KANSAS CITY, MO —Shick Esteve, world leader in ingredient automation, today named three new leaders to fill executive roles in its North America branch.
Blake Day
Blake Day is being promoted to president of Shick Esteve North America, effective immediately.
Day joined Shick Esteve in 2015 as CFO in Kansas City. He was then promoted to executive VP in 2018. “Since being promoted to executive VP, Blake has been very effective in managing the day-to-day operations in Kansas City,” said Tim Cook, CEO of Shick Esteve and VP of Linxis Group. “His leadership has been key in advancing our strategic initiatives for increased efficiency and reduced cost. It has truly been a pleasure to work with Blake as we continue to maximize the organization’s performance.”
Day brings varied financial and operational expertise to his new role. Prior to joining Shick Esteve, Day had related industry experience working as CFO of Marlen International and VP of finance for Premium Standard Farms Inc. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from William Jewell College. He will remain based at Shick Esteve in Kansas City, MO.
Jessica Nelsen
Jessica Nelsen is being promoted to VP of human resources at Shick Esteve North America, effective immediately.
Nelsen joined Shick Esteve in 2014 as human relations manager. Prior to Shick Esteve she worked in the HR department at Burns and McDonnell for six years. Since coming to Shick Esteve, Jessica has been instrumental in building the culture, recruiting top talent and improving the company benefit programs. She is responsible for all facets of human resources for Shick Esteve, including benefits administration, recruiting, employee relations and training.
“When we hired Jessica, our company culture immediately took a big leap forward,” said Tim Cook, CEO of Shick Esteve and VP of Linxis Group. “She has been key in recruiting talent and improving the benefits that we offer to our teammates. Jessica has also been an instrumental contributor to the development of our corporate strategy.”
Nelsen has a degree in business administration with a concentration in human resources and an MBA from the University of Nebraska. She is a member of HRCI, ABA HR and Safety Professionals Group Associations.
Jason Stricker
Jason Stricker is being promoted to VP of sales and marketing at Shick Esteve North America, effective immediately.
Stricker, a second-generation employee, has been in the field of ingredient automation for more than 20 years. During this period, he has developed a wealth of knowledge in the fields of ingredient automation and process solutions. For the last 13 years he has worked in regional and executive account management for Shick Esteve. In the past five years, he has served as the director of sales and marketing and has overseen significant market growth for the company.
“Jason’s knowledge of our technical capabilities and his connection to our customers has been key to our success in recent years,” said Tim Cook, CEO of Shick Esteve and VP of Linxis Group. “This promotion recognizes his valuable contribution to the leadership of our organization.”
Stricker is an active member of the Bakery Equipment Manufacturers and Allieds (BEMA) association where he holds a seat on the Baking Industry Forum (BIF). He graduated from Baker University with a bachelor of science degree in biology. He will remain based at Shick Esteve in Kansas City, MO.