People

CEO/President

An entrepreneur with a dedication to innovation, Jaime co-founded Hydra-Flex in 2002, and is our President/CEO. Jaime grew up in a small town in the mountains of Montana then ventured out to the Colorado School of Mines where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has over 19 years of product development experience covering a variety of industries, and prior to Hydra-Flex Jaime worked for Koch Industries, Eaton Hydraulics, Tamarack Habilitation Technologies, GP Companies, and 3M. He is passionate about the Carly May Foundation, an organization he and his wife founded that helps children with disabilities. Jaime enjoys all sports, especially coaching wrestling. In his free time he likes any activity with his bride and 3 children.

Chief Commercial Officer

Curtis joined Hydra-Flex in October 2019 and brings with him 17 years of experience working in highly regulated markets, commercializing and marketing novel medical devices. Prior to Hydra-Flex, Curtis held a leadership position at Reprise Biomedical. Curtis also has a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. He enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, investing, reading, and relaxing at the family’s hobby farm.

Senior Director of Sales

Mike joined Hydra-Flex in December 2017 as the Industrial Sales Manager and is now our Senior Director of Sales. Mike brings to HFI over 15 years of B2B sales and leadership experience working for a national distributor of business products. After graduating from Indiana University, Mike went to work for TCF Bank as a Consumer Lending Manager. Following his success selling B2C, Mike transitioned his career to focus on B2B, joining Staples Business Advantage. There Mike held various sales and leadership roles, most recently serving as the Regional Sales Director for the Midwest. Mike is extremely excited to join the Hydra-Flex team to help grow the Industrial Sales Business. Outside of the office, Mike enjoys traveling with his wife and two daughters, relaxing at the family cabin, and taking in the kids' various activities.

Director of Sales – Vehicle Care

Jeff started in the car wash industry in 2010, working in a sales leadership role for Turtle Wax Pro. During his time at Turtle Wax and brief stint at Niteo Products, he was responsible for distributor and corporate account relationships, new product development, marketing initiatives, and go-to-market strategies. Jeff earned his BA from the University of Michigan and MBA from Purdue University. He is excited to join Hydra-Flex due to its state-of-the-art products, company culture, ability to service customers’ needs, and desire to always innovate. Jeff currently resides in Chicago with his family, and he enjoys boating, golfing, basketball, baseball, cooking, and rooting for all Detroit sports teams.

Vehicle Care Account Manager

Michael joined Hydra-Flex in July 2018 as a Vehicle Care Account Manager, bringing over 24 years of experience in the car wash industry. Previously, Michael has held car wash management and sales roles at various companies including Turtle Wax Pro, Mark VII, and Blendco. Michael has always been a fan of Hydra-Flex’s products and people and is excited to join the team. He currently resides in Chicago and enjoys spending time with his family and friends, fishing, and motor sports.

Vehicle Care Account Manager

Todd joined Hydra-Flex in February 2019 as a Vehicle Care Account Manager, bringing over 20 years of experience in the car wash industry. Previously, Todd has held car wash management and sales roles at various companies including Mark VII Equipment and Turtle Wax Pro. Todd is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. Todd is excited to join Hydra-Flex due to its state-of-the-art products, company culture, ability to service customers’ needs, and desire to always innovate. Todd currently resides in Staten Island, New York with his wife and rescue animals. In his spare time he enjoys sports, travel, and spending time with family and friends.

Vehicle Care Account & Inside Sales Manager

Chris joined Hydra-Flex in June of 2016 as Inside Sales and Vehicle Care Technical Product Support, and now manages vehicle care accounts and the inside sales team. Chris spent the first 10 years of his professional career in the automotive industry as a technician and service advisor. During that time he returned to college and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Rasmussen College. Working during the day and attending college at night was a very difficult task, but worth the effort. Three months after graduation he was hired on at a manufacturing company where he spent 7 years as their National Service Manager and eventually National Sales & Service Manager of pest control products. He is extremely excited to begin a new career at Hydra-Flex and utilize his past experience to help grow the company. When Chris is not at work he enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids, coaching baseball, fishing, hunting, and playing golf.

