 years’ experience in multinational organizations such as BASF, Eastman, General Electric and Solvay in Europe and North America. Prior to joining Vantage, Serge was part of the team that transformed Addivant into a winning supplier of Antioxidants to the global polymer industry, under the ownership of SK Capital, a private equity firm focused on chemicals.

Serge has a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Claude Bernard University in France, and a Master’s of Science in Pharmaceutical Science from the Institut de Pharmacie Industrielle de Lyon.

Shane Porzio

Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Food

Shane joined Vantage in March 2019 as a member of the Executive Leadership Team with global responsibility for the Food division. Prior to joining Vantage, Shane enjoyed a 20+ year career with BASF Group spanning functions such as R&D, Manufacturing, Sales & Marketing, Business and General Management. Shane has experience across diverse market segments and has broad international exposure including assignments in Mexico, Germany, Brazil and Italy. He has a passion for customers, an innovative mindset focused on growth and a motivational leadership style.

Shane holds a Bachelor of Science degree with a double major in Anthropology and Chemistry from Beloit College, an MBA from Wake Forest University, and a Ph.D. in Polymer Science from the University of Akron.