Directors
Rick Straw, President and CEO
Rick co-founded PACIV USA with Jorge L. Rodriguez in 2003 and has been instrumental in leading the company’s growth across the United States ever since. Under Rick’s leadership, PACIV has become the premier provider of industrial controls and instrumentation services in Indiana, while successfully expanding operations into key markets including Chicago, North Carolina, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and California.
As a Partner and Director, Rick plays a vital role in PACIV’s strategic direction, supporting initiatives across all global offices. He has also contributed to PACIV’s international expansion efforts in Europe, helping to establish a strong presence in the region.
Rick continues to lead the PACIV USA office, driving innovation, operational excellence, and client success through his deep industry knowledge and commitment to quality.
Jeffrey Johnson, Chairman of the Board
Jeffrey Johnson is now the Chairman of the Board of Directors of PACIV after the acquisition of the company through Blackford Capital. He has over 27 years of experience in investment banking and private equity investing. Johnson is involved in all facets of the Blackford Capital’s operations, including transaction sourcing, investment analysis, portfolio construction and management, deal financing, internal operations, and fundraising.
Puerto Rico
Ernick Figueroa, Business Development Leader
As Business Development Leader for PACIV in the Puerto Rico and Caribbean region, Ernick leads sales strategy and general administration, managing relationships with both existing clients and potential new partners. He also oversees strategic collaborations with key business partners to support long-term growth and service delivery.
With over 20 years of experience in industrial automation across the biopharmaceutical, food & beverage, and utilities sectors, Ernick brings deep industry insight and a strong track record of success. Prior to joining PACIV, he served as Business Development Strategist at Business Excellence Consulting, Inc. (BEC), where he focused on client acquisition and strategic growth initiatives.
Before his time at BEC, Ernick spent over nine years at Pharma-BioServ, Inc., holding roles such as Business Development Manager for Scienza Labs and Senior Validation and Compliance Consultant for Lilly Del Caribe, Inc.
Ernick’s leadership and expertise continue to drive PACIV’s mission of delivering high-quality automation and compliance solutions throughout the region.
United States
Chris Sormalis, Business Development Manager
As PACIV’s Business Development Leader, Chris is responsible for driving strategic growth by cultivating new opportunities and strengthening existing client relationships. His focus includes identifying new markets and channels for PACIV’s core services, expanding service offerings for current clients, and developing tailored, right-sized solutions that meet evolving industry needs. Chris also oversees key partnerships with industry collaborators to ensure alignment and long-term value.
Chris brings over 18 years of experience in the Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical, and Medical Device industries. He first joined PACIV-USA in 2004, and after three years, transitioned to a major medical device company where he held both technical and leadership roles. In 2013, Chris rejoined PACIV and has since led our expansion efforts in the Chicago region.
Throughout his career, Chris has served as a Project Team Leader and Automation/Validation Engineer on numerous automation and Computer System Validation (CSV) projects. He has hands-on experience with multiple control platforms, including Allen-Bradley PLCs, ControlLogix (CLx), and DeltaV, and possesses deep expertise in the full System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and its associated CSV deliverables.
Chris holds a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and has completed MBA studies at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).
Doug Metrish, Operations Leader
As the Operations Leader for the Indianapolis office, Doug Metrish is responsible for field project delivery with significant emphasis on project controls and project management. He has oversight of all field projects ensuring that all projects are properly managed and delivered on time, within budget and meeting all of our clients’ expectations. All field personnel within the Indianapolis office report to Doug. Doug has over 10 years of experience within the industrial automation, controls, instrumentation and validation fields. Prior to this position, Doug held multiple leadership and engineering positions within PACIV USA such as Project Team Leader, Sr. Automation Engineer and Automation/Validation Engineer.
Doug joined PACIV USA as an Automation/Validation Engineer I in 2003. Doug holds a double major, Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Jason Burton, Engineering Leader
As Engineering Leader, Jason Burton is responsible for insuring that all projects are delivered with the expected quality and that the company has all needed technical competencies in place at all times. Jason as the Engineering Leader will also assist the Business Development Manager with proposal generation and developing the right-sized and appropriate technical solutions for the client.
Jason has over 25 years of experience in industrial automation where he has held multiple engineering and leadership positions. He has over eleven (11) years working at PACIV where he has worked as Sr. Automation Engineer and Project Team Leader in multiple system integration projects.
Prior to PACIV, Jason has worked as Automation Engineer for Johnson Controls, Project Engineer for Industrial Controls & Automation and Controls Engineer for Frakes Engineering.
Ireland
Brendan Hyland, Business Development Manager
Brendan is a seasoned Business Development Manager with over 20 years of experience spanning process engineering, customer solution development, and strategic marketing within the chemical and manufacturing sectors. His expertise includes the design and implementation of process systems for chemical plants, as well as the development of targeted marketing strategies that drive growth and client engagement.
Throughout his career, Brendan has worked closely with engineers, technology partners, and clients to deliver optimal solutions tailored to complex industrial needs. Prior to joining PACIV, he held leadership roles including Head of Marketing at PMI Software and Freefoam, and served as Marketing & Business Development Manager at Cardform (Dublin) and Saint-Gobain Inc. (New Jersey, USA). He also worked as a Marketing Consultant for Kline & Co. (New Jersey, USA), and began his career as a Marketing Executive and Process Engineer at Chemtex/Mitsubishi (New York, USA).
Brendan holds an MBA in Marketing and International Marketing from the City University of New York, a Bachelor of Science in Technology from London Metropolitan University, and a Certificate in Digital Marketing from CMIT in Dublin, Ireland.
Tony Collins, Operations Manager
Tony brings over 28 years of experience in pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturing, with expertise spanning small molecule APIs, mammalian cell culture, and vaccine drug substance production.
He holds a Master of Engineering Science in Pharmaceutical & Biopharmaceutical Engineering from University College Cork, a Diploma in Project Management from UCD College of Business, and a Six Sigma Green Belt Certification.
Tony has contributed to several major capital projects, gaining extensive knowledge in GMP facility design, product qualification, and audit readiness. His background includes strong project management capabilities and a proven ability to collaborate with engineers, technology partners, and leadership teams to deliver optimal solutions.
Before joining PACIV, Tony held key roles across leading organizations in the life sciences sector. His experience includes serving as a technical expert at Polpharma Biologics, Operations Manager at MSD Cork, Supervisor at Regeneron Limerick, and various operations roles at Pfizer Cork, BMS Dublin, Organon Dublin, and Nycomed Cork.
Tony’s deep industry knowledge and leadership make him a vital part of PACIV’s commitment to delivering excellence in automation and compliance solutions.