Vehicle Care Account Manager

Andy joined the Hydra-Flex family in February of 2020 as a Vehicle Care Account Manager. Andy comes to Hydra-Flex after 5 years at Polaris Inc. based out of Minnesota. He is an automotive technician by trade, but had roles in technical parts & service, post sales surveillance – data and analytics, service engineering, and most recently service operations. His passion for helping customers solve complex issues and building long lasting relationships will be a great fit within the Hydra-Flex culture. He is pursuing his Bachelors of Business Administration & Project Management degree from Capella University. In his free time he likes to spend time with his wife and 2 dogs at the cabin, hunting, fishing, and everything else outdoors.

Customer Service Manager

Claude joined the Hydra-Flex team in the beginning of 2021 as our Customer Service Manager. As a graduate of National University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, he has spent his career in helping his customer service teams deliver world-class service. His experience in both B2B and retail/end-user service delivery accentuates the dedication to customer experience at Hydra-Flex. When he’s not at work, you can find him at home improvement stores, programming another part of his smart house, or doing one of the many DIY home projects he has going at any time. Claude loves all things techy and can be usually be found with the latest electronic gadget.

Technical Support Manager

Scott joined Hydra-Flex in November 2018 as Vehicle Care Technical Support, but he is also assisting the Inside Sales Team. He is bringing with him over 16 years of experience in the car wash industry. Previously, Scott worked as a service technician, a service dispatch coordinator, and a service manager for Holiday Companies. While there, Scott graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and accumulated many years of experience working with equipment manufacturers such as Ryko, PDQ, Mark VII, Belanger, and Macneil. Scott has a true interest in continuing to learn and grow in all areas of the car washing industry. Outside of work, Scott enjoys spending time with his wife, his family, and his friends. In his free time, he enjoys many different activities and hobbies. Some of them include hunting, fishing, hockey, golf, and travelling. Scott is eager in continuing to build his career with the Hydra-Flex team.

Technical Service Representative

Chris joined Hydra-Flex in December 2020 as a Technical Service Representative. He is bringing with him over 22 years in the automotive industry for Chrysler. Chris previously worked as a service technician, finance manager, sales associate, and assisted in technician training. Chris continues to grow and learn with the company at a rapid pace. Outside of work Chris loves to spend time with his wife, daughter, and black lab. Some of his favorite family activities are hiking, fishing, or movie nights with the neighbors. His hobbies include golf, baseball, and any outdoor time he can get with his family. Chris is excited about his growth with Hydra-Flex.

Customer Service Representative

Jennifer joined the Hydra Flex team in November 2019 as a Customer Service Representative for the Inside Sales Team. She has 20 years of Inside Sales/Customer Service experience within a variety of fields. She’s worked with customers and sales teams in the Sanitation Industry, Data Solutions, and the Paint and Sealer Industry. Jennifer strides to always get an answer for a customer and help in anyway she can. Her 14 Year old daughter keeps her busy with the variety of actives she is involved with. She loves taking time out to spend with her two daughters going to the lake, fun trips to Duluth, sporting events, or a lazy day just hanging out.

Customer Service Representative

Tatyana joined the Hydra-Flex customer service team in September 2021 and enjoys building relationships with customers and her teammates. She brought two years of valuable customer service experience to HFI, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Metropolitan State University. Tatyana moved back to Minnesota in 2021 after two years in Nepal. In her free time, she loves to travel, enjoy good food, play volleyball, and spend time with family and friends.

Industrial Sales Manager

Ryan joined Hydra-Flex in April of 2018 as the Industrial Account Manager and is now our Industrial Sales Manager. Ryan has over 17 years of B2B sales experience, most recently in the office and janitorial supply industry. He is a graduate of Bethel University with a degree in Business/Political Science. His role here at Hydra-Flex is to support our distributor partners and help them grow their business with the Hydra-Flex line of Industrial nozzles. Outside of the office, Ryan enjoys spending time with his family, fishing, football, camping, and coaching his son’s activities.

Industrial Account Manager

Mike comes to Hydra-Flex as an Industrial Account Manager in January 2020. Mike has a varied background of experience that includes several years of key Account management, Strategic sales management, Territory sales management and Inside tele-sales. He had been working in sales and\ or customer service most of his career. Mike Has a Double Major Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Marketing from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. In his free time Mike enjoys travelling the world, spending time with friends and family, boating and spending time outside.

