Gelest Inc., a leading innovator in materials science and technology and a New Mountain Capital portfolio company, has appointed John Sobchak to the newly created position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective immediately, to deepen its senior leadership team in conjunction with the company's continuing growth.
"John has a long history of leading the financial functions of successful, high-growth specialty chemical companies, and we are excited to have him join Gelest at such a pivotal time," said Ken Gayer, Chief Executive Officer of Gelest. "The expansion of our senior leadership team reflects Gelest's commitment to growth as a globally-recognized leading innovator and manufacturer of highly value-added advanced materials. With John's appointment, we look forward to continuing to accelerate our growth in advanced technology end markets with the support of our partners at New Mountain Capital."
Mr. Sobchak joins Gelest from active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturer AMPAC Fine Chemicals, where he served as CFO for the past four years and helped oversee its strategic transformation and subsequent sale to SK Holdings. Earlier in his career, Mr. Sobchak served as CFO of KMG Chemicals for more than 12 years, during which time he helped guide the company's transition to a leader in wet process chemicals serving the semiconductor market.
Mr. Sobchak said, "I am honored to join the Gelest team at such an exciting time in its evolution. I look forward to working with my new colleagues and helping to position the Company for profitable and sustainable growth and positively contributing to the Company's strategic priorities. I am excited for the opportunity to bring my extensive experience to help the Company achieve greater results and drive value."
Mr. Sobchak graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art and received an MBA from New York University's Stern School of Business.
About Gelest
Gelest, Inc., headquartered in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, is an innovator, manufacturer, and supplier of silicones, organosilanes, and metal-organics for advanced technology end markets including medical device, life sciences, microelectronics, personal care, and advanced coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers (CASE) markets. The company helps customers win by assisting them in the development and supply of chemistry to solve their most challenging materials science problems and enable their new product technology. www.gelest.com
About New Mountain Capital
New Mountain Capital is a New York based investment firm that emphasizes business building and growth, rather than debt, as it pursues long-term capital appreciation. The firm currently manages private equity, public equity, and credit funds with over $20 billion in assets under management. New Mountain seeks out what it believes to be the highest quality growth leaders in carefully selected industry sectors and then works intensively with management to build the value of these companies. www.newmountaincapital.com
