> View all certifications
NE-XT Technologies

Menu

Meet Our Key Leaders

NE-XT’s leadership team and board of directors are responsible for overseeing the successes we produce for customers every day. Meet some of our company’s key leaders below.

Leadership Team

Richard Havighorst, Chief Operating Officer

Richard Havighorst is NE-XT Technologies COO. Since 2022, Richard Havighorst has served as NE-XT’s CFO. A certified public accountant who earned an MS in accounting from SUNY Plattsburgh, he recently worked as vice president of business and financial operations for Otis Elevator Company, where he worked for nearly 35 years.

Richard Havighorst, CFO

Gordon Cranston, Executive Director of Operations

A NE-XT employee since he was in high school, Gordon Cranston has climbed the ladder over the past 20 years, from manual and CNC machining to his current role.He is responsible for providing direction and support to a team of three shop floor managers, the logistics department, the job shop department and production control. In the past, he also worked asa job shop manager, a CNC programmer and VP of training and recruitment.

Gordon earned a partial certificate from Springfield Technical Community College, a mechatronics/automation certificate of completion from George Brown University and other certifications relevant to his position.

Jesse McCoomb, VP of Operations

Jesse McCoomb is the VP of Operations for NE-XT Technologies. Jesse brings experience from previous roles at Leggett & Platt Aerospace, Coherent Inc., Turbine Technologies and Pratt & Whitney. Jesse McCoomb holds a 2014 – 2019 Master’s Degree in Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. With a robust skill set that includes Logistics, Operations Management, Lean Six Sigma, Military Aviation, Program Management and more.

Katie Szelewicki, VP of Human Resources

Katie Szelewicki is a human resources professional with more than a decade of experience in the field. In her role, she is responsible for collaborating with management to craft the company’s strategic vision and mission, as well as to develop strategic human resources plans and policies. Before joining NE-XT in 2021, Katie worked at Pratt & Whitney as a senior manager in the human resources department for military engines.

Katie earned a BBA in operations management from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2012, where she also earned an MBA in 2015. She also completed an MS in employee and labor relations from the University of Denver in 2018. In addition, Katie has earned a SHRM-CP certificate, which is the global standard certification for human resources professionals.

Don Davis, VP of Quality and Continuous Improvement

In his role as NE-XT’s VP of quality and continuous improvement, Don Davis is responsible for strategic direction, governance and performance of quality and continuous improvement. He has nearly four decades of experience in his field and most recently worked as a VP of quality and continuous improvement at Otis Elevator Company.

Lydia Blanche, Director of Business Development

Joining NE-XT by way of acquisition, Lydia has 15 years of experience in Business Development throughout the US and Europe, in automotive and industrial markets. Leading the Business Development team with a strong background in machining and raw materials, NE-XT is breaking into new markets and developing long-term strategies for organic growth and growth through acquisition.

Board of Directors

We are supervised by a board of directors composed of eight multidisciplinary leaders who are not NE-XT employees. Subcommittees are responsible for auditing, corporate governance and executive compensation.

Alan H. Howard

Board of Directors

Alan H. Howard has had an over 35 year career that has included investment banking, private equity/investing, organizational leadership and corporate governance…

Read More

Albert F. Kasper

Board of Directors

Before retiring on December 31, 2023 Al had been the President & Chief Executive Officer of Savage Sports Corp., a leading manufacturer…

Read More

Kenneth Brown

Board of Directors

Kenneth Brown, Senior Managing Director, Operating Partner, Industrials, focuses on creating and driving value-added initiatives with MRC’s …

Read More

Michael Somma

Managing Director

Michael Somma, Managing Director, focuses on identifying, analyzing, and executing investments across various industries…

Read More

Albert F. Kasper

Board of Directors

Before retiring on December 31, 2023 Al had been the President & Chief Executive Officer of Savage Sports Corp., a leading manufacturer of hunting and sporting firearms, shooting ranges, shoot houses, and targeting systems which maintains two locations in Westfield, Massachusetts and Lakefield, Ontario, Canada since 2013. 

