Our Team
Dimitri Gianakopoulos is the CEO of The Champion Company, a diversified group of companies with expertise in chemical mixing and compounding, metal and plastic fabrication, automation, metal stamping and machining, electroplating and painting. In his position, Gianakopoulos establishes the strategy and long-range vision for the 135-year-old, privately held business that includes Champion GSE, Rawac Plating Co, Kreider Corp., Champion Funeral. As a group, The Champion Company assists its customers in the following industries: funeral trades, truck and automotive supply chain, aerospace, energy, defense and space exploration.
As CEO, Gianakopoulos works closely with the senior management teams of the family-owned business to: capitalize on growth opportunities in each respective industry; build an organizational culture that aligns with his values of integrity, safety, transparency and personal responsibility; and set budgets and fund projects that support the corporate strategy and goals.
Currently, Gianakopoulos is working with the Champion GSE team to leverage their product development, engineering and manufacturing expertise to develop highly engineered new products that will continue to meet the needs of current and future customers.
Prior to being named CEO in 2013, Gianakopoulos held positions of special operations manager and executive vice president at Champion. Before that, he attended colleges in Ohio and Alaska.
Don Clouser leads Champion GSE by helping develop the best solutions from the cohesive efforts of the company’s disciplines. He has developed a passion for continuous improvement as well as cultural implementation of professional management. It is his respect of value created from people who marry their skills with material that has dedicated him to manufacturing.
Don looks to continue the Champion GSE team’s ability to be innovative in customer solutions, dedication to quality and their earned respect from the markets they serve.
