Our Team

Frank Dennis is our CEO, bringing more than two decades of experience in the coffee industry to his role at Swiss Water. From his early days working in packaged goods marketing with Braun Canada and Kraft Foods Canada, he led the $300 million Kraft coffee portfolio in the late 1990s and was responsible for the sale of the Swiss Water Division to private equity interests in 2000. Today, as President and CEO of Swiss Water, he has led the growth of the business and the brand as well as the extended development of the chemical-free decaffeination sector.

Frank is highly involved in the specialty coffee industry, serving on the Board of Directors for Grounds For Health, a charity dedicated to reducing cancer in women living in coffee-producing regions, as well as the Coffee Association of Canada, and World Coffee Research. He earned a BA in Economics from the University of Western Ontario, and an MBA from the University of Toronto.

As Chief Financial Officer of Swiss Water, Iain Carswell is responsible for the corporate finance, external financial reporting, compliance, risk management, and investor relations functions of the company. He is an experienced financial executive in large multisite manufacturing environments, and has broad experience operating in international markets. Prior to joining Swiss Water, Iain spent 15 years with Mars Inc., a global food and confectionary company, most recently as CFO of Mars Turkey. He has been a proven business leader throughout his career, and has in-depth knowledge of all aspects of accounting, financial reporting, risk management, and strategic planning. He holds a B.Comm. from the University of Edinburgh, and an M.Sc. from the University of Stirling. Iain is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Marisol Pinzon is in charge of international business development. She has extensive knowledge and experience in the coffee industry earned over more than 15 years working in this field, mainly in Asia and Latin America. She speaks five languages and has a vast understanding of intercultural communication. Among other things, she loves to spend quality time with her family, cook, practice Reiki and dance. Her favorite writer is Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Kurt Dyck has over 25 years of experience in the food and cosmetic industries. Kurt has been involved with Swiss Water® Process since its inception and as a strong believer in continuous improvement, has helped drive quality. When not decaffeinating coffee, Kurt enjoys the martial arts, cycling and skiing.

Darek Juzwiak joins the Swiss Water® team with over half a decade’s worth of experience in Purchasing, Logistics, and Supply Chain departments. With hobbies that include traveling, playing sports, and riding motorcycles, he usually opts for French Vanilla lattes or mochas to keep him going. His favorite thing about coffee is the unique and special stories behind each cup – and the taste, of course. Darek is always looking for ways to keep his adrenaline pumping, which probably explains why he’s always wanted to hike the Eyjafjallajökull Volcano in Iceland.

Sam has spent the better part of 10 years honing the craft of putting people first. After completing studies in Human Resources Management at the British Columbia Insitute of Technology and receiving his Certified Professional Human Resources designation, Sam went on to work at Highland Helicopters, Harvest Power, and Pedre Contractors. Today, he puts his experience and holistic, person-focused approach to work as Swiss Water’s Director of Human Resources. In his time off, Sam enjoys watching the Montreal Canadiens with his wife and daughter. While not a self-proclaimed coffee expert, he does love a great cup of black coffee.

Our Director of Marketing Erin Reed is responsible for advancing consumer awareness and preference for Swiss Water Process decaf, and delivering brand value for roaster and importer partners globally. She brings with her more than two decades’ marketing experience, honed at Titleist and Starbucks after completing both a B.A. in Business Administration and an M.A. in Sport Management. A native Californian now based out of our Seattle offices, Ms. Reed brings her broad-based experience, extensive insight, and market knowledge to this critical role. Whether working, traveling, exercising, or at a live music venue, Erin prefers to start the day with a dark-roasted, natural processed coffee.

In collaboration with the leadership team, Owen manages the operation of our facility to meet strategic objectives, and ensure daily consistency in production through systems management. He holds a Masters of Engineering from McGill University and brings to Swiss Water his many years’ experience in process engineering and production management. He is a registered professional engineer with Engineers and Geoscientists BC (EGBC) and has lived and worked in the UK, US, and Canada. An avid trail runner and obsessive audiophile, Owen most enjoys his coffee as an Americano with a dash of cream and sugar.

