10 GAF engineering leaders
Paul Kleinen, P.E., Vice President, Engineering at GAF, is one of ten GAF engineering leaders listed here, alongside people who hold vice president, senior director and director roles in engineering and R&D. A reader can learn how engineering leaders work at GAF from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Adem Chich
LinkedInExperience: Executive Director - R&D · GAF
Adem Chich has been Executive Director - R&D at GAF since June 2011, with a profile headline of Executive Director-R&D at GAF Materials Corporation. At GAF, Adem Chich was R&D Director from 2007 to 2011, R&D Senior Manager from 2001 to 2007 and Capital Project Engineer from 1994 to 2001.
Alan Eaton
LinkedInExperience: Vice President - Residential R&D · GAF
Alan Eaton has been Vice President - Residential R&D at GAF since April 2026. At GAF, Alan Eaton was Senior Director - Process and Materials R&D from 2023 to 2026 and Senior Director - Process Research and Development from 2022 to 2023, and Alan Eaton was Global Technology - Growth and Ventures at DuPont from 2017 to 2022.
Josh Armstrong
LinkedInExperience: Director of Process R&D - Residential · GAF
Josh Armstrong has been Director of Process R&D - Residential at GAF since July 2026. At GAF, Josh Armstrong was Senior Manager, Process R&D Engineering - Residential from 2025 to 2026, Senior Manager Process Technology from 2021 to 2025 and Senior Regional Controls Engineer - North Central Region from 2017 to 2021.
Kirby Erickson
LinkedInExperience: Sr Director Residential Engineering · GAF
Kirby Erickson was Sr Director Residential Engineering at GAF in Ennis, Texas from July 2023 to September 2025, and the profile describes directing 5 departments with 61 professionals. At GAF, Kirby Erickson was also Sr Director Capital Projects from 2018 to 2023, Sr Director Corporate Engineering from 2010 to 2018 and Engineering Manager from 2004 to 2010.
Matthew Bacon, P.E.
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director, Engineering & Capital Projects · GAF
Matthew Bacon has been Senior Director, Engineering & Capital Projects at GAF since January 2026, based in the Greater St. Louis area. Matthew Bacon was Senior Engineering Manager at Nestlé Purina North America from 2023 to 2026, Program Manager there from 2020 to 2023 and Construction Program Manager at Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District from 2014 to 2020.
Michael Hurtz
LinkedInExperience: Director Reliability Engineering · GAF
Michael Hurtz has been Director Reliability Engineering at GAF since January 2025, based in Orlando, Florida. Michael Hurtz was Sr. Regional Reliability, Maintenance, and Engineering Manager at Amazon from 2022 to 2025 and Senior Engineering & Maintenence Manager at PepsiCo from 2013 to 2018.
Paul Kleinen, P.E.
LinkedInExperience: Vice President, Engineering · GAF
Paul Kleinen has been Vice President, Engineering at GAF since October 2025, and the profile describes leading the GAF engineering organization responsible for capital projects, process engineering, and reliability and maintenance. Paul Kleinen was Senior Vice President, Engineering and Technical Services at Newalta from 2015 to 2018 and Vice President, Engineering and Technology at Shawcor from 2011 to 2015.
Rodney Bartell
LinkedInExperience: Sr Director, Residential Automation and Controls · GAF
Rodney Bartell has been Sr Director, Residential Automation and Controls at GAF since January 2025, a role the profile lists in the engineering and technical department at director level. At GAF, Rodney Bartell was Sr. Director, Operations Technology from 2020 to 2025, Manager, Controls Systems from 2018 to 2020 and Senior Regional Controls Engineer, CRL from 2013 to 2018.
Stefanie Clay
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director, Corporate Engineering & Capital Projects · GAF
Stefanie Clay has been Senior Director, Corporate Engineering & Capital Projects at GAF since September 2026 and was Director of Corporate Engineering & Capital Projects at GAF from January 2025 to September 2026. Stefanie Clay was Director, Engineering and Program Management at L'Oréal in 2024 and Director, Capital Projects at L'Oréal from 2021 to 2024.
Terry Swindle
LinkedInExperience: Sr Director of Engineering Excellence · GAF
Terry Swindle has been Sr Director of Engineering Excellence at GAF since October 2024, based in the Nashville area. Terry Swindle was Director of Engineering at Holcim (Firestone Building Products) from 2019 to 2024, Vice President of Manufacturing at Medline from 2017 to 2018 and Plant Manager II at The Clorox Company from 2016 to 2017.
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's area, such as capital projects, reliability, process R&D, automation and controls or corporate engineering, to the question you face. Check when each person started the current role to judge how recent the experience is.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you focus on first when you took on your current engineering role?
- 02How do you decide which capital or process projects to fund first across a network of plants?
- 03What has your own work taught you about moving a process change from R&D into full production?
Reaching GAF engineering leaders
How can I contact one of these GAF engineering leaders?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 1 company: GAF, based on profile data retrieved on October 23, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach GAF engineering leaders?
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Can an AI agent ask one of these GAF engineering leaders a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. Claude and ChatGPT can do the same through the Instant Expert connector: setup is at /docs/mcp for Claude and /docs/chatgpt for ChatGPT. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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