Inside Account Manager

Chad joined Hydra-Flex in December of 2021 as an Inside Account Manager. Chad has a background in project management, customer service and inside sales. He has been in the industrial plastic manufacturing segment for the last 6 years focusing on custom plastic parts and hard sided case applications. Chad has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from the University of Minnesota Duluth. His role here at Hydra-Flex is to support our distribution base and assist in the growth of their businesses. In his free time Chad enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, fishing, skiing, and camping.

Senior Product Line Manager

Chris joined the Hydra-Flex team February of 2021 as Senior Product Line Manager. With over 22 years of experience in the high-pressure triplex pumps industry, he brings a wealth of experience from sales to product management and business development. He has worked closely with equipment manufacturers, distributors and end users in many markets including vehicle wash, cleaning and sanitation, water treatment, mobile (jetting and hydro-excavation), high pressure misting, oil & gas. Chris is passionate about learning new things and being part of fast paced team-oriented culture. Chris enjoys family time, especially being outside on lake time in the summer with family and friends. He also enjoys a bantering fantasy football league and coaching football and wrestling for his kids.

Associate Product Manager

Brandon is our Associate Product Manager and has been with us since April of 2014. A talented young designer who graduated from North Hennepin Community College in 2012 with a degree in Graphic Design, and also an Associate degree in Applied Science. Brandon has a major passion for the arts and enjoys creating sculptures, be it with his chainsaw and a log, or his welder and some scrap metal. His favorite season is winter where he enjoys taking snowmobile trips out west to the mountains. If it’s summertime and you can’t find Brandon, go look out on the lake or down by the river because you will find him out fishing.

Marketing Communications Manager

Emily joined Hydra-Flex in the fall of 2019 as the Marketing Communications Manager. She graduated from the College of Saint Benedict and Saint Johns University with a degree in Marketing – Communications and Art. Emily has spent her career thus far in B2B service marketing at large commercial architecture firms. She loves learning about a company’s brand, story and audience and is passionate about driving a messaging and content strategy to create results. Emily grew up in the most German town in America – New Ulm, MN. Thus, her love of drinking beer and order – preferably orderly beer drinking. She also loves all things related to pop culture, the British Royal Family, the MN Twins, shoes and DIY Crafting. Ice cream is also a food group in her house.

Senior Marketing Communication Specialist - Vehicle Care

Matt joined Hydra-Flex in March 2021 as a Senior Marketing Communications Specialist. Matt has a journalism degree from the University of Minnesota (Go Gophers!) and collected a wide range of communications and marketing experience at newspapers and in college athletics and local government before joining Hydra-Flex’s marketing team. He loves using his communications, writing and branding background to ensure a message reaches and resonates with its audience. When he’s not working, Matt loves sports, music, writing, hanging out with family and friends, and exploring the Twin Cities and beyond with his wife and son.

Marketing Communications Specialist

Erin joined Hydra-Flex in January 2016, bringing experience from hospitality and nonprofit industries. Erin is a graduate of Augsburg University in Minneapolis and holds a bachelor's degree in Marketing and International Business. Her focus is to utilize creative communication techniques to enhance marketing campaigns and customer relationships. When not at Hydra-Flex, Erin enjoys traveling, spending time outdoors, and cheering on Minnesota sports teams.

Graphic Designer

Elizabeth joined the marketing team at Hydra-Flex in the fall of 2019 as one of our Graphic Designers. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design. After graduation, she went on to work at a corporate dance company where she was able to grow her knowledge of marketing extensively as she participated in a wide array of projects. She enjoys problem solving with design and is excited to take on new thought provoking projects, while collaborating with her team! When Elizabeth is not at work, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, checking out local breweries or restaurants and staying active.

COO/Chief Operating Officer

Justin is currently the Chief Operating Officer (COO). He joined Hydra-Flex in October 2009 as the Operations Manager and has since transitioned into Product Line Manager, supporting our product development processes and existing product lines, and then to Director of IT & Business Development for many years. Justin is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, and has a degree in Managing Information Systems with a minor in Accounting. Justin enjoys spending time with his two daughters when not golfing or playing fantasy football. His diverse education and background has been an asset in having a variety of roles at Hydra-Flex.

IT Manager

Brady recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Stout with a Bachelor of Science degree in Information and Communication Technology. Brady joined the Hydra-Flex team in August 2017 and is excited to be a part of the growing IT team at HFI. Brady hopes to bring new insight into IT processes and increase productivity by introducing more technology at HFI. In his spare time, he likes to go hiking, exploring the art of photography, and spending time with his dog. He also enjoys playing sports, such as baseball and basketball, and cheering on Wisconsin sports teams.

