The Siltech Management Team

David Hutchinson
Executive Director

David is a graduate of Sydney University with a First Class Honours Degree in Chemical Engineering.

He’s founded a number of very successful start up businesses, two of which have received State and National recognition via the Telstra Small Business Awards – Siltech being one of those under its previous name of Photo Waste Management.

David has a passion for IT and has developed our operating system to a level where it could potentially be marketed to external clients as a business service in its own right. He also has a passion for new ideas and continues to be the key driver in the area of business development.

davidh@siltech.com.au

Alan Leaf
General Manager

Alan cannot be missed! He’s the one with the shiny pate, a huge handlebar moustache and an equally large grin on his face. He’s been with Siltech since June 2003, bringing with him many years of senior management experience  with national retail and service companies. He knows what customers want, having previously been one of our clients.

Alan’s enthusiasm and energy is contagious . He encourages all employees to have a go and loves to recognise their efforts with his regular ‘GM awards.’   He’s also got a soft spot for spreadsheets and figures and works closely with both the sales team and the operations managers to keep them on budget and on the lookout for new business opportunities.

alanl@siltech.com.au

Katy O'Brien
Resource Manager

Katy's one of those people whose destiny seems to be mapped out for her. She came to Siltech in 1996, stayed 5 years, left and worked for Macquarie Bank and IBM Australia, and all the while continued to raise a growing family. One night in a restaurant in 2007, she had a blast from the past when David Hutchinson stumbled over and asked her if she'd like to return to Siltech. By then Katy had realised that you can't fight fate, and has been back since.

Katy is now Siltech and Quantum's Resource Manager, a role that encompasses control of the finance and administration division. Her people management and accounts skills are qualities that have earned her the respect and admiration of Management and staff, and she's come to realise that she'll eventually be taken out of here in a box!

kobrien@siltech.com.au

Mark Wallis
Key Account Manager & Training Facilitator

A gross understatement would be to describe Mark as an avid fisherman – he’s totally besotted with it! And if you can get him off of his tales of 'the one that got away’, you’ll discover he is one of the most knowledgeable members of the company, having been with us since March 1997 during which time he’s held a number of key management positions, including sales and operations.

It is Mark’s knowledge and experience that enables him to deal so efficiently with our major national clients. His additional role of in-house training facilitator also allows him to pass on this experience to employees via structured programs, which to date have been both technical and administration based.

markw@siltech.com.au

Henry Nieuwenhuis
Sales Manager

Henry was the owner of TA Carman Pty Ltd, an SA based family business which was acquired by Siltech in June 2003. When he agreed to join us we obtained a wealth of experience, an extensive customer list and a mountain of jokes any stand up comedian would be pleased to have in his repertoire.

Henry’s great passion is golf which he approaches with as much enthusiasm as he does the business, and while he has a bit of work to do on his handicap (allegedly), he is well versed in all facets of the business, having worked in all areas, and now heading up our sales division during a very exciting period of growth and development.

henryn@siltech.com.au

Justin McGinty
Trolley Manager & Project Manager

Justin is the newest member of the management team, having joined in August 2007. He got this job by telling the GM at his interview that he was ‘off his trolley’ and we kind of knew he’d fit in!

This is a very demanding role, which actually has a national flavour to it, given Justin’s key clients are Big W and Coles; both national chains.  He is responsible not only for ensuring trolley fleets are maintained to an acceptable standard, but also for assisting the clients with the management of these assets by providing regular detailed management reports.

Justin’s ability to build long-term relationships with his clients has seen an expansion in his role to now include special projects which are those at the early stage of development requiring further research and trials to get them to a position where they can be passed on to the sales team.

jmcginty@siltech.com.au

Paul Higley
NSW Operations Supervisor

Paul joined us as a service technician in April 2002. He comes from an automotive background and it’s rumoured his appointment may have been influenced by his willingness to assist his mates with their car services, though no one is prepared to admit that in public!

Paul proved himself to be an extremely capable technician, with management skills brought across from his own business, and he has excelled in his supervisor’s role. He has an amazing work ethic and is very focussed on providing leadership and stability to his team, with whom he works very well.

paulh@siltech.com.au

Andrew Alexander
VIC/TAS Operations Manager

Andrew was ‘acquired’ with the Photofix business we purchased in October 2004, but had we known the depth of his knowledge and what a thoroughly nice guy he was, we’d have poached him long before that! 

He came to us as a very experienced processor technician and set about passing on those skills to Siltech’s staff, while learning other aspects of our business himself. Not only did he prove himself to be a quick learner, he also demonstrated the ability to get the best from those around him, which he continues to do in his management role.

andya@siltech.com.au

Chris Len
Refinery Manager

Chris has been working in the Refinery operation since May 1985 – yes, 1985, and managing since 1990.  Before Siltech was on the go, he was working for Silec, a company acquired by Siltech in 2001.

"Burning stuff" may sound like boys' own fun, but it takes skill and experience to run a successful refinery and we’re very fortunate that Chris has an abundance of both.

That he has the longest serving team in the business is a testament to Chris’s management style and like the Refinery; he’s a great asset to the business.

chrisl@siltech.com.au

Mike Hutchison
QLD Operations Manager

Mike’s originally from Melbourne where he first joined the company in July 1993. An ardent Collingwood supporter, Mike decided to try his luck in Queensland when he failed (for yet another year) to win the Footy Tipping competition.

Mike’s been in Brisbane since December 2006 and has taken to the climate and the people really well. He’s been involved in both operations and sales throughout his time with the company and his experience is invaluable to his team.

mikeh@siltech.com.au

Dean Frankel
SA/NT Operations Supervisor

Dean was a member of the TA Carman business we acquired in June 2003.  But what was he good for? Turns out, pretty much everything really.

Dean’s worked at all levels and in all areas of the silver recovery business and has learnt new skills to keep pace with the growth and diversification of the company. He’s one of the old school, who leads by example and ‘not my job’ is not in his vocabulary. 

He leads a very dedicated team in SA where even the admin assistant gets the truck out to pick up waste film and chemistry to help the boys out.

deanf@siltech.com.au

Andy Hill
WA Operations Supervisor

Being on the West Coast with an East Coast Head Office can at times be difficult and it requires someone with strength of character, and a great sense of humour to make it over there. Well Andy Hill has an abundance of both (as those attending company conferences will attest to)!

Andy joined the company in Perth as a service technician in July 1997 and has developed a great understanding of all facets of the business over the years, and he has an excellent relationship with all his clients and his team.

Being promoted to Supervisor was a justified recognition of Andy’s contribution to the business, but he hasn’t sat back, he’s recently attended leadership and sales training courses, all the while training on new products as they come on line and passing on his skills and experience to his team.

andyh@siltech.com.au

Lee Packer
Executive Assistant

Lee is the Executive Assistant to David Hutchinson, and has been his right hand (wo)man since March 2000. Is she good at her job? Let's just say the boss floats across the water like a majestic swan while she's frantically paddling away beneath clearing all obstacles.  And he always thinks the water's calm!

She also lends her skills to the management team, providing support and assistance to those of us that have never been able to put a decent letter or proposal together, and is always willing to help any member of staff.  One of Lee's most recent achievements has been the development of both our Siltech and Quantum websites.  Not an easy task, but one to which she applied her usual attention to detail and determination.

Lee is a very professional EA and a great asset to the business.

lpacker@siltech.com.au