Milliken & Company Leadership Team
LEADING WITH PURPOSE
CURIOUS MINDS. DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES.
We are a global team of 8,000+ scientists, engineers, manufacturers, designers, thinkers, collaborators, and problem-solvers singularly focused on creating positive impact through purpose-driven products. Our passion, perspectives, commitment, and expertise set us apart as we work together with our partners to create tomorrow's breakthrough innovations today.
Halsey M. Cook Jr.
President and CEo
Mr. Cook is President and Chief Executive Officer of Milliken & Company. Headquartered in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Milliken is a privately-owned, technology-based company with leading businesses in textile and performance materials, wound care, commercial floor covering, colorants, coatings, and plastic additives markets. Halsey leads the Milliken team of 8000 associates in 70 plants and offices, selling to customers in 135 countries around the world. Prior to joining Milliken in 2018, Halsey was President and CEO of Sonepar USA, President of Legrand Electrical, and President of Carrier Corporation’s Residential and Light Commercial division. His 30-plus years of business experience in Electrical and HVAC markets includes senior P&L roles in manufacturing, distribution, product marketing, and development based in France, Italy, the UK, and the United States. Halsey graduated from the University of The South in Sewanee, Tennessee with degrees in Economics and English. He also received his MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. Mr. Cook serves on the boards of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Alliance to End Plastic Waste, National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), Palmetto Business Forum, and the Belle W. Baruch Foundation. Mr. Cook is also an independent director of Southwire Company, a leading global wire, cable, and tools manufacturer based in Carrollton, Georgia.
Cindy Boiter
EVP and President, Chemical
Cindy Boiter is EVP and President of Milliken’s Chemical Business. She leads a global specialty chemicals portfolio of plastic additives, coating additives, performance colorants and ingredients, and fine chemicals. Cindy joined Milliken in 2012 as Director of Marketing, Strategy, and Business Development for the Chemical Business. From 2013-2019, she was the Chief Financial Officer for that business. Cindy was Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of Milliken & Company from 2019 until 2021, when she was promoted to her current position. Prior to joining Milliken, Cindy held various finance and business leadership positions at Eaton Corporation and MeadWestvaco. Cindy received a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Indiana University and a Master of Business Administration from Emory University. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Perma-Pipe International Holdings, is an Executive Committee Member of The Society of Chemical Industry, and is a Board Member of The American Red Cross, Upstate South Carolina. Additionally, Cindy is a member of the boards of the American Chemistry Council and the International Council of Chemical Associations.
Michael Brown
EVP of Operations
Michael Brown is EVP of Operations. In his current role, Michael leads Milliken’s Global Operations function including corporate logistics, transportation, sourcing, environmental health and safety (EH+S), corporate engineering, security, the Milliken Performance Solutions office, and Milliken’s consulting arm, Performance Solutions by Milliken. Michael joined Milliken in 2022. Michael comes to Milliken with over twenty years of leadership experience at Albemarle Corporation. In his most recent role, Michael was the Chief Operating Officer for the Bromine Specialties Global Business Unit. During his career, Michael has lived and managed manufacturing in South Carolina, Louisiana, Texas, Michigan, and Ohio. He has also managed operations in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and he completed an assignment leading the upgrade of Albemarle’s SAP production planning, maintenance, reliability, and quality systems. Michael holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of South Carolina and a Chemical Engineering degree from Georgia Institute of Technology, including a summer internship with Milliken.
Allen Jacoby
EVP and President, Textile
Allen Jacoby is SVP and Chief Strategy Officer. In his current role, Allen leads annual strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, and enterprise risk management. Prior to joining Milliken, Allen had a variety of development, sales, marketing, and consulting roles in the chemical, pharmaceutical, and technology industries, including three years as a strategy consultant in Arthur D. Little’s chemicals practice. Prior to assuming this role in 2021, Allen was Senior Vice President of Milliken’s Plastics Additives business for eight years. He started his career at Milliken in 2002, as a Strategist in the Textile Division. In 2002, he assumed the Marketing Director position for the MaxCell business. In 2009, he became Vice President and Business Manager for the Building and Infrastructure business. Allen holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University and a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania with joint degrees in finance and entrepreneurial management. Allen has served on the Board of Directors for Plastics Industry Association, and now serves as a delegate to the CEO on the Board for the Alliance to End Plastic Waste. He is also a member of the Upstate Forever Board of Directors.
Patrick Keese
EVP and President, Floor Covering
Patrick Keese is EVP and President of Milliken’s Floor Covering Business. Joining Milliken in 2023, Patrick oversees the global modular flooring business that serves multiple industries and manufacturers more than 290 product collections. Patrick has an extensive background in international business leadership. Prior to joining Milliken, he served as SVP and General Manager for Altium Packaging, producing plastic and packaging components. Patrick also worked in manufacturing and commercial roles for Sonoco Products Company, a global provider of consumer packaging, industrial products, protective packaging, and healthcare packaging solutions, spending six years abroad in Belgium and the U.K. leading Sonoco’s Consumer Products Division. He holds a Bachelor of Science in industrial management and marketing from Clemson University, as well as certifications in various executive development programs at Columbia University and the Rensselaer Hartford Graduate Center. Patrick currently serves on the Board of NSI, Inc., a Mill Point Capital company.
