Our People

Roger Posacki

Roger Posacki currently serves as the President and CEO of PlayCore. Prior to joining the PlayCore team, Mr. Posacki was President and CEO of Elmers Products, Inc., a leading consumer company with a diverse and iconic portfolio of brands, including Elmer’s®, Xacto®, and Krazy Glue®. Previously, he has held senior management positions with Carson-Dellosa Publishing and Crayola. Roger has been actively involved on the Board of Directors with the Kids in Need Foundation and has participated on other non-profit Boards and industry associations throughout his professional career.

Roger’s experience helps PlayCore continue their leadership role in the recreation market as they build communities through play and recreation. Roger works and resides in Chattanooga, Tennessee and is enjoying the opportunity to learn more about the many recreation opportunities within the community.

Roger loves all outdoor activities, and especially enjoys spending time hiking with his wife and sons.

Rick Ruegger

Rick Ruegger is responsible for all financial activities of the company, including financial reporting, treasury, tax, legal, audit, banking and insurance. With a 30-year background in the play and recreation industry, Rick is committed to providing the financial leadership and structure needed to ensure PlayCore’s continued profitable growth.

Rick enjoys fishing, boating, biking, and getting outside in the fresh air.

Jim Underwood

Jim is a senior-level operations professional who has held operations roles with Danaher, Black & Decker, and Porter-Cable Corporation. Jim is focused on providing leadership in operational effectiveness and lean manufacturing to the PlayCore businesses. He has learned the fundamentals of lean manufacturing through the guidance of his lean sensei – Yuri Sugiyama, Shingijutsu. Jim leads by remembering the principle "we demonstrate what we believe through what we do."

Jim says “To me there is no better place to enjoy the outdoors and get rid of some stress than shredding the Appalachians on a mountain bike.  After learning in my early forties that I needed exercise and better diet to battle a family history of diabetes, I purchased a bike and never looked back.   Most every Saturday morning, you'll find me riding some of the best trails in the southeast near my home in Chattanooga.”

Lisa Moore

Lisa Moore is responsible for the company’s strategic services and Center for Outreach Research, and Education (CORE), which includes independent research, national partnerships, curricula, programming resources, and professional development efforts that promote the value of play and recreation. In addition, Lisa leads the company’s strategic planning, corporate communications & marketing, e-business, and human resources. Prior to PlayCore, Lisa served in a variety of administrative and service provision roles serving people of all abilities in educational and medical settings. Lisa is active in her professional and local communities and is currently a candidate for an Ed.D. degree, with a research focus on play. She believes in the power of play and is committed to building communities through play for children and families of all abilities.

Lisa enjoys being outdoors and participating in water sports with her family, especially when they can spend time on the river that runs through Chattanooga.

Spencer Cheak

Spencer Cheak is a Group President at PlayCore and has been with the Company for 25 years. He is responsible for all aspects of the GameTime business unit as well as the Aquatics and Theming divisions. He serves on the boards of the DeKalb County United Givers Fund, The Chattanooga Discovery Museum and The Southeast TN Red Cross. Spencer leads a highly skilled team to produce beyond compliant, high-quality playground equipment, Aquatic play and recreation equipment, and Themed environments.

Mark Burgess

Mark Burgess is responsible for oversight of Play and Park Structures, UltraPlay, GT Grandstands, UltraSite, BigToys, Robertson Recreational Surfacing, and National Recreation Systems. He has more than 20 years of experience in the commercial and retail recreation industry in both the United States and abroad and has conducted business in more than 50 countries. He has also served on local, national, and international boards in the recreation industry.

Jesse Taylor

Jesse Taylor is a Group President and has been with PlayCore for over 15 years. He is responsible for leading many of the Company’s Site Amenity businesses, which includes working with the exceptional teams to achieve the Company’s mission of building healthy communities through their products. Prior to joining PlayCore, Jesse worked at Ernst & Young LLP for over five years.

Jesse resides in Chattanooga, Tennessee with his wife and three children. On the weekends you can typically find him spending time with his family, which generally involves attending a sporting event or traveling.

Brenda Grant

Brenda is responsible for providing legal services and advice to PlayCore and its brand family, as well as contribute to M&A and business strategy development as the company continues its rapid growth and expansion.

Prior to joining PlayCore, Brenda served as General Counsel for Benchmark Rehabilitation Partners. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from McPherson College, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of North Dakota School of Law.

Brenda enjoys the many beautiful outdoor activities around Chattanooga, and especially likes getting out on the water with her family.

Tom Norquist

As a founding board member in1995, two-time past president, past treasurer, and marketing committee chair of the International Play Equipment Manufacturer’s Association (IPEMA) and long-term active American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) representative, over the past 41 years, Tom has been involved in all aspects of the play industry. He served from 2002-2004 on the Advisory Board for the National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS).

For over a decade, he actively served in the (Access Board) Recreation Access Advisory Committee and Regulatory Negotiation meetings and additionally served on the advisory panel for the Access Board’s on-line Technical Assistance and Training for Play Area Accessibility. Tom served for over 15 years on the Board for the International Playground Contractor’s Association (NPCAI), and is a founding steering committee member and past leader on the U.S. Coalition for Play. Tom is one of few recipients of the coveted Joe L. Frost Play Research Collection National Play Advocate Award in April 2008.

