About Us: Management Team

Chris Ragot, CEO
Chris joined Novariant in August 2010 as President and Chief Executive Officer. He was most recently the President and CEO for Freightcar America, Inc. where he led the company through multiple business cycles while consistently improving profit margins, customer satisfaction and delivery times. Chris has spent most of his career in the capital equipment industry, including senior management positions with Terex Corporation and Ingersoll-Rand Company. Chris graduated Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and received a masters degree from The Johns Hopkins University.

Seth Halio, CFO/EVP, Finance and OEM Business Development
Seth Halio joined Novariant in May 2008 as Chief Financial Officer. Most recently, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Diamond Foods, Inc., where he had worked since 2005. Prior to that, Seth served in various senior financial management positions including roles as Vice President, Finance and Corporate Controller at Ocular Sciences, Inc., Spectra-Physics, Inc., Digital Video Systems, Inc. and California Microwave, Inc. Earlier in his career, Seth spent over eight years with Ernst & Young LLP. Seth graduated from Bucknell University.

Ken Johnson, Vice President of Human Resources
Ken joined Novariant in March 2009 as Vice President of Human Resources. Ken is an HR executive with over twenty years of experience that includes strategic planning, company culture development, acquisition integration, initial public offerings and employee development. He joins us from Avanex Corporation where he was the VP of HR. He previously served in an executive role with Placer Sierra Bancshares and Spectra-Physics after beginning his career as an HR professional with Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Ken has a B.S. degree in business administration and an MBA from Notre Dame de Namur University.

Ray Vallejo, Executive Vice President of Engineering & Operations
Ray Vallejo heads up the Engineering and Operations organizations which also includes Quality, and Program Management. Ray brings 25 years of diverse Engineering and Operations experience in start-up, turn-arounds, and billion dollar companies. Mr. Vallejo's product and service experience includes; medical diagnostic imaging, wireless, computing, broadcasting, networking, video serving, 3D graphics, storage, consumer electronics, and professional service. His billion dollar and public company experience includes; SGI (Silicon Graphics, Inc.), Siemens, and Gould. Ray's previous positions include; COO for AccuImage Diagnostics (a public company), COO for Imedia Corp., VP of Operations for Malibu Networks, Sr. VP of Operations for BridgeWave Communications, VP & GM for Reply Corp., VP of Operations for Maxoptix, Vice President of Operations for Zapex Inc, Sr. Director for SGI. As employee #40 at SGI he helped build and lead a global Manufacturing organization for 7 years resulting in annual sales of $400M and a successful IPO.