Kasel Knight
SVP, Chief Legal Officer, and Secretary
Kasel Knight is SVP and General Counsel. In her role as General Counsel, Kasel Knight is responsible for all legal aspects of Milliken’s global, diversified manufacturing business. She also manages the Company’s Sustainability, Government Relations and Trade Compliance functions. She serves as Secretary, supporting the Board of Directors and Stockholders on corporate governance matters. Prior to joining Milliken, Kasel practiced mergers and acquisitions and corporate and securities law in Atlanta, GA and Boston, MA. Kasel received her BA, cum laude, in both English and French from Duke University. She attended Duke University School of Law, where she was a Staff Editor on the journal of Law & Contemporary Problems. Kasel is a member of the Georgia, Massachusetts and South Carolina bars. She is President and a Board member of the SC Association of Corporate Counsel and a Board member of the Greenville Symphony Association and Alumni Board of Christ Church Episcopal School.
Shri Parikh
EVP and President, Ovik Health
Shri Parikh is EVP and President of the Ovik Health business. In his current role, Shri leads a portfolio of products across medical wound care, animal healthcare, and sports medicine. Shri joined Milliken in 2021. Shri began his career with Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals in research. For nine years, he worked with St. Jude Medical Center where his roles included the Vice President, Strategic Corporate Sales and National Accounts. Shri moved to Stryker in 2011 where he was responsible for national GPO sales and strategic field execution and contracting for all Stryker Medical-Surgical businesses. In 2013, Shri and his family relocated to Atlanta, GA where he served as Molnlycke Health Care’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing where he was responsible for the company’s North American business. In 2018, Shri joined Sanuwave, a small public company, as President. In 2020, he started The Mobile Health Company, a first-in-market wound care-focused service offering within Atlanta. Shri holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Medical Ethics from Davidson College and postgraduate business degrees from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and Jacksonville University in Florida.
David Smart
EVP, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Information Officer
David Smart is EVP and Chief Financial Officer. In his current role, David leads finance, accounting, tax, treasury, information technology, and digital transformation. David joined the Company in 2019. Prior to joining Milliken, David served as Senior Vice President and CFO of Pella Corporation. There, David was a member of the Board of Directors and had responsibility for strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, finance, accounting, internal audit, tax, treasury, legal, information technology, and business insights. David also had operational responsibilities for two business units and served for three years as the Chief Information Officer. Prior to his role with Pella Corporation, David spent 20 years with Ford Motor Company in senior finance leadership roles that included assignments in both the United Kingdom and Australia. David serves on the Board of Trustees for Converse University, is a member of the Indiana University (IU) Kelley School of Business Dean’s Council, and belongs to the IU CFO Roundtable. David holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Science in Finance, Business Economics, and Public Policy from Indiana University. David served for seven years as a Board Member and President of the Indiana University Kelley School of Business Alumni association.
Bethany Smith
SVP and Chief Human Resources Officer
Bethany Smith is Human Resources Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer. In her role, Bethany is responsible for spearheading Human Resources (HR) strategy for Milliken. Her extensive career with Milliken began in 1994, when she started as an industrial engineer and supply chain manager. Prior to this, she worked at MAU Workforce Solutions where she provided HR support to numerous global manufacturing companies, including Milliken. Bethany rejoined Milliken in 2015 as Director of Talent Acquisition. Soon after, she added responsibility for Learning and Development. In 2017, Bethany moved into an HR Director role in the Textile Division until her promotion to Vice President of HR. In that role, she dually supported Milliken’s Corporate Functions and the company’s newly formed Healthcare Division for eighteen months. For the past four years, Bethany provided strategic HR support to the senior leaders of Milliken’s Enabler functions until her appointment to Interim CHR.
Danna Vetter
SVP and Chief Marketing Officer
Danna Vetter is SVP and Chief Marketing Officer. In her current role, she leads marketing strategy, brand, communications, and customer experience. Prior to joining Milliken in 2019, Danna was Senior Vice President, Global Marketing and Innovation at Aramark where she was responsible for customer insights, corporate branding and communications, product innovation, health and wellness, brand portfolio management, customer experience, and digital marketing. Danna served as Vice President of Business Development for Alloy Media + Marketing where she was responsible for driving innovation and industry disrupting partnerships for key brands, including Verizon Wireless, Sprint, Coca-Cola, Citibank, XM Satellite Radio, MTV, Maybelline, and AOL. Danna is a graduate of Rutgers University where she earned both her Bachelor of Marketing Communications and Master of Organizational Communication degrees. Danna served on the Pennsylvania Ballet Board for five years. In 2020 she became a Board member of the Rutgers Business School Center for Women in Business. Danna is a founding board member of the National Charity League, South Carolina chapter, a non-profit program that embraces community service, leadership development, and cultural experiences for young women.
Ed Zhao
Asia Managing Director and SVP, Milliken and Company
Ed Zhao is SVP and Asia Managing Director. In his current role, Ed leads our Asia strategy and portfolio management across all businesses. Ed joined Milliken in 1995 as a Research Scientist for Milliken’s Chemical Business where he played a leading role in developing and commercializing new product lines. During his tenure at Milliken, Ed has held a variety of technical and business leadership positions, including Director of R+D for the global chemical business, Director of Sales, and Regional Manager of the Asia chemical business. He was appointed to his role as Milliken’s Asia Managing Director in 2011. Prior to joining Milliken, Ed received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Science and Technology of China and a Ph. D. from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Ed is a graduate of The Stanford Executive Program. Ed is a member of the China Petrochemical and Chemical Industry Federation, the American Chamber of Commerce in China, China Task Force of Alliance to End Plastic Waste and American Chemical Society, and a Board member of Georgia Tech China Foundation.