Safety First and Foremost

Karl Fessenden is the president and chief executive officer at BrandSafway. He joined the company in October 2020.

Fessenden has extensive leadership experience in complex service-based businesses, as well as a strong track record of driving commercial and operational excellence in both public and private companies.

Prior to joining BrandSafway, he served as president and chief operating officer of MB Aerospace. Fessenden has also served as CEO of CHC Helicopter and spent 20 years at General Electric (GE) in various roles for GE Aviation and GE Energy, including leading GE’s $8 billion Power Generation Services unit.

He graduated from the University of Vermont with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering and earned his Master of Science in Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at the Hartford Graduate Center.

Christian Garcia is executive vice president and chief financial officer at BrandSafway. He joined the company in October 2020.

Prior to joining BrandSafway, Garcia was executive vice president and chief financial officer of Weatherford International, an oilfield services company, and served as executive vice president and chief financial officer of Visteon Corporation, a leading provider of automotive cockpit electronics. Previously, Garcia served as acting chief financial officer of Halliburton, a leading energy company, where he progressed through a variety of leadership positions including chief accounting officer, treasurer and senior vice president of investor relations.

He received his Bachelor of Science from the University of the Philippines and his master’s degree in business from Purdue University Krannert School of Management.

Mick Herke is president of BrandSafway’s International division.

Since joining the company in 2007, Herke has held roles of increasing responsibility globally, including regional vice president for Aluma Systems in Canada and regional vice president for the company’s Industrial operations in the Netherlands. He most recently served as VP, Commercial Operations, for the BrandSafway Industrial, Energy & Commercial division.

Prior to joining BrandSafway, Herke spent nearly 17 years with General Electric (GE) in various technical and commercial positions.

He holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, and is a Six Sigma Black Belt.

Jess Kindler is president of BrandSafway’s Metro & Infrastructure division.

Prior to joining BrandSafway, Kindler served as president of parts, services and supply chain for Epiroc, a global productivity partner for mining and infrastructure customers. In this role, he was responsible for Epiroc’s supply chain operations, led a multiyear transformation and completed six acquisitions. 

He worked for Epiroc, and its legacy organization Atlas Copco, for over two decades in the U.S. and internationally in various leadership capacities, including president for their Mining and Rock Excavation division in Örebro, Sweden, and director and general manager in Jakarta, Indonesia. 

Kindler holds a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He also served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Gabriel McCabe is president of BrandSafway’s Industrial, Energy and Commercial division.

McCabe joined BrandSafway in 2015 as vice president of operating functions, overseeing various areas including safety, supply chain, fleet management and project controls. He has also previously served as a regional vice president for the company.

Prior to joining BrandSafway, McCabe spent more than 20 years at General Electric (GE) in positions of increasing responsibility in engineering and operations. His time at GE included serving as the company’s general manager of global fulfillment operations, where he led the GE global supply chain organization’s $1.2 billion aftermarket business in the industrial, energy, and oil and gas industries.

He has a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Ireland’s University of Limerick and earned his Master of Business Administration from Emory University.

Mark Choe is executive vice president and chief technology officer at BrandSafway, where he leads engineering, fleet management, business process improvement and product development. Choe joined the company in September 2021.

Prior to joining BrandSafway, Choe served as senior vice president of advanced R&D/technology at Samsung Electronics’ Digital Appliance Division — a multibillion dollar global consumer electronics business — where he led the development and implementation of Samsung’s core technology roadmap for its global product portfolio. Choe has also served as chief technology/product officer at Keurig Dr Pepper and held various product development leadership roles at Whirlpool Corporation, Dana Holding Corporation and Ford Motor Company.

Choe received a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan. He earned his Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.

Jay Fisher is chief information officer for BrandSafway. He joined the company in June 2006 as director of information technology.

Prior to joining BrandSafway, Fisher spent more than five years at General Electric (GE) in several information technology leadership roles, in which he primarily focused on enterprise resource planning (ERP) deployment and application support. He has also provided information technology consulting support to several industrial and manufacturing-based businesses. Previously, Fisher has also worked for MetalMaker, BWAY Corporation, Infor, and WMS Gaming.

Fisher earned a bachelor’s degree in business-operations management from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University.