Al joined the Company in 1996 as its Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He has quickly grown to be the strategic leader for the Company. In 2001 he became the President and Chief Operations Officer. Al has been the leader of the Company's New Product development and manufacturing initiatives including process improvements, LEAN initiatives, and technology which have significantly improved the Company's revenue, operating margins, and cash flows. Al has been instrumental and the driving force behind the Company's monumental leap forward in new product innovations, technology and operational systems development, which not only moved Savage into the 21st century as a first-class manufacturer but also propelled them ahead of the competition as the undisputable leader in their segment of the industry. Prior to joining the Company, Al worked as a Group Controller and Operations Manager for The Conair Group, Inc. in Pittsburgh and an Operations Manager for divisions of Danaher and United Technologies Corporation. He received an MBA from the University of Massachusetts and a B.S. in Accounting from Western New England University. 

Al currently serves on the board of several for profit companies (Weiler Corp., Brickle & Co., Savage Arms, Inc., and 1 Touch, Inc.), and non-profit companies (Junior Achievement and The East Longmeadow Educational Endowment). 

Al has been teaching Entrepreneurship at East Longmeadow High School for the past 15 years and is an adjunct professor, teaching several courses in the Elms University MBA program. Al has a great family, which includes his wife and three children and three wonderful grandchildren.

Kenneth Brown

Board of Directors

Kenneth Brown, Senior Managing Director, Operating Partner, Industrials, focuses on creating and driving value-added initiatives with MRC’s portfolio company management teams. Kenneth has over 40 years of operating experience with 20 years of senior executive experience leading organizations. Kenneth served as a Group President within Roper Technologies, leading companies to perform best in class, over 32% EBITDA. Kenneth has proven success in selecting and developing business leaders, business strategies and execution of strategies to exceed market performance. Prior to Roper, Kenneth held multiple executive positions at Invensys (now Schneider Electric) and spent early career years at a variety of industrial companies; Emerson Electric, McMaster- Carr, MidwestCo and Conoco. Kenneth currently serves on a number of boards and is board level advisor on other technology companies. Mr. Brown has an BS Engineering Degree from University of Colorado and an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.

Alan H. Howard

Board of Directors

Alan H. Howard has had an over 35 year career that has included investment banking, private  equity/investing, organizational leadership and corporate governance. 

Mr. Howard is currently the Managing Partner of Heathcote Advisors LLC which he formed in  2008 and which provides financial advisory services as well as makes principal investments. In 2012,  Heathcote Advisors made an investment to acquire Dynatech International LLC and Military Parts  Exchange LLC, private companies that are global parts suppliers and service providers for U.S. military aircraft and their engines. At that time, Mr. Howard became a member of the Board of  Dynatech/MPX Holdings LLC and the two operating companies. In 2013, he was named Chief  Executive Officer of Dynatech International and carried out a strategic transformation of the  company. In 2019, Heathcote Advisors sold its interests and Mr. Howard stepped down from the  boards; he was Vice Chairman as he transitioned through the end of 2019. 

Mr. Howard spent over 20 years at Credit Suisse First Boston and its predecessor companies, a  leading global investment bank. Starting as an Associate in 1986, he was named a Managing Director  in 1996 and Head of the Large Cap Diversified Group in 1999 where he focused on industrial  conglomerates, aerospace & defense and consumer/retail companies. He has advised on over $250  billion of mergers & acquisitions transactions including Chrysler Corporation’s merger with  DaimlerBenz AG, Tyco International’s acquisition of AMP Incorporated, IBM Corporation’s  takeover of Lotus Development Corporation and General Electric/NBC’s acquisition of Vivendi’s  Universal Group. In addition, Mr. Howard has been involved in capital raising and securities  offerings of over $75 billion. He was a member of the firm’s Investment Banking Committee,  Global Recruiting Steering Committee and Co-Chaired the Business Development Council.  

