About Us
Our Team
Meet the people powering our ascent
Kinematics’ mission is to work toward the long-term success of our chosen customers. Each of us possesses expertise in our chosen field, and we are all keenly focused on customer excellence, innovation, and growth.
John Payne
Chief Executive Officer
John joined Kinematics in 2021, bringing 30+ years of experience in high-technology product development, program management, business strategy, growth, and leadership. John is responsible for developing and implementing a strategy that achieves short and long-term business goals by ensuring we always remain focused on the customer. He works closely with the rest of the leadership team to develop the people, processes, and culture to fulfill and deliver those joint goals.
John holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from Nottingham Trent University and a Master’s Degree in Engineering Business Management from the University of Warwick. He is a member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology and a Board Member of the Solar Energy Industries Association.
Starla Reichow
Chief Financial Officer
Starla joined the Kinematics team in 2016, bringing nearly 30 years of experience in financial, accounting, strategic, and organizational support experience in small and mid-sized companies. She is responsible for all finance, accounting, treasury, and business-centric IT initiatives, along with all strategic financial planning and analysis functions. She ensures that all administrative processes are accurate, efficient, and customer-friendly.
Starla holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Arizona and a Master’s in Business Administration from Keller Graduate School. She is actively involved with Financial Executives International and the CFO Leadership Council.
Adam Plesniak
Chief Technology Officer
Adam has been a part of Kinematics since 2016, managing and leading our team of engineers and technicians to provide solutions that enable our customers to achieve their missions. He brings his 18 years of experience in value engineering, research and development, quality testing, and technology integration to the team, focusing on differentiating our products and providing “value innovation” to our customers.
Adam has a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic University and a Master’s of Science in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University.
Mike Baka
Chief Operating Officer
Mike joined Kinematics in 2021, having spent 25 years in industrial manufacturing, supply chain, and operations management. He is responsible for the global supply chain and operations at our factories in Phoenix, Mexico, and China. He also leads our Environmental, Social, and Governance initiatives to help us create a sustainable, connected future.
Mike holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Washington State University and an Executive MBA in International Business Studies from Marquette University. He is involved in the Solar Energy Industries Association.
Kyle Zech
Senior Vice President of Advanced Manufacturing TechnologY
Kyle has been a part of the Kinematics team since 2011. His 20+ years of sales engineering experience and broad knowledge of our products enable him to effectively support our sales, product management, and engineering teams and, very often, to the customer directly. Kyle is additionally responsible for developing and implementing innovative manufacturing processes and technologies to improve the performance of our products.
Kyle holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Industrial Technology from the University of Wisconsin – Stout and an MBA in Management from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater.
Jenn Cangelosi
Vice President of Sales and Global Business Development
Jennifer joined Kinematics in 2016 to develop our long-term growth strategy. She has 20+ years of experience and a passion for continuous learning and innovation in our markets. With this, she helps communicate the customers’ immediate and longer-term needs to our internal teams, focusing on making them and Kinematics more successful.
Jenn holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Engineering and a Master’s of Science in Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic University and is a board member of SEIA.
Robin Wessel
Vice President of Product Management & Corporate Development
Robin is the newest member of the Kinematics leadership team, joining in 2022. He is responsible for planning and managing our product portfolio and developing the overall business strategy. Robin brings over 15 years of product management and strategy experience to the leadership team, with an ability to identify features and solutions that make a real difference to the customer.
Robin has a Bachelor’s of Science in Industrial Design from Western Michigan University.