Additionally, over a decade, Tom has led Dr. Stuart Brown’s National Institute for Play (NIFP) Board and is the project co-leader of the first known on-line database of scientific and academic research creating a cohesive picture about the proven scientific benefits of play. Tom currently serves as President of NIFP. Tom has received two Auburn University’s School of Industrial and Graphic Design Distinguished Service Award for his leadership teaching numerous design studios over the past twenty years. Finally, Tom serves is representing the United States and serves as the convener of the ISO TC83 Playground Equipment committee.

Tom is a passionate play advocate, practitioner and welcomes you to come visit him at his Fort Payne home and play in his families three acre intergenerational “boneyard”play environment and experience some of his cooking at the Garagemahal.

Joni Manley

Joni joined PlayCore after more than 23 years of financial experience with Beaulieu, a leading floor covering manufacturer.  As VP of Finance & Accounting for PlayCore, she oversees the corporate accounting, tax, treasury, compliance, and financial reporting functions.  Joni works closely with the business unit finance leaders and executive management.  She maintains relationships with the company’s lenders and financial community.

She received her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of North Georgia and holds a Master of Business Administration from Kennesaw State University.  She is also a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and is a member of the Institute of Management Accountants.

Joni loves to take advantage of all the active outdoor opportunities around the Chattanooga area, especially when it means getting outside on her bike.  

Anne-Marie Spencer

Anne-Marie joined the PlayCore team in 2002, and is responsible for corporate marketing, communications and special project development for PlayCore, collaborating on CORE materials and initiatives, serving as the company spokesperson, and coordinating brand efforts, including advertising, promotion, trade show design, and external/internal communications. She is committed to building healthy communities through play and recreation by motivating the marketing teams with creativity and encouragement, and serving on several Industry Boards and committees, including the Chambliss Center for Children, the ASLA Fund committee, the ASLA Corporate Committee, and the NRPA Editorial Advisory Board. In her spare time, she loves exploring the outdoors. hiking, and running.

Mike Love

Mike leads Human Resources practices and objectives that promote an employee-oriented, high performance, mission and values based culture that emphasizes teamwork and pride, quality, and continuous improvement. We believe our employees are our most valuable assets and Mike and the Human Resource team are committed to recruit and retain a highly engaged world class team of talent who deliver the highest quality play and recreation products to PlayCore's stakeholders. Mike is active in several community organizations that promote play and fitness for youth.

Mike enjoys spending time outdoors with family and friends. Mike has led backpacking trips in the southwest as well as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, has paddled the world class Ocoee River, and also spends time relaxing on the local lake.

Katie McDiffett

Katie is responsible for PlayCore's M&A and financial compliance functions, including oversight of due diligence, external financial and investor reporting, and the annual financial audit. Prior to joining PlayCore in 2012, Katie spent 7 years in the audit practice of Ernst & Young LLP. She received her Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She is also a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Tennessee and a member of the TSCPA and IMA.

Katie like to get outside and explore wherever and however she can - hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, etc.

Shay Mahone

Shay joined PlayCore in 2012 to lead the organization’s sourcing / procurement function. Shay earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from Belmont University, his Master of Business Administration from The University of Tennessee – Knoxville and holds an active APICS – CPIM Certification. Prior to joining PlayCore, Shay held various factory and sourcing management positions primarily in the commercial aerospace and food equipment industries.

Chris Allen

Chris is responsible for the manufacturing activities, including production, process improvement, cost reduction, budgets and inventory, engineering, maintenance, tool and die and information systems at the Southern Fulfillment Center in Ft. Payne, Al. Chris is committed to helping his team deliver the highest quality products to PlayCore’s customers. He focuses himself and his team on providing the play products necessary to enable PlayCore’s programs to provide an enriching play experience and to help build communities through play.

Chris says, "I like to hike. The Koko Crater hike in Hawaii is tough but worth it for the views at the top."

Mike McWilliams

Mike McWilliams has been in the recreation industry for 30 years. He is committed to providing and delivering the highest quality products and services to PlayCore’s internal and external customers. Mike has worked in many roles and with many diverse groups within PlayCore, including leading the ISO certification efforts for environmental and quality management system and international supply chain management.

Jennie Sumrell

Jennie worked with children and adults with disabilities for nearly fifteen years. She has a master’s degree in special education with a concentration in early childhood development and assistive technology. Jennie joined PlayCore in 2008 and serves as the Community Outreach Director within PlayCore’s Center for Outreach, Research & Education. Jennie is responsible for the development of a variety of programs, partnerships, and services, including leading PlayCore’s professional development initiatives. Deeply passionate about inclusive, intergenerational play, Jennie shares her expertise and personal experiences as an educator to help communities champion high-quality play and recreation destinations that utilize evidence-based best practices and turn research into practice.

Jennie loves theatre, ballet, and live music and enjoys spending time with her family and dogs outdoors and on the lake.

Russell L. Carson, PhD

Russ brings over 20 years of experience to PlayCore as a university Professor in kinesiology and public health, applied researcher, and PlayCore scholar and author of Play On! Russ is the Founding Director of the University of Northern Colorado Active Schools Institute, holds degrees in PreK-12 physical education, sport psychology, and health and kinesiology, and since 2008, has authored 19 funded projects, 60+ research publications, and 100+ international/national presentations on topics of comprehensive health and wellness in/around school and early childcare settings. Russ joins the PlayCore family from Colorado as a dedicated champion of active learning and living.

Russ has always been an active person, he enjoys hiking, running, swimming and spending time biking around town with his family.