KANSAS CITY, MO. — CRB, an engineering, architecture and construction firm for the food and beverage industries, announced April 20 the appointment of Sam Kitchell as senior vice president of emerging business opportunities.

Kitchell is a global expert in biopharma engineering with 25 years of operational and capital management experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. In his new role with CRB, he will identify and position the company for new business opportunities that will strengthen its customer experiences and maximize benefits for its clients.

Kitchell previously served as group vice president of engineering for Shire, where he managed more than 1,600 employees across several manufacturing sites in seven countries. He also oversaw engineering and validation operations, as well as the company’s corporate capital program. Prior to his tenure at Shire, he held senior- and executive-level positions at Baxalta and Baxter Healthcare.

“For two decades on the client side, I’ve admired CRB’s culture and the commitment of its passionate professionals, who by nature are entrepreneurial and eager to develop and grow new ways of solving problems for clients,” Kitchell said. “Joining CRB gives me the chance to do what I love – help talented teams turn big ideas into successful and difference-making solutions.”

Kitchell will report to Ryan Schroeder, president of CRB.

“As a growing and multidisciplinary organization, it’s imperative that we channel a direct response to new business opportunities,” Schroeder said. “Sam’s background and familiarity with CRB makes him the perfect fit for this role overseeing emerging business units from piloting and ramp-up through to integration.”

Read more about personnel changes throughout the industry.