Leadership

Leadership Team

Carus is distinguished by a qualified group of executives who lead the business strategy in several functional areas including finance, operations, human resources, and product management, among others. Together, this cross-functional group of executives elevate daily operations to meet key business objectives. Influenced by their professional experience in different industries, the Leadership Team is focused on continuing the Carus legacy and driving global innovation for years to come.

AndyAndy Johnston serves as President & Chief Executive Officer at Carus. He joined Carus in 2020 with over 30 years of global experience in the chemical industry. Most recently, he served as Group Vice President, Composites of Ashland LLC where he led multiple businesses. During his 25 year tenure at Ashland, he developed and executed numerous strategic growth initiatives, including acquisitions, global expansion, and innovation pipeline management. Prior to that, Andy spent nine years at ICI PLC in the United Kingdom and the US, where he served in a variety of technology and business leadership positions. Andy is a graduate of the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland where he earned a degree in Pure and Applied Chemistry. He also holds a Masters of Business Administration from The Ohio State University.

LT Chryss Crockett 2022Chryss Crockett serves as Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer at Carus. She joined Carus in 2019 with a robust background in managing both privately held and publicly traded organizations. Most recently, she served as President of Armstrong Aerospace, a division of Astronics Corporation. In previous roles, she was responsible for overall company performance, financial operations, and strategic sourcing. Chryss began her career in Public Accounting with clients in the manufacturing, distribution, and real estate sectors for mid-sized private and public entities. She then moved on to corporate reporting/SOX compliance of publicly traded companies, and managing large, privately held family enterprises. Chryss is a Certified Public Accountant in Illinois and holds a Bachelors Degree in Accounting from the University of Illinois.

AllenAllen Gibbs serves as Vice President, Operations at Carus. He joined Carus in 2018 with over 30 years of experience in the chemical industry. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Operations for C.I. Thornburg, serving customers in the municipal water and wastewater industry. During his 11 year tenure, Allen directed key strategic projects resulting in reductions in safety incidents, as well as the implementation of NACD Responsible Distribution. Prior to that, Allen held leadership roles at Supreseta and AkzoNobel. Throughout his career, Allen has demonstrated success in driving strategy, innovation, and execution. Allen is a member of AlChE, the world’s leading organization for chemical engineers. He also belongs to the American Water Works Association. Allen holds a Bachelors Degree in Chemical Engineering from Auburn University.

LyndsayLyndsay Bliss serves as Vice President, Human Resources at Carus. She joined Carus in 2020 with over 15 years of global human resource experience. Most recently, she served as Vice President of Human Resources for INEOS Composites, where she was responsible for the human resource function of a $1 billion business spanning 17 countries. Prior to that, Lyndsay spent 13 years with Ashland LLC in varying human resource functions, most recently as the Global Human Resource Leader for Ashland Performance Materials. She has expertise in managing workforce talent and developing organizational solutions that align people strategies to business initiatives. Most of her career has been focused on the chemical space. Lyndsay holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Management from West Chester University and a Masters of Business Administration from Franklin University.

ToddTodd Courter serves as Vice President, Commercial. He joined Carus in 2021 with over 25 years of experience in the chemical industry. Most recently he served as Vice President, US of INEOS Hygenics. He managed start up businesses driven by the pandemic, as well as backward integration into key raw material markets. Prior to that, Todd worked at Ashland LLC for 23 years where he led corporate development initiatives for the organization. He has a well-rounded background in business & product management, traditional finance roles, strategy, portfolio management, and end-to-end acquisition and divesture management. Todd holds a Bachelors Degree in Finance and Accounting and a Masters of Business Administration from The Ohio State University.

RichRich Landtiser, PhD serves as Vice President, Innovation and Technology. He joined Carus in 2022 with over 25 years of global experience in the chemical industry. Most recently he worked at Vertellus, LLC where he managed global technology of the Life Ingredients business. Prior to that, Rich spent 5 years at Melior Innovations and its affiliated companies developing and commercializing new technologies in paint and coatings, electronics, and oil and gas markets. Rich holds a Bachelors Degree in Chemistry from Baylor University, a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Florida, and a PhD in Chemistry from Tulane University.

Board of Directors

Carus benefits from a revered panel of executives who provide guidance, insight, and expertise to support the evolving needs of the business. The Board of Directors continues to advance and influence the success of the business through their partnership with the Carus Leadership Team. We are fortunate to have several long-standing and highly respected individuals serve on the Carus Board of Directors.