Emmanuel joined Swiss Water in 2018 with more than 15 years of experience in the coffee trade. Emmanuel brings with him a background in coffee and cacao trade management, including roles with COFCO International (formerly Noble Agri) and Touton SA. As our VP, Europe, Emmanuel leads our European office in Bordeaux, France, and provides key market strategy and support to our European distributors as the Swiss Water brand continues to grow across international markets.

Mike Strumpf has an impressive list of coffee credentials – a Licensed Q Grader, Education Coordinator for the Canadian Chapter of the SCA, Authorized SCA Trainer (AST) in Green Coffee and Sensory, member of the Coffee Skills Program (CSP) Green Coffee Creaters Group, SCA Barista Competitions Group Past Chair, and Head Judge for the World Barista Championship to name a few. A right handed native of California, Mike immerses himself in Canadian pop music and squash (the sport) when not chasing after his three dogs.

Abeer brings a breadth of marketing knowledge and digital strategy expertise to her role as Marketing Manager, overseeing and optimizing Swiss Water's online methodologies to strengthen brand presence and grow our many digital channels. A native of New York, Abeer's background in strategy, analysis, and digital marketing techniques is backed by a Master's degree in International Business from New York University and a certificate in Business Administration and Management from Columbia University. A serious tennis fan, Abeer enjoys playing the sport as well and is an avid home cook. Her favorite coffee drink is a vanilla latte.

Shayna Fichtner combines a background in marketing and coffee to support Swiss Water as Marketing Coordinator, overseeing our participation in trade shows, supporting digital marketing initiatives, and managing the Swiss Water online decaf store. Raised in Alberta and British Columbia, Shayna calls the Kamloops/Interior BC region home. She holds a diploma in Advanced Business Management from the British Columbia Institute of Technology and an Animation Concept Art diploma from the Vancouver Film School. In her free time, Shayna is a photographer, crafter, and avid cafe-hopper. Her preferred coffee order is either a cold brew or a traditional cappuccino.

Ray had the good fortune of discovering the potential of a great cup of coffee in 1995, and began a career in the specialty coffee industry now in its third decade. Prior to joining Swiss Water, Ray held key roles in the sales and business development organizations at Starbucks Coffee. His tenure in the industry provides a background for him to lead, strategize, develop and ignite segment growth and brand presence of the Swiss Water Process in North America. Ray brings a strong respect for the core values of people, integrity, brand, culture, and service to his role on the Swiss Water team. Ray, his wife, and two sons are southern California natives that have transplanted to the Seattle area, though they will always maintain a love for Dodgers baseball. In addition to quality family time, Ray loves a well-crafted, dark roast Americano, regular and decaf.

CJ began her coffee journey working as a barista while studying at Emily Carr University of Art & Design. She quickly fell in love with coffee and has never turned back. She joins us with more than 7 years’ experience in specialty coffee, and is also a certified Q-grader. CJ loves traveling, taking photos, camping, and has just begun learning to fish. Before calling Vancouver her home, she has lived in Maine, Michigan, New Brunswick, and Korea. If you spot her in a cafe, she’ll most likely be enjoying an Ethiopian coffee on pour-over.

Born and raised in South Korea, Jacob first fell in love with Vancouver when he came to study here in 2008. He brings to Swiss Water nearly a decade of direct experience as a green bean buyer, and holds a Master of Administrative Science from Fairleigh Dickinson University. In his non-work time, Jacob loves riding bikes and exploring British Columbia's amazing parks with his family. His go-to coffee is the iced Americano.

With a background in engineering and coffee both, Jeff is a perfect addition to the Swiss Water team, able to bring his cafe world knowledge and understanding of our process to supporting customers—and potential customers—in their decaf partnerships with Swiss Water. Originally from Lebanon, Jeff lived in Lebanon and Abu Dhabi before settling in beautiful Vancouver. He is a member of the Specialty Coffee Association and his favorite coffee brewing method drink is V60 pour-over.

Vancouver native Daniel joins the Swiss Water team with more than a decade of specialty coffee management experience to guide him in working closely with our customers at every stage of the process. A graduate of Trinity Western University, Daniel is also a lifelong musician and experienced sound designer, proficient in guitar and piano. His favorite drink is a black coffee brewed in French press.

With combined backgrounds in specialty coffee, hospitality, sales, and service, Alessandro is a perfect fit in our Europe office, supporting customer relationships among our international clientele of coffee roasters and importers. An avid sports lover, Alessandro enjoys hiking, boxing, ice hockey, and running. He developed his passion for coffee in Australia, and enjoys an Ethiopian filter coffee or macchiato the most.

