PORTAGE, Ind. February 26, 2026 – SMS, a leading provider of steel mill services and a portfolio company of FalconPoint Partners, today announced the appointment of Chris Dods and James “Skip” Herald to its Board of Directors. The appointments further strengthen the Board with complementary experience across steel and industrial services, and add significant depth in operational leadership, governance, and value creation in outsourced industrial services.
“I’m incredibly excited to work with Skip and Chris as we continue to invest in the SMS platform,” said Jeremy Kirchin, Chief Executive Officer of SMS. “Their experience and perspective further enhance our governance and strategic oversight as we enter the next phase of growth.”
Mr. Herald brings more than four decades of experience leading global steel and energy services organizations through periods of transformation and strategic expansion. Mr. Dods brings more than 30 years of leadership experience across industrial services and materials businesses, with a strong track record of driving operational excellence, safety performance, and customer-centric growth.
“SMS has built a strong reputation for operational excellence and customer service across the steel industry,” said Mr. Herald. “I’m very much looking forward to applying my experience, both inside and outside the steel industry, to help support the Company’s continued growth and to deepen relationships with its customers.”
Most recently, Mr. Herald served as Chief Executive Officer of Evraz North America, where he oversaw a vertically integrated engineered steel products business. Prior to that, he was Chief Executive Officer of Axip Energy Services and held senior executive roles at Welspun USA and Vallourec North America. Earlier in his career, Mr. Herald spent more than 20 years at Halliburton Energy Services in a variety of senior leadership roles across operations, technology, and commercial functions.
“I’ve followed SMS for many years and have been impressed by what Jeremy and the team have built,” said Mr. Dods. “There is strong momentum across the organization, a clear commitment to customers, and a great culture. I’m eager to be involved as the Company continues to pursue growth opportunities.”
Most recently, Mr. Dods served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Materials, a leading provider of glass and plastics recycling services, where he led the company through a period of growth and strategic development prior to its acquisition by Sibelco in 2024. Previously, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Clean Earth, an environmental services platform acquired by Harsco Corporation in 2019. Earlier in his career, Mr. Dods held senior leadership roles at PSC, Aramark Uniform Services, and Omni Services, building extensive experience in scaled industrial operations, environmental compliance, and customer-centric service models.
FalconPoint Partners supported SMS in the board search and has been closely involved since the beginning of the partnership, working alongside management to build a strong leadership and governance foundation.
“Skip and Chris will be great thought-partners for Jeremy and the team,” said Andrew Singer, Partner at FalconPoint Partners. “They bring deep industry and operational experience and will play an important role in supporting the management team as SMS continues to scale.”
About SMS
SMS is a leading provider of a comprehensive suite of outsourced steel mill services, including site environmental services, scrap and slag management, raw materials handling and processing, and slag handling and treatment in the United States, Europe, and South America. SMS also provides marine vessel decommissioning services to the United States Maritime Administration along with other commercial maritime companies. Since its inception, SMS has been built around its long-term customer relationships, leveraging innovative technology and best-in-class equipment and asset management programs to deliver reliability, efficiency, and productivity across a full range of services. For more information, visit smsmill.com.
About FalconPoint Partners
FalconPoint is a private equity firm that invests in North American mid-market companies in the business services and industrial sectors. The firm leverages a network of relationships and a partnership-oriented approach to identify and execute on transformative growth opportunities at companies that provide mission-critical products and services. For more information, please visit www.falconpointpartners.com.
Contacts
Joele Frank
Ed Trissel / Sarah Salky / Alexander Wolfsohn
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
212-355-4449
FalconPoint-JF@joelefrank.com