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Barry-Wehmiller

Capital equipment and engineering solutions provider

Chief Operating Officer

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/23/2026
No salary listed
Expert
Bachelor's, MBA
Hunt Valley, Cockeysville, MD, USA+2 moreMore locations: Phillips, WI, USA | Baltimore, MD, USA
In Person
Operations & LogisticsSupply Chain Management

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Engineering, Business, or a related field is required.
  • At least 15 years of progressive executive leadership in operations and supply chain within industrial, manufacturing, or complex multi-site environments is required.
  • Demonstrated success leading enterprise-level transformation, P&L-linked performance improvement, and structured continuous improvement programs is required.
  • Experience navigating global supply networks, advanced business systems, and high-mix/low-volume or engineered-to-order environments is required.
  • Expertise in Lean, Kaizen, structured problem-solving, and enterprise operating systems is required.
  • Strong analytical acumen and fluency in performance metrics and operational dashboards are required.
  • Proven ability to lead complex change, shape culture, and inspire innovation across diverse teams is required.
Responsibilities
  • Develop and execute a unified operations and supply chain strategy to accelerate growth, strengthen service excellence, and optimize cost and risk.
  • Align operational and supply chain objectives with enterprise strategy, financial targets, and long-range planning.
  • Serve as a strategic partner on the executive leadership team, shaping platform strategy, capital allocation, and policy deployment.
  • Champion continuous improvement and institutionalize The BW Way as a foundational operating system.
  • Drive improvements across safety, quality, delivery, cost, and inventory metrics through problem-solving, value stream optimization, and cross-functional collaboration.
  • Lead enterprise transformation initiatives that modernize operations, improve performance, and enhance organizational agility.
  • Foster a data-driven culture that empowers teams to make informed decisions and solve operational challenges.
  • Oversee end-to-end global supply chain operations, including demand planning, sourcing, procurement, materials management, logistics, distribution, and supplier performance.
  • Strengthen supply chain resilience through network design, supplier partnerships, and inventory and fulfillment strategies.
  • Ensure supply chain capabilities support customer commitments, growth objectives, and operational continuity.
  • Build and scale a high-performing global operations and supply chain leadership team.
  • Mentor and develop leaders in continuous improvement, structured problem-solving, and enterprise business systems.
  • Advance succession planning, workforce development, and cross-functional capability building.
  • Partner with engineering, commercial, finance, and people functions to integrate operational plans and customer outcomes.
Desired Qualifications
  • An MBA is strongly preferred.

About the company

Barry-Wehmiller provides capital equipment and engineering solutions for manufacturing, helping clients improve operations through design, integration, and installation of machinery and systems. Their products and services cover the lifecycle of capital equipment for manufacturing, from concept through delivery and support. The company differentiates itself with a people-first culture called Truly Human Leadership, focusing on the growth and well-being of team members, which they say leads to better performance and better outcomes for customers and communities. Its goal is to build a better world by developing people and delivering reliable solutions that positively impact the lives of employees, customers, suppliers, and communities.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

St. Louis, Missouri

Founded

1885

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • BW Packaging's July 2026 Crown partnership expands North American distribution through 50 branches.
  • BW Papersystems installed its 50th ServoPro Rotary Die Cutter on March 5, 2026.
  • Barry-Wehmiller appointed Sukumar Bhasker in June 2026 to scale its Chennai GCC.

What critics are saying

  • Bob Chapman's March 2026 death ended the culture's original architect; succession risk rises now.
  • BW Packaging's 2026 integration of three divisions creates execution risk across plants, systems, and sales.
  • If Kyle Chapman dilutes Bob's people-first brand, Barry-Wehmiller loses its core employer advantage.

What makes Barry-Wehmiller unique

  • Kyle Chapman now chairs Barry-Wehmiller after Bob's March 2026 death, preserving family stewardship.
  • BW Packaging, BW Converting, and BW Papersystems combine automation, conversion, and integration across industries.
  • Barry-Wehmiller's people-first operating model still differentiates hiring and retention across 141-year-old platforms.

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Benefits

  • Remote Work Options
  • Flexible Work Hours
  • Professional Development Budget

Company News

BizNewsDaily
Jun 2nd, 2026
Veteran GCC leader brings 20-plus years of global operations experience to Barry-Wehmiller.

Veteran GCC leader brings 20-plus years of global operations experience to Barry-Wehmiller. CHENNAI, India - June 2 - Barry-Wehmiller is pleased to announce the appointment of Sukumar Bhasker as Vice President - Global Competency Center (GCC), based in Chennai, India. In this role, Sukumar will lead the continued growth, capability-building and strategic evolution of Barry-Wehmiller's GCC, strengthening its role as a critical engine for global innovation, engineering excellence and shared services delivery. Sukumar joins Barry-Wehmiller with more than two decades of global experience in building, scaling and transforming Global Business Services (GBS) and GCC operations across geographies, including India, China, Mexico and Romania. Most recently, he served as Partner, Technology Consulting (GCC/GBS), at EY, where he advised global organizations on setting up and scaling technology and business service centers. Prior to that, Sukumar spent several years at Flex, where he led global IT GCC operations, overseeing a workforce of more than 1,500 team members and driving enterprise-wide digital transformation, process excellence and talent initiatives. Throughout his career, Sukumar has demonstrated a strong ability to align business strategy with technology innovation, leading initiatives in artificial intelligence, machine learning, automation, data platforms and digital transformation. He has also been deeply committed to building high-performing teams, driving team member engagement and championing diversity, equity and inclusion. "Sukumar brings a unique blend of global experience, operational depth and a strong people-first mindset," said Carol O'Neill, Chief Transformation Officer, who leads Barry-Wehmiller's GCC strategy. "His track record of building and transforming large-scale global centers, combined with his focus on developing people and strengthening culture, makes him the right leader to take our GCC to the next phase of growth." "I am honored to join Barry-Wehmiller, a company renowned for its people-centric culture and commitment to meaningful leadership," said Sukumar. "As a GCC leader in India, I look forward to driving innovation, fostering collaboration and empowering our teams to create lasting impact together. Here's to a journey of growth, purpose and shared success." In his new role, Sukumar will focus on expanding the GCC's capabilities, deepening its integration with Barry-Wehmiller's global platforms and enabling innovation-led growth while continuing to build a strong, people-focused culture. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in electronics and communication engineering and a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in operations management. He has completed multiple professional certifications, including an Advanced Diploma in GBS (CIMA) and a Certified Corporate Director (IOD) designation.