Specifically focused on growing and improving Swiss Water's traceability initiatives with exportes and producers, Ezri brings a perfect fusion of business administration and coffee farming experience to his duties. Raised in Honduras in a coffee farming family, Ezri studied Mechanical Engineering and Mechanical Design in the Ohio and Michigan before earning an MBA at Yonsei University in Seoul. A lover of everything sports, Ezri has played league soccer and rugby and is a regular in the weight room. His favorite coffee at home is a pourover, and a flat white or latte when out with friends.

As Assistant Director of Coffee, Nelson works closely with our QC lab and green coffee team on purchasing and evaluating all coffees coming through the Swiss Water door. Nelson brings more than 20 years of coffee experience to his role at Swiss Water, including roasting and coffee purchasing roles at some of British Columbia's best specialty coffee companies. Nelson is a longtime Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) course instructor and a certified Q grader, and is also active in coffee competitions as a volunteer and judge. When not immersed in the coffee world, Nelson enjoys hiking and camping, and his favorite coffee is an in-season pour-over brew.

Stacy Ng joins our Quality team in managing, enforcing, and monitoring our quality programs and ensuring compliance with all food safety standards. This includes maintaining all our certifications (e.g. Organic, FSSC 22000, Kosher, Halal, and more) and keeping renewals up to date. A native of Mauritius, Stacy moved to Canada as a child, where despite the reputation for cold temperatures, she enjoys her coffee drinks over ice, year-round. Stacy is a graduate of the University of British Columbia with a degree in Food Nutrition and Health with a Food Science major, and has more than a decade experience in the industry in both the private and public sectors. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, baking, and sunset walks with her husband.

After completing her B.Eng back home in China, Cindy pursued a Master’s degree of Food Science at the University of British Columbia. Upon graduating, Cindy joined us at Swiss Water and has been here for over 6 years. Some of her hobbies include traveling, playing the piano, and photography. While she has had several dogs and rabbits as pets growing up, her next pet of choice will be a cat. Her favorite coffees are fruity naturally processed coffees.

Ensuring the quality control of our decaf is Stacey Lynden, a specialty coffee pro who brings her experience in roasting and green buying to her duties overseeing our cupping and quality control. Stacey cups each coffee decaffeinated at Swiss Water to ensure all our coffees taste as wonderful as we expect. Stacey stays involved in the coffee community outside of Swiss Water, and is a former Coffee in Good Spirits finalist and a member of the Barista Guild. She enjoys gardening and slow pitch softball, and her go-to coffee drink to order when out is a cappuccino.

Kunie assists the day-to-day operation of our cupping lab, including roasting coffee samples and supporting quality control tasks. Kunie's experience in specialty coffee and cafe management systems, and her enthusiasm for coffee (she's won first place in numerous competitions), help Swiss Water keep the quality and taste of our output in top form. A native of Japan, Kunie has been in Canada for a decade, where she enjoys checking out coffee shops and restaurants, and reading manga. Her favorite coffee is whatever sounds best that day—espresso with milk, or a pour-over.

Philipe has the complex task of overseeing all facility operations within our sister organization, Seaforth Supply Chain Solutions. Philipe brings with him expertise in Technology, ERP implementation, E-grocery, logistics, and e-commerce operations, and holds advanced degrees in business administration and supply chain and operations management. A native of Brazil, Philipe is of course no stranger to coffee, which he prefers black. When not at work, Philipe enjoys rock concerts, camping, watching and playing soccer, and playing the drums.

Deepika has over 10 years of experience in the Freight Forwarding field and is a strong asset to our Logistics Team. She is certified by the Canadian International Freight Forwarding Association and holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Masters in Human Resources. She loves exploring and trying new things. If not at work, she loves to be with her family, enjoying nature, singing and being near to her loved ones.

Dorota Impert has over a decade of experience in logistics and freight forwarding. With a BA in Economics and the ability to communicate in multiple languages, she ensures coffee gets to where it needs to be. As well as shipping coffee all over the world, Dorota loves hiking and traveling and spending time with her family. She’s also known to curl up with latte and a good book while listening to rock and blues.

