Leadership Team
David Rydell
Chairman
David joined, what was then Bergstrom Manufacturing Co., in 1963 when he graduated from college. Prior to that he had worked at the privately held company when not in school. David’s degree was in finance. His first officer position was treasurer in 1966. He became the President in 1986, and the Chairman of the Board in 2005.
Education
- Augustana College, B.A., Finance and Accounting
Affiliations
Dave is very involved in the community and serves on numerous boards in the greater Northern Illinois area. Organizations of which Dave has been or still a current board member include, but not limited to:
- Former Board Chair for Swedish American Hospital and current board member
- Former Board Chair for Rockford University and current board member
- Former Board Chair for the Center for Sight and Hearing
- U.S Bank current board member
- Rockford Rescue Mission Steering Committee
- Transform Rockford Advisory Board
- Salvation Army Advisory Board
- United Way of Rock River Valley, Chaired 2005 campaign
- Rockford YMCA
- Lutheran Social Services of Illinois
- Midway Village and Museum
Dan Giovannetti
President and Chief Executive Officer
Dan has over 25 years of background and experience as a manufacturing and business professional. As President and Chief Executive Officer, Dan is responsible for managing the overall operations and resources of the company. He will work with the Board and the Leadership Team to implement the strategies and achieve the goals set forth for the company.
Dan joined Bergstrom in 2004 and has worked in several capacities including Chief Financial Officer where he was responsible for overseeing all financial and IT functions, Chief Business Systems Management Officer where he led Bergstrom’s global quality and information technology initiatives. Prior to that, Dan served as the Global Vice President of Quality & 6 Sigma, to which he was responsible for overseeing Bergstrom’s quality and continuous improvement activities.
Prior to joining Bergstrom, Dan worked for Pactiv Corporation. He served in various operational and financial roles during his nineteen years with Pactiv including Manufacturing Manager, Director-Consumer / Food Service Division, and Division Controller.
Education
- DePaul University, M.Acc., Accounting
- DePaul University, B.S.C., Accounting
Additional Training
- Certified Public Accountant, May 1985
- Completed Master Black Belt Training, November 2006
Affiliations
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- Illinois Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Patrick Bai
President Asia Pacific Business
Patrick has more than 20 years of experience in the commercial HVAC, automotive HVAC and commercial refrigeration industry with focus on engineering, sales and marketing. As President of Bergstrom China, he is responsible for China market development and supporting global business with in house building products by Bergstrom China facility.
Prior to joining Bergstrom, Patrick worked for Emerson Electric, Embraco and Air International Thermal Systems as sales and marketing leader in Asia.
As part of the corporate strategy to expand production capacity into new regions, Patrick is leading the team in implementing this initiative, managing the manufacturing of coils, motors, and refrigeration units in Monterrey, Mexico, and established a manufacturing base for energy storage chiller units in Houston.
Education
- Beijing University of Technology, B.E. HVAC and Thermal Engineering
- State University of New York at Buffalo, Master of Business Administration
Affiliations
- Expert Panel of China Energy Efficiency GB Standard Committee, Commercial & Residential Air Conditioners
Jim Elliott
President North America
Jim has been with Bergstrom since 1997 and he has more than 30 years of experience in automotive and commercial vehicle HVAC design and manufacturing. As President of North America, Jim is responsible for leading all business activities within North America, including development and execution of North America business strategies.
He has worked in several capacities including Division President for Bergstrom Europe in which he had oversight for Bergstrom’s operations, sales and initiatives within Europe; Chief Quality and Program Development Officer; BCS Division President; Sales and Engineering Manager, HVAC Business Unit Manager; and Chief Engineer.
Prior to joining Bergstrom, Jim worked for Valeo Climate Control and Ford Motor Company.
Education
- Rose Hulman Institute of Technology, B.S., Electrical Engineering
Affiliations
- Boys & Girls Club of Harrison and Crawford Counties – Past Board Chairman
- Hope Reigns Ranch – Past Board of Directors
- Heartland Community Church
- OakStrength
Publications
- The Manufacturer, October, 2006
- Association for Manufacturing Excellence, June, 2007
Gus Anton
Vice President Global Business Development, Stationary Thermal Management Solutions
Gus joined Bergstrom in 1998 and has over 30 years of management experience in operations, sales and engineering. He has held several positions at Bergstrom including General Manager, Division President, VP of Off-Highway and Military, and currently Vice President, Global Business Development, Stationary Thermal Management Solutions. In his current role, Gus is focused on growing Bergstrom’s presence in battery energy storage thermal management and in other stationary thermal management market segments. In addition, Gus serves as a director for our JV in India (MBSL) and oversees our business development in Brazil.
