Management Team

Masataka Kawaguchi, President
Appointed President NEG-US effective January 1, 2023.  Vice President of NEG-US, since April 2022.  Department Manager of Glass Fiber Production in Japan since 2020.  Manager of Design and Engineering of Glass Melting Furnace from 2018 to 2020.  19 years experience with NEG in R&D of specialty glass relating to glass properties, chemistry, and the glass melting process. MSc in Inorganic Material Chemistry from Kyoto University.

Tomonori Kano, NEG Director & Senior Vice President
Appointed to Director & Senior Vice President Group General Manager of Glass Fiber Products Group on January 1, 2024.  Director & Senior Vice President Group General Manager of Display Glass Group since 2021.  Senior Vice President Deputy Group General Manager of Display Glass Group from 2019 to 2020.  Vice President General Manager of Display Glass Division from 2015 to 2018.  35 years experience with NEG in development of Display glass manufacturing process.  MSc in Inorganic Material Chemistry from Kyoto University.

Mike Christofferson, Director of Strategic Operations
Mike brings 17 years of experience in glass fiber manufacturing with PPG/NEG.  He has held a wide range of roles across production, facilities, and engineering services, giving him a comprehensive, end-to-end view of operations.  In this position Mike oversees all NEG U.S. manufacturing plants, Research & Development, and Engineering Services.  He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Alfred University.

Herb Elder, General Manager, Sales & Marketing – Americas
28 years of experience across commercial, manufacturing, and purchasing leadership roles.  In 2004, Herb joined the fiberglass business unit, where his leadership and technical expertise played a key role in expanding market reach and operational capability.  His career includes serving as President of a joint venture between PPG and Devold, supplying fiberglass products to the rapidly growing wind energy market.  In December 2024, Herb was appointed General Manager, Sales & Marketing – Americas for NEG, with responsibility for both domestic and imported fiberglass products.  In this role, he focuses on aligning sales, marketing, and operational execution to deliver value to customers, strengthen market position, and support sustainable growth across the Americas.  Herb holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Kentucky.

Courtney Czyrnik, Director Supply Chain, Purchasing, & Logistics
Joined NEG-US as Director of Supply Chain, Purchasing, and Logistics in August of 2022.  Courtney has over 21 years prior experience in global supply chain management including various industries, manufacturing locations, and lean process management applications.  Courtney holds a BS in Business Management- Operations and Supply Chain from North Carolina State University.