About Essentic

In our view, business is personal.

In our view, business is personal.

Cultivating meaningful relationships with the right individuals creates a significant edge for your business.

Our team of experienced professionals is dedicated to providing world-class service, putting our extensive expertise and trust into building your business and giving you a distinct strategic advantage over your competitors.

Your Partner for Success.
Backed By Proven Experience.

Jay Whalen

Partner

  • 40+ years leading successful, high-growth, entrepreneurial businesses
  • Inclusive and motivational leader; team player/motivator
  • Deep buy-side M&A experience, acquired and integrated multiple companies
  • Deep fluidics and sanitary process equipment knowledge
  • Former Group President of Watson Marlow Fluid Technologies

Jay Whalen is a growth-oriented Senior Business Executive with over 40 years of experience leading entrepreneurial businesses to remarkable growth and success. Known for his inclusive and motivational leadership style, Jay has a talent for building strong teams and inspiring them to achieve their best. His expertise extends to deep buy-side M&A experience, where he has successfully acquired and integrated multiple companies, demonstrating a keen ability to identify strategic opportunities.

Jay possesses deep expertise in fluidics and sanitary process equipment and has been a pivotal figure in the industry. He is skilled in business development, M&A, sales & marketing, operations, strategic planning, and employee development. Notably, he served as Executive Director and President at Watson Marlow Fluid Technology Group, where he contributed significantly to the company’s success and trajectory through his strategic vision and implementation of focused sales strategies. Jay’s leadership skills, strategic vision, and international experience make him a valuable asset in diverse market sectors. His track record includes fostering high-growth environments, aligning businesses with strategic goals, and delivering sustained performance.

As Managing Partner of Essentic Process Solutions, Jay brings his wealth of knowledge and leadership to assist partners in unlocking their business’ true potential. His impressive work in the business world exemplifies his commitment to excellence and innovation, making him a respected figure in the industry.

Steven Lavargna

Partner

  • Nearly three decades of experience leading high-performing, fast-paced teams in the sanitary process markets.
  • Exceptional track record of high-performing sales and profit growth,
  • An authentic leader committed to fostering an inclusive and collaborative growth culture and mindset.
  • Highly skilled at building effective sector-focused technical sales and customer support structures and driving organic growth across various market routes.
  • Possesses deep experience in international expansion, mergers, and acquisitions.

Steve is a seasoned executive with nearly three decades of experience in the sanitary process markets. Serving as Americas Regional Director at Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions (WMFTS), he held responsibility for business strategy, financial planning, and change management, overseeing a team of 270 colleagues across seven sales and support Operating Companies in North America and South America.

Responsible for over 42% of the company’s global revenue, Steve played a pivotal role in developing and executing a regional strategy aligned with global objectives, fostering an engaged, solution-oriented culture rooted in the organization’s core values.

Throughout his career, Steve consistently delivered outstanding results, achieving significant organic sales and profit growth across the Americas. His leadership is characterized by authenticity, commitment to core values, talent development, a growth mindset, and inclusivity. He excels in building effective technical sales and customer support structures, driving organic growth across diverse market routes, including end users, OEMs, integrators, and channel partners.

Steve’s international experience is marked by the successful launch of direct sales companies in Mexico, Canada, Argentina, Chile, and Colombia, transforming distributor relationships into direct sales channels. His role as a core member of WMFTS’s M&A team led to the successful acquisition and integration of multiple businesses.

As a Partner of Essentic Process Solutions, Steve brings his extensive expertise to assisting partners in building great businesses, demonstrating his commitment to excellence and innovation in the fluidics and sanitary process equipment industry.

AEA

AEA Investors

Financial Sponsors

Founded in 1968, AEA Investors LP is one of the most well-established private equity firms in the world. AEA boasts an extraordinary global network, including leading industrial families, business executives, and leaders, many of whom invest actively with AEA and serve on portfolio company boards or in advisory roles.

With approximately 110 investment professionals operating globally, AEA manages funds with approximately $19 billion of invested and committed capital, focusing on middle market companies and small business companies, growth capital, and mezzanine and senior debt investments.