SharePoint Developer

Andrew joined Hydra-Flex in April of 2019 as a SharePoint Developer. He graduated from The University of Iowa with a B.A. in English/Creative Writing and is a certified Full Stack Web Developer. Andrew brings over eight years of SharePoint and Office 365 experience working in the food manufacturing, healthcare, and construction industries. He enjoys utilizing technology to reduce waste and develop creative solutions to complex problems. When not at work, Andrew practices Japanese longbow archery (Kyudo), traveling with his wife, watching movies with the commentary track turned on, and relaxing on the lake.

IT Support Analyst

Tomson joined Hydra-Flex’s information technology team as an IT Support Analyst in October 2021. He provides valuable tech support to HFI’s employees and ensures IT systems are running smoothly. Tomson previously worked in network operations at John Ryan, Inc., and has Associate degrees from North Hennepin Community College in Mathematics and Science: Pre-Engineering. In his free time, Tomson is a big gamer and loves being outdoors fishing, boating, camping, and playing with his two pups.

Project Coordinator

Sophie joined Hydra-Flex recently as the first Project Coordinator. Her role will be to monitor the progress of mainly R&D projects and coordinate actions to meet deadlines and attain goals. Before Hydra-Flex, Sophie worked several years as a Project Coordinator and Project Manager in different industries, including Aerospace. She likes bringing projects to life while understanding their technical challenges and collaborating with her team. Sophie received her Master’s in Management with a specialty in Aerospace Management from Toulouse Business School (France). Outside of work, Sophie enjoys running, hiking and skiing in the winter. As an authentic French person, she also loves eating a lot of cheese and drinking glasses of good wine.

Director of Engineering - Product Development

Jaime joined Hydra-Flex in September 2021 as the Director of Engineering and brings more than 20 years of engineering and project leadership experience. He has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and previously led engineering teams and product development programs in a variety of industries, most recently at a medical device manufacturer. Jaime is excited to join HFI’s energetic and fast-paced culture. In his free time, you can find Jaime traveling with his wife and three children or on the golf course.

Lead Project Engineer

Caleb joined Hydra-Flex's engineering team in October 2016. After receiving his bachelor's degree at Minnesota State - Mankato, Caleb worked in product design, mainly in the fluid handling and medical device fields. He enjoys tackling design problems and designing new innovative solutions for the end customer. Outside of work, Caleb enjoys playing flag football, lifting weights, wakeboarding, snowboarding, and keeping up with his favorite sports teams.

Product Continuation Engineer

Matt joined Hydra-Flex’s engineering team in October 2021 as a Product Continuation Engineer. He strives to find creative, high-quality solutions that are cost-effective and easy to manufacture. He previously designed and developed agriculture equipment and air quality devices and holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from California Baptist University. Outside work, Matt enjoys kiteboarding, soccer, snowboarding, and helping with youth programs at his church.

Lead Project Engineer

Jeff joined Hydra-Flex in October 2017 as a Product Engineer. Jeff received his Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University Minnesota Duluth. At a previous employer, he worked on continuous improvement projects on various lines of power equipment such as air compressors, log splitters, semi-trash pumps, and generators. At work Jeff likes to design and improve products so customers have the best product to fit their needs. Outside of work, Jeff enjoys working on home improvement projects, grilling, hanging out with friends, and keeping up with football and hockey.

Product Engineer

Anna joined the Hydra-Flex team in August 2021. She graduated from the University of St. Thomas with her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and brings experience as a design engineer in the liquid electro-mechanical sensor industry, where she provided design solutions for a variety of liquid analysis issues in the water treatment, pharmaceutical, and paper and pulp industries. She’s excited to join a fast-paced and collaborative team that is motivated to bring new and innovative products to market. Outside work, Anna loves spending time with her husband and entertaining friends and family. Some of her favorite hobbies include volleyball, Gopher football, hiking, and skiing.

Senior Project Engineer

Ian joined our team as a Senior Project Engineer to continue to explore and innovate new products. He once worked at Tennant Co experimenting with different techniques of pressure washing aircraft carrier decks. Though he was born and raised in England, Minnesota has been home for 25 years. He enjoys spending time with his wife and sons, jogging (just a little faster than walking), and fishing whenever he gets the chance.

