Amguard Environmental Technologies appoints 6 to leadership roles

Amguard Environmental Technologies, the specialty markets division of AMVAC Chemical Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Vanguard Corporation, has appointed six people to key leadership positions.

Frank Fornari was promoted from OHP Technical Sales Manager to Director of Sales. Fornari has been responsible for achieving nursery and greenhouse sales in Florida and Alabama. Prior to OHP, he worked in the specialty markets with BASF and Valent. In his new role, Fornari will be responsible for growing and managing the ornamentals and Controlled Environmental Agriculture (CEA) businesses.

Sam Drahn was promoted from OHP Technical Manager to Director of Technical Services. Drahn has been responsible for providing technical support and messaging for plant growth regulators (PGRs), herbicides, and specialty products to technical sales managers, growers, and distributors. In his new role, Drahn will also provide technical support and messaging for insecticides and fungicides. Drahn began his career working as a grower / propagator with one of the largest nurseries in the country, ultimately serving as Director of Research & Development across all locations. Prior to OHP, Drahn spent nine years as Director of Research with a chemical manufacturer in the landscape and arboriculture markets. Sam is highly skilled in managing cooperatives and in-field researchers for both national and international projects.

Eric Ham joined Amguard as Midwest Technical Sales Manager. In this role, he will cover structural pest control in KY, OH, IN, IL, MI, and TN. Ham most recently was key account manager for the Midwest and South regions with FMC Professional Solutions. Prior to that, Ham served as a Marketing Specialist with FMC for nine years. Eric also has experience with Nisus Corporation and Forshaw Distribution. He holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture – entomology from the University of Kentucky. Eric is a certified applicator in Kentucky and Ohio and holds a pest control license in Kentucky. Ham will report to Ryan Klein, Amguard Director of Sales.

Joe Grippi joined OHP as Southeast Technical Sales Manager. In this role, he will be responsible for the market development and sales of OHP products, including fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, and plant growth regulators in the Greenhouse, Nursey, and Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) markets. Grippi was most recently with UPL Environmental Solutions as a Key Account Manager for Specialty Products. Prior to UPL, he was Business Development Key Account Manager with Bayer Environmental Science / Envu, where he served for 22 years. Grippi started his career at Elf Atochem and American Cyanamid.

Jeremy Sanderson joined OHP as Northeast Technical Sales Manager. In this role, he will be responsible for the market development and sales of OHP products, including fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, and plant growth regulators in the Greenhouse, Nursey, and Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) markets. Sanderson spent over five years at BioWorks, where he led sales operations, grew the Soil Blender business, and supported key accounts, including Hawaiian coffee growers. He also held regional sales roles with Harris Seeds and Harvest Moon Hydroponics, and he ran his own consulting business, Hybrid Horticulture.

Grippi and Sanderson will report to Fornari.

Eric Rebek, Ph.D. joined OHP as Technical Services Specialist. In this role, he will lead and assist with creating and managing technical projects, protocols, and data in service to developing products and technical information for the dissemination to the OHP team, our partners, customers, and growers in the Nursery, Greenhouse, CEA, and Cannabis markets. Rebek's position will focus primarily on entomological and pathological issues to support OHP’s plant health & production portfolio (insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, PGRs and specialty products). Rebek will report to Drahn.

“With Frank and Sam at the helm, expanded service in the Southeast and Northeast, and additional technical support, OHP is poised to deliver exceptional service to our greenhouse and ornamental, nursery, CEA, and cannabis customers,” says Shayne M. Wetherall, CEO of AMGUARD and President of U.S. Specialty Markets. “Additionally, the addition of Eric Ham strengths our commercial presence for structural pest control in the Midwest.”