Prior to joining Bergstrom, Gus worked for Pactiv Corporation in Griffith, Indiana.
Education
- U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY – B.S., Mechanical Engineering (Automotive Systems)
- Mahler Executive Skills Management Program
Military
- U.S. Army, Captain
Affiliations
- Association of United States Army
- Disabled American Veterans
- American Legion
- HDMA (Heavy Duty Business Forum Member)
- National Defense Industrial Association
- Motherson Bergstrom HVAC Solutions Board Member
Honors/Awards
- Army Commendation Medal
- Army Achievement Medal
- Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal – Operation Just Cause Panama Invasion
- Past Chairman of the HDMA Off-Highway Business Forum
Yevgeniy Beygel
Director Global Engineering Systems and Sustainability
Yevgeniy Beygel has dedicated 25 years to the mobile thermal management systems industry, contributing to various systems and components across automotive, heavy-duty, off-road, military, stationary, and other sectors. Over the past eleven years at Bergstrom, he has held multiple technical roles, including systems engineering, lead engineer for off-highway products, and Director of the Test and Development department.
Currently, as the Director of Global Engineering Systems and Sustainability, Yevgeniy oversees global technical coordination, engineering systems and tools, engineering processes, simulation, offshore resources, reliability, and global sustainability initiatives. He also coordinates Bergstrom’s involvement in industry and research organizations, driving innovation and sustainability in the field.
Education
- Kettering University (GMI), B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Specialty
- Wayne State University, MBA
Affiliations
- Society of Automotive Engineers
- Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center, University of Illinois
- MEMA Heavy Duty Advanced Technology Council
- MEMA Sustainability Council
- Association of Equipment Manufacturers
- American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
- Suppliers Partnership for the Environment
Sean Connell
Vice President and Principal Engineer, Mobile HVAC & eProducts
Sean has over 30 years of experience in the HVAC and thermal management industry, Sean has established himself as a leader in engineering, system design, and management, both in the U.S. and internationally. Sean joined Bergstrom in 2004, where he focused on designing No-Idle and electrified systems, pioneering advancements that have become critical to Bergstrom’s thermal management solutions.
Currently serving as Vice President and Principal Engineer for Mobile HVAC & eProducts, Sean is responsible for the strategic direction and development of all current and future products. In this role, he manages diverse teams across Engineering, Commercial, Customer Service, Program Management, Marketing, Sales, and Testing for North America, while also providing technical advisory leadership to Bergstrom’s global locations.
Throughout his career, Sean has held a variety of management positions, overseeing complex projects and ensuring the seamless integration of cutting-edge technology into HVAC systems. His expertise continues to guide Bergstrom in its mission to deliver innovative and sustainable mobile climate control solutions.
Education
- Augustana College, B.A., Physics
- Iowa State University, B.S., Mechanical Engineering
- Rockford University, M.B.A., Organizational Management & Finance
Affiliations
- Society of Automotive Engineers – Former President Rockford Region
- HDMA Marketing and Sales Forum
- American Trucking Associations
- Augustana College Engineering Advisory Board
Technology
- Sean has 24 U.S. patents, several global patents and multiple applications in progress
Honors/Awards
- Lead ATA class of 2019
- Idaho National Laboratory – Innovative Solutions Award 2018
- Frost & Sullivan Best practices award – New Product Innovation
Cindi Gustafson, CPIM
Vice President Operations and Planning
Cindi has over 30 years experience in the Automotive and Commercial Vehicle industries. As a Six Sigma Black Belt and Lean Practitioner, she has a passion for continuous improvement and ensuring Bergstrom’s focus on providing the value our customers need.
Cindi began her career at Bergstrom in 1996 as a Consortium Manager responsible for customer and extended supply chain business relationships. This was followed by leadership roles in Materials, Purchasing, and Operations management. During her tenure, Cindi led teams to significantly improve product quality, delivery performance, materials replenishment, working capital, and resource alignment.
