Experienced operations and organizational leader joins Continuum to strengthen cross-functional alignment, operational efficiency, and strategic execution as the company scales
HOUSTON, TX – October 21, 2026 – Continuum Powders, a leading provider of high-performance metal powders for advanced manufacturing, today announced the appointment of Laurie Richards as Vice President of Strategic Initiatives. In this role, Richards will help drive company-wide strategic initiatives, strengthen operational processes, and improve cross-functional coordination as Continuum expands its production capabilities and market presence.
Richards brings more than two decades of experience spanning project management, business operations, organizational leadership, and process improvement. Her background includes leading complex initiatives, implementing operational improvements, and helping organizations navigate periods of growth and change.
Laurie Richards - VP Strategic Initiatives
As Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, Richards will work across Continuum's leadership and operational teams to align strategic priorities, improve organizational efficiency, and support the execution of key business initiatives. Her initial areas of focus include government affairs initiatives, optimizing cross-functional processes, enterprise systems adoption, and driving seamless collaboration across sales, operations, and leadership.
"Laurie brings a valuable combination of operational expertise, strategic thinking, and the ability to bring people and priorities together," said Jon Cozens, Chief Executive Officer of Continuum Powders. "Having worked closely with Laurie previously, I've seen firsthand her ability to navigate complex challenges, improve organizational processes, and help unite teams around high-impact execution. As Continuum continues to grow, that experience will be instrumental in ensuring we're building the operational foundation to support our long-term ambitions."
Prior to joining Continuum, Richards served as Chief of Staff and Business Operations Leader at Aries Clean Technologies, where she drove executive governance, operational optimization, and cross-functional alignment alongside Cozens during her three-year tenure. Earlier in her career, Richards held leadership positions in project management, technology development, and business operations, building expertise in process optimization, data analysis, and organizational effectiveness.
Richards joins Continuum at an important stage in the company's evolution, as it advances its next generation of metal powder production technology while expanding its ability to serve customers across aerospace, defense, energy, and other advanced manufacturing industries.
"What attracted me to Continuum was the opportunity to join a talented team at such an exciting stage of growth," said Richards. "I've always enjoyed working across different parts of an organization, connecting teams, bringing structure to complex initiatives, and helping people work toward common goals. As Continuum continues to scale, I'm looking forward to helping strengthen the processes and collaboration that will allow