Batesville Casket President Kim Ryan Steps Down to Assume Interim Role as President of Coperion
Batesville President Kim Ryan To Assume Interim Role as President of Coperion, a Hillenbrand Subsidiary Company Appoints Chris Trainor, CFO and Chief Administrative Officer, as Interim President
Batesville confirmed today that Kim Ryan, the company’s president since 2011, has stepped away from her position and will serve as interim President of Coperion, a core business within Hillenbrand’s Process Equipment Group, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Chris Trainor, formerly Chief Financial Officer and Administrative Officer for Batesville, was named as interim President, reporting directly to Joe Raver, Hillenbrand, Inc. CEO. In this role, Trainor has responsibility for leading the Batesville organization. He has been a key member of Batesville’s executive team for 5 years and has a strong command of the company’s business, its customers’ needs and the challenges the industry faces.
Ryan’s appointment follows the announcement of the resignation of Coperion President Thomas Kehl, who will leave the company on June 30, 2015. Ryan will operate out of the Stuttgart office to spend time with Kehl and the Coperion management team, and to be closer to the business during her assignment.
Succession planning is an integral part of development at Hillenbrand. In describing these interim appointments, Hillenbrand CEO Joe Raver said, “As a large global company, we plan for this type of situation to arise periodically. We are privileged to have a deep talent pool with proven leaders, like Kim Ryan and Chris Trainor, who are prepared to take on larger roles with greater responsibilities when needs arise within the organization. Their experience and deep understanding of the Hillenbrand Operating Model will allow us to continue to execute on our strategies in each of these businesses without disruption.” Raver continued, “Batesville has a strong executive team that is closely aligned and will continue to lead the way with quality products and innovative solutions that drive real value for customers.”
Hillenbrand has initiated a comprehensive search for a permanent replacement at Coperion. The worldwide leader in compounding systems, feeding technology, bulk material handling systems and services, Coperion operates manufacturing facilities in Germany, the United States, India, Switzerland, and China. They design, develop, manufacture and maintain systems, machines and compounds for the plastics, pharmaceutical, food and minerals industries.
