At Star Step Performance Coatings Group, our success is built on the vision, expertise, and dedication of our leadership team. With decades of combined experience across the coatings industry and beyond, our leaders bring a wealth of knowledge in areas ranging from technical innovation and operations to strategic growth and customer engagement. Together, they drive our mission to deliver exceptional performance coatings while fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and forward-thinking solutions. Diverse backgrounds and shared commitment to advancing the industry make them an integral part of our journey toward shaping the future of coatings.
Viktor Sekmakas
CEO Star Step Performance Coatings
Founding Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer of Star Step Performance Coatings, LLC, Viktor has had two decades of experience in the coatings industry, including at PPG Industries, where he served as Executive Vice-President, after tenures in the U.S., Asia, and Europe. He has led the company’s Industrial, Packaging, and Protective & Marine Coatings businesses as well as the group’s purchasing function. Since he retired from PPG in 2017, he has served in several advisory and operating partner roles in private equity and has been an early-stage investor and Board member of multiple small to middle-market companies.
Roger Young
Chief of Staff Group COO
Roger has a unique background during his 24-year tenure in the coatings industry at PPG Industries, spanning finance, Industrial and Architectural Coatings sales & marketing, manufacturing, corporate M&A, and human resources, throughout the U.S. and Canada, Europe, and in the Asia-Pacific region. He has also significant corporate C-Suite experience as chief human resources officer and chief strategy officer, spanning the energy and apparel sourcing & manufacturing industries, before starting his entrepreneurial life back in the coatings industry as Chief Operating Officer of Star Step Performance Coatings, LLC.
John Sophir
President of Industrial Specialty Coatings
John joins the group as President of Specialty Industrial Coatings, after having spent 6 years with Alta Paints & Coatings. With 33 years in the coatings industry, John has worked in many areas of the industry – manufacturing, warehouse operations, architectural representation programs, operations management, sales & sales management, dealer program and dealer sales development, OEM coatings sales management, and product creation and development – leading up to his over 15 years in executive leadership roles in the industry. John has a unique background in the coatings industry that brings a well-rounded knowledge to Star Step Performance Coatings, LLC.
Aaron Dhawan
CEO Star Step Richard’s Paint
Aaron joins the group as Chief Executive Officer at Star Step Richard’s Paint, after 6 years with the Richard’s Paint family, most recently as Vice President of Operations, and 33 years overall in the coatings industry. Throughout his career, Aaron has gained in-depth knowledge of all aspects of the coatings business: lab, technical, sales, marketing, product, and manufacturing & operations in architectural coatings, OEM, and performance coatings before assuming his current role as CEO. Aaron has been and is actively involved as a member of paint manufacturing industry associations.
Jennifer Leyland
CEO Star Step Alta Coatings
Jennifer has 30 years of experience in the coatings industry, all from Alta Paints & Coatings, growing from a small local family business to an important regional distributor of specialty industrial coatings in Salt Lake City and Denver; and now as part of the StarStep group. Her experience at Alta focusing on business development, accounting & finance, IT and vendor management has prepared her to assume the role of Chief Financial Officer of the Star Step group. In her role as CFO, Jennifer focuses on all aspects of financial management of the group, including financial consolidation and reporting; financial planning and analysis; budgeting; cash management; information systems; HR operations, and M&A.
Vasili (“Bill”) Lambros
CEO Star Step Trinkote Coatings
Bill joins the group with over 20 years of experience at Lafarge and will be driving process and operational excellence across the group’s manufacturing and operations. An expert in implementing quality management systems, product development and optimization strategies, Lean disciplines and processes, and technical/product training, Bill holds an engineering degree and a Master’s degree in Applied Science. Bill also leads the Star Step Trinkote Coatings, LLC operations, as a key manufacturing center of excellence for the group’s Industrial Coatings business.
Linda Smith
Group Technical Director
Linda brings exceptional expertise as Technical/R&D group director. Holding a doctorate in Physical Chemistry, Linda has led many highly-focused marketing-driven research and development initiatives in her previous roles at companies such as Philips Electronics, Rohm and Haas, Arkema and most recently in the coatings industry, including at Trinkote. Linda possesses a broad and unique repertoire of skills, having led marketing, product R&D, new product introduction, stage-gate product development and innovation, and process engineering teams.
Ron Hutton
Group Marketing Director
Ron Hutton, Group Marketing Director at Star Step Performance Coatings, brings 40 years of experience in the coatings industry to his role. An alumnus of the University of Minnesota with a bachelor’s degree in business, Ron has held leadership positions at notable companies such as Valspar, Coronado Paint, AkzoNobel, and Nanochem Technologies before joining Richard’s Paint. Throughout his nine-year tenure at Richard’s Paint, Ron has spearheaded the launch of 27 innovative product lines and overseen the modernization of numerous existing ones, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to excellence and innovation.
Jason Nelms
Group Procurement Director
Jason is a very experienced and agile supply chain professional, having worked for several multi-billion revenue multinationals including NOV, 3M, and FMC, and having experience with entrepreneurial private equity start-ups. He brings this versatility and experience to developing procurement functional strategies across the Star Step group of companies, working closely with the business leaders to drive synergies and optimize purchasing effectiveness and efficiency. A graduate of business management from Texas, Jason is passionate about volunteering and supporting his community, highlighting his commitment to giving back.
Eric Richard
Vice President Business Development
The former owner of Richard’s Paint Manufacturing Company, Eric has in total served 45 years with Richard’s, learning the business from the ground up from his father. He then served 20 years at Richard’s Paint as President, and the last 5 years as President and CEO. Eric’s vast industry networks and customer relationships will not be lost, and Eric joins the new group as Vice President of Business Development, where he will focus on driving new growth with our existing strategic customers and with new customers. He will also work with the group as an integral part of the company’s growth strategy through acquisitions.
Raj Lall
Manufacturing & Supply Chain Consultant
Most recently, Raj Lall worked as the Chief Operations Officer of Accupac, a contract manufacturer of personal care products with facilities in Mainland, PA and Lakewood, NJ. Key highlights included upgrading the team, improving EHS processes, and leading a lean manufacturing transformation including a 4-month engagement with McKinsey.
Mr. Lall worked for PPG Industries in a variety of roles starting as a chemical engineer and culminating as the Global Vice President of Operations for Industrial and Packaging businesses. His time included a 6-year assignment in Shanghai, China where he led Operations for the region including construction of multiple facilities. He built and led teams to solve business problems and operated world class facilities. Created and implemented a global operations strategy that encompassed all aspects of coatings including resin and powder. Technical background includes a degree in Chemical Engineering, an MBA, lean manufacturing expertise and production and inventory control certification. Retired in July 2020 after 36 years with PPG.
Edoardo Maggini
Operating Partner
As Managing Partner at Orionis Capital, leads a private equity firm specializing in identifying and investing in small to mid-size businesses, driving consolidation in fragmented markets and creating value through strategic add-ons and operational excellence. As Founder & CEO of Fenix Technologies, led the company from inception to its successful acquisition by the market leader, transitioning to an advisory role to drive strategic growth and technological innovation. As Engineering and Operations Manager at Thyssenkrupp, one of the world’s largest industrial conglomerates, oversaw major projects like the Hudson Yards development in New York City and spearheaded process improvements rooted in engineering excellence.