Product Engineer

Ethan joined the Hydra-Flex team in July 2021. He graduated from the University of North Dakota with his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He brings with him experience as a mechanical design engineer in the vacuum coating industry, where he provided specialized physical vapor deposition equipment solutions for customers in the architectural glass, solar, display, and semiconductor coating industries. He enjoys being part of a talented team that solves complex problems and is excited to bring new and innovative product solutions to market with the Hydra-Flex Engineering team. Outside of work, Ethan loves spending time with his wife and son. Some of his favorite hobbies include fishing, volleyball, ping pong, weightlifting, and tennis.

Mechanical Drafter

Harrison graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Industrial Design. He has spent the past six years in the RP and manufacturing industry. Harrison joined the Hydra Flex team in August 2021 and is looking forward to working with the design and engineering teams. He enjoys trying to figure out how things work and go together throughout all aspects of the design process. Outside of work, Harrison enjoys spending time with his wife and pets, working on cars, following F1 racing, and watching movies.

Innovation Engineering Manager

Nate joined the Hydra-Flex engineering team in July 2020. Nate comes to HFI with 15 years of experience assisting companies from all industries design, develop, and get their product(s) to market. Nate brings an additional upfront mechanical design mind to the R&D team and is looking forward to helping HFI continue to find ways to disrupt the marketplace. When not at work, Nate is hanging with the family, enjoying everything outdoors, perfecting his culinary skills, and always cheering on the Hawkeyes.

Industrial Designer

Dan is a University of Wisconsin - Stout graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Industrial Design. Dan joined the Hydra Flex team in June of 2015 and is eager and motivated to work collaboratively with the Hydra-Flex team to create and execute design solutions that will improve the form and functionality of HFI products. In his spare time Dan likes to share his sense of humor with family and friends, and stays active playing softball, lacrosse, and racquetball.

Innovation Engineer

With a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Pa joined the Hydra-Flex team in September 2019. He has experience as a Designer and a Power Plant System Engineer. In his free time he likes to spend time with family, bake, play video games, tennis, work on house projects, and your typical car maintenance. He won’t pass up ice cream, a ping-pong match, or a race in Mario Kart.

Solutions Architect

Ken joined Hydra-Flex in March of 2019 as Solutions Architect. Having 27 years' experience working with technology starting in the print and graphic design industries, he spent the last eleven years with Garmin leading teams focusing on cloud services and integration with web and mobile applications and connected hardware. Outside of the office you're likely to find Ken with his family, relaxing outside, enjoying a movie, flying his drone, reading, or monkeying around with a wide variety of DIY projects.

Engineering Laboratory Manager

Dan joined Hydra-Flex's engineering team in February 2017. Prior to Hydra-Flex, Dan held the role of Lead Lab Technichian at Alliance Laundry Systems in their commercial dryer division. Dan also brings with him 7 years of experience in building and programming stations for equipment testing to qualify new product designs. His goal at Hydra-Flex is to help the engineering team make the our engineering lab a world-class testing facility. When not at work, Dan enjoys spending time with his family, camping, being outdoors, and playing a variety of sports.

R&D Lab Tech

Joe joined the Hydra Flex team in July, 2018 as a Laboratory Technician. He graduated from University Wisconsin River Falls with a Bachelor of Science in Physics. After that he worked for a year in a laboratory testing adhesives and sealants before moving to the lab at HFI. He enjoys the lab environment which includes setting up tests and fixtures and maintain them and utilizing different devices to collect and interpret data. When not at work he enjoys going out with friends and exploring for new restaurants and spending time with family.

R&D Lab Tech

Josh joined Hydra-Flex in May of 2020 with 15 years of experience working as a Research and Development engineering technician testing oil and fuel filters. When he is not working, he enjoys home improvement projects on his new home, playing pool, ping pong, golf tennis and poker. He and his wife spend lots of time watching football and are avid players of Fantasy football, cheering for the Chiefs and Vikings.