Mark Harrington is interim vice president of environmental health and safety for BrandSafway.

Before joining BrandSafway in June 2021, Harrington held various senior-level EHS leadership roles over his 30+ year career at GE and GE affiliates. Most recently, he served as global investigations leader at FieldCore/GE. He has consistently delivered on strengthening functional structure and process aligned with EHS performance improvement. Mark is recognized as a SME in field services/dispersed workforce segments.

Over the span of his career, he has successfully led functional teams of EHS, Security, Global Investigations and Nuclear Health Physics. Harrington holds numerous certifications in EHS and Quality and is a Lean Six Sigma Green belt.

Imran Hayat is executive vice president, chief legal officer and chief compliance officer at BrandSafway. Hayat joined the company in July 2021.

Before joining BrandSafway, Hayat most recently served as executive vice president, general counsel and chief strategy officer for CHC Helicopter Corporation. In this position, Hayat held global responsibility for many company functions. He was also an instrumental leader in attracting, developing, and retaining talent, and reinventing the company’s processes and procedures, while also maintaining the quality of operations, safety, regulatory compliance, and customer relationships. Prior to CHC, Hayat was in private practice with international and boutique law firms.

Hayat has an excellent track record as a global strategic general counsel and possesses extensive experience in building and managing large teams, overseeing various corporate functions, leading M&A and joint venture initiatives, and building strong partnerships internally and externally to implement global risk avoidance programs and drive enterprise and shareholder success.

Hayat earned his law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, and he also holds a Bachelor of Arts in both economics and diplomacy and world affairs from Occidental College in Los Angeles.

Sean McBride is executive vice president of corporate strategy and mergers & acquisitions at BrandSafway. 

Prior to joining the company in Oct. 2022, Sean served as senior vice president of strategy and corporate development for Hanesbrands. During his tenure, he led corporate transformation through over 12 initiatives spanning digital, technology, supply chain and culture to build growth capabilities, improve cost position, and develop an agile operating model. He also managed the company’s global strategic portfolio to identify investment priorities, performance issues, and acquisition and divestiture opportunities. Sean began his career at Oracle Corporation and has held roles for Kohler, Ingersoll Rand, Motorola, Marakon Associates, and JP Morgan Chase.

Sean holds a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Mathematics-Economics from Brown University and a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

Meg Newman is BrandSafway’s executive vice president and chief people officer. 

Before joining BrandSafway in June 2019, Newman held several roles in human resources at various companies. Most recently, she served as chief human resources officer at Keurig Dr Pepper Inc., leading the $11 billion organization through a large and successful combination of two market leaders. Newman also served as chief people officer for 10 years at branch-based industrial distributor HD Supply, where she led change management efforts during its successful IPO event in 2013. Previously, Newman also spent time at Conseco and Sears in human resources leadership roles.

She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Coe College and a master’s degree in social psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

John Krenicki, Jr. serves as Chairman of the board of directors of BrandSafway.

Mr. Krenicki joined CD&R in 2013 after a 29-year career at GE. He currently serves as Chairman or lead director for CD&R portfolio companies Artera Services (f/k/a PowerTeam Services, Cornerstone Building Brands and Wilsonart International Holdings LLC. He previously served as Chairman of ServiceMaster Global Holdings, Inc., CHC Group and as Interim Chief Executive Officer of three CD&R portfolio companies. He is a former Vice Chairman of GE and former President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Energy. At GE Energy, his responsibilities included oversight of GE’s $50 billion revenue oil & gas, power & water and energy management businesses, which employed more than 100,000 people in more than 165 countries. Mr. Krenicki held several leadership roles with GE prior to leading GE Energy, including President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Plastics and GE Transportation. Mr. Krenicki also serves as an independent director of Devon Energy Corporation and is a member of the National Petroleum Council.

Mr. Krenicki holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Connecticut and a M.S. in Management from Purdue University.

Karl Fessenden is the president and chief executive officer at BrandSafway. He joined the company in October 2020.

Fessenden has extensive leadership experience in complex service-based businesses, as well as a strong track record of driving commercial and operational excellence in both public and private companies.

