Key Technology (a member of the Duravant family of operating companies) has announced the appointment of Jack Lee as president, Key Technology, Americas. Lee is responsible for leading strategies that bring Key’s high-performance digital sorting, conveying, and process automation systems, as well as world-class service, to food processors throughout North America and Latin America.

Key’s activities in Europe, the Middle East, India, and Asia will continue to be led by Antoine van Bree, President/Managing Director, Key Technology – EMEIA. Jack Lee succeeds Carson Brennan, who is relocating to the Chicago area and taking an expanded role in business development at Duravant. In addition to leading Key in the Americas, Lee also assumes responsibility for WECO along with Don Douglas, President of WECO.

“We’re delighted to have Jack at Key. His passion for continuous improvement, experience applying technology to address changing market needs, and team-oriented leadership style are driving a growth plan focused on delivering exceptional customer value,” says Mike Kachmer, president and CEO, Duravant. “Jack is committed to Key’s ongoing success and aligning WECO together with Key. We’re accelerating on our strategy to pursue more common commercial opportunities and provide Duravant’s customers with a more integrated and comprehensive suite of sorting solutions.”

“Key and WECO occupy an exciting space at a dynamic time. By working with food processors to optimize final product quality, despite extreme weather causing wide fluctuations in the quality of harvested crops, we’re able to act as a buffer to improve things for farmers, food processors, and consumers alike. We’re also addressing sustainability by reducing food processors’ energy and water use, plus decreasing their reliance on manual labor,” says Lee. “Our purpose is to feed the world.”

Lee brings over 20 years of leadership experience in industrial automation. Most recently, he was president of Red Lion Controls, a division of Spectris PLC. Prior to that, he was the managing director of surface equipment and automation at Dover Artificial Lift, and he held several leadership roles at Emerson Electric, including vice president of global marketing and business development. At Emerson Process Management, he was global food and beverage industry director and strategic planning director.

In addition to holding bachelor’s degrees from Rice University, Lee has earned three master’s degrees – a master’s in Chemical/Industrial Engineering from the University of Houston, a master’s in Engineering Management from Northwestern University and a master’s in Business Administration also from Northwestern University.