Leadership and Expertise

Management Experts

The management team at Flexco boasts years of expertise in a variety of industries. From sales and business knowledge to human resources and engineering know-how, these proficient resources can address the issues of today and give you a glimpse into the future of belt conveyor productivity.

Mark Colbourn, Managing Director – Flexco Australia

Colbourn has been on the Flexco Australia team for more than 12 years, beginning his tenure as the Engineering Manager for Australia and New Zealand, before setting up our Western Australia sales office and becoming National Sales and Marketing Manager. Three years ago Colbourn became the Managing Director of Flexco Australia and now manages the strategic and operational direction of the organisation with the aim of long term, profitable growth. Colbourn holds an honours degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wollongong and a Master of Business Administration from the Australian Graduate School of Management.

Mark Anderson, Engineering Manager

Anderson has worked with Flexco for three years as Australia’s engineering manager. He has more than 18 years of experience in the mining industry and holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Newcastle. Anderson has a passion for understanding detailed design theories of bulk handling conveyors.

Paul Klowss, General Manager – Flexco Bundaberg

Klowss is the general manager of Flexco’s Bundaberg chute manufacturing facility. Before joining Flexco, he worked for over 19 years in the mining industry as the operation and maintenance coordinator at various mines and bulk handling terminals across Queensland.  Klowss holds qualifications in maintenance management, business, and workplace training and assessing.

Sales Management Experts

Jayden Baker, WA/SA Territory Manager

Baker began working at Flexco in 2014 as a Territory Manager in Western Australia, before taking the same management role for South Australia in addition to his current duties. He has worked in mining for 15 years, specialising in machine and automation safety. Baker holds qualifications in management, boiler making, and mechanical fitting.

Barry Stonebridge, QLD Territory Manager

Stonebridge is a territory manager for the Bowen Basin. Prior to working for Flexco, he spent more than six years working in the mining industry. Stonebridge holds a degree in aircraft engineering. 

Joshua Abberton, NSW Sales Manager

Abberton began working with Flexco in 2008 as casual storeman before working in and subsequently managing customer service. Following this, he was promoted to NSW Sales Manager. Because of the various roles he has played within the company, Abberton has extensive knowledge of all Flexco products. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Business & Management from Griffith University.

Lee Brightwell, New Zealand Sales Manager

Brightwell began his tenure with Flexco in 1994 as a Field Sales Engineer, covering Auckland to Wellington, New Zealand. In 2004, he was appointed Sales Manager of New Zealand, with his territory expanding to cover the entirety of New Zealand, as well as offshore Pacific Islands such as Fiji, New Caledonia, and Tahiti.

Phil Dreghorn, QLD Sales Manager

Dreghorn joined Flexco in 2003 as Queensland’s Sales Manager. Prior to Flexco, Dreghorn held various roles in the belt conveyor system industry involving conveyor maintenance and belt splicing.  Dreghorn holds qualifications as a boilermaker and belt splicer, and completed training as a Work Health and Safety Officer.

Adam Wright, WA Sales Manager

Wright has worked at Flexco since 2011 as the Western Australia Sales Manager. Prior to working with Flexco, he spent five years as a sales representative for a Flexco distributor in Victoria. Wright holds an auto electrician’s qualification.

Steve Allen,  QLD Territory Manager

Allen has a rich background of experience in the Bowen Basin mining scene, with more than 10 years of experience in the belting industry before relocating to Brisbane to assume the role of Territory Manager for Flexco. Allen holds a qualification in motor mechanics and a diploma in business management.

Chris Hair, Chutes Project Manager

Hair has worked with Flexco for six years and is the project manager for Flexco transfer chutes. He has more than 20 years of operational experience working in bulk handling facilities around Australia

Subject Matter Experts

Our subject matter experts address industry issues every day, working to make Flexco products the best at maximising belt conveyor productivity. Whether it’s light-duty or heavy-duty products, consider these experts your go-to resources for the newest industry innovations.  

Laurie Shorten, National Light-Duty Product Manager and Victoria/Tasmania Sales Manager

Shorten began working with Flexco in 2010 as Australia and New Zealand’s Light-Duty Product Manager. Prior to working with Flexco, he worked for 16 years at a light-duty belt conveyor company, making him well-equipped to handle the position of National Light Duty Product Manager, and Victoria/Tasmania Sales Manager.