Mr. Howard was a Senior Advisor at Rossoff & Co., a boutique investment banking and advisory  firm, from 2013 until its Managing Partner left to join another firm in 2021.  

Mr. Howard is the Lead Director of Movado Group, Inc. (NYSE:MOV), a leading global watch  company that designs, develops, sources, distributes and markets Movado, Ebel, Concord, Olivia  Burton and MVMT, and licensed brands Coach, Tommy Hilfiger, Lacoste, Hugo Boss and Calvin  Klein. He is also Chair of the Compensation Committee and a member of the Audit Committee,  which he had previously chaired. He has been a member of the Board of Directors since 1997. 

In 2018, Mr. Howard joined one of the Group Board of Directors of BNY Mellon Family of Funds (formerly The Dreyfus Family of Funds), which has over $350 billion under management in equity,  fixed income and money market funds as well as alternative investments. In 2020, he was named  Chair of the Audit Committee for his Group Board. In addition, he is a member of the BNY  Mellon Joint Fund Governance Advisory Committee which evaluates and addresses the governance  policies, practices and procedures of its mutual fund complex. 

In March 2020, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc.  (NYSE:DO), which provides contract drilling services, through its fleet of drillships and  semisubmersible rigs, to the oil industry around the world. Mr. Howard was named Lead Director,  Chair of the Audit Committee and a member of the Executive Committee and the Finance  Committee. He was added to the Board as the company was considering restructuring options  caused by a weak oil market and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Ultimately the company  filed for bankruptcy protection and Mr. Howard played a key role in the process. He left the Board  after its emergence in April 2021. Mr. Howard was nominated for the 2021 Independent Director  of the Year, awarded to a Lead Director or Non-Executive Chair by Corporate Board  Member/Chief Executive Group, for his leadership role throughout the bankruptcy proceedings. 

In April 2022, Mr. Howard joined the Board of Directors of New England Expert Technologies,  Inc. (formerly Valley Precision Parts Corporation), a privately held company controlled by Jefferson  River Capital LLC, which manufactures complicated, close tolerance parts and assemblies  principally out of titanium, carbon steel and nickel-based alloys, primarily for aerospace engines and  aviation components, missile defense weapons, and recreational and military firearms applications. He is also a member of the Board’s Compensation Committee.  

Mr. Howard has worked in private equity as well as having advised hedge funds and asset managers  during the financial crisis of 2008 through 2010. Early in his career, he worked at James River  Corporation (formerly American Can’s Paper Division) where he was involved in product design  and development, marketing strategies, consumer testing and commercialization of new products.  

Mr. Howard was the President of Quaker Ridge Golf Club in Scarsdale, NY from 2009 through  2012, and worked closely with golf architect Gil Hanse on a significant restoration of this A.W.  Tillinghast designed course. 

Mr. Howard earned B.S. and M.S. degrees, with honors (Dean’s List, Tau Beta Pi, Alpha Pi Mu), from the Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and an M.B.A. degree  in Finance from the Columbia University Graduate School of Business where he was named a  Dean’s Scholar (as well as the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society). He attended the Harvard  Business School, Executive Education Program, Making Corporate Boards More Effective.

Michael Somma

Managing Director

Michael Somma, Managing Director, focuses on identifying, analyzing, and executing investments across various industries. Michael has 15 years of private equity experience. Prior to MRC, Michael was a founding member of Jefferson River Capital ("JRC"). Prior to forming JRC, Michael worked with David Wittels at Scopia Capital as a private equity investment professional. Before Scopia, Michael worked at Vestar Capital Partners and Cerberus Capital Management. Michael currently serves on the Board of Directors of multiple JRC portfolio companies and previously served on the Board of Directors of other private companies. Michael received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Economics from Brown University.