Mike leads our Plant Operations Team to manage full silo-to-silo production of decaffeinated coffee. He applies process-monitoring and troubleshooting strategies to identify and quickly fix any issues, leaning into his more than 15 years' process and production experience, and his training in Six Sigma methodologies and numerous safety certifications. A Calgary native, Mike earned his B.Sc. in Engineering at the University of Calgary, and his Master's in Chemical & Biological Engineering from the University of British Columbia. He is a registered Professional Engineer with Engineers and Geoscientists BC. In his downtime, Mike is an avid marathoner who has run in Boston, New York, Chicago, London, and Berlin. His favorite coffee drink is a carefully made, well-crafted pour-over.

As our Production Supervisor, Ross Robertson is always on the move, and he loves sipping on a cup of black, dark roast coffee to keep him going. Ross has extensive experience in Operations Management, Purchasing, Logistics, and Production Supervision. In his spare time, he enjoys camping, skiing, playing hockey, reading science fiction, and dealing with his cat’s (Mika) serious case of “catitude.” For the past 18 summers, Ross has coached kids and young adults with special needs in the BC Challenger Baseball Program – and he has no intention of stopping any time soon.

Safety Officer Latoya Samuels is part of the crucial operations team that ensures our facility is in full safety compliance to protect our workers (and coffee). She brings several years' safety experience to her role at Swiss Water, including work in the energy sector and private consulting. A native of Jamaica, Latoya holds a degree in Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health from the University of the West Indies, Mona, and holds WorkSafe BC and National Safety Council certifications. In her downtime, Latoya loves Netflix and romance novels, and her favorite coffee is a cappucino with just a dash of vanilla.

Bryan Price Senior Process Engineer Bryan supports Swiss Water's production department in technical troubleshooting process optimization, and researching process improvements. A native of Ontario, he recieved his Bachelor Applied Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo, and is a registered Professional Engineer with Engineers and Geoscientists BC. Outside of work, Bryan enjoys cooking and baking, with his ideal coffee moment being an espresso preferably enjoyed somewhere in Italy.

Moving large quantities of coffee around is no small feat, and Albert Chow helps us make it feel effortless in his role as Senior Logistics Coordinator. Working with internal teams, sales groups, and clients, Albert ensures green coffee is moved safely and efficiently around the world. Albert is a Vancouver native and holds a degree in Statistics from Simon Fraser University. In his spare time, he spends time with family and participates in volunteer activities like Vancouver shoreline cleanups to keep our city beautiful and healthy. His coffee ritual is decaf, brewed in a Vietnamese phin filter.

To keep our part of the supply chain running smoothly, Christian coordinates production scheduling and inventory among our multiple facilities. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Logistics from the University of Applied Science Mittelhessen in Friedberg, in his native Germany. An internship in the chocolate industry led Christian to Vancouver, where he fell in love with the city and decided to stay. Outside of work, Christian enjoys cooking, travel, board games, and handball. He takes his coffee black, so he can continue exploring the nuances of coffees from around the globe.

Bárbara Bona comes to us from our sister company Seaforth, and we're now lucky to have her as Invoice-Sales Administrator for Swiss Water. Bárbara uses her expertise in logistics, customer communication, and finance to keep the decaffeinated coffee flowing smoothly. Trained in business communications and with a prior background in the pharmaceutical industry, Bárbara spends non-work time camping, hiking, and volunteering at the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. Her two favorite coffee drinks are cappuccino or iced coffee, depending on the weather.

Combining a background in professional administration and knowledge of international economics, Janice keeps our invoice processes running with precision and care. Prior to coming to Vancouver, she spent 10 years in corporate marketing and banking, traveling between Singapore and Indonesia. A native of Malaysia, Janice is a fan of gardening and hiking, and of course the golden beaches of her home country. Her favorite coffee drink is an iced cappuccino.

