Corporate
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Peter Schmidt
Founder and President/Chairman of the Board
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Kent DeVries
CEO
Kent started in sales in 1991 and now is the CEO and part owner of Silva. He oversees the procurement, sales, accounting aspects of the business and continues to drive business development for future growth. Kent has served on the Board of the American Spice Trade Association (ASTA) and several non-for-profit boards. His hobbies include golfing, fishing, and skiing.
phone: 815-472-3535 x18
email: [email protected]
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Steve DeYoung
COO
Steve has been with Silva since 1995 and is now the COO and part owner of the company. As Silva has grown, Steve has been vital in the design and implementation of all the various production processes and lines at Silva. He also manages the quality control department, production scheduling department, and the warehouse/production buildings.
phone: 815-472-3535 x14
email: [email protected]
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Tim Niehof
CFO
Tim has been a part of Silva since 2008. He oversees the accounting and human resources departments and serves on the senior management team. Tim holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant. He enjoys time with his family, while leading and serving in various church ministries.
phone: 815-472-3535 x20
email: [email protected]
Sales
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Anthony Drost
Sales Representative
Anthony has been a Silva sales representative since 2007. He travels the U.S. and Canada visiting with customers and loves working on new food, pet food, and nutraceutical projects. Anthony holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a minor in human resources. In his free time he likes to go on group bike rides. His goal is to hike in every national park in the U.S. and Canada with his wife and two boys (completed parks: Banff, Jasper, Tetons, Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain, Smokies).
phone: 815-472-3535 x27
email: [email protected]
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Darren Van Essen
Sales Manager
Darren started at Silva in 1997. Throughout the years he has worn numerous hats but a majority of his time has been within the sales department. His main sales focus is on key national accounts. He also is a member of the Silva management team. Darren holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Calvin College with a minor in finance. Darren has also served in numerous committees at school and was president of the Crown Point Christian School board. Darren is a father of four boys and spends a lot of time coaching them in baseball and basketball. In his free time Darren enjoys golfing, traveling, and spending time with his family and friends. He is also an avid outdoors-man.
phone: 815.472.3535 x23
email: [email protected]
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Dave Agema
Sales Representative
Dave started with Silva in 2001 and handles the day-to-day business with both existing accounts and new customers to communicate product knowledge and service opportunities. In addition, he handles pricing, negotiates contracts, and works side-by-side with accounts on new projects. Dave holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a marketing minor. Outside of Silva, he enjoys coaching his kids sports teams, vacationing with family, and attending local sports games.
phone: 815-472-3535 x29
email: [email protected]
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Jeff Weidenaar
Sales Director
Jeff has been with Silva since 1998, always working within the sales arm of the business. He continues with some direct customer management, along with overseeing the sales group and the objectives of related departments. He also directs the marketing efforts for Silva as well. Jeff holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business with a Marketing concentration. In his free time, he enjoys coaching for his kid’s sports teams, spending time with family, and Jeff serves on various school and church committees.
email: [email protected]
phone: 815-472-3060
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Matt DeVries
Sales Administrator
Matt started with Silva in 2015 and directly assists customers with purchase orders, products, questions and concerns around shipments. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing with an entrepreneurship minor. In his free time he enjoys photography, working on vehicles, and spending time with family.
phone: 815-472-3535 x49
email: [email protected]
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Rick Balkema
Sales Representative
Rick began working at Silva in 2012. He enjoys every part of dealing with customers on a day-to-day basis and does his best to get to know them to make their jobs easier. He graduated from Purdue University with a degree in German – International Studies and a minor in International Business. He spends his free time with his three young children, coaching and watching sports, and trying to enjoy it while it lasts! He also enjoys golfing when he can get away with it!
phone: 815-472-3535 x45
email: [email protected]
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Stan Kempczynski
Sales Representative
Stan has been with Silva since 2002, working within the sales department as an account manager. Stan enjoys helping customers solve problems and works to source and supply ingredients they need to achieve their goals. Stan holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Northern Illinois University. He enjoys time with his family, coaching soccer, and all outdoor activities from water skiing to home projects.
