Our Executive Team

Executive Chairman

Frank Argenbright Jr.

Frank Argenbright Jr. is Executive Chairman, legendary founder, visionary, and strategic leader at Unifi. Under Argenbright’s leadership, Unifi has become the #1 provider of Aviation Services in the country. Frank, along with his various companies, have won numerous awards and recognitions during his career: Ernst & Young, Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist in 1989 and 1990; and Winner in 1997 and 2009; Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia 100-Best of Business in 1998, 1999 and 2000; Argenbright Security, Top 50 Fastest Growing Companies in Atlanta in 1992, 1995, 1996, 1998 and 1999; AHL Services, Top 50 Fastest Growing Companies in Atlanta in 1998 and 1999; AirServ, #1 Fastest Growing Private Company in Atlanta in 2005; #17 in 2006 and #37 in 2007; SecurAmerica, #1 Fastest Growing Private Company in Atlanta in both 2007 and 2008, #2 Best Places to Work in 2007, and #2 Fastest Growing Company in 2009; Georgia Trend Magazine, #1 Middle-Market Fastest Growing Companies. Argenbright is also a leader who deeply cares about his employees – showing them that they are valued and appreciated while inspiring them to go above and beyond the call of duty.

Group Chief Executive Officer

Karan Ishwar

After earning an M.B.A. in Finance and an Engineering degree in Information Technology from NMIMS University in Mumbai, India, Karan Ishwar joined the Argenbright Group of Companies in 2014, where he started working in the M&A team for SecurAmerica LLC. As acting President of Argenbright Holdings, Karan oversees all business, finance and technology, and M&A functions for the group. Karan has been instrumental in helping the organization grow into what it is today, and will play a leading role in its continued growth. He has received many awards including being named to the ’40 Under 40′ list by Atlanta Business Chronicle.

Chief Executive Officer

Gautam Thakkar

Gautam has more than two decades of diverse global experience serving multiple boards and working with platform and technology enabled businesses, shared services, outsourcing, consulting, M&A and business development across various industry verticals. He has worked in start-ups, growth and turnaround environments in services, technology and software platform businesses across large public and PE backed private companies. He has lived and worked across Asia, Europe and North America. Gautam is responsible for the overall Unifi business

Chief Operating Officer

Greg Kennedy

Chief People Officer

Archana Arcot

Archana brings more than 20 years of proven expertise in managing Global HR functions and leading large-scale, worldwide People Transition, Integration and Talent Transformation programs. She has extensive career experience in building and integrating HR and People Function in North and South America, Eastern Europe, and Asia. While excelling through various phases of development ranging from start-ups to high growth trajectory operations, she has successfully led, directed, and mentored some of the most elite global HR teams in operation.

Archana has a Doctoral Degree and an MBA in Human Resources. She also earned certifications in Global Professional Human Resources (GPHR) and Change Management from PROSCI. As an accomplished leader in her field, she was nominated to coveted leadership programs where she completed the Stanford Leadership Certification (USA) and INSEAD (France) Management Development Program.

SVP Safety

Brian Bartal

With more than 15 years of aviation safety experience for companies including Amazon and American Eagle Airlines, Brian Bartal brings an uncompromised commitment to safety, health, and sustainability to the Unifi team. Part innovative executive and part safety leader, Brian provides the team with inspirational leadership while promoting a culture of ownership, excellence, and a passion for safety across the organization.

General Counsel & Corporate Secretary

Scott Strobridge

Scott has almost two decades of legal experience, which includes serving as a corporate and transactional attorney focusing on mergers & acquisitions and private equity investments at large New York law firms, as well as serving as the lead corporate and transactional attorney for a Fortune 500 insurance company and General Counsel for a private investment firm. Scott is a CFA charterholder and has a strong finance and business acumen to complement his legal skills. Scott takes a practical approach to advising and counseling the executive team on business and transactional matters to ensure that the business needs of the company are met while ensuring strict compliance with applicable laws, rules, regulations, and policies.

Chief Financial Officer

Henk Teunis

Henk began his career at Ernst & Young working with emerging and growth companies. After a decade at EY serving companies across multiple continents, he transitioned into the PE and VC industry spending more than 10 years transforming portfolio companies to the growth objectives of their new owners. At Unifi, Henk leverages his approach of work that entails structure, creativity and action, focused on the delivery of financial performance and value creation of the Company.

Chief Diversity Officer and Senior Director of Human Resources

Michelle Sanguinetti

Michelle is UNIFI’s Senior HR Director and newly appointed Chief Diversity Officer. In this role, Michelle will lead the company’s inclusion and diversity strategies to ensure the continued evolution of the company’s culture and the development of behaviors embracing diversity and inclusion at all levels. A Brooklyn native, she received her J.D. from New York Law School and began her legal career, with a focus on transactional law. Michelle comes with 15+ years of experience in Human Resources ranging from employee relations to corporate compliance.

Chief Customer Officer

Don Ridgway

Don Ridgway is Chief Customer Officer for Unifi. In this role, Don oversees sales and customer service across multiple verticals within the organization, including security, facilities, and aviation services. With over 40 years in the aviation and security industries, Don leverages his strong ties to help solve customer problems, build long-term competitive advantages, retain loyal customers, and create strategies to help increase profit.

Chief Strategy Officer

Ying McPherson

Ying has over 15 years of experience in financial analysis and commercial analytics space and oversees the strategy development and execution activities for the company. Previously Ying was Vice President of Operational Finance and responsible for strategic pricing, business analytics and resource planning and optimization. Prior to Unifi, Ying held several leadership positions at WestRock, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, supply chain optimization and commercial analytics. Ying started her career at Price Waterhouse Coopers in audit and spent the next 7 years in investment banking with SunTrust Robinson Humphrey (now Truist) and a boutique M&A shop (now Citizens M&A Advisory).

Ying earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance from Goizueta Business School at Emory University.

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