Senior Electronics Technician

Rory joined Hydra-Flex in October 2020 as a Senior Electronics Technician. He grew up on the Iowa side of the Quad Cities and in 2009 received his bachelor’s degree in Electronic Engineering Technology from Hamilton Technical College in Davenport, IA. Shortly before graduation he interned as an Electronic Controls Technician at the Rock Island Arsenal – the largest government-owned weapons manufacturing arsenal in the United States, then after graduation accepted a full time position. In 2015 Rory moved to Minneapolis and worked at MTS Systems Corporation as a Systems Engineering Technician. Most of his free time these days is spent chasing around a toddler and working on house projects, but outside of that (and when there isn’t a global pandemic) he enjoys spending time with family and friends, either sitting around a campfire or out on the town, going to concerts/sports events, getting away from the city and into nature, watching college football (Go Hawks!), and travelling.

R&D Lab Tech

Andrew joined Hydra-Flex in Fall of 2020. He grew up in a small town west of the Twin Cities and received his Bachelor's degree in Physics from Winona State University. Andrew has worked over the years as a Quality Control Line Technician at a beverage copacker, a car salesman and a Lab Technician. He is excited to be part of Hydra-Flex for the company visions, values, and success. A top focus on quality in every aspect of the company (people and products) is very exciting and prideful. When not at work, he spends time with friends, gaming, playing sports, going for a drive or spending time with his girlfriend.

Prototype Machinist

With almost 30 years of machining, programming, and manufacturing experience in all different types of industries, Joel is a 2nd generation CNC Programmer Toolmaker/Machinist. He has done a variety of work from molding for medical to the Aerospace/Defense and off-road recreational industry. He loves the challenge of new parts, new applications and being able to program these using all new and innovative tools and methods. Joel’s hobbies and interests, besides his profession, are maintaining a 12-acre hobby farm with his wife, four children and one grandchild. Joel enjoys golfing, campfires with family and friends, watching his kids play sports, snowmobiling or watching sports with his three brothers.

Senior Electrical Engineer

Andy joined Hydra-Flex in July of 2020 as an Electrical Engineer. He grew up in Wisconsin, and moved to MN to pursue a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of St. Thomas. Andy brings 8 years of experience in new product design at Entrust Datacard where he developed the electronics for ID and credit card printers. He is excited to work with the Hydra-Flex team to develop the next generations of electronic capabilities. Outside of work, Andy enjoys spending time outdoors with his son, wife, dog, family, and friends.

Director of Quality Assurance

Brenda joined Hydra-Flex in June 2018 as Hydra-Flex’s Director of Quality Assurance, bringing over 20 years of quality and manufacturing experience from the printed circuit board and filtration industries. She has an extensive background in Lean, 6-Sigma and Quality Management Systems, as well as degrees in Composite Materials Engineering and Mathematics from Winona State and a Masters in Manufacturing Systems from the University of St. Thomas. At work, Brenda enjoys designing, implementing and developing systems and solving complex problems. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, biking, camping, volleyball and watching MN hockey and Packers football.

Senior Quality Engineer

Zion joined Hydra-Flex's Quality team in September 2018. She has gained over 8 years of quality engineering experience from electronic device & medical device manufacturing companies. She has an extensive background in SPC, 6-Sigma, Quality Management Systems and Lean manufacturing. Zion received her Bachelor’s degree in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from JNTU, India and Master’s in Electrical Engineering from SIUC, IL. Outside of work, she’s running around 2 toddlers trying to keep them alive and entertained! When not entertaining toddlers she enjoys working on diy ‘Pinterest’ projects with a bit of help from her husband, trying out new recipes, and hosting get-togethers with friends & family.

Quality Manager

Panchut joined Hydra-Flex in September of 2018 as a Quality Engineer. She brings five years of quality systems, Lean/Six sigma, and process improvement experience from heat treatment, printing, and filtration industries. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Production Engineering from King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, Thailand and Master’s in Manufacturing Engineering from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Outside of work, she enjoys biking, yoga, fishing, yard games, and spending time with her husband, family, and friends.

Quality Technician

Oscar joined the Hydra-Flex team as a quality technician in October 2021. He focuses on improving processes and solving daily production problems. Oscar previously worked at plumbing manufacturer Cherne Industries. He graduated from Augsburg University in 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. In his spare time, Oscar enjoys spending time with his family, rooting for Liverpool FC, and watching trending shows and movies.

Director of Operations

Joel Matthews joined Hydra-Flex in July 2020 as the Director of Operations. Prior to joining Hydra-Flex, Joel served customers in a diverse range of markets including medical, defense, aerospace, telecommunications and consumer electronics. Joel has over 20 years of leadership experience in product development, operations, supply chain and program management. Joel earned his B.B.A. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and his M.B.A from the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota. When not at work, Joel enjoys spending time with family and friends as well as working on outdoor projects at home.

