Valerie Gentile Sachs

Valerie Gentile Sachs is the current Director at CECO Environmental. Valerie has over 20 years of experience in corporate legal functions, enterprise-wide internal audit, and enterprise-wide environment, health, safety and sustainability.

Sachs began their career in January 2005 as the Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary for OM Group. In this role, they were responsible for all corporate legal functions, enterprise-wide internal audit, and enterprise-wide environment, health, safety and sustainability. Valerie was also a key member of the Executive Committee with duties that included Board management and counseling, strategic acquisitions and dispositions, public company governance, proxy preparation and Annual Meeting of Stockholders, compliance structure (including anti-bribery, antitrust, export control/trade sanctions, environmental and securities), intellectual property protection, commercial relationships and commercial strategic initiatives, and litigation management.

During their time at OM Group, Sachs was responsible for a number of strategic developments and executions, including the sale of the company to Apollo Global Management ($1.1B) in October 2015, the sale of the Advanced Materials business ($325M), the acquisition of Vacuumschmelze GmbH & Co. KG ($1B), the acquisition of Rockwood Electronic Chemicals ($315M) and EaglePicher Technologies ($172M), and the sale of the company's world-wide nickel production and refinery business ($500M).

Sachs also oversaw public company governance and compliance & ethics initiatives during their time at OM Group. Valerie led the annual governance review and advised on evolving governance issues, board structure and leadership, board refreshment, and fiduciary duties. Valerie also had direct engagement with institutional stockholders and proxy advisors. In terms of compliance & ethics initiatives, they developed, managed and continually revised international compliance programs, focusing on areas of highest risk reflecting business model transformation, global footprint and annual risk assessments.

Finally, Sachs was also responsible for department management at OM Group. Valerie restructured the Internal Audit Department and EHS&S Departments based on portfolio transformation and business needs. Valerie also implemented a continuous improvement process in the Legal Department which reduced costs and enhanced services.