Garrett Guinn, a decorated U.S. Army veteran and executive recruiter who switched careers and has spent the last 15 years in business development, sales and marketing, is SOMIC Packaging’s new western regional sales manager. Based in Spokane, Washington, he reports to CEO Peter Fox.

Guinn’s hiring is the next step in SOMIC’s business plan to expand and gives the company true coast-to-coast representation. He will be responsible for working with companies in 11 western states—plus Alaska and Hawaii—needing automated, end-of-line packaging systems. He believes what led him to switch career paths will help in his new role at SOMIC.

“It was the challenge of acquiring new business without the need for a large support structure so I could succeed on my own merits,” said Guinn. “SOMIC was presented to me by a recruiter. After speaking with Peter, I discovered someone with a drive to succeed that is similar to my own.”

Guinn has spent the last eight years in the packaging industry, most recently as a regional sales manager at Arrowhead Systems based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He anticipates his prior experience with new equipment prospecting, material handling and end-of-line packaging solutions will help him reach ambitious goals in 2022.

“SOMIC has an excellent product and I do have the challenge of convincing packagers to switch from their existing individual erect, pack, seal and palletize machinery to the SOMIC modular systems approach,” Guinn acknowledged. “But I have confidence that my experience within the packaging industry, especially in the western United States, will afford me the opportunity to be extremely successful.”

Guinn is engaged to Jessica Kirk, who has two children. He also has two adult children. Guinn can be reached via email: g.guinn@somic.us, or by phone at (612) 889-3943.