Master Scheduler

Lisa Peterman joined Hydra-Flex’s operations team in November 2021. As HFI’s master scheduler, she ensures customer needs are met through scheduling, increased productivity and on-time delivery. Lisa has more than 20 years experience in operations and production, including 13 in the aerospace industry. When she’s not working, you can find Lisa hanging out with family and friends, on the golf course, or on a hiking trail.

Purchasing Manager

Jessica joined the Operations Team at Hydra-Flex in August 2016. She brings over two decades of supply chain and inventory management experience to her role as Purchasing Manager, and she contributes to Hydra-Flex’s ability to provide on-time delivery of quality products. She has an extensive background in custom fabrication and manufacturing and believes strongly in delivering consistent customer satisfaction and maintaining strong relationships with quality suppliers. Fall and spring are Jessica’s favorite seasons here in her native state of Minnesota, and you will often find her enjoying free time with her husband at their cabin in the northern woodlands.

Buyer

Laura joined Hydra-Flex in September of 2020 as our Buyer. She graduated from UW-Stout with a degree in Retail Merchandising and Management with a concentration in Buying and Product Management, and has Minors in Business and Graphic Design. She’s an avid record collector and also loves coffee, cooking, traveling, and spending time with her husband and cats. You can catch her photographing concerts all over the Twin Cities for publications and venues around the Twin Cities.

Manufacturing Engineering Manager

Joe joined Hydra-Flex in September 2017 as a Senior Manufacturing Engineer. Joe has a background in Process Improvement, Automation, and Operations. At work, he is looking for ways to improve current processes and use data to solve problems. At home, Joe enjoys spending time with his family and can usually be found in the garage working on a project.

Manufacturing Engineer

Sola joined Hydra-Flex in February of 2020, as a Manufacture Engineer. He has an education from Minnesota State University – Mankato with a BS and MS in Manufacture Engineering. Sola comes to Hydra-Flex with 6+ years as a Manufacture Engineer, and a year experience as an analyst. He is most excited to work on automating processes and eliminating waste with the production team by implementing new technologies and faster processes. Outside of work, Sola likes to spend time with his wife and pets, browse for memes and watch the Chicago Bulls. He grew up in Indonesia, and would love to travel to Bali again!

Manufacturing Engineer

Julie has over 20 years’ experience in electronics. With the last 20 years being in contract manufacturing, servicing the Medical, Aerospace, Defense and commercial industries. She has worked just about all positions in manufacturing from assembly to Engineering, with NPI being her favorite. Julie received her associate degree from Hennepin Technical College and her bachelor’s degree from Bemidji State University (this she achieved all online, the first time she went to the Bemidji campus was to pick up her degree)! When she is not working, Julie likes to hang out with her family, her dog Tucker and friends. She also loves to travel and her favorite place so far has been Italy.

Warehouse Supervisor

Bob joined Hydra-Flex in August 2020, he has 30 years of manufacturing and quality experience from the filtration, cryogenic storage vessel and aerospace industries supporting various QMS systems. At work he looks for ways to use data and metrics to improve processes. Outside of work, Bob enjoys spending time with his two daughters, and with family and friends. He enjoys boating, fishing, hunting and spending time up north at the cabin.

Inventory Specialist

Sandy joined the Hydra-Flex team as an Inventory Specialist in September 2021 with more than 30 years of valuable prior experience. Most recently, she spent 16 years as an inventory analyst at Microdynamics after a few years in the company’s receiving department. She began her career with a combined 21 years at MTS Systems and Pemstar. In her free time, Sandy loves traveling to South Padre Island, Texas, and spending time with her husband of 25 years and her daughter, son-in-law, and especially her young grandson.

Technical Production Supervisor

Zack interned with Hydra-Flex during the summer of 2018 before joining the team full-time in May 2019 as a Manufacturing Engineer. He graduated from the University of Minnesota – Duluth with degrees in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering. At work Zack focuses on problem solving, process improvement, lean manufacturing, and data analysis. He is always looking for different methods to increase efficiency. Outside of work Zack enjoys spending time with his family, fishing, hunting, woodworking, watching his favorite sports teams, and spending time at the cabin.