phone: 815-472-3535 x30
email: [email protected]
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Tyler De Jong
Sales Administrator
Tyler started at Silva in 2012 and provides unbeatable customer service while going the extra mile to ensure customers’ complete satisfaction. In managing key accounts, Tyler not only coordinates the individual shipments, but also aids in new project development. He holds a B.S. in business administration with a management minor. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family, playing basketball and other sports, exercising, and various church activities.
phone: 815-472-3535 x44
email: [email protected]om
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Samantha Justice
Sales Assistant
Sam started at Silva in 2016. She assists customers with purchase orders, including questions and needs around daily shipments. Sam can help you with all customer service needs and any needs of our products. Prior to Silva, Sam worked in customer service for seven years. Outside of Silva, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, camping, and going to aquariums and museums.
phone: 815-472-3060 x58
email: [email protected]
Order Entry
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Kim Sherwood
Order Entry Manager
Kim began working at Silva in 1999. She enters in all sales orders, creates shipment paperwork, creates customs documents for export shipments, and invoices shipped orders and orders office supplies. She is currently active in the transition to a new software program. Outside of Silva, Kim enjoys spending time with her family, supporting her daughter’s extracurricular activities, and being active in her church.
phone: 815-472-3535 x35
email: [email protected]
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Ashlee Denton
Order Entry
Ashlee started at Silva in 2016. She enters customer orders and prepares shipment documentation, along with customer label needs for our daily shipment of orders.
phone: 815-472-3535 x37
email: [email protected]
Product Samples
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Carole Lane
Product Sample Coordinator
Carole started at Silva in 2017. She coordinates all the samples sent from Silva. She prepares and ships samples of Silva’s products to customers for various needs including new project development, as well as needs for product testing and certifications for customs clearance.
phone: 815-472-3535 x34
email: [email protected]
Quality Control
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Ed Bove
Quality Assurance Director
Ed started at Silva in 2005. He is the department head for quality, serving as the authority on quality system programming, SOPs, and regulatory guidance for both quality assurance and quality control in the organization. Over the past decade Ed has developed Silva’s Food Safety and Quality programs to internationally recognized and accredited standards including 2 GFSI benchmarked programs (BRC and FSSC22000) and the USDA National Organic Program (NOP). He holds a B.S. in biology, is HACCP Certified, SQF Practitioner certified, and PCQI Certified. Ed is a craft beer aficionado and in his spare time enjoys spending time with his family and hitting the gym for stress relief and overall health and fitness.
phone: 815-472-3535 x25
email: [email protected]
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Stacy Hawkins
Technical Services Representative
Stacy began working at Silva in 2015. She answers customer questionnaires and provides requested technical documents. Stacy is also responsible for getting items submitted to the Non-GMO Project to be verified. She is HACCP Certified and SQF Certified. Outside of Silva, she enjoys spending time with family and competing in powerlifting.
phone: (815) 472-3535 x56
email: [email protected]
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Jeannine Munyon
Quality Systems Analyst
Jeannine started at Silva in 2011. She works with raw material and finished product testing; data logging; product hold and release program management; and, COA reporting and distribution. Prior to Silva she had 17 years of secretarial experience at private grade school. Jeannine enjoys spending time with family and traveling.
phone: 815-472-3535 x16
email: [email protected]
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Nick Plebanski
Quality Assurance Manager
Nick started with Silva in February of 2017. He is responsible for ensuring that the quality programs and processes are fully executed to ensure Food Safety and Quality for Silva. In addition, he leads Customer and Regulatory Audits while providing guidance to both the QA/QC Staff and the Food Safety Team.
Nick holds a B.A. in biology from Indiana University and is a Certified SQF Practitioner, an ISO 17025 Lead Internal Auditor, HACCP Certified, and PCQI Certified (pending May 2017). Starting his career in a laboratory setting, he had the opportunity to develop an understanding of food spoilage on a scientific level, which has helped him extensively in the evaluation and implementation of food safety programs.
Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter and, when time permits, hitting the golf course during the warmer months.
phone: 815-472-3535 x66
email: [email protected]
Raw Material Procurement / Quality Assurance / Sustainability
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Roger Clarke
International Quality Director
As quality director, Roger is responsible for the Food Safety and Quality programs within our China operation and other overseas supply countries. He works closely with the Silva-U.S. team to ensure internationally recognized Food Safety programs, such as HARPC, ISO22000, BRC, implementation of FSMA and other quality standards are obtained and maintained to the highest level possible. He has spent over 35 years in the dried ingredients business, working around the world, and has visited over 50 raw material supply countries. Roger has been privileged enough to be the Technical Chairman and President of the American Spice Trade and Technical chairman and President of the European Spice Trade Association, and has worked with the United Nations on programs to help least developed countries become viable suppliers to the ingredients industry. He is a keen sports enthusiast, enjoying skiing, mountain biking, hiking and golf. Roger also has a passion for helping underprivileged school children in Kenya, where an ongoing school enhancement project is in operation.
email: [email protected]
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Rodrigo Nunez
General Manager, China Operations
Rodrigo has been with Silva since 2007, always in China developing and implementing various quality programs at this raw material point. He holds a computer science certificate and has obtained a Hazard Critical Control Point certificate, International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Auditor trainee (AIB standard) and pest control principles. Rodrigo’s experience in the AD industry started back in June 1996 in Chile; he relocated to China in 2002, fell in love with the opportunities and challenges within China. and decided to stay. Since then, Rodrigo met a lovely Chinese national and got married in 2012. In his spare time, soccer is the preferred sport but he also enjoys ping-pong when weather does not allow outdoor sports.
phone: +86 135 7329 0627
email: [email protected]
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Alesha Benedict
Vendor Quality Assurance Manager
Alesha, who began working at Silva in 2013, is responsible for implementing and managing the supplier quality program. She drives continuous improvement with suppliers to achieve vendor compliance and meet the raw material quality standards. She holds an M.S. in Education & Interdisciplinary Studies, a B.S. in Agriculture Science, and A.A. in Agriculture Business and is HACCP Certified, Food Service Sanitation Certified, and Preventative Controls Certified. Outside of Silva, she raises Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats and volunteers with the 4H Youth organization.
phone: 815-472-3535 x42
email: [email protected]
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Pontus Mattsson
Director of Procurement
Pontus has been with Silva since 2005 holding various positions within the procurement department. He currently leads Silva's global procurement activities as well as activities related to supply chain sustainability. Pontus holds a bachelor of science in finance and economics from American University of Paris. In his free time Pontus enjoys traveling, spending time with his family and the occasional round of golf.
phone: 815-472-3535x 36
email: [email protected]
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Tyler Huenink
Purchasing Manager
Tyler has been with Silva since 2010 working within the purchasing department. He is involved with inventory management, product contracting with raw material vendors, and working on new product/new vendor development. Tyler strives to maintain and build relationships with our raw material vendors to ensure sufficient supply and quality products. Tyler holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a finance minor from Trinity Christian College. Outside of work, Tyler enjoys the outdoors with a variety of sports and activities such as cycling, hiking, running, and cross country skiing.
phone: 815-472-3535 x32
email: [email protected]
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Kelly Kelson
Import Logistics Coordinator
Kelly, who has been with Silva since 2001, is currently managing the Receiving/International Logistics department, with a focusing on global importing and customs compliance. She also coordinates Silva's local, outside sterilization needs and aids in managing raw material inventory. Kelly has an Associate Degree in Accounting. She enjoys biking, attending her sons' school events and sports, spending time with her family and friends, and any outdoor activities.
email: [email protected]
phone: 815-472-3535 x19
Warehouse/Shipping
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Lisa Stetson
Shipping Supervisor
Lisa has been with Silva since 2012, She coordinates the work flow from order to the warehouse to shipping, checks and compares freight costs, and supervises shipping employees. Lisa has an Associates of Applied Science and has been in the shipping industry for 28 years.
email: [email protected]
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Tim Kelson
Facility Manager (Mechanic Street)
Tim has worked at Silva since 2000 and is responsible for managing the shipping, raw material receiving, and maintenance areas at Silva. As a part of his facility oversight, Tim is certified and holds a fumigation license with the State of Illinois. He has three kids and helps to coach their sports programs. Tim enjoys motorcycles, antique cars and trucks, and in general does his best to stay out of trouble.
email: [email protected]
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Enrique Garcia
Raw Material Receiving Manager
Enrique has been with Silva since 2002, always working within the receiving department, while also overseeing the receiving office duties. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, and also participating church activities with his loving family and friends!
phone: 815-662-4695
email: [email protected]