Affiliations
- American Production and Inventory Control Society, Past Board Member
- Society of Manufacturing Engineering
- Association for Manufacturing Excellence
- Executive Board Member for Boy Scouts of America Blackhawk Area Council
- Treasurer Boy Scout Troop 57
- Committee Chair BSA Venture Crew 57
- Transform Rockford Volunteer
Aaron Potter
Chief Financial Officer
Aaron has more than 20 years of experience in fiscal planning, financial management and acquisition due diligence. As Chief Financial Officer, Aaron is responsible for a administering a global collaborative planning and analysis process and fiscal vision that allows Bergstrom to look forward effectively to enhance current and future corporate value. Aaron’s financial oversight includes Bergstrom’s North American, European, UK Mexico and China operations.
Aaron joined Bergstrom in 2005 and, in 2013, completed a 4 year assignment overseas as the Director of Finance for Bergstrom Europe in Ystrad Mynach, Wales, UK. Aaron is a former adjunct Professor of Finance for the MBA program at Rockford University and prior to joining Bergstrom held positions as a Financial Controller, Internal Auditor and a Cost Accountant.
Education
- Rockford University, M.B.A., Marketing
- Rockford University, B.S., Accounting
Affiliations
- Financial Executives International
- Rockford Chamber of Commerce – Leadership Rockford
- Board of Trustees at Rockford University
- Roy Gayle Baseball Softball Inc
Jim Schmitt
Vice President Global Human Resources
Jim joined Bergstrom in 2015 and has more than 25 years of background and experience in the Human Resources field. As Vice President of Human Resources, he is responsible for Bergstrom’s global Human Resources function.
He has a wide range of experience in such areas as labor and employee relations, compensation, benefits, environmental and safety, recruiting and international assignments. He has worked in a variety of industries such as automotive, machine tool, and health care.
Education
- University of Iowa – BBA in Labor and Industrial Relations
- Loyola University of Chicago – MBA in International Business
Affiliations
- Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
- Transform Rockford
Jim Schmitt
Vice President Global Human Resources
Jim joined Bergstrom in 2015 and has more than 25 years of background and experience in the Human Resources field. As Vice President of Human Resources, he is responsible for Bergstrom’s global Human Resources function.
Nick Wilkinson
Managing Director Bergstrom Europe
Nick joined Bergstrom in 2000 and has more than 30 years of experience in the specialist vehicle and automotive sectors. Nick has now taken the role as Managing Director of Bergstrom Europe based in Wales, UK. During his tenure, Nick has held many roles from design, program management and in more recent years as UK director responsible for both engineering and sales. At this time, Nick has also been heavily involved in developing our partnerships in India, Turkey and Brazil. Nick has now taken the role as Managing Director of Bergstrom Europe based in Wales, UK.
Prior to joining Bergstrom, Nick had worked in the design and program management in the fire fighting vehicle, security vehicle and municipality bus industries.
Education
- North East Worcestershire College, UK
Affiliations
- Member of the Institute of Directors
- Motherson Bergstrom HVAC Solutions Board Member
Leticia Chiches Gonzalez
Managing Director Bergstrom Spain
Leticia joined Bergstrom in December 2019 and has more than 17 years of experience in international companies in tier 1 in automotive sector. As Managing Director she is responsible for Logistics, Quality, Production, Operations, Engineering and Business Development.
Prior to joining Bergstrom, Leticia worked for Eaton and Plastic Omnium serving in different positions in Operations and Engineering areas including General Manager role from 2015-2018.
Education
- University of Valladolid – High degree in Engineering and Industrial Organization
- IMF Business School – PDD, Management development program
- MIT Professional Education – Leadership & Innovation
Richard Gravenhorst
Business Development Director
Richard has more than 30 years of experience in the automotive. In 2015, he joined the Sales department of Dirna Bergstrom. Currently he is focused on business development, responsible for the commercial, marketing, and after-sales within Bergstrom in Spain. He is also responsible for opening new markets for the Electrified Engine-off and Engine-on Thermal Solutions.
Prior to joining Bergstrom, Richard worked for Hella and for Harman International as business responsible for Spain and Portugal.
Education
- Universidad Pontificia Cornillas Spain, Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.)
- IFPSMC Spain, Mechanical Technician
Additional Training
- The Negotiation: The Verbal Judo
- Professional Techniques of Sales
- New Techniques of Commercial Communication
