Leadership

Megan Gluth is CEO & Owner for Catalynt Solutions, Inc. (formerly TRInternational, Inc.), located in Edmonds, Washington. Established in 1994, Catalynt is one of the largest certified woman-owned service providers and suppliers of raw materials and ingredients in North America. Catalynt offers exclusive manufacturer relationships, specialty distribution expertise, nationwide warehousing, custom manufacturing and packaging capabilities and extensive on-site lab services, all serving a wide variety of industries and spaces.

Megan is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day affairs of Catalynt's business, as well as providing the leadership necessary to craft the company’s future. Prior to entering the chemical distribution industry, she practiced law in the areas of business/corporate representation and civil litigation.

Matt Fridley is Senior Director of Security and Safety of Brenntag North America, a national bulk/liquid distributor. Brenntag was established and continuously operated since 1874 and is currently the largest chemical distribution in the world. Brenntag ships 9.5 billion pounds of various products from 180 facilities in the US with a combined 4,000,000 square feet of warehouse space and 50 million gallons of tank storage, in excess of 20,000 different products sold to 30,000 customers in all 50 states.

Matt has over 25 years of experience in the chemical industry. He is responsible for safety and security compliance at each of Brenntag’s U.S. facilities. Matt has served as Chairman of the U.S. Chemical Sector Coordinating Council (CSCC) in 2019 and 2020 and served as Vice Chairman in 2018.

Stephen Halpin is President of Norman, Fox & Co., an independent chemical manufacturer and bulk liquid-to-package distributor, headquartered in Industry, California. Norman, Fox & Co was established in 1971 and employs 87. Their core markets are HI&I, Personal Care, CASE, Ag, and Water Treatment and owns their own fleet of tractors and trailers, which include bulk tankers. Their geographic focus is the ten western states.

Stephen started his college career playing football at Boise State University and later transferred to Western Washington University graduating in 1990. He later received his MBA in Finance from the University of Redlands in 2015. In 1996, he started his career in the chemical industry as an account manager for Chemcentral in Los Angeles, and, after rising to Regional Sales Manager, moved to Norman, Fox & Co. in 2005. He has been married to his wife, Darla, for 25 years and has two children. Current hobbies include Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and practicing his Chinese speaking skills.

Terry Aubry is Director of Quality of EMCO Chemical Distributors, Inc., located in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. Established in 1971, EMCO Chemical Distributors is celebrating its 53rd year of business as one of the largest independent, family-owned chemical distributors in the U.S. and employs over 550. EMCO provides a multitude of products and distribution services, including our application lab. From transloading to blending to filling containers from 4 ounces to tankers, EMCO does it all. Our Environmental Services Team can also fulfill disposal challenges.

Terry Aubry is the Corporate Director of Quality for EMCO Chemical Distributors with decades of RD Code Coordinator experience. As an ACS-certified chemist with directorial experience in Operations, Quality, and Regulatory Affairs, her diverse experience serves as a sounding board for fresh ideas and an ally to the chemical industry

Richard G. Erstad has served as the Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary for Hawkin’s since November 2008. He was General Counsel and Secretary of BUCA, Inc., a restaurant company, from 2005 to 2008. Mr. Erstad had previously been an attorney with the corporate group of Faegre & Benson LLP, a law firm, from 1996 to 2005, where his practice focused on securities law and mergers and acquisitions. He is a member of the Minnesota Bar.

Mr. Erstad also serves on the Surface Transportation Board’s Railroad Shipper Transportation Advisory Council (RSTAC), where he contributes regulatory and legislative insight on rail shipping policies. In May 2024, he testified before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials regarding the EPA’s expanded Risk Management Program (RMP).

Jessica Fegan is Senior Director of Quality & Operations of Connection Chemical, LP, located in Newtown, Pennsylvania. Established in 2010, Connection Chemical, LP is a leading distributor of industrial and fine ingredients, representing both domestic and foreign chemical manufacturers in the North American market. With stocking locations throughout the United States and multiple deep-draft storage tanks, Connection serves the following industries: Agriculture/Feed, Industrial, Oilfield/Energy, Food/Fine Ingredients, Waste/Water Treatment, and Soaps and Detergents.

Prior to joining Connection Chemical in 2014, Jessica served as Vice President, Business Development of Technichem, Inc. Jessica holds an MBA from Rutgers University and a bachelor’s degree from Villanova University.

Omar Sinaph is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience in general management, business development, corporate strategy, and mergers and acquisitions. As President of PVS Nolwood and Managing Director of PVS Belgium, he oversees operational, commercial, and financial strategies, driving profitable growth and operational enhancements. His leadership has been instrumental in executing successful M&A initiatives and optimizing profitability across various divisions within PVS.

Omar began his career in the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction sector, where he managed major capital projects across the US, India and the Middle East in industries such as Chemicals, Oil & Gas, and Transportation. His expertise in feasibility studies, capital budgeting, and business analysis equips him with a comprehensive understanding of both the technical and financial facets of corporate growth. He holds an MBA from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and an MS in Structural Engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology, and he is a licensed Professional Engineer in Indiana.

Brett Mears is President and Owner of Palmer Logistics, a Texas based 3PL. He has an extensive background in distribution center strategy, sales, and execution. He has served his industry in leadership roles as chairman of the International Warehouse and Logistics Association (IWLA), president & chairman of the Texas Warehouse Association (TWA), and the Houston Roundtable of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP).

Mr. Mears leads a progressive, customer focused operation that has enjoyed 750% growth over the past two decades. The company has 350+ employees servicing 140 customers in 14 distribution centers in Texas (Houston & Dallas metro areas) and Georgia (Savannah).

Mr. Mears holds a business degree (with Honors) from the University of Notre Dame. Prior to joining Palmer Logistics, he served as a Surface Warfare Officer in the United States Navy. He currently resides in Kingwood, TX with his wife, Denise, and they have three children.

Steve Seeler is the CEO of Seeler Industries, Inc., a leader in chemical distribution and logistics, located in Joliet, IL. Seeler Industries, consists of several operating divisions relating to chemical services and the distribution of specialty, intermediate, and commodity chemicals. Seeler Industries is a leading distributor of various grades and strengths of hydrogen peroxide, acids, caustic, glycols, etc. and toll manufacture other special chemicals. Seeler is also a for hire terminal chemical facility specializing in both bulk liquid and dry chemicals.

Steve attended Northwestern University and has worked at Seeler Industries for 38 years. Steve built a career defined by innovation and dedication earning widespread recognition, including the prestigious?ACD Member of the Year Award in 2021, formerly named NACD Distributor of the Year. In addition to the ACD Board where he is a Director At-Large, Steve currently serves on the ACD Membership Retention and Advocacy Committee (MARC) and previously served on ACD’s Government Affairs Committee for seven years, chairing it 2013-2014.

He also currently serves on the Boards of the Chemical Distribution Network (CDN), a consortium of distributors, and the Chemical Industry Council of Illinois (CICI). He has testified before Congress on critical rail issues on behalf of ACD and CICI. In 2020, Steve was featured in a Fox News interview, where he emphasized the importance of logistics in maintaining supply chain stability during unprecedented challenges and the value his company and others in our industry play to provide vital products to keep our economy going.