Leadership

Your Performance Team

Valence is led by a team of industry powerhouses in special processing, with decades of exceptional surface technology expertise. Their goal is simple – to provide every customer around the world with best-in-class quality, delivery, and value.

Chris Celtruda

Chief Executive Officer

  • Former CEO and Member of Board of Directors at Kellstrom Defense
  • Other Experience: President of Industrial Products at Gardner Denver.; Vice-President of Aerospace at CIRCOR International; and Director of Aerospace Controls and Engine Systems at Honeywell Aerospace
  • Member Board of Directors of the Southern California Aerospace Club, GEOST, and Heinz Engineering LLC
  • An accomplished executive leader with over 30 years of experience driving strategic business growth with full P&L ownership for technology-intensive business units of up to $1.25 Billion in annual sales.
  • Expertise: Executive Team Development, Organic Business Growth, Business Execution, Merger, Acquisition and Integration, Change Management, Global Business Customer Relationship Management, Lean Manufacturing / Operations Transformation.

Michele Starrs

President and Chief Operating Officer

  • 9 years of aerospace manufacturing experience including forging, machining, and processing
  • Former Vice President of PCC Fluid Fittings
  • Other Experience: General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Coca Cola Enterprises
  • Expertise: operations and supply chain management, lean manufacturing, and continuous improvement

Donald Weinstein

Chief Financial Officer

  • More than 32 years of executive leadership in multiple industries
  • Former Chief Financial Officer at BHI Energy
  • Other Experience: CFO and operations executive for multiple private equity and public companies
  • Expertise: growing organizations, M&A, turn arounds, accounting, finance, tax, IT, domestic, and international economics

Tudor Lupea

Executive Vice President Corporate Development

  • 10 years of M&A and corporate development experience in the aerospace industry
  • Former Corporate Development and Strategy of PCC, Precision Castparts 
  • Other Experience: Corporate Development at Noranco, M&A at MNP
  • Expertise: M&A, strategy and business development, financial analysis, and modeling

Chris Grapsas

Vice President Sales and Marketing

  • 15 years of engineering, design, and business development experience in the aerospace, power generation, and oil & gas sectors
  • Former Head of Business Development for Hixson Metal Finishing
  • Other Experience: Calnetix Technologies and Dresser-Rand Company (Siemens)
  • Expertise: technical international sales and marketing, sales process implementation, executive leadership and system deployment

Simone Murphy-Fickenworth

Vice President Quality Assurance and Compliance

  • 18 years of quality and compliance experience in the aerospace industry
  • Other experience: Quality Manager- Chrome Plus
  • Expertise: continuous improvement, aerospace, quality assurance, and quality systems

Steve Cooper

Vice President Information Systems

  • Over 25 years of experience in oil and gas, manufacturing automation & software industries
  • Other experience: IT Director for Honeywell International, other roles in Operations, Information Technology, Quality, & Marketing
  • Expertise: certified Six Sigma Black Belt, led global organizations and directives
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