Inspired to Help, Build Trust, & Empower Success

Jim Zaiser is the President & CEO of Hydro-Thermal Corporation, a third-generation leader in direct steam injection technology.

With a background in mechanical engineering from Lehigh University and an MBA from Keller Graduate School, Jim combines technical expertise with strategic vision. Before joining Hydro-Thermal, he gained experience at Robert Bosch and Strattec Security Corp.

Since becoming CEO in 2015, Jim has driven international growth, achieved ISO 9001 certification, and championed Lean Manufacturing. Under his leadership, the company has doubled its facility size, expanded manufacturing capabilities, and achieved double-digit revenue growth.

Michelle Palmquist is the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Hydro-Thermal Corporation, bringing over 24 years of financial leadership experience. She has held key roles at companies like Kellogg, Baxter Healthcare, and GE Healthcare and worked as an independent consultant.

Michelle holds a BS in Accounting and finance from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, an MBA in Finance and project Management, and completed the Women’s Leadership Program at Yale. She is also a Certified Public Accountant in Wisconsin.

Chad Hawkins is a successful professional with an extensive background in technical sales operations and management. As the VP of Sales, he leads a team of talented sales experts by developing and implementing sales strategy, plus forging lasting relationships with key accounts and partners.

Chad obtained a BS in Industrial Engineering at Clemson University (go Tigers!).  His career progressed through the ranks of technical sales and sales management, working for a variety of organization types, including market leaders.  Chad participated in several sales and sales management training courses, including the Advanced Leadership Program at the Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro, NC which helps leaders unlock their potential, clarify challenges, and strengthen their ability to achieve results.

A person who inspires Chad is Jeff Bezos. Chad said that there isn’t anyone else who has more successfully demonstrated success by prioritizing the customer experience. As Bezos said, “We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts.”

A recent project that Chad appreciates was a larger skid system that seemed risky on the surface as it was quite different than anything the team attempted in the past. Through collaboration and insight from many staff members, Hydro-Thermal was able to successfully build and deliver a product that solved customer pain points.

On a personal level, Chad enjoys pending time with family, golfing, reading and being outdoors. A fun fact about Chad is that he lived in Germany and speaks fluent German. Prost!

Meg Lesnick is a skilled marketing executive with more than 20 years of experience leading B2B teams.  As the Head of Marketing for Hydro-Thermal, she drives corporate and marketing strategies focused on successfully meeting and exceeding operational goals.

Meg received a BS in both journalism and political science from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. She has performed key roles in organizations such as ASQ, Assurant Health and MDVIP. In the past, she received numerous corporate awards for staff retention, sales/marketing collaboration and financial proficiency.

One quote that has remained with Meg during her lifetime is “The world belongs to the energetic,” by Ralph Waldo Emerson. She believes that many Emerson quotes are interesting as they promote optimism, independence and enthusiasm.

Meg likes working at Hydro-Thermal for a few reasons. One is because the product is well-engineered, innovative and can be applied in so many industries (excellent for a marketer!) Another reason is that the staff is comprised of smart and interesting people, which is motivating for success. Lastly, Meg feels like she can make a real difference to how the company performs with strategies, improvements and potentially unconventional ideas.

Personally, Meg’s interests include reading by the pool, practicing yoga, trying new recipes for family and friends, hanging out with her golden doodle Eddy and cheering on the Packers to victory.

Marc Grischeau is a 16-year veteran of the manufacturing industry, where his journey started as a machinist and progressed through various areas of responsibility such as supervision, value-stream management and production management. As the current Director of Operations, Marc’s extensive background enables him to successfully lead a team of machinists, supply chain, inventory and shipping/receiving staff.

Marc received a BBA from the University of Illinois-Springfield and graduated summa cum laude. His promotion from department lead to machine shop supervisor included increased leadership & managerial responsibilities prompting a relocation to Oklahoma after facility shutdown and consolidation.

Marc actively seeks opportunities to enhance his skills and stay updated on best practices. His participation in leadership workshops, visiting manufacturing tradeshows, and networking with peers have been beneficial for his professional development.

Inspirations for Marc include titans of the industry such as Jack Welch, Peter Drucker, and Elon Musk including others such as Jocko Willink, Ray Dalio, and Charlie Munger. Additional catalysts of motivation are staff at Hydro-Thermal, bringing individual strengths and leveraging expertise to address challenges and develop innovative solutions across each department.

Personally, Marc enjoys spending valuable time with his wife and fun-loving son. Marc also participates in outdoor activities like golf, fishing, kayaking and hiking plus experimenting with new recipes.

Heber Silva was born in Brazil and moved to the United States in the summer of 2022. He is an experienced engineering leader with a background in product innovation, cross-functional team leadership and global operations. As the Director of Engineering, he is responsible for guiding R&D, project execution, technical strategy, application engineering and technical support.

Heber holds an MBA in Control, Audit, and Corporate Finance, a Master of Science and a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Over the course of his 20+ year career, he held leadership roles in companies across the automotive, oil & gas and industrial equipment sectors, including Franklin Electric, Whirlpool, ThyssenKrupp, and Nissan, leading departments such as R&D, Quality and Process Engineering. He is passionate about driving continuous improvement, mentoring high-potential talent and aligning technical development with business goals.

A strong believer in the power of iterative learning, Heber consistently champions a customer-centric approach to innovation. He emphasizes cross-functional collaboration, real-time feedback and continuous improvement to ensure engineering initiatives drive meaningful business outcomes and long-term value.

Heber is a member of Rotary International and the Project Management Institute. He finds meaning in seeing people he coached and developed grow into strategic roles. He also values organizations that prioritize safety, customer experience and meaningful work.

Outside of work, Heber enjoys traveling, spending time outdoors, discovering new coffee shops and practicing yoga, running and swimming. He lives in Waukesha, Wisconsin, with his wife and their dog.