Two Premix Group USA employees named Plastics News Rising Stars

The Plastics News Rising Stars program highlights emerging leaders who are shaping the future of the plastics industry. Each year, selected professionals under the age of 35 are recognized for their leadership, innovation, and contributions to the field—and in 2026, Savanna Kelly and Jordan Sarver have both earned their place among them.

At Premix Group USA in Dallas, North Carolina, Savanna plays a key role as Production and Quality Manager, ensuring that daily operations meet high standards for quality, efficiency, and consistency. Her path into plastics wasn’t entirely straightforward—she initially set out to study electrical engineering before discovering her passion during a visit to the plastics lab at Penn State Erie.

“I immediately fell in love with the idea of being a plastics engineer,” Savanna recalls. “The opportunity to be hands-on and work with the equipment really stood out to me". Since then, Savanna has built an impressive career across the industry, holding roles in technical sales, manufacturing engineering, and plastics engineering at companies such as PolyOne, Wastequip, Mueller Systems, and Stanley Black & Decker. She joined Premix in 2023 as a Process Engineer and quickly advanced to her current leadership role.

One of her proudest achievements has been contributing to the successful launch of the Premix North Carolina manufacturing plant. “Savanna has quickly established herself as a rising star through her leadership, technical understanding, and ability to drive results on the production floor,” says Jyrki Taiminen, General Manager at Premix USA. “Her impact is already evident as a vital member of our team from startup to full operations.”

Jordan, a Technical Service Engineer at Premix Group USA, shares a similarly hands-on passion for plastics. While originally considering computer engineering, he found his true interest in plastics engineering technology drawn by the opportunity to work directly with processes and materials.

Before joining Premix, Jordan spent three years at Medbio LLC, where he quickly took on significant responsibility, managing up to 33 injection molding presses during demanding night shifts early in his career. “That experience pushed me to grow fast,” Jordan says. “It was challenging, but it taught me how to perform under pressure while maintaining the level of detail required in medical device manufacturing.”

Today, Jordan works closely with customers to support applications involving conductive polymers in extrusion and injection molding. A key part of his role is helping customers understand how conductive materials behave differently and how processing parameters directly impact performance.

“Jordan is a dedicated and innovative engineer who brings strong technical expertise and a customer-focused mindset,” says Matt James, Director of Sales at Premix USA. Looking ahead, Jordan is also passionate about supporting the next generation of plastics professionals and helping others discover the opportunities within the industry.

For Premix, the recognition of both Savanna and Jordan reflects the strength of its growing U.S. team and its continued investment in talent and innovation. Congratulations to Savanna and Jordan on this well-deserved recognition.

All selected Rising Stars are featured annually by Plastics News.
➤ Watch the Full List of Rising Stars 2026 here