As Logistics Coordinator, Sally helps keep track of the vast amounts of green coffee we bring into the Swiss Water facility for decaffeination. Sally earned a BSc in Cognitive Systems from the University of British Columbia, and brings nearly a decade of professional experience in Logistics to her role. An avid reader in her downtime, Sally co-hosts an international book club and reads voraciously when not listening to K-Pop. Her preferred coffee drink is a Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Mebin joins Swiss Water as Production Coordinator, helping keep our decaffeination runs always operating smoothly in a cost- and time-efficient manner. He liaises with our logistics, production, purchasing, and sales teams to ensure coffee is exactly where it's supposed to be and ready for decaffeination and delivery. A native of Kerala, India, Mebin holds a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and a postgraduate degree in Operations and Supply Chain Management. In his spare time, he enjoys playing soccer, watching movies, and hiking beautiful British Columbia. His favorite coffee is a black filter brew—and on special occasions, a latte.

As Financial Controller, Dylan Easterbrook is responsible for the accounting function at Swiss Water. Over the past decade, he has worked in both large and small corporations across a variety of industries, including manufacturing and wholesale, as well as coffee. Dylan started his trade at Ernst & Young, where he spent five years in audit, and from there moved on to overseeing accounting and finance departments of various BC companies. He holds a CA designation from the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants as well as a diploma from the University of British Columbia. A BC native, Dylan grew up on Vancouver Island and has resided on the mainland for over a decade. He enjoys hockey and hiking the Coquitlam trails with his dog. His favorite coffee is a medium-roast drip.

Eve joins us with over 20 years of accounting experience in a wide range of roles and industries. These include audit and tax at PricewaterhouseCoopers and financial and treasury reporting at engineering firms like Ausenco and steel fabricators like George Third and Son. Along the way, Eve has achieved several professional designations, her favourite being her CPA/CA from Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada. She loves to travel, dance, cycle, and volunteer as a tour guide here in Vancouver. Her adventures have taken her to 19 countries on five continents and counting. Next up is Africa!

Dave Wong has a solid history of work experience in the food and beverage industry including Kraft Foods, Kraft coffee division, Coca Cola and Yves Veggie Cuisine. His favorite coffee beverage is an iced mocha or iced hazelnut vanilla latte – it just has to be sweet and cold! Although he’s lived in Vancouver for many years, he’s still a loyal Toronto Maple Leafs fan. Dave is also our Master Griller when we have Grounds for Health fundraising BBQ’s.

Senior Accountant Vicky Chen works with our skilled finance team to keep Swiss Water's business transactions running smoothly. A graduate of Ningbo Institute of Technology and Douglas College, Vicky is currently a Chartered Professional Accountant of Canada candidate and is a registered Payroll Compliance Practitioner with the National Payroll Institute. Raised in China but an instant Vancouverite, Vicky loves snowboarding, hiking, and a velvety Flat White.

Gemma brings more than two decades' experience in accounting practice to her role at Swiss Water, keeping all bank transactions, invoices, and month-end reconciliations in order for our finance department. A native of the Philippines but a longtime Vancouverite, Gemma has extensive food service industry experience. In the summertime, Gemma enjoys gardening, hiking, and a refreshing Tim Horton's iced cappuccino.

Before joining us at Swiss Water, Adriane was an important part of the team at our logistics partners Seaforth, where he maintained accuracy in processing transactions to keep coffee moving smoothly around the world. At Swiss Water, he continues to support our finance team with his enthusiasm and expertise. A native of the Philippines, Adriane holds multiple teaching certifications and is a volunteer with the Metro Vancouver Dream Centre Society and the Saige Community Food Bank. Adriane loves to cook, play volleyball, and enjoys a refreshing iced coffee.

As BI Developer, Mhretab overseses Swiss Water's database landscape and is charged with developing desktop and mobile applications within the company. He holds a Bachelor's degree from the Eritrea Institute of Technology, along with multiple certifications in information science and design. He is a volunteer with the Immigrant Services Society of BC, where he helps new Canadians settle into society. In his leisure time, Mhretab likes to be with his family—particularly bonding with his children through playing soccer. His favorite coffee drinks in Canada are dark roasts and cappuccinos, but he holds dear the Eritrean coffee ceremonies of his youth.

Nicole supports the Swiss Water Human Resources department with both day-to-day operations and larger projects such as recruitment, performance management, events, and training. Nicole brings to her role more than a decade of HR experience across a range of industries, and is a member of the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (CPHR) Canada. Raised in China, Nicole also lived in Singapore before making her home in Vnacouver. Passionate about animals, Nicole has both a cat and a dog and volunteers at the BC SPCA. Her favourite coffee is a smooth, mild Brazilian coffee taken black.