Prior to joining BrandSafway, he served as president and chief operating officer of MB Aerospace. Fessenden has also served as CEO of CHC Helicopter and spent 20 years at General Electric (GE) in various roles for GE Aviation and GE Energy, including leading GE’s $8 billion Power Generation Services unit.

He graduated from the University of Vermont with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering and earned his Master of Science in Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at the Hartford Graduate Center.

Mark A. Blinn serves as a member of the board of directors of BrandSafway.

Mr. Blinn previously served as the President and Chief Executive Officer and a director of Flowserve Corporation from 2009 to 2017. Prior to this, he served as Flowserve’s Chief Financial Officer from 2004 to 2009. He has also served as Chief Financial Officer of FedEx Kinko’s Office and Print Services Inc. and Vice President and Controller of Centex Corporation. Mr. Blinn currently serves on the board of directors of Texas Instruments, Emerson Electric Co., Kraton Corporation and Leggett & Platt, Inc.

Mr. Blinn holds a B.S. degree, an M.B.A. and a J.D. degree from Southern Methodist University.

Ron Bloom is a Managing Partner and Vice Chair in Brookfield’s Private Equity Group, responsible for investment origination, analysis, and execution across North America.

Prior to joining Brookfield in 2016, Mr. Bloom was Vice Chairman, U.S. Investment Banking, at Lazard, focused on restructurings, and mergers and acquisitions. He previously served as Assistant to the President for Manufacturing Policy where he provided leadership on policy development and strategic planning for the Administration’s agenda to revitalize the manufacturing sector. Before joining the White House, Mr. Bloom served as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury.

Mr. Bloom holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School and a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University.

W. Paul Bowers serves as a member of the board of directors of BrandSafway.

Mr. Bowers has served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Georgia Power since 2011 and also served as President of Georgia Power from 2011 to 2020. He previously served as Chief Financial Officer of Southern Company and has held executive leadership positions at multiple subsidiaries in the Southern Company system since joining Gulf Power in 1979, including serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of South Western Electricity LLC, which he later transformed into Western Power Distributor, President of Southern Company Generation and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Power.

Mr. Bowers serves on the boards of the Nuclear Energy Institute, AFLAC (lead director), Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta Committee for Progress, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Research Alliance, Lieutenant Governor’s Georgia Innovates Task Force and the Georgia Ports Authority. He is curator for the Georgia Historical Society, and previously was a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s Energy Policy Counsel, the Nuclear Electric Insurance Ltd. (past Chairman) and the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.

Mr. Bowers holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of West Florida and a Master’s degree from Troy University. He is also a Harvard Business School AMP graduate.

Andrew J. Campelli serves as a member of the board of directors of BrandSafway.

Mr. Campelli is a principal of CD&R, which he joined in 2015. He played a key role in CD&R’s investments in Artera Services (f/k/a PowerTeam Services) and BrandSafway. Previously, he held positions at Sageview Capital, Duquesne Capital Management and KKR, and worked in the investment banking division of Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC. He currently serves as a director of Exaro Energy III LLC.

Mr. Campelli holds a B.A. from Harvard College.

James E.C. Carter, O.C., serves as a member of the board of directors of BrandSafway.

Mr. Carter retired from Syncrude Canada Ltd. in 2007 after 28 years, including 10 years as President and 18 years as Operations Chief. He currently serves on the boards of Irving Oil Limited (Lead Independent Director), Finning International Inc. and Ellis Don Construction Services Inc. and as board chair of Careers The Next Generation, a not-for-profit organization. He formerly served as the Chair of the Mining Association of Canada.

Among his many honors, Mr. Carter was awarded the Order of Canada and was also inducted as a fellow of the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Mr. Carter is a registered professional engineer in the Province of Alberta and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering. Mr. Carter holds a B.S. in Mining Engineering from the Technical University of Nova Scotia and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration.

He is the recipient of honorary doctorates from the Technical University of Nova Scotia in Engineering, University of Alberta in Science and the University of Prince Edward Island in Law.

William N. Dudley, Jr. serves as a member of the board of directors of BrandSafway.