Board Inga CarusMs. Carus is Chairman of Carus LLC, a role which she has held since 2013.  She served as President from 2005 until 2013 and as Chief Executive Officer from 2005 – 2016.  Ms. Carus joined Carus in 1992 as European Sales Manager and returned to the U.S. in 1993 to become Director of Marketing.  She was Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing from 2001 – 2005.  Prior to joining Carus, Ms. Carus worked for Air Products and Chemicals Inc. from 1987 – 1992, primarily serving in commercial positions in Europe, where she had responsibility for specialty chemicals for the German speaking regions.  She received a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry, and and a Master of Business Administration, both from the University of Chicago.  Ms. Carus is co-founder, with her husband Peter Limberger, of CL Enterprises, a holding company of various businesses, which range from farming to aviation, and includes CL Real Estate, a business whose tag line is “Small Towns.  Big Ideas”.   Ms. Carus serves on the boards of the American Chemistry Council, the Hegeler Carus Foundation,  and the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation.  Ms. Carus lives in Ottawa, Il and has two daughters. 

Board M. Blouke CarusMr. Carus is Chairman Emeritus and Chief Technical Advisor. Mr. Carus served (by Presidential appointment) as a member of the National Council on Education Research, which established policy for the National Institute of Education of the U. S. Department of Education. He was instrumental in establishing the International Baccalaureate North America (IBNA) in 1973 and was Chairman of the IBNA until June 1985.  Mr. Carus was also a Council member for the International Baccalaureate in Geneva, Switzerland from 1977 to 1994 and subsequently rejoined the International Baccalaureate Organization to strengthen the curricula and the infrastructure. In 2001, Mr. Carus was named Man of the Year by the Manufacturing Technology and Management Program of the Illinois Institute of Technology. He received the national Vanguard Award from the Chemical Education Foundation in 2002, and an honorary doctorate from Illinois Wesleyan University in 2003. In 2004, Mr. Carus received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Caltech. In 2006, he and his wife, Marianne, were inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Association of Educational Publishers, and in 2007 Mr. Carus received the SRA McGraw-Hill Lifetime Achievement Award in Education. In 2013, Mr. Carus was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Illinois Valley Community College and received the Living Out the Vision Award from the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions. Mr. Carus holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology in 1949, after having served from 1945-1946 in the U.S. Navy. He studied foreign languages and chemistry at Mexico City College, the University of Freiburg, Germany, and the Sorbonne, Paris. He joined Carus in 1951 as a Development Engineer and holds seven U.S. patents for his work during that period.

Board Mark ByeMr. Bye is currently a Senior Advisor to Morgan Stanley, having previously served for 13 years as a Managing Director and partner in their Private Equity and Energy Capital Funds. He joined Morgan Stanley in 2008 in London, assuming leadership responsibilities for the European private equity team and globally for the industrials, basic materials, and energy sectors. Mr. Bye has successfully led and delivered profitable growth for a diverse set of enterprises over the course of his 40+ year career. Before joining Morgan Stanley, Mr. Bye served as President and CEO of DyStar, GmbH, a 1B€ German-based private equity-owned leading global provider of dyes, chemicals, and services to the textile, leather, and fashion industries. Prior to moving into private equity, Mr. Bye spent 23 years with Air Products and Chemicals Inc. At Air Products, he held numerous positions of increasing responsibility, ultimately serving as Group Executive of the $7 billion industrial gases and equipment group. His breadth and depth of experience with the company included leadership positions based in Asia, Europe, and the United States, as well as extensive representation of the firm with external constituencies in the investment community, government, and media. He is an active investor in technology based start-ups and provides consulting and advisory services to companies in chemicals and industrials through his company, The Bye Group, LLC.  Mr. Bye holds a Master of Science and Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and is a graduate of INSEAD’s Advanced Management Program. He serves on several industry, corporate, and not-for-profit boards.

Board Christopher LeittenMr. Leitten is a member of the investment team at Seidler Equity Partners (SEP), a private investment firm headquartered in Marina del Rey, California, which entered into a strategic partnership with Carus in 2019. Mr. Leitten is involved in all SEP activities, including sourcing and executing new investments, advising partner companies on strategic planning, and evaluating and implementing growth initiatives. He currently serves as a board member for several SEP partner companies. Prior to joining SEP, Mr. Leitten was an investment banker at DBO Partners, a San Francisco-based boutique, where he advised companies on mergers and acquisitions, private capital raises, and board-level matters. Mr. Leitten graduated summa cum laude from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and a double major in Theology.

