Executive Management

Jaco G. van der Merwe has served as President and CEO since January 2023. Prior to that, Mr. van der Merwe was a Group President (since January 2019) after having previously served as Group President-Energy since August 2016.  From 1998 until 2016, he held various leadership positions at Epiroc (formerly part of Atlas Copco) including, among others, Vice President Marketing for the Deephole Drilling group (2013 to 2016) and President and General Manager for the Mining and Rock Excavation Customer Center (2010 to 2013).  Mr. van der Merwe's career with Atlas Copco began as a Quality Manager in 1998.  Prior to joining Atlas Copco, he held various positions at Denel Aviation.  Mr. van der Merwe is a naturalized U.S. citizen, originally from South Africa where he completed his Metallurgical Engineering studies at Tshwane University of Technology and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Pretoria.

Age: 50

Rebecca A. Weyenberg has served as Chief Financial Officer since December 2019. From 2017 to 2019, she served as Vice President of Global Finance Operations for Welbilt, Inc. (NYSE: WBT). Prior to her work with Welbilt, she served as Chief Financial Officer and Assistant General Manager for Berkeley Hall Club, a premier golf club in Bluffton, South Carolina, from 2015 to 2017. Previously, she served as Vice President, Global Processes, Standards and Shared Services from 2010 to 2015 and as Vice President Finance, North American Region with AGCO Corporation (NYSE: ACGO), from 2006 to 2010. 

Age: 59

Timothy A. Averkamp has served as a Group President since November 2020. Upon joining Astec in November 2019, he was appointed Group President, Construction Machinery Solutions. Prior to joining Astec, he worked for Deere & Company for 22 years in various leadership positions. His positions included President of the Transaxle Manufacturing of America Joint Venture (JV) business between Deere and Yanmar/Kanzaki, Director of Business Partner Integration (BPI) over Deere’s JV businesses with Hitachi Construction Equipment Company, Director BPI over the partnership businesses with Bell Equipment, Engineering Manager Advanced R&D (Construction/Forestry Equipment), Product Marketing Manager, amongst other technical and commercial positions.  Mr. Averkamp has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Dubuque.

Age: 51

Ben Snyman joined Astec Industries in July 2023 as Group President - Infrastructure. With over 25 years of experience in the capital equipment mining industry, Ben began his career as an automations engineer in South Africa in underground coal mining. He moved to the United States in 2010 with Komatsu Mining where he held various senior leadership and executive roles in product management, service and supply chain. He most recently served as a strategy executive at Cleaver-Brooks supporting 18 different industries. He holds a degree in Engineering from the University of Pretoria.

Age: 50

Stephen C. Anderson has served as Senior Vice President of Administration and Investor Relations since 2011 and 2003, respectively. He was Secretary of the Company from January 2007 to December 2020 and Compliance Officer from 2012 to 2020.  Mr. Anderson was appointed Corporate Secretary again in 2023.  He has been a Director of Astec Insurance Company since 2007 and served as President from 2012 to 2020. He was Vice President of Astec Financial Services, Inc. from 1999 to 2002. Prior to his employment with the Company, Mr. Anderson spent a combined 14 years in commercial banking with SunTrust and AmSouth banks.  Mr. Anderson earned a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Management from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and is a graduate of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking. 

Age: 60

Michael Norris has served as Senior Vice President of International & Aftermarket Sales since January 2021. Mr. Norris joined the Company in January of 2018 and previously served as Vice President of International from October 2019. Prior to that, Mr. Norris served as VP of Global Aftermarket for Filtec Ltd. for two years. Prior to joining Filtec Ltd., Mr. Norris worked in the Mining and Construction industry for 18 years in various leadership roles in Sandvik Mining & Construction and Boart Longyear.  Mr. Norris has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Auburn University and a Master of Business Administration from Kennesaw State University.  Mr. Norris is also active in the community as a board member on a non-profit organization, the Bethlehem Center, based in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Age: 54

Jamie E. Palm has served as Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Corporate Controller since November 2020. Prior to her employment with the Company, Ms. Palm was employed by ConnectWise, LLC, where she served as Vice President, Controller since June 2020. From March 2019 to June 2020, Ms. Palm served as Vice President, Corporate Controller and Chief Accounting Officer at Welbilt, Inc. (NYSE: WBT), and as Vice President, Corporate Controller from September 2017 to March 2019. Prior to Welbilt, Inc., Ms. Palm was Assistant Controller at Quality Distribution, Inc., from February 2017 to September 2017. She held financial reporting and finance roles of increasing responsibility with Bloomin’ Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ: BLMN), from 2012 to 2017 and was the Finance Director at Syniverse Technologies LLC, from 2009 to 2012. Ms. Palm began her career in public accounting at Ernst & Young LLP, where she worked from 2002 to 2009. Ms. Palm earned a Master of Accountancy degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting from the University of South Florida and is a certified public accountant. 

Age: 45

Aletheia D. Silcott has served as Global Vice President, Human Resources since February 2023.  Prior to that she served as Vice President, Human Resources and Vice President of Finance at Astec Industries.  Prior to her employment with the company, Ms. Silcott was employed with Ernst & Young LLP, where she served as Organizational Effectiveness and Change Management Consultant from 2016 to 2020.  Prior to Ernst & Young, LLP, Ms. Silcott held a variety of roles with increasing responsibility at AGCO Corporaton (NYSE: AGCO) and was the Senior Manager, Global Human Resources and Change Management from 2013 to 2015, Chief of Staff to the CEO from 2011 to 2013, and Commercial Controller Europe, Africa and the Middle East from 2010 to 2012 based out of Switzerland.  Ms. Silcott began her career at Ernst & Young LLP, as a Business Risk Services Consultant.  Ms. Silcott earned her Master of Business Administration with a concentration in international business from Georgia State University and a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Ithaca College. 

Age: 40