Kadant has approved a leadership transition that will make Michael C. Colwell president and CEO on January 2, 2027. Jeffrey L. Powell will move from CEO to executive chairman, while current board chairman Jonathan W. Painter will retire. The plan establishes a staged transition across Kadant’s executive and board leadership.
Key Takeaways
- Michael C. Colwell will become Kadant’s president and CEO on January 2, 2027.
- Colwell will first become president and chief operating officer on October 1, 2026.
- Jeffrey L. Powell will become executive chairman after leaving the CEO role.
- Powell will continue supporting strategic planning, acquisitions and operational matters.
- Jonathan W. Painter will leave the board and chairmanship on January 2, 2027.
Kadant Sets Staged CEO Succession Timeline
Kadant’s CEO succession plan will move Michael C. Colwell into the company’s top executive position on January 2, 2027, following an initial appointment as president and chief operating officer on October 1, 2026. Jeffrey L. Powell will remain president through September 30 and CEO through January 2 before becoming executive chairman.
The board approved the succession plan as a structured transition across Kadant’s executive leadership. The sequence gives Colwell an initial period as president and chief operating officer before he assumes the president and CEO positions in January.
Powell will continue serving as CEO during the first stage of the transition. His CEO tenure will end on January 2, 2027, when Colwell assumes the position.
The plan also changes the company’s board leadership. Jonathan W. Painter, Kadant’s current chairman, will cease serving as a director and chairman on January 2, 2027.
The leadership changes therefore involve three senior positions. Colwell will become president and COO in October before taking over as president and CEO. Powell will transition from CEO to executive chairman, while Painter will leave the board and chairmanship.
For additional context on structured leadership transitions, planned CEO succession strategies provide a comparable example of a company using a defined timetable for a change at the top.
Michael Colwell Moves Into President and COO Role
Colwell will take responsibility as Kadant’s president and chief operating officer on October 1, 2026, ahead of his appointment as president and CEO three months later.
The staged appointment places Colwell in the president and COO role while Powell remains president and CEO. The arrangement establishes a period in which Colwell moves into broader executive responsibilities before formally becoming CEO.
Colwell has held senior leadership positions at Kadant and is responsible for the company’s Industrial Processing segment. His current position is senior vice president, a role he has held since December 2024. He previously served as a vice president from August 2022 to December 2024.
His responsibilities have included Kadant’s Industrial Processing segment and earlier oversight of businesses within that segment. Colwell also previously served as president of Kadant Carmanah Design, a division of Kadant Canada Corp.
The executive’s experience at the company extends to business leadership and acquisitions. Before joining Kadant Carmanah Design as president, Colwell served as president and chief executive officer of Carmanah Design and Manufacturing Inc. until Kadant acquired the business in November 2013.
That background provides the basis for his appointment within the company’s succession plan. The board cited Colwell’s performance and vision in leading the Industrial Processing segment as factors in its decision.
Jeffrey Powell Transitions to Executive Chairman
Powell will become executive chairman after Colwell assumes the CEO position. He is expected to remain involved in strategic planning and acquisition activities as well as provide management with advice on operational matters.
The executive chairman role will also include responsibility for corporate governance matters. Powell is expected to remain a director and chairman of the board in a non-executive capacity until January 1, 2028.
The succession plan therefore retains Powell’s involvement after his departure from the CEO role. His responsibilities will shift from day-to-day executive leadership toward strategic planning, acquisitions, operational consultation and corporate governance.
Powell has served Kadant for more than 18 years, according to the company’s announcement. During his tenure, he advocated diversification of Kadant’s business portfolio and growth through acquisitions.
The company’s leadership plan specifically provides for Powell to remain involved for one year following the appointment of his successor as CEO. That arrangement establishes an extended period of participation after the formal transfer of the chief executive position.
Powell said the plan provides continuity of leadership and maintains a strong team of leaders. He also said he has worked closely with Colwell for many years and supports the board’s selection of him as the next CEO.
A separate analysis of CEO succession planning practices addresses succession as a structured business process rather than a response to an unexpected leadership vacancy.
Colwell Brings Kadant Operating and Acquisition Experience
Colwell’s career at Kadant includes responsibility for several businesses and operating areas. Before his current role leading the Industrial Processing segment, he had supervisory responsibility for the company’s wood processing business.
That responsibility lasted from July 2019 to July 2022. The wood processing business is part of Kadant’s Industrial Processing segment.
Colwell also had responsibility for Kadant’s fiber-based products business from July 2019 through November 2021. His previous leadership at Kadant Carmanah Design included responsibility for a business that designs and manufactures equipment for the oriented strand board industry.
Kadant acquired Carmanah Design and Manufacturing in November 2013. Colwell had served as its president and chief executive officer from April 2010 until the acquisition.
The board specifically cited Colwell’s record of acquiring and integrating businesses that contributed to Kadant’s growth. Jonathan W. Painter said Colwell is qualified to assume the CEO role and continue driving growth across the company.
Colwell said he intends to build on the company’s existing momentum while continuing to pursue growth and profitability. His comments place those objectives within the responsibilities of the incoming CEO role.
The succession plan thus moves an executive with experience across Kadant’s operating businesses into the chief executive position. His progression includes business-unit leadership, segment responsibility, senior vice president duties and the upcoming president and COO appointment.
Board Leadership Changes Complete the Succession Plan
The CEO transition is accompanied by a separate change at the board level. Painter will cease serving as a director and chairman on January 2, 2027, the same date Colwell becomes president and CEO.
Painter said the board was impressed by Colwell’s performance and vision in leading the Industrial Processing segment. He also cited Colwell’s experience acquiring and integrating businesses as part of the board’s assessment.
Powell will take over the executive chairman position after leaving the CEO role. His responsibilities will include strategic planning, acquisition activities, operational consultation and corporate governance.
The company expects Powell to remain a director and chairman of the board in a non-executive role until January 1, 2028. His planned retirement follows the additional year of involvement established under the succession plan.
Painter also plans to retire from the board when Colwell becomes CEO. He said his departure follows a career at Kadant and service as chairman of the board for seven years.
The resulting structure places Colwell in executive leadership, Powell in an executive chairman role and removes Painter from the board. The changes have defined dates extending from October 2026 through January 2028.
Kadant’s succession plan also establishes continuity between the outgoing and incoming chief executives. Powell will remain CEO while Colwell begins serving as president and COO, before the formal transfer of the CEO position in January.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the next CEO of Kadant?
Michael C. Colwell has been selected as Kadant’s next president and CEO. He will assume both positions on January 2, 2027.
When will Michael Colwell become Kadant CEO?
Colwell will become president and CEO on January 2, 2027. He will first become president and chief operating officer on October 1, 2026.
Who will succeed Jeffrey Powell as Kadant CEO?
Michael C. Colwell will succeed Jeffrey L. Powell as Kadant’s president and CEO. Powell will then become executive chairman.
What role will Jeffrey Powell have after leaving the CEO position?
Powell will serve as executive chairman after Colwell becomes CEO. His responsibilities will include strategic planning, acquisition activities, operational consultation and corporate governance.
Who is retiring from Kadant’s board?
Jonathan W. Painter, Kadant’s current chairman, will cease serving as a director and chairman on January 2, 2027.
