Eastman Machine Hires New CFO as It Looks to 150-year Mark

By Buffalo Business Journal

A former vice president of Noco has joined a Buffalo manufacturing company as its new CFO.

Eastman Machine Co. brought on Jim Poppenberg as CFO in May, after he spent more than 10 years managing Noco’s accounting operations. His most recent role at Noco was vice president of accounting.

"I’m very thankful to Noco and the Newman family for providing me with more than a decade of experience," Poppenberg said.

He said that Jim Dentinger, president of Noco Development, is friends with Trevor Stevenson, president of Eastman Machine, and recommended Poppenberg for the position. Eastman Machine's former CFO, Steve Calzi, held the position for about 22 years and is now COO and partially retired, according to Trevor Stevenson.

"He helped the company grow from the early 2000s and laid some good ground work for Jim to come in and take the company to further heights," said Trevor Stevenson, who runs the company alongside his father, CEO Robert Stevenson.

Poppenberg, who is a CPA with an MBA from the University at Buffalo, said he was drawn to the position at Eastman because of its "rich history in Buffalo that's constantly evolving," and because it's a "family company that's rooted in hard work."

At Eastman, which makes automated cutting systems, Poppenberg will be in charge of finance, accounting, information technology, human resources and business operations. Trevor Stevenson said Poppenberg's role will be "instrumental to executing the company's growth strategy."

Last year, Eastman Machine, which employs 138, completed a 25,000-square-foot expansion, extending its facility to a full block of Washington Street downtown. The company has also been working to replace and update much of its equipment and processes with new technology and automation.

"We're a 135-year-old business, so there's going to be antiquated processes that have slowly been changing over the years," Trevor Stevenson said. "We watched 60- to 70-year-old machines being taken out of our building for scrap. While it’s sad in a way, it really shows a dedication to keeping things here in Buffalo and growing our workforce."

The company is working to modernize its ERP system, its system for managing its vendors and its "in-process stuff, from order to shipment," which Trevor Stevenson said are all areas in which Poppenberg will assist.

"Jim’s a part of the next generation of leadership here at Eastman, and we're very excited for the next 20 years and taking the company over that 150-year threshold," Trevor Eastman said.

This article was published in Buffalo Business First August 15, 2024. Eastman Machine Company is a SPESA member.

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