LEADERSHIP TEAM

Ingo Riemer

Ingo Riemer is Borusan Berg Pipe’s Chief Executive Officer. He has a Master of Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration degree. Ingo was born and raised in Cologne, Germany. After high school and military duty in the German Air Force, he studied at the Technical University of Aachen, Germany. In 1998, he joined EUROPIPE in Mülheim, Germany, and served there for 14 years in various leading positions, both technically and commercially. In 2006, he was appointed Project Manager to design, build, and commission Borusan Berg Pipe’s plant in Mobile, Alabama. In 2012, he transitioned from EUROPIPE, became CEO of Berg Pipe, and moved with his wife and their two sons to Panama City, Florida where he currently resides. A favorite saying of his is, “If you ever stop trying to improve, then you actually stopped being good!”

Peter Borgards

Peter Borgards is Borusan Berg Pipe’s Chief Commercial Officer. He studied Business Administration in Münster, Germany and started his career at Mannesmann in Düsseldorf, Germany. There he worked in the stainless-steel industry and moved for Mannesmann to Houston in 1993 where he first got to know the line pipe market and where he has been living since then. Peter joined Borusan Berg Pipe in 2008 and truly enjoys the dynamics of the steel and line pipe markets. A favorite saying of his is “A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well,” by Jeff Bezos.

Andy Hicks

Andy Hicks is the Vice President of Operations of Borusan Berg Pipe’s plant in Panama City, Florida. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering technology from Western Kentucky University and Master of Business Administration degree from Le Tourneau University. He grew up in Kentucky, just outside Louisville, and currently resides in Panama City, Florida. Before coming to Borusan Berg Pipe, he worked for three years as an electrical engineer with Arrow Electric in Louisville, Kentucky, and four years as a production employee and electrical maintenance manager for the Melt Shop, Gallatin Steel. He has been working at Borusan Berg Pipe for 20 years in various engineering, maintenance, and operations roles. His favorite saying is “Help is defined by the recipient…” by Peter Drucker.

Paul Weber

As Vice President of Strategy for Boruson Berg Pipe commencing October 2023, Paul Weber brings with him over 30 years of experience in heavy steel fabrication. His primary professional focus has been in the production of large diameter steel pipe for the oil and gas industry. Paul joined Borusan Berg Pipe in August 2011 and served as Vice President of Operations for the pipe mill in Mobile, Alabama from 2014 until 2023. He began his pipe career in 1994 when he joined the former IPSCO Inc. in Regina, Canada. During his time with IPSCO he assumed a variety of management roles over several disciplines, including quality assurance, continuous improvement, technical services, and pipe operations.  A native of Montréal, Québec, Paul earned a BSc. degree in Metallurgical Engineering from the Technical University of Nova Scotia, Halifax, Canada.  

Dimitris Dimopoulos

Dimitris Dimopoulos is Borusan Berg Pipe’s  Chief Operating Officer. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Metallurgical engineering from National Technical University of Athens, Greece and a Diploma in Management Studies from ALBA Graduate Business School in Greece. He Joined the company in October 2011 and has more than 25 years of experience in manufacturing of large diameter steel pipes for the energy sector in various technical and commercial roles with a focus on quality, technology, sales, purchasing and strategy. A favorite saying of his is “A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it,” by Albert Einstein.

Jonathan Kirkland

Jonathan Kirkland serves as Borusan Berg Pipe’s Vice President of Sales, Logistics, and Government Affairs. Originally from Houston, he began his career in the steel pipe industry in 2004 and joined Borusan Berg Pipe in 2010. Jonathan earned a Bachelor’s of Economics and International Studies, with an emphasis on Latin America, from Texas A&M University. In 2010, he moved to Panama City, Florida. He worked in sales, business development, and project management before his current role in the organization. A favorite saying of his is “Great things in business are never done by one person. They are done by a team of people,” by Steve Jobs.

Koichi Konuma

Koichi Konuma has been Borusan Berg Pipe’s Vice President of Business Development since March 2015. He joined Borusan Berg Pipe in August of 2008 as Director of Sales. Prior to working at Berg Pipe, he worked in the industry with a Japanese general trading company in different positions for 12 years. He has a Bachelor’s Business degree from Linfield College and a Master of Business Administration from Houston Baptist University. He’s originally from Bogota, Colombia, but has been living in Houston, Texas since January, 1999. A favorite saying of his is “One must lead by example.”