Board Rich LorraineMr. Lorraine most recently served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Eastman Chemical Company, from which he retired in 2010. Mr. Lorraine began his career with Westinghouse Electric Corporation in 1963. In 1978, he joined Clark Equipment Company where he held various financial positions.  In 1980 Lorraine joined ITT Corporation as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the company’s Fluid Technology Group, and over the next four years, he rose to the position of Chief Financial Officer of ITT’s Automotive Group. In 1990, he was named president of ITT Automotive Aftermarket Group. In 1995, Mr. Lorraine joined Occidental Chemical Corporation as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Occidental Chemical Corporation, OxyChem, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum Corporation and is a chemical manufacturer, with interests in basic chemicals, vinyls, and performance products. In addition to his finance responsibilities, Lorraine also led the purchasing, logistics, and e-business functions of the $3 billion chemical company. He held these positions until joining Eastman in 2003. A native of New York City, Lorraine graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. 

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Mr. Nusterer most recently served as President of Cummins’ Power Systems Business Unit and also oversaw the company’s activities in India before retiring in 2022.  Mr. Nusterer joined Cummins in 1996 and held a number of progressive roles in supply chain and operations in the US and in Europe.  After turning around Cummins Spare Parts operations, Mr. Nusterer successfully led Cummins global New and ReCon Parts business as a general manager.  Under his leadership, the business doubled in size and assumed the role of shared service provider to the entire corporation. In 2016, Mr. Nusterer was asked to lead Cummins Power Systems which grew to $5B as a global leader in industrial engine and power generation equipment to many of the world’s leading OEMs, commercial and industrial end users. 

Over the last two decades Mr. Nusterer represented Cummins on several Joint Venture boards both internationally and in the US.  He served on the Board of Cummins India Limited, a public company listed on the Sensex.  Outside of work, Mr. Nusterer was a board member on the Bartholomew County Heritage Foundation in Columbus, IN. A native of Austria, Mr. Nusterer holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor Degree from Vienna University of Economics.

Board Tobin RyanMr. Ryan is a Partner at Seidler Equity Partners (SEP), a private investment firm headquartered in Marina Del Rey, California, which entered into a strategic partnership with Carus in 2019. Mr. Ryan is involved in all SEP investment activities, including assisting partner companies with strategy development, process improvement, performance measurement and decision support analysis. Prior to joining SEP in 2009, he served as COO of Tomah Products, a former partner company of SEP. Prior to Tomah, Mr. Ryan held positions with Bain Consulting and General Electric. Mr. Ryan holds a Bachelor of Arts from University of Notre Dame and an MBA from Harvard University.

Board William ShropshireMr. Shropshire is Chairman of the Board of American Chemet Corporation. He began his career with the International Nickel Company of Canada (now owned by Vale) at its Huntington, WV rolling mill in 1961. Commissioned in the U.S. Army in 1959, he entered active duty in 1961, returning to Inco in 1962 in a Sales capacity. In 1970 he was transferred to Boston as New England District Sales Manager. In 1973, Mr. Shropshire joined the corporate staff in New York city as Manager, Ventures Development, where he was responsible for evaluating mining opportunities and startups in Latin America, the U.S., and Australia. In 1976, he joined American Chemet Corporation, a copper and zinc-based chemicals processing company, as its President and CEO. He retired from executive responsibility in June 2010 and was elected Chairman of the Board. Mr. Shropshire was a founder of Peninsula Copper Industries in 1982 and also served as its CEO for 20 years. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Metallurgical Engineering from Purdue University, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago.  For 20 years he served ABET as an accreditation visitor to Materials Engineering Programs and currently serves on the Advisory Committee for the Engineering Programs at Carroll College in Helena, MT and for the school of Materials Engineering at Purdue. 

Board John VenegoniMr. Venegoni most recently served as Vice President & General Manager of Stepan Company, from which he retired in 2014.  Mr. Venegoni joined Stepan in 1982 and held a number of progressive roles, from Product Development Engineer to Global Business Director.  At Stepan, Mr. Venegoni successfully led and managed a $1 billion global surfactant business, which achieved record income performance during his tenure.  He was a member of Stepan’s Operating Committee and a contributor to the overall strategic direction of the company. Mr. Venegoni assumed responsibility for Stepan’s Personal Care business in 1990.  He went on to hold numerous positions in Business Management.  Mr. Venegoni had a one-year leave from Stepan, during which he worked at American Hoechst and was responsible for production and quality improvements in a PVC manufacturing facility. Mr. Venegoni served on the Board of Directors for the Chemical Specialty Products Association from 2003 to 2006.  He served on the Board of Directors of the American Cleaning Institute from 2007 to 2014.  He currently sits on the Board at Sironix Renewables as well as on an Advisory Board for Cargill’s bio industrial business.  Mr. Venegoni holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Chemical Engineering, both from the University of Illinois.

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