CEM CANDIR
President & CEO
Cem (pronounced as “Gem”) Candir was born and raised in Turkey and studied Mechanical Engineering at Boğaziçi University, which was founded as the first American College built overseas, in Istanbul. Cem worked for Procter & Gamble, starting as a coop, then full-time in Sales and Marketing for four years before moving to the United States at just 23 years old for his MBA at the University of Minnesota.
Following his MBA, he spent almost a decade at GE in finance, operations, and supply chain leadership roles. In his last role at GE, Cem was responsible for the global fulfillment of a $1.2 billion chemical business. Following GE, Cem joined MIOX, an Albuquerque-based water technology startup, leading it to a record valuation exit within seven years.
Currently, Cem is the President & CEO of Chemstar WATER, a rapidly expanding, nationally recognized water treatment company.
RODRIGO MENINO
Chief Operating Officer
Rodrigo Menino has been serving as the Chief Operating Officer at Chemstar WATER since the beginning of 2025. He brings extensive experience from his previous role at Bendheim, where he was the Senior Vice President of Strategy and Corporate Development as well as Group CFO for three years.
Prior to Bendheim, Rodrigo was the Chief Financial Officer at GEA Group for six years. Before that, he spent a decade at General Electric, holding various finance and operational roles – starting his career as an intern right after college.
Rodrigo earned a Bachelor of Science in International Business and Marketing from the Drexel University, a foundation that has propelled his dynamic career in finance and operations. He currently resides in Maryland.
JASON KARAP
Head of Sales
Jason Karap began his professional journey at the United States Naval Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Quantitative Economics between 1997 and 2001. Following his academic tenure, he served as a submarine officer with the U.S. Navy for five years, an experience that laid the foundation for his disciplined leadership style.
Transitioning to the private sector, Jason spent nearly 17 years at Nalco Water, an Ecolab company, where he embraced various commercial leadership roles. As a sales engineer, he developed strategic sales plans and cultivated an in-depth working knowledge of boilers, chillers, water treatment technologies, and account management.
Since 2022, Jason has been driving growth at Chemstar WATER, where he currently serves as the Head of Sales. Now based in Maryland, he continues to leverage his diverse background to excel in the water treatment industry.
DAN PRUITT
Enterprise Project Management
Dan Pruitt is the Head of Enterprise Project Management at Chemstar WATER, where he leverages over a decade of industry experience to drive complex projects and operational excellence.
Prior to his current role, Dan served as Field Service Manager for six years at Chemstar WATER, following a six-year tenure as a Water Technical Service Representative. These roles have equipped him with deep technical expertise and a robust foundation in managing chemical and water treatment projects, especially within the data center and new construction sectors.
Dan holds the Certified Water Technologist (CWT) certification from the AWT and is ASSE 12080 certified, underscoring his commitment to professional excellence in his field.
