Company - Executive Management
The FM Sylvan senior management team has a wide range of experience in industrial services contracting, operations, finance, corporate development, and sales.
James P. Frees
CEO & Chairman Jim Frees has more than 23 years of experience with FM Sylvan. During his tenure, he has played a critical role in leading the company from a regional mechanical contractor primarily focused on the automotive industry to a national industrial services contractor serving a range of industries nationwide. Jim has played a direct role in shaping the company's approach to quality, safety, financial management, and customer service that has led to an eighty percent repeat business rate.
As CEO, Jim oversees all aspects of the company's operations, represents FM Sylvan to the general public in all fields that the company operates. In addition, he sets strategic direction, drives quality and customer service, and implements organizational policies that ensure sustainable, profitable, long-term growth.
Jim received a B.A. in Accounting from Fordham University, and completed postgraduate engineering studies at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He is a journeyman pipefitter of Local 274 of Ridgefield, NJ since 1978.
Robert G. Murphy, Jr.
President and CFO Bob Murphy is President and Chief Financial Officer. He is also a member of the FM Sylvan Board of Directors.
As CFO, Bob is responsible for aligning FM Sylvan's finance and capital structures to the company's business strategies. In this capacity, he maintains total quality compliance with the laws and regulations that apply to corporate accounting and financial standards in all geographies in which Sylvan operates. Additionally, he oversees operations at the company's Nashville, Tennessee and Mt. Laurel, New Jersey offices.
From 1991 to 2008 Bob held various corporate finance positions at Wachovia Bank where he was responsible for developing, managing and providing advice/solutions for midsize companies throughout the United States.
Bob is the co-founder of the Kaleidoscope Fund, a charitable organization supporting the urgent medical needs of children. He also was a member of the 1998 U.S. Virgin Island Olympic Bobsled Team. He received a B.A. in Economics from Hobart College and participated in the Columbia University Senior Executive Program.
Robert H. Metz
COO & Managing Partner Robert Metz brings a wealth of operations, general management, corporate development and sales experience at both Fortune 500 and small, entrepreneurial organizations to FM Sylvan. In his role a Chief Operating Officer, Robert provides oversight, coordination, and operational support to all operating units of FM Sylvan. Specifically, he is responsible for managing the company's manpower, capital equipment, safety, marketing, insurance, legal, and assurety functions. He also heads the company's oil and gas initiatives, leveraging his industry expertise. He is also directing the launch of the company's Alabama office. Robert is a member of FM Sylvan's Board of Directors.
Previously, Robert served as Executive Vice President and Director of Corporate Development of Tanenbaum-Harber/RFF Associates a construction-insurance and surety brokerage consolidation owned by Olympus Partners. He coordinated all growth initiatives between the Portfolio Company and Olympus including mergers, acquisitions and strategic hire. Prior to joining Tanenbaum/Olympus he was Senior Vice President and Managing Director of the New Jersey Region of Wachovia Insurance Services, a division of Wachovia Corporation. As Managing Director, Robert had P&L responsibility for a New Jersey office, which totaled more than $50 million in annual revenue. Prior to being named Managing Director, he served as COO of the northeast division of Wachovia Insurance Services, where he was responsible for mergers and acquisition activity and operational oversight of eight offices in the region.
Prior to joining Wachovia, Robert was President and Chief Operating Officer of Peterson Petroleum of New Hampshire, a large, regional gasoline and heating oil distributor in New York and New England.
Robert Metz received a B.A. in History from Colgate University and an M.B.A. from the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University. He serves as a board member of Salisbury School.
James P. Frees
CEO & Chairman Jim Frees has more than 23 years of experience with FM Sylvan. During his tenure, he has played a critical role in leading the company from a regional mechanical contractor primarily focused on the automotive industry to a national industrial services contractor serving a range of industries nationwide. Jim has played a direct role in shaping the company's approach to quality, safety, financial management, and customer service that has led to an eighty percent repeat business rate.
As CEO, Jim oversees all aspects of the company's operations, represents FM Sylvan to the general public in all fields that the company operates. In addition, he sets strategic direction, drives quality and customer service, and implements organizational policies that ensure sustainable, profitable, long-term growth.
Jim received a B.A. in Accounting from Fordham University, and completed postgraduate engineering studies at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He is a journeyman pipefitter of Local 274 of Ridgefield, NJ since 1978.
Robert G. Murphy, Jr.
President and CFO Bob Murphy is President and Chief Financial Officer. He is also a member of the FM Sylvan Board of Directors.
As CFO, Bob is responsible for aligning FM Sylvan's finance and capital structures to the company's business strategies. In this capacity, he maintains total quality compliance with the laws and regulations that apply to corporate accounting and financial standards in all geographies in which Sylvan operates. Additionally, he oversees operations at the company's Nashville, Tennessee and Mt. Laurel, New Jersey offices.
From 1991 to 2008 Bob held various corporate finance positions at Wachovia Bank where he was responsible for developing, managing and providing advice/solutions for midsize companies throughout the United States.
Bob is the co-founder of the Kaleidoscope Fund, a charitable organization supporting the urgent medical needs of children. He also was a member of the 1998 U.S. Virgin Island Olympic Bobsled Team. He received a B.A. in Economics from Hobart College and participated in the Columbia University Senior Executive Program.
Robert H. Metz
COO & Managing Partner Robert Metz brings a wealth of operations, general management, corporate development and sales experience at both Fortune 500 and small, entrepreneurial organizations to FM Sylvan. In his role a Chief Operating Officer, Robert provides oversight, coordination, and operational support to all operating units of FM Sylvan. Specifically, he is responsible for managing the company's manpower, capital equipment, safety, marketing, insurance, legal, and assurety functions. He also heads the company's oil and gas initiatives, leveraging his industry expertise. He is also directing the launch of the company's Alabama office. Robert is a member of FM Sylvan's Board of Directors.
Previously, Robert served as Executive Vice President and Director of Corporate Development of Tanenbaum-Harber/RFF Associates a construction-insurance and surety brokerage consolidation owned by Olympus Partners. He coordinated all growth initiatives between the Portfolio Company and Olympus including mergers, acquisitions and strategic hire. Prior to joining Tanenbaum/Olympus he was Senior Vice President and Managing Director of the New Jersey Region of Wachovia Insurance Services, a division of Wachovia Corporation. As Managing Director, Robert had P&L responsibility for a New Jersey office, which totaled more than $50 million in annual revenue. Prior to being named Managing Director, he served as COO of the northeast division of Wachovia Insurance Services, where he was responsible for mergers and acquisition activity and operational oversight of eight offices in the region.
Prior to joining Wachovia, Robert was President and Chief Operating Officer of Peterson Petroleum of New Hampshire, a large, regional gasoline and heating oil distributor in New York and New England.
Robert Metz received a B.A. in History from Colgate University and an M.B.A. from the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University. He serves as a board member of Salisbury School.