Mr. Dudley previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Bechtel Corporation from 2014 until 2016 and as a director from 2014 until 2017. Mr. Dudley joined Bechtel in 1981 and served in a variety of engineering, project management and executive management positions around the world. He is a former member of the Business Roundtable and actively participates in numerous charitable organizations.

Mr. Dudley holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Purdue University and an M.B.A. from the University of Houston.

David Nowak is a Managing Partner in Brookfield’s Private Equity Group, responsible for investment origination, analysis, and execution across North America.

Mr. Nowak joined Brookfield in 2011 and has deep experience in principal investing and the execution of mergers and acquisitions. He chairs the board of directors of Sagen and One Toronto.

Mr. Nowak holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Duke University, where he graduated as a Fuqua Scholar and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Western Ontario.

Michael Pratt joined CD&R in 2019 and is principally engaged in evaluating investment opportunities. He has played a key role in the Firm’s investment in Brand Industrial Services. Prior to joining CD&R, he held positions at Irving Place Capital, a private equity firm, and Barclays. Mr. Pratt has an M.B.A. from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in economics from Yale University.

Kim Roy serves as a member of the board of directors of BrandSafway.

From a young age, Ms. Roy knew she wanted to become a builder. In 1999, her vision came true when she began her career in commercial construction with HITT Contracting. She rose through the ranks of construction operations and her considerable building experience and business savvy propelled her to increased leadership positions for the firm. She oversaw construction business units and a diverse group of corporate resources including business development, HR, marketing, preconstruction, virtual construction, and sustainable construction. In 2017, Ms. Roy was named CEO of HITT Contracting. In this role, she is responsible for defining key initiatives, identifying emerging markets and business opportunities, as well as developing the strategic plan for the company. She provides executive oversight for all corporate operations including HR, Finance, and Risk Management. Additionally, Ms. Roy leads the Leadership Council for emerging talent, the Corporate Steering Committee and the firm’s Strategic Planning Committee. Ms. Roy cares deeply about giving back in the communities where HITT builds and as such, she initiated and serves as President of the HITT Contracting Foundation.

Concurrently, Ms. Roy serves as President and active member of the board of HITT Holding Corporation, the parent company of HITT Contracting. She focuses on overarching management and performance of all assets including establishment of the governance of the individual corporations within the holding structure. Ms. Roy leads the M&A process for the firm, including prospective business reviews, due diligence, procurement, and integration.  

Ms. Roy is an Independent Board Director for BrandSafway, a leading global provider of access, specialized services, and forming and shoring solutions to the industrial, commercial and infrastructure markets.

Nathan K. Sleeper serves as a member of the board of directors of BrandSafway.

Mr. Sleeper is a partner of CD&R and has been with CD&R since 2000, and as of January 2020, is the Chief Executive Officer of CD&R. Mr. Sleeper serves on CD&R’s Management and Investment Committees. Prior to joining CD&R, he worked in the investment banking division of Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and at investment firm Tiger Management Corp. Mr. Sleeper also currently serves as a director of Artera Services (f/k/a PowerTeam Services, LLC), Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc., Core & Main LP, Cornerstone Building Brands, Inc. (formerly NCI Building Systems, Inc.), CD&R Hydra Buyer, Inc. (parent entity of SunSource Holdings, Inc.), White Cap and Wilsonart International Holdings LLC. Mr. Sleeper previously served as a director of Atkore International Group, Inc., CHC Group Ltd., Culligan Ltd, HD Supply Holdings, Inc., Hertz Global Holdings, Hussmann International, Inc., Roofing Supply Group, LLC and U.S. Foods, Inc.

Mr. Sleeper holds a B.A. from Williams College and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Lauren S. Tashma serves as a member of the board of directors of BrandSafway.

Ms. Tashma currently serves as the Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE:GPK), a role she has held since 2014. From 2011 to 2014, she served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary at Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc. Prior to that she held roles with Fortune Brands, Inc. as well as the law firm of Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon.

Ms. Tashma holds a B.A. degree from Northwestern University and a J.D. degree from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law.

Craig Wright is a Vice President in Brookfield’s Private Equity Group, responsible for transaction origination and due diligence. Prior to joining Brookfield in 2018, Mr. Wright held positions at J.F. Lehman & Company and Goldman Sachs.

Mr. Wright graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Economics and Management.