SIGMA Salutes Retiring Team Members
As 2025 came to a close, SIGMA bid a fond farewell to several of our team members as they enjoy their well-earned retirements. In addition to President Larry Rybacki, the following employees retired last month: Chief Financial Officer Jeff Marcus; Accounts Payable Manager Karen Barone; and Territory Sales Manager, Eastern Canada Dennis Loughead. They were all loved by their colleagues, and though they will be missed, received massive well wishes and sincere expressions of gratitude upon their retirements.
CFO Jeff Marcus, a 27-year veteran of SIGMA, was roundly praised by several members of his team. Don Muller, the new CFO, had the good fortune to serve as Controller during the last half of Jeff’s tenure. He described Jeff’s career as “remarkable”, and hailed his “stalwart efforts and famously laconic style as a steady rudder for SIGMA, quietly, consistently steering the ship with the company’s best interests at heart.” Latha Kakani, Accounts Payable Associate, describes Jeff as “Awesome,” praising his empathetic leadership, his unwavering support, the solid team he built, and the perfect family atmosphere he created in the BFA division.
Accounts Payable Manager Karen Barone is also retiring after 24 years with SIGMA. Karen is credited with renewing the AP department, leading the team from hand written checks through computer systems, embracing innovation and encouraging new ideas. CFO Don Muller praised Karen for “Showing up day after day, night after night to meet deadlines, guide us to automation, deliver results, and above all, lead with encouragement and grace.”
Territory Sales Manager, Eastern Canada, Dennis Loughead is retiring after 28 years with SIGMA. Regional Manager, Canada, Dave Pietryga describes Dennis as a “road warrior. He was on the road visiting customers and making sales calls from Monday to Friday for his entire career. He is loved in the industry, and respected for his dedication.” Territory Sales Manager, Western Canada, Scott Smith remarked on Dennis’s consistency: “You could almost replicate his calendar year over year. He had a routine; Dennis would call on customers regularly on a predictable schedule. It worked—he was a big success and very well liked.” Dennis approached his customers as friends; he operated with sincerity and as a result earned people’s trust. That translated into a great career. Dave adds, “He never shied away from a golf game!”
SIGMA thanks all of these team members for their years of service to the company and wishes them a long, happy, and restful retirement.