Sebastian Olguin, East-Coast Heavy Duty Specialist

Before joining Flexco as the East-Coast HD Specialist, Olguin worked as a mechanical shutdown coordinator in Australia’s biggest Iron Ore mines. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge surrounding mechanical shutdowns in the Australian mining industry, with a specific focus on stellar product installation. Olguin also holds a multitude of qualifications in site safety.

Jason Coe, West-Coast Heavy Duty Specialist

Coe joined Flexco in 2012. Prior to joining Flexco, Jason worked in the Western Australian mining industry for more than 10 years as a belt conveyor system maintenance supervisor. He has significant knowledge of belt conveyor system cleaning systems as a result of his eight years as a cleaner technician. Coe holds various trade qualifications. 

CORPORATE MANAGEMENT EXPERTS

Richard A. White, President and Chief Executive Officer

White has been with Flexco since 1986, serving as Marketing Manager, VP Sales and Marketing, VP Worldwide Marketing, and Executive Vice President prior to his current appointment as President and CEO in 2005. White is also a member of the Board of Directors since 1994. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston University and a master’s degree from the University of Chicago. White is an active member in both the National Industrial Belting Association (NIBA) and the Power Transmission Distributor Association (PTDA).

Thomas S. Wujek, Executive Vice President and Chief Operation Officer

Wujek has been with Flexco since 1992, serving as Quality Assurance Manager, Field Sales Representative, Sales and Operations Manager, and Vice President of Sales and Operations prior to his appointment to Executive Vice President and COO in 2001. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois and a master’s degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Wujek is active in the National Industrial Belting Association (NIBA), serving as president in 2014, as well as the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) and the National Mining Association (NMA).

Glen Paradise, Chief Financial Officer

Paradise has been with Flexco since 2007, serving as the CFO throughout his tenure. In this position, Paradise is tasked with leading profitable growth and preserving the financial assets of the business through collaboration, efficient processes that yield timely and accurate information, and insightful analytics, resulting in sound business decisions. He earned both his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Brigham Young University.

Tammy Balogh, Vice-President of Human Resources

Balogh has been with Flexco since 1990, starting in the customer service department before transitioning into the human resources department and serving as Director of Human Resources prior to her appointment to Vice President in 2016. In this position, Balogh is responsible for strategic human resources planning and talent acquisition for the company's global business. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University’s College of Business and serves on the Manufacturer Council for the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA).

Chip Winiarski, Vice President of Marketing

Winiarski has been with Flexco since 2007, serving as Director of Marketing – Heavy-Duty prior to his appointment to Vice President of Marketing in 2016. He is responsible for developing marketing programs, systems, and communications that support Flexco’s strategic direction and aligning global business plans with organizational objectives. Winiarski has more than 20 years of experience serving global end-user customers, distributor, OEMs, design firms, and belting companies engaged in a variety of light-duty and heavy-duty industries. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College, and a master’s degree from The Ohio State University with a concentration in Strategy and Finance, and completed the General Management Program at Harvard Business School in 2016. Winiarski is also active in the National Industrial Belting Association (NIBA).

Martin O'Neill, Senior Director of North American Sales and Global Strategic Accounts 

O'Neill has worked at Flexco since 1993 in a variety of sales and leadership roles, beginning his career in Australia as a Territory Salesman in New South Wales. He now provides leadership and coordination of all sales resources in North America, including Territory Managers and Transfer Chute Field Application Specialists, as well as strategic leadership for Global Strategic Account resources. O'Neill earned a bachelor's degree in Business from Sydney University in Australia.

Gregory Westphall, Director of Engineering

Westphall is responsible for product development and product engineering for Mechanical Belt Fasteners, Belt Conveyor Products, Belt Fabrication Tools, and Belt Maintenance Tools worldwide. He is the single-point contact for managing all patent-related intellectual property for Flexco. Westphall has more than 20 years of engineering and management experience and holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in Engineering Management from Northwestern University. He is a licensed engineer in the state of Illinois, an active member of the Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA), and a member of the Society of Mining Exploration (SME).

CORPORATE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS