Winning Culture and Strong, Experienced Leadership Team
Aurora thrives on the expertise of our talented teams, delivering exceptional thermoplastic products and services. Our leadership prioritizes employees, fostering innovation and trust. Our employees embody our commitment to excellence and ensure we are our customers’ first choice in polymer solutions.
Darrell Hughes
Chief Executive Officer
Darrell has been CEO of Aurora Material Solutions since 2016. He has extensive experience in specialty materials, previously serving six years as vice president & general manager, materials North America for Avery Dennison in Cleveland, Ohio. He has also served in senior leadership roles at various other companies, including as president specialty, film & sheet at SABIC Innovative Plastics in Evansville, Indiana, general manager, RTV & elastomers for GE Silicones in Düsseldorf, Germany, and general manager of M&A, GE Plastics in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Darrell also has considerable board experience, serving on the AdvanSix (NYSE) board of directors for over nine years.
Education
- University of Chicago – Master of Business Administration, Finance and Business Policy
- Bucknell University – Bachelor of Science, Chemical Engineering
Mike Klein
Chief Financial Officer
Mike has been the chief financial officer at Aurora Material Solutions since 2020. He is an accomplished global financial executive with more than 30 years of experience. Previously, he was with Avery Dennison, serving as VP, global treasurer and VP, retail branding & information solutions. He began his finance career at GE, serving in multiple roles of increasing responsibility before rising to the position of optimization & control, senior finance executive at GE Energy.
Education
- University of Vermont – Bachelor of Business Administration, Finance
Matthew Kuwatch
Chief Marketing & Innovation Officer
Matthew has been with Aurora Material Solutions since 2014, becoming CMO/CINO in 2025. Before this, he served as senior vice president – marketing, innovation & business development in 2020, and vice president of marketing & business development in 2014. Matthew has a proven successful track record in business development and innovation within the polymers and specialty materials industries. Prior to joining Aurora, he was a global business director in the engineered polymers business unit at Lubrizol, and served in various roles in business development, marketing, and financial management at Lubrizol, B.F. Goodrich, and Sherwin-Williams.
Education
- Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University – Master of Business Administration, Marketing & International Management
- Kent State University – Bachelor of Business Administration, Finance
Keith Dunlap
Chief Commercial Officer
Keith joined Aurora Material Solutions in 2019 with extensive sales, marketing and management experience in the specialty material industry. He has served as chief commercial officer (CCO) since January 2025. Previously, his leadership roles included senior vice president sales and marketing at D&W Fine Pack, global commercial director and vice president sales & marketing at A. Schulman, director, sales and marketing for Kraiburg TPE and global marketing manager for GE Plastics.
Education
- Northern Illinois University – Bachelor of Science, Industrial Engineering
Tim Huskey
Chief Operating Officer
Tim became the chief operations officer at Aurora Material Solutions in 2022 after more than 25 years at Berry Global, Inc., a multi-billion dollar plastics packaging and engineered products company. Most recently at Berry Global, he served as the executive vice president of operations. Tim has extensive experience in domestic and international manufacturing, as well as operational excellence processes.
Education
- Georgia Institute of Technology – Bachelor of Arts, Chemical Engineering
Jim Stratman
Senior Vice President – Business Development
Jim is the senior vice president of business development. He joined Aurora Material Solutions in 2022 with the merger of Aurora and Enviroplas Inc., an engineering compounding business. Jim was the CEO of Enviroplas, which he founded in 1992.
Education
- Ball State University – Bachelor of Science, Entrepreneurship
Pratik Shah
President of ETP
Pratik Shah joined Aurora Material Solutions in early 2025 as president of engineered thermoplastics (ETP). He has broad experience in growing polymer-based materials businesses, including ETPs and performance elastomers. Previously, Pratik worked at Teknor Apex Company, where he served as vice president and business manager of its engineering plastics and elastomers (EP&E) business unit. His career also includes key roles at NYCOA, LyondellBasell, Arkema Inc. and EMS Chemie.
Education
- University of Massachusetts Lowell – Master of Science, Plastics Engineering
- University of Mumbai – B. Tech., Polymer Engineering
Renee Havrilla
President – Flexible Compounds
Renee is the president of Aurora’s flexible compounds business segment. She has 30 years of progressive leadership experience in specialty chemicals, with deep expertise in both flexible and rigid vinyl compounds, M&A integration, and global P&L management. Previously, Renee was vice president of the solvents business for Monument Chemical in Indianapolis, Ind. She previously held roles as vice president of global compounds for Westlake Corporation and general manager of the polyurethane spray foam business for Bayer Material Science (now Covestro).
Education
- University of Pittsburgh – Bachelor of Science, Chemistry
Mark Stokes
President of ASPS/Lastique
Mark joined Aurora Material Solutions in 2025 as president of its sustainable products solutions (ASPS)/Lastique business segment. He has extensive experience in engineering and commodity polymer sales, distribution and polymer recycling, with a strong track record of P&L management, organic growth and leading business transformations. He joins Aurora from Circulus Holdings (Dow), where he most recently served as vice president of sales, growing Circulus and successfully completing the sale of Circulus to Dow. His career also includes key roles at Material Difference Technologies, Premier Polymers (Vinmar International), Citadel Plastics Holdings, Daikin, GE Plastics, LNP and Dow Chemical.
Education
- Ball State University – Bachelor of Science, Business and Marketing
- Emory University Goizueta College of Business – Executive Management Certificate Program
Scott Hornsby
Vice President – Human Resources
Scott has served as vice president of human resources at Aurora since 2018. With over 38 years of HR leadership experience, he has successfully led organizational transformations, multiple acquisitions, and built high-performing teams globally. Before joining Aurora, Scott was vice president of HR for Avery Dennison’s materials business in North America.
Education
- Vlerick Business School – Master of Business Administration, International Executive Masters of Business Administration
- Georgia State University – Bachelor of Science, Human Resources Development
Edward Darling
Director of M&A
Edward joined Aurora Material Solutions in 2024 as director of mergers & acquisitions. He has served in a number of key investment banking and M&A roles, including at Piper Sandler, where he was a Vice President in the Services & Industrials Group. He has also worked for UTC Aerospace Systems, EY and PwC.
Education
- College of Charleston – M.A.C. Accounting
- University of South Carolina – Bachelor of Science, Hospitality
Bill Trask
Director of Strategic Sourcing
Bill became the director of strategic sourcing at Aurora Material Solutions in 2014. He has more than 20 years of strategic sourcing across a range of industries. Prior to Aurora, he was a sourcing manager – chemicals, resin, steel and packaging at Associated Materials. He has also held key sourcing roles at Beech-Nut Nutrition Corporation, Nestle USA and Pressco Technology.
Education
- Bowling Green State University – Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Purchasing/Supply Chain & Production/Operation Management