Meet The Orion Team
Experts in Engineering Polymers
At the heart of our operation is a dedicated leadership team that drives our commitment to excellence every day. With deep industry experience and a shared passion for innovation, our six department leaders bring strategic direction, operational strength, and a relentless focus on quality across every aspect of the business.
From commercial strategy and production efficiency to logistics, facilities, and supply chain management right through to color and quality control, each leader plays a critical role in ensuring we deliver top-tier results for our customers.
Get to know the team behind the scenes, guiding our success and shaping the future of our business.
Ryan Divens
Commercial Director
As Commercial Director, Ryan brings a passion for plastics and deep technical knowledge honed through his decade plus experience in R&D with Avient (PolyOne) and J+J. Ryan has expertise in formulation, processing, color development and additive solutions with segments including, but not limited to, healthcare, electrical, industrial, and consumer. While at Avient, Ryan was awarded multiple Technology Excellence Awards along with Chairmans Club Awards for formula specialization.
Ryan has a Bachelor’s in Chemistry from Elmira College and a Master’s in Polymer Chemistry from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Ryan resides in Florida with his wife Cassondra and two beautiful girls, Leah (5) and Chloe (3).
Darryl Rodgers
Facilities & Maintenance Manager
Darryl C. Rogers is a seasoned Facilities and Maintenance Manager with more than 30 years of hands-on experience in industrial maintenance, manufacturing operations, and technical leadership. Throughout his career, he has built a reputation for solving complex mechanical and electrical challenges while leading teams to achieve safe, efficient, and reliable operations. Darryl currently serves as Facilities/Maintenance Manager at Orion, where he oversees daily production support, preventive maintenance scheduling, contractor coordination, and both mechanical and electrical facility upkeep.
Previously, he advanced his expertise as a Manufacturing Technician at Becton Dickinson, troubleshooting control circuits, vision systems, and high-speed automation while supporting engineering initiatives. Earlier roles also include Working Maintenance Supervisor at Thompson Industrial/Fiber Industries, where he managed more than 50 associates, and Service Engineer at Mazak Corporation, where he specialized in CNC systems, including machine installations, program modifications, and spindle replacements. His 13-year tenure at Caterpillar further strengthened his technical foundation in robotics, hydraulic systems, and CNC repair. His career began at Bosch Braking Systems, where he progressed from Assembler to Maintenance Lead, gaining deep knowledge in predictive maintenance, electrical panel design, and team leadership.
With formal training in industrial electricity, hydraulics, blueprint reading, welding, and CNC setup, Darryl combines academic knowledge with practical expertise. He is recognized for his safety-first mindset, strong technical acumen, and ability to bridge the gap between production demands and equipment reliability. His leadership and problem-solving skills have made him a trusted resource for driving uptime, efficiency, and operational excellence across diverse manufacturing environments.
Daniel Fountain
Production Manager
Daniel Fountain is currently the Production Manager at Orion Performance Compounds, where he leads operational excellence and production oversight at the company’s advanced facility in Lugoff, South Carolina. Prior to this, he served as Production Supervisor at the same organization.
With more than a decade of experience in manufacturing and leadership roles — including as Color Technologist at Sukano and Shift Lead Manufacturing Technician at INVISTA — Daniel has built a solid foundation in process management, quality control, and team leadership.
Daniel holds a high school diploma from Lugoff Elgin High School.
At Orion, Daniel plays a key role in aligning the operations team with the company’s goal of delivering high performance, custom engineered materials with short lead times.
Chad McLeod
Warehouse & Logistics Manager
As a teen, Chad started his career with a local commercial construction company in South Carolina. During his time there, he honed his planning, troubleshooting and problem-solving skills (as well as many others). Years later, Chad utilized his experience in machine/equipment maintenance to join Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) as a Technical Associate, moving on to become a Lead Tech within a few years.
Chad credits BD with much of his development in manufacturing. Working directly for engineering, he led his teams to success on a consistent basis. With a focus on Quality and Right the First Time, Chad used his newly found skills to drive down waste and minimize downtime, while also increasing production yield through process optimization using the DMAIC methodology. Going into his 10th year at BD, Chad decided it was time for a change and new challenges. Once again, leaning on his background in machine maintenance, he joined the team at Orion as Maintenance Lead/Inventory Specialist. In just 18 months, Chad has worked his way through Customer Service and Supply Chain, to currently managing our Warehouse and Logistics. Chad also assists in other areas, bringing along the methods and lessons he learned from his time in the high-speed manufacturing of intravenous medical devices. Growing up in a world of machining, fabrication, construction and competitive racing, Chad developed an appreciation for accuracy, hard work, and execution at an early age. He is dedicated to growing with Orion and delivering superior products and services.
Chad is an avid outdoorsman, and takes a special interest in our sporting goods, firearms and defense applications.
Leeza Ballew
Supply Chain Manager
Leeza is a seasoned Purchasing Customer Service professional who joined Orion in February of 2025. Leeza is a South Carolina native, who found her introduction to performance plastics through heavy involvement in hardware product development. Prior to joining Orion, Leeza progressed in her career in various manufacturing roles including sales, client services, ecommerce, business development, logistics, distribution, and process & operations management.
Leeza lives on a tiny hobby farm with her wife and two dogs. In her spare time, she enjoys outdoor adventures such as hiking and kayaking. She also studies and volunteers as a master Gardner with Clemson University Extension.
Sandra Lafferty
Color & Quality Manager
Sandra Lafferty is a seasoned color technologist at Orion with 19 years of experience in color formulation, ISO standards compliance, quality control, and analytical testing. She has a proven track record of developing precise color solutions and maintaining rigorous quality systems.
Outside the lab, Sandra is an avid outdoor enthusiast who draws inspiration from nature’s palette.