Jay Verenakis

Jay Verenakis is Borusan Berg Pipe’s Director of Information Technologies. Jay was the Chief Information Officer at MacGregor Golf and The Greg Norman Collection before joining Borusan Berg Pipe in 2010. He is now responsible for all aspects of IT infrastructure and software development in the Borusan Berg Pipe Group, including communication networks and production systems. He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in information systems from Georgia Southern University in 1995. He currently resides in Panama City, Florida.

Julie Lange

Julie Lange is Borusan Berg Pipe’s Controller. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting, Master of Business Administration degree, and she is a Certified Public Accountant. She is from Alabama. Julie has worked at Borusan Berg Pipe’s Panama City location for 20 years. Prior to joining Borusan Berg Pipe, Julie worked at Saltmarsh, Cleveland, Gund Accounting Firm, and at Rail Management and Consulting.

Eric Arnold

Eric Arnold is Borusan Berg Pipe’s Director of Procurement. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce & Business Administration from the University of Alabama and Master of Business degree from the University of West Florida. He is from Panama City, Florida and moved to Mobile, Alabama in 2008 for the start of the Berg Pipe Mobile plant. He has worked in various roles for Borusan Berg Pipe for the last 11 years including purchasing and continuous improvement, and operations planning prior to his current role. A favorite quotation of his is “We all have a tendency to avoid our weakness. When we do that, we never get any better,” by Jocko Willink.

Chance Suggs

Chance Suggs is Borusan Berg Pipe’s Director of Transportation. He began his career in the steel industry in 1989, joining Borusan Berg Pipe in 1994. He has been with Borusan Berg Pipe for 25 years in various roles, including Manager of Shipping and Manager of Operations Planning. He studied Business Administration at Gulf Coast State College, with a concentration on logistics and operational management. Chance currently resides in Panama City, Florida with his wife and two children. One of his favorite quotations is “Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results,” by Andrew Carnegie 

Angela Cherry

Angela Cherry is Berg Pipe’s Director of Human Resources.  Angela earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Troy University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of West Florida and is a Certified Professional with the Society of Human Resource Management.  Originally from Kentucky, she has been a resident of Panama City since 1994.  Prior to joining the Berg Team in 2013 as an HR Generalist, Angela worked in the student loan and finance industry.   A favorite quote is “Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak,” by Thomas Carlyle.

Brink Prescott

Brink Prescott is Borusan Berg Pipe’s Director of Supply Chain (Steel). Raised in Panama City, he attended Florida State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a dual major in Business Management and Purchasing and Materials Management.  Prior to returning to his hometown and joining Borusan Berg Pipe in 1997, he held management positions in manufacturing and distribution with several companies in the Tampa Bay area.  Throughout his career with the company, he has worked in many areas of the business including logistics, operations, and supply chain.

Nick Virbitsky

Nick Virbitsky is Borusan Berg Pipe’s Director of Quality.  He earned a Bachelor degree in Material Science and Engineering (Metallurgy) from the Pennsylvania State University and joined Borusan Berg Pipe’s Quality group shortly after graduating. In the 11 years since being with the company, Nick has held various positions within Quality Management and earned certification in Six Sigma, CWI, CMQ/OE, ASNT Level III, and is currently pursuing an Executive MBA through Auburn University. A favorite saying of his is, “Quality is not an act, it is a habit,” by Aristotle.

Michael Kirkland

Michael Kirkland is Borusan Berg Pipe’s Vice President of Finance. Michael has a dual Bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from Florida State University, a Master of Business Administration degree with emphasis in Accounting from University of West Florida, and is a Certified Public Accountant. 

Michael started his career in accounting at Carr, Riggs & Ingram CPAs and Advisors, a regional public accounting firm. There, he worked in various roles, including Audit Manager. Michael performed audits for a variety of clients, but mainly focusing on governmental and manufacturing audits of which Berg Pipe was one of them. This experience allowed him to develop a strong understanding of all company aspects prior to joining Borusan Berg Pipe. 

Michael is native to Panama City, Florida. In his spare time, he enjoys the outdoors and spending time with his wife and son. His favorite saying by Steve Jobs “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”