Leadership
Meet the Management Team
Steven McKeown
President and CEO
Steve brings over 25 years of chemical industry experience to his role as President and CEO of NuCera Solutions. Prior to NuCera, he most recently served as President and COO of Galata Chemicals, a global plastic additive manufacturer, where he led the turnaround of the company after its carve out from Chemtura. Throughout his career, Steve has held various roles in Commercial, Supply Chain, Technology and Manufacturing with prior experience at Chemtura, Chevron Chemical and Exxon Chemical. He received his BS in Chemical Engineering from Polytechnic University in Brooklyn, NY.
Shawn Ham
CFO
As Chief Financial Officer for NuCera Solutions LLC, Shawn is responsible for the financial and IT operations of the company. Shawn brings to NuCera 30 years of accounting and finance experience including 16 years of experience in the chemical industry. Before joining NuCera, Shawn was the Chief Accounting Officer and Corporate Controller for KMG Chemicals and Director of Operations Finance for Lhoist North America.
Michaela Murry
Global Director of Human Resources
Michaela is an accomplished HR leader with over 20 years of experience in global HR, having worked in multi-location, multi-state and complex matrix environments. She developed an excellent track record of building collaborative and trusting partnerships with senior management through her career holding senior leadership positions at Argus Media, KMG Chemicals and SolvChem. Michaela has experience in publicly held, private and private equity owned businesses. She has earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Human Resource Management.
Steve Blashka
Global Commercial Director
Steve is responsible for NuCera’s global sales and customer service operations, and brings over 20 years of commercial experience in the petroleum and specialty chemical industries. Before joining NuCera, he was the Global Director of Strategic Accounts for Lubrizol’s Performance Coatings business. Steve has a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Northwestern University.
Steve Dee
Marketing Director
Steve has 36 years of experience in manufacturing, marketing and R&D within the wax industry. He started his career as a Process Engineer at Fischer-Tropsch’s fuels & petrochemicals plants. Steve previously served as President of Sasol Wax North America, led Sasol Wax’s global R&D (labs in USA, Germany & South Africa). He has a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
Kevin Chesnut
Director of Manufacturing
Kevin Chesnut has been the Director of Manufacturing for NuCera Solutions since its inception in October 2020. Before that, he was in the same position under Baker Hughes/BHGE and was intimately involved in the divestiture to SK Capital. Before joining the company, he served 26 years in the U.S. Navy Submarine Force as an enlisted nuclear machinist mate and a commissioned officer conducting operations across the full spectrum, including multiple missions vital to national security on several Western Pacific and Central Command deployments. Kevin earned his bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Kansas.
Melanie Urdiales
Technology Director
As Technology Director for NuCera Solutions, Melanie is responsible for leading the innovation efforts of the R&D, Applications Research and Pilot Operations teams. She has 20 years in the wax industry and has filled various roles within the technical organization for the former Baker Petrolite/Baker Hughes organization. She holds a master’s Degree in Chemistry from the University of Houston.