Control Chief is starting off the new year with a pretty big change — owner and chief executive officer Doug Bell is retiring, and has sold the company to three employees.
Tim Bean and Jake Bryner, both of Bradford, and Brian Landries of Angelica, N.Y., are now the proud owners of the Bradford-born company.
“Each of the three of us will be a managing partner,” Bean told The Era on Tuesday. “I will be the chief financial officer, Brian Landries will be the chief marketing officer and Jake Bryner will be the chief technology officer.”
The company will not have a CEO. Bell, who has led the company since 1992, will remain on the board of directors at Control Chief and will continue on in the role of chief strategic advisor in the immediate future in hopes of helping with the leadership transition.
“I am grateful to have spent nearly 40 years with this great company, and deeply honored to have had the opportunity to be at the helm for the last 20 plus years. I am very proud of what Control Chief has accomplished both here in the U.S and internationally,” said Bell. “I am excited for what is in store for the company under new leadership, but most important to me is that the company will remain local, meaning the valued people we currently employ will maintain their jobs.”
Bean explained how the change in ownership came about.
“Mr. Bell had told us he wanted to scale back in terms of his work here, and he wanted to find people who were interested in keeping the company in Bradford” to sell it to, Bean explained.
Landries added, “The thing was Tim, Jake and I have been basically running things for the last year. Doug (Bell) has been very happy and comfortable with how we’ve managed the company.”
And Bell wanted to be sure that “whoever he was leaving the legacy to was going to run it the same way, Landries explained.
“Our goal is really to remain solid among our competitors with consistent growth,” Bean said. “It’s a pretty consistent formula. We understand what our capacity is and we stay within that. We don’t anticipate a lot of changes.”
And the new leadership team has made a promise to Control Chief’s 50 employees and to the community — they are staying in Bradford.
“Control Chief has been here since 1971 — about 45 years,” Landries said. “The goal for the three of us to to keep this company viable and in Bradford for the next 45 years and longer.”
Bean agreed, and added, “It’s a great town and we’ve got a lot of resources here.”
Bell joined Control Chief on a permanent basis in 1978 and has held several different positions in the company, including oversight of the first computer/software installation.
This diverse experience gave him a great knowledge and understanding of the company’s inner workings, helping him to lead most effectively upon becoming CEO/owner in 1992. He has also served in many capacities in the community, serving on the boards of the United Way, Bradford Hospital, Beacon Light Behavioral Health Systems and The Pennhills Club.
Bryner joined Control Chief in 1997 as an engineer working in new product development. He became head of that department in 2009 and in 2011 began serving as vice president of product design and development. He has also served as a qualified engineering delegate to the CMAA (Crane Manufacturers Association of America) and member of ECMA (Electrification and Controls Manufacturers Association) representing Control Chief and creating new and improved regulations for the many industries the company supplies. Bryner has also recently become a member of the advisory board for the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.
“I feel fortunate to have built a career working for a company that provides innovative, high-tech wireless industrial control solutions right here in Bradford. I look forward to building on the strong foundation the team at Control Chief has built over the last 45 year and to ensure it’s here to provide jobs for the next 45 years and beyond.” stated Bryner.
Landries joined Control Chief in January of 2003 as an inside sales associate. In 2007, he achieved the position of sales manager and in 2012 moved into the role of vice president of sales and marketing. Landries is a 10-year member of AIST (Association for Iron and Steel Technology) has served in an advisory role for ECMA (Electrification and Controls Manufacturing Association) and MHI (Material Handling Industry) representing Control Chief in the creation and improvement of regulations/legislation in these associated industries.
“The driving factor behind this decision for me was the people that work here. We are fortunate to have a talented, dedicated staff of individuals that reside in and around the Bradford area. That, combined with the strong foundation that Mr. Bell has built over the years makes this an exciting opportunity,” said Landries.
Bean joined Control Chief in 2013 as chief financial officer. He brings with him many years of finance and management skills having previously worked in this capacity for 25 plus years at Beacon Light Behavioral Health Systems. Bean has also served on the Bradford Area School Board for 16 years, having recently resigned. He is active with the Bradford YMCA, serving at a committee level, and is active as Endowment Chairperson with the First United Methodist Church.
About his new opportunity with Control Chief, Bean stated: “I am very fortunate that Mr. Bell afforded me this opportunity. It became an easy decision considering the skills and experience that my partners bring to the table, along with the amazing group of employees at the company. This is a very committed group who has been with Control Chief through its many successes and few downturns.”