Greater GBC
May 1st, 2026
Kyle chapman of Barry-Wehmiller to give keynote at new north Summit.

Kyle chapman of Barry-Wehmiller to give keynote at new north Summit. Kyle Chapman, president and CEO of Barry-Wehmiller, will provide a keynote address at the upcoming New North Summit, scheduled for Tuesday, June 9, at the Lambeau Field Atrium in Green Bay. He will honor the legacy of his father, Bob, around the goal of building a more caring world through people-first business practices. Bob Chapman had been scheduled to provide a keynote at this year's Summit prior to his passing this past March 19. Bob Chapman, chairman and former CEO of Barry-Wehmiller Group, had shared his business philosophy in the 2015 best-seller, Everybody Matters: The Extraordinary Power of Caring for Your People Like Family, co-authored with Raj Sisodia. The book, which will be given to all New North Summit attendees, has sold more than 110,000 copies and has been translated into eight languages; it was re-released in a revised and expanded edition in 2025. Registration for the event remains open; a link to register can be found at www.newnorthsummit.com. "We are most appreciative that Kyle Chapman has agreed to step in for his father as a speaker at this year's New North Summit to help us honor Bob," says New North President and CEO Patti Habeck. "The philosophy of Barry- Wehmiller challenges traditional thinking about how to run a business, and offers simple, yet groundbreaking, ideas on how to create safe, healthy and fulfilling work environments. I believe that Kyle's words will be highly impactful to our guests." The keynote address of Kyle Chapman, sponsored by Capital Credit Union, will highlight how Barry-Wehmiller is redefining what success in business looks like by demonstrating how economic growth and human vibrancy work in harmony. The company's success and its leadership approach initiated by Bob Chapman was featured in a case study by Harvard Business School that is now taught at 70-plus business schools around the world. Kyle Chapman's tenure at Barry-Wehmiller began in 2009, when he co-founded BW Forsyth Partners, today a thriving $850 million-plus organization. He became the interim chief financial officer of Barry-Wehmiller early in 2020, and added CEO to his title in 2025 when Bob Chapman stepped down from the role after 50 years of leadership. Kyle Chapman holds a bachelor's degree in commerce from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University. Before joining Barry-Wehmiller, he worked in private equity and operations for multiple companies, including Banc of America Capital Investors, where he completed approximately $300 million in investments across numerous industries. Additional keynote addresses will be given by Rima Alaily, corporate VP and general counsel at Microsoft, and by Denise Thomas, leadership strategist and author of the best-selling The Only One in the Room. The New North Summit opens with a performance of the National Anthem by Lawrence University Associate Professor of Voice Estelí Gomez. Praised by The New York Times for her "clear, bright voice," she is acclaimed for her artistry in early and contemporary music. A soprano who has appeared on major symphonic, film and television recordings, Gomez is a two-time Grammy winner with the ensemble Roomful of Teeth. The afternoon session includes a pair of concurrent breakout sessions: a panel on cross-industry talent development strategies and a roundtable discussion on entrepreneurship. The talent session will focus on New North's role in industry alliances and talent-related initiatives, followed by a roundtable discussion with regional leaders in the construction, digital and healthcare industries. The entrepreneurship session will include a panel of successful entrepreneurs from the New North region. The New North Summit wraps up with a networking reception from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Additional event agenda updates will be provided at www.newnorthsummit.com on an ongoing basis. WHERE: Lambeau Field Atrium 1265 Lombardi Ave.; Green Bay, Wis. WHEN: Tuesday, June 9, 2026 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. New North, Inc., is a 501(c)3 non-profit, regional economic development corporationfostering collaboration among private and public sector leaders throughout the 18 counties of Northeast Wisconsin, known as the New North region. The New North brand unites the region both internally and externally around talent development, brand promotion and business development, signifying the collective economic power behind the 18 counties. The counties include Brown, Calumet, Door, Florence, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, Sheboygan, Waupaca, Waushara and Winnebago. www.thenewnorth.com

Pulse 2.0
Nov 12th, 2025
BW Design Group Acquires Malisko To Enhance National Leadership In System Integration And Automation

BW Design Group, a fully integrated architecture, engineering, and construction firm and a leading system integrator serving clients in the food and beverage, life sciences, household and personal care, and advanced technology sectors, has announced the acquisition of Malisko, a nationally recognized system integration and automation company.

Informa Markets
Aug 6th, 2024
Doug Neal joins Barry-Wehmiller

Doug Neal joins Barry-Wehmiller.

The Business Journals
Feb 20th, 2024
Big St. Louis-based manufacturing company fills new C-suite post

The Clayton-based company said Carol O'Neill, previously group president of packaging, has taken on the role of Barry-Wehmiller's chief transformation officer, effective Feb. 15.