Eriez announces new president, CEO

Eriez, a separation technologies provider based in Erie, Pennsylvania, has appointed Jaisen Kohmuench as president and CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2024. He will succeed current president and CEO Lukas Guenthardt, who is retiring at the end of 2023.

This appointment is the “culmination of a carefully planned succession strategy,” Eriez says, adding that Kohmuench is working closely alongside Guenthardt and the Eriez Board of Directors to ensure a seamless transition of responsibilities.

“Lukas has played a pivotal role in driving the company’s transformative growth, fostering innovation and achieving remarkable success during his tenure," says Richard Merwin, chairman of the board. "Under his visionary leadership, Eriez achieved record revenues and strengthened its global market presence.” 

After a comprehensive selection process that considered both internal and external candidates, Merwin says Kohmuench emerged as the clear choice to succeed Guenthardt. With more than two decades of service to Eriez, Kohmuench has held various executive-level roles within the organization, most recently as chief operating officer (COO).

Kohmuench’s journey at Eriez has taken him from his initial role in research and development as a process engineer to directing and expanding the U.S. flotation group. He later assumed an expatriate position as managing director for Eriez-Australia before returning to the U.S. to manage all of Eriez’s international businesses as vice president of international operations and then COO.

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“Jaisen’s career path reflects a distinctive fusion of technical and financial responsibilities that have helped him develop into the versatile and accomplished leader he is today,” Merwin says.

During his tenure at Eriez, the company says Kohmuench has been instrumental in shaping global business strategies and driving profitable growth in magnetic, flotation and service operations.

“His depth of expertise is demonstrated through his prolific authorship of numerous technical papers and contributions as an inventor with over a dozen patents,” Eriez states in a news release announcing Kohmuench’s appointment.

Kohmuench received bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in mining and minerals engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Merwin says Kohmuench truly embodies the company's core mission and values. "His commitment to nurturing a positive corporate culture and supporting initiatives within the community ensures Eriez’s enduring impact, paving the way for promising opportunities for future generations," he adds.

“Jaisen’s extensive technical and international experience, proven leadership qualities and philanthropic spirit will serve as a guiding force propelling Eriez into a prosperous future.” 

Established in 1942, Eriez provides magnetic separation, flotation, metal detection and material handling equipment to the mining, food, recycling, packaging, aggregate and other processing industries. The company designs, manufactures and markets on six continents through 12 wholly-owned international subsidiaries and its sales representative network.