Gopher Resource Executive Announcement
Brian Leen Named New President and CEO; Eric Robinson Joins as Senior V.P., COO
Gopher Resource, a national environmental solutions provider based in Eagan, MN, has announced the recent appointment of Brian Leen to President and Chief Executive Officer. Most recently, Mr. Leen held the same position with ADA Carbon Solutions, based in Colorado. He replaces Jeffrey Jacobsen who retired in October and remains on the company’s board. Joining Mr. Leen on the executive leadership team is Eric Robinson in the newly created position of Senior Vice president and COO. Mr. Robinson is also joining Gopher Resource from ADA Carbon Solutions.
Jacobsen explained that in addition to Mr. Leen and Mr. Robinson’s combined 55 years of experience in the specialty chemicals and materials industries, both men have extensive knowledge of Gopher Resource. They are on the company’s board and were highly involved in the early 2018 acquisition of Gopher Resource by Energy Capital Partners, who also owned ADA Carbon Solutions.
“Brian is the right person to lead us during this very dynamic time in our industry. We’re confident that his leadership style and knowledge of the energy industry, along with Eric’s operational expertise, will take Gopher Resource to the next level of excellence. We’ll continue to honor our long-standing commitment to providing customers with the best experience in our industry, through safe and environmentally focused recycling.” Jacobsen said.
Mr. Leen expressed his enthusiasm for the company and its bright and exciting future: “The lead battery industry is in a time of great change and innovation. Battery manufacturers are working to enhance battery performance and protect the environment. Gopher Resource plays an incredibly important role ensuring that the end of life for these batteries are managed in a safe, clean and environmentally responsible way, while providing customers with the reliability, innovation and service that they need.”
In his new role as Senior Vice President and COO, Robinson will focus on continual process improvement, quality control, and advancing overall safety and environmental standards.
About Brian Leen
Prior to joining Gopher Resource, Leen had been with ADA Carbon Solutions since 2010As President and Chief Executive Officer. He has over 25 years of experience in the specialty chemicals and materials business, largely with Sun Chemical Corporation. Leen holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management from the University of Kentucky, and he is a graduate of the Executive Management Program from the University of Michigan.
About Eric Robinson
Eric Robinson has over 30 year of experience in operational, supply chain and marketing roles with companies such as HaloSource, FMC Corporation and Hexion. Prior to joining Gopher Resource as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in 2018, he held the same position with ADA Carbon Solutions. Eric holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of California, Davis.
About Gopher Resource
Gopher Resource is a leading national environmental solutions provider whose core business is the safe recycling of lead batteries, followed by select household waste recycling. Through innovative facilities in Eagan, MN, and Tampa, FL, the company helps prevent over 26 million spent automotive, industrial and stationary batteries from going into landfills each year. Founded in 1946, Gopher Resource is owned by Energy Capital Partners, a private equity firm focused on investing in North America’s energy infrastructure. For more information visit GopherResource.com.