Duravant names industry veteran president of newly formed global group

Global engineered equipment and automation company Duravant has named an industrial automation veteran its president of a newly formed group designed to expand the company’s global reach.

Jack Lee, who joined Duravant in 2022, is now group president, Food Sorting and Handling Solutions. Lee most recently served as president of Key Technology Americas and WECO.

“It’s thrilling to be on the ground floor as we develop the vision for this rapidly evolving group,” Lee said in a news release. “Everything we do is focused on providing food processors with effective ways to optimize product quality, increase yields, improve efficiencies and reduce labor to strengthen their competitive advantage and maximize their profitability.”

In his new role, Lee will lead strategies that bring sorting, conveying and other process automation systems from four Duravant operating companies — Key Technology, Multiscan, PPM Technologies and WECO — to global food processors.

“Jack has a proven track record of delivering positive business results while fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration, and I’m thrilled that he will be leading Duravant’s new Food Sorting and Handling Solutions group,” Mike Kachmer, Duravant chair and CEO, said in the release.

Lee, with more than 20 years of leadership in industrial automation, holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University as well as master’s degrees in chemical/industrial engineering from the University of Houston and engineering management from Northwestern.

“I am excited to work with the talented operating company leadership teams within our Food Sorting and Handling Solutions group,” Lee said. “Together, we are able to provide a wider and more comprehensive range of world-class systems that are ideal for many food processing applications, from raw receiving to packaging, all backed by the deep industry expertise and customer service our brands are known for.”