Leadership
A Dynamic Team Built to Lead
Rudy Cuellar
CEO & President
As CEO & President of NPX ONE, Rudy Cuellar utilizes his extensive industry knowledge and natural leadership skills to guide the company’s long-term value creation plan and day-to-day functions and operations. Rudy joined the business in 2019 as Vice President, Processor Sales and was promoted to President in 2020. Rudy’s dynamic career in the food packaging industry spans three-decades, including his role as Vice President and General Manager of Transcendia’s Food & Beverage division. Prior to Transcendia, Rudy worked at Pactiv for 22 years in a variety of sales and management positions of increasing responsibility, serving as General Manager of Mexico and Vice President of the Supermarket/Retail Business Unit. Rudy is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, earning a BS in General Engineering with a major in National Security and Public Affairs.
Paul Nicolai
CFO
Paul brings more than 20 years of financial leadership experience across a range of industries, including manufacturing, aerospace & defense, chemicals, automotive, and construction. He has worked closely with executive teams and private equity partners to guide organizations through strategic growth, operational improvements, and successful business transitions. Paul is recognized for his collaborative style, his ability to make financial data meaningful for decision-making, and his track record of building stronger, more resilient organizations. In addition to his executive leadership roles, Paul has led mergers and acquisitions, ERP implementations, and financial planning initiatives that have delivered significant results for the companies he has served. His combination of technical expertise and strategic insight makes him a valuable addition to our leadership team.
Tom Donohue
VP Sales & Marketing
Tom Donohue leads sales strategy, customer growth initiatives, and marketing at NPX ONE. He brings over 35 years of experience in B2B sales, customer retention, and market expansion. His expertise in strategic planning, product positioning, pricing, and key customer negotiations has driven revenue growth and strengthened competitive positioning across multi-billion-dollar organizations. Before joining NPX ONE, Tom held executive sales leadership roles at Spartech, Transcendia, and Pactiv Corp., where he successfully developed distribution strategies, restructured sales teams, and expanded customer relationships. He has played a key role in mergers and acquisitions, leading the commercial integration of four major acquisitions since 2010. His ability to align sales initiatives with business objectives has resulted in sustainable growth and increased profitability. Tom holds an MBA from Xavier University.
Tom Morse
Director, Operations
Tom Morse leads manufacturing operations at NPX ONE, utilizing his first-hand knowledge of the company’s facilities as well as his diverse experience in food manufacturing. Tom joined the company in 2015 as Plant Manager of the Reading, PA tray facility. Previously, Tom worked at Bimbo Bakeries, where he served as the Plant Manager at their site start-up Lehigh Valley facility. Prior to Bimbo Bakeries, Tom worked at Coca-Cola Enterprises for nine years in several roles of increasing responsibility. Tom holds an MBA from George Mason University and a BA in English from the University of New Hampshire.
Michelle Vitse
Director, Human Resources
Michelle Vitse leads NPX ONE’s team of human resources professionals that is responsible for developing and coordinating all facets of the company’s policies, benefits and staffing initiatives. Prior to joining NPX ONE in 2022, Michelle held increasingly responsible positions in human resources with The Kroger Company, working for 10 years in several manufacturing facilities including one CPG in five different states. Michelle is regarded as an effective census-builder that artfully builds a positive work environment where staff members from various disciplines excel. Michelle earned a BA degree from Louisiana State University and a Master of Conflict Resolution & Reconciliation (MACRR) from Abilene Christian University.