Founded in 1985, Bentek provides high-complexity, low-volume subsystems and assemblies to capital equipment manufacturers. Forty percent (40%) of the company's customers are semiconductor equipment manufacturers, and another 30% are in the RFID sector. Bentek also works with OEMs in the government, aerospace and flat panel industries. Bentek has been profitable every single year for the 20 years it's been in business, even during it's tremendous growth phases. (The company grew 140% in 2004 alone.) While Bentek attributes much of its success to its 150 long-term employees who “Think Harder, Work Smarter,” the company is fortunate to have a seasoned executive team.
 
     
 
  Bob PuetteChairman  
 
   
  Robert Puette began his career as manager of Hewlett Packard's Personal Computer Division and later served as president of the Apple U.S.A. Division of Apple Computers. He was also chairman and CEO of Netframe Systems and CEO of Centigram Communications.  Bob has served on several public and private company boards, including Cisco Systems and Quality Semiconductor and is a graduate of Stanford University and Northwestern University.  
       
 
Kevin KeenleyManaging Principal, Fundamental Capital
   
     
 
Kevin Keenley is the managing principal of Fundamental Capital, a private equity firm that provides capital and strategic talent to its portfolio investments. Kevin's private equity experience includes roles with Questor Partners and Heller Investments, focusing primarily on transactions for businesses that require strategic and operating assistance. He led the acquisition of companies such as Schwinn Cycling & Fitness and also served as interim CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee. Kevin's efforts with Schwinn were recognized in 1999, when he was named Outstanding Young Turnaround Manager by Turnarounds and Workouts magazine. Early in his career, Kevin held roles in the Corporate Finance Group of Heller Financial and Arthur Andersen & Co. Prior to forming Fundamental Capital, he was a board member and CFO of Qiva Holdings, Inc., an enterprise software company serving the supply chain execution market. Kevin received his Masters of Management degree from Northwestern University 's Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
 
       
  Matt PitchonPresident and CEO    
   
 

Matt brings to Bentek his considerable executive-level experience in finance, operations, and engineering and has helped grow the company from $15 million to over $40 million in just four years. Matt joined Bentek in 2001 as vice president of finance, and also served as vice president of operations and COO before becoming CEO in 2005. Previously, Matt was the senior vice president of perations and CFO of Etak, where he was instrumental in developing the maps and hardware that made automotive navigation systems a reality. During his ten years at Etak, he guided the company through two changes in ownership, and was a central figure in the sale to NewsCorp and then to Sony. Earlier in his career, Matt served as treasurer for U.S. operations of Seimens/Nixdorf, responsible for the funding and cash management of the company, and also worked on a variety of government and industry assignments for the Deloitte/Touche Consulting Group. Matt holds a B.S. in Physics from New York University, and an MBA and Masters in Engineering from Boston University. He is a member of the Association for Corporate Growth and the Alliance of Chief Executives.

 
       
  Michal Hoppner Vice President of Finance    
     
  Prior to joining Bentek, Michal served as a the division controller of Sanmina-SCI’s New Product Introduction and Global Technology Divisions. He has also held senior finance and operations positions at The JPM Company, an international manufacturer of equipment for the computer, networking and telecommunications industries. Previously, Michal was with PriceWaterhouseCoopers, where he provided consulting and financial advisory services to multinational corporations and financial institutions. Michal holds a Masters in Economics from Victoria University of Manchester, a Masters in International Business from the University of Economics in Prague, and an MBA with Distinction from the University of Brussels  
       
  Norm Jones Vice President of Operations    
   
 

Norm Jones has more than 20 years of VP/SVP-level experience in the semiconductor industry, in both the high-tech equipment and IC manufacturing space. Most recently, he served as the VP Global Business Operations, GM Intel Business Group, and VP Global Sales at Mattson Technology. Norm also has an extensive background in managing complete P&L business units, global operations, product development, sales and marketing, supply chain management, and growing new businesses to several hundred million dollars. He previously held executive management positions at BOC Edwards, Lam Research, and Intel Corporation. Norm earned his B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Delaware and Penn State University , respectively. He is a member of the Society of Industry Leaders and has been an active participant within the SEMI organization.

 
       
  James Peplinksi Chief Technical Officer    
     
 

Prior to joining Bentek, James Peplinski was president of Peplinski Electronics, a company focused on innovative electrical and mechanical design. Under his lead, the company grew from $3 million to $15 million in just two years. Jim began his career with Applied Materials and later worked with Genus, Inc. designing circuitry and assemblies for all aspects of semiconductor processing cluster tools. Jim earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering Technology from Columbus DeVry.

 
 
 
HEADQUARTERS: 2350 Harris Way, San Jose, CA 95131   Main: (408) 954-9600   Fax: (408) 954-9688   sales@bentek.com
 
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