Duravant Announces Retirement of CEO Mike Kachmer, Names Jill Evanko Successor
- Mike Kachmer to retire following a distinguished 43-year career, including nearly 12 years as Chairman & CEO of Duravant
- Jill Evanko to succeed Mr. Kachmer as Duravant's Chief Executive Officer
Duravant LLC ("Duravant"), a global leader in advanced automation solutions, announced today that Mike Kachmer will retire from his role as Chief Executive Officer after a highly successful tenure with the company. Duravant's Board of Directors has named Jill Evanko as CEO, joining the company on January 5, 2026. To ensure a seamless transition, Mr. Kachmer will continue to serve as Chairman of Duravant. Mr. Kachmer will also continue to serve on the Board of Directors for Northwestern Memorial Healthcare and The London Clinic.
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Mike Kachmer
"It has been a true honor and a humbling experience to lead this incredible company," said Mr. Kachmer. "I am profoundly grateful to my colleagues within Duravant for their support over the years. Together, we have built an organization with a truly differentiated operating model and culture, one that cultivates collaboration, empowers innovation, and operates with unwavering integrity."
Jill Evanko joins Duravant from Chart Industries, Inc. (NYSE:GTLS) where she served as President and Chief Executive Officer since 2018. Prior, Ms. Evanko was the Chief Financial Officer of Truck-Lite Co. LLC, and held multiple executive leadership positions at Dover Corporation (NYSE:DOV) and its subsidiaries. Earlier in her career, she held financial and operational roles at Arthur Andersen LLP, Honeywell Corporation and Sony Corporation. Ms. Evanko received a Master of Business Administration degree from The University of Notre Dame and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from La Salle University. Ms. Evanko also serves as an independent director of the Board of Greif, Inc. (NYSE:GEF, GEF.B))
"It is a privilege to join Duravant and build upon the remarkable foundation established by Mike," said Jill Evanko. "I'm grateful to him for the strong legacy of excellence he leaves behind, and I'm excited to work with this exceptional team to advance our mission and shape Duravant's next chapter of success."
Under Mr. Kachmer's leadership, Duravant emerged as a prominent player in the industrial automation sector. Mr. Kachmer led the company's transformation through 30 acquisitions and strategic partnerships and set the company's vision to expand into new market segments. He also grew Duravant's global footprint throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia and strengthened its position in emerging markets with the establishment of sales and service centers in Brazil, Mexico, China, Thailand, and India.
"Mike's retirement will mark the end of a remarkable career with Duravant. With his vision steering the company, Duravant has delivered unrivaled growth driven by innovation, operational excellence, and a fine-tuned customer focus," said Jeff Goldfaden, Managing Director and Head of Industrials at Warburg Pincus and member of Duravant's Board of Directors. "We are looking forward to welcoming Jill as Duravant's next CEO. Her strategic mindset and extensive leadership experience at best-in-class industrials companies position her to build upon Duravant's core strengths and lead the company's future success."
"On behalf of the Board, I'd like to extend our deep appreciation to Mike for his unwavering commitment and outstanding service to Duravant. His leadership and strategic direction have been instrumental in shaping the company into the high performing organization it is today," said Wes Bieligk, Partner at Carlyle and member of Duravant's Board of Directors. "We're excited to welcome Jill to Duravant. Her deep expertise and accomplishments reflect the same commitment to excellence and collaboration that define Duravant."
"Looking ahead, I am delighted that Jill will succeed me as CEO," said Mr. Kachmer. Her extensive experience, demonstrated capabilities, and winning spirit make her the perfect person to lead Duravant forward. I am confident that Jill and her leadership team will continue to build on our strong foundation and take Duravant to new heights."
About Duravant
Duravant is a global leader in advanced automation solutions operating across the food processing, packaging, and material handling industries. Founded on more than a century of expertise, Duravant delivers performance-driven technologies, integrated systems and full lifecycle services that drive productivity, efficiency and safety for the world's producers and movers of high demand goods. The company serves a broad range of essential end markets including food & beverage, agriculture, consumer and industrial goods, e-commerce, and logistics. Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, and serving customers in more than 190 countries, Duravant unites a portfolio of leading brands under a shared commitment to quality, innovation and customer success. For more information, visit www.duravant.com.
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Duravant Media Contact:
Eleni Yianas
Sr. Vice President, Marketing
Eleni.yianas@duravant.com