Lukas Guenthardt Retires After 12 Years of Dedicated Service 

Erie, PA – Eriez®, a global leader in separation technologies, announces the appointment of Jaisen Kohmuench as President & CEO, effective January 1, 2024. He will succeed current President & CEO, Lukas Guenthardt, who is retiring at the end of 2023. This appointment is the culmination of a carefully planned succession strategy, with Kohmuench working closely alongside Guenthardt and the Eriez Board of Directors to ensure a seamless transition of responsibilities. 

Richard Merwin, Chairman of the Board, conveys his deep appreciation for the outgoing President & CEO, stating, “Lukas has played a pivotal role in driving the company’s transformative growth, fostering innovation, and achieving remarkable success during his tenure. Under his visionary leadership, Eriez achieved record revenues and strengthened its global market presence.” 

After a comprehensive selection process that considered both internal and external candidates, Kohmuench emerged as the clear choice to succeed Guenthardt, according to Merwin. With more than two decades of service to Eriez, Kohmuench has held various executive-level roles within the organization, most recently as Chief Operating Officer. 

Kohmuench’s journey at Eriez has taken him from his initial role in research and development as a process engineer to directing and expanding the U.S. Flotation group. He later assumed an expatriate position as Managing Director for Eriez-Australia before returning to the U.S. to manage all of Eriez’ international businesses as Vice-President of International and then Chief Operating Officer. Merwin notes, “Jaisen’s career path reflects a distinctive fusion of technical and financial responsibilities that have helped him develop into the versatile and accomplished leader he is today.” 

Over his many years at Eriez, Kohmuench has been instrumental in shaping global business strategies and driving profitable growth in magnetic, flotation, and service operations. His depth of expertise is demonstrated through his prolific authorship of numerous technical papers and contributions as an inventor with over a dozen patents. Kohmuench’s academic achievements include earning bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in Mining and Minerals Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. 

Merwin emphasizes that Kohmuench truly embodies the company’s core mission and values. His commitment to nurturing a positive corporate culture and supporting initiatives within the community ensures Eriez’ enduring impact, paving the way for promising opportunities for future generations. He says, “Jaisen’s extensive technical and international experience, proven leadership qualities, and philanthropic spirit will serve as a guiding force propelling Eriez into a prosperous future.” 

Merwin adds, “We look forward to an exciting new chapter under Jaisen’s leadership and extend our sincere gratitude to Lukas for his exceptional service.” Established in 1942, Eriez is a global leader in separation technologies. Our commitment to innovation has positioned us as a driving market force in several key technology areas, including magnetic separation, flotation, metal detection, and material handling equipment. The company’s 900+ employees are dedicated to providing trusted technical solutions to the mining, food, recycling, packaging, aggregate, and other processing industries. Headquartered in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA, Eriez designs, manufactures, and markets on six continents through 12 wholly-owned international subsidiaries and an extensive sales representative network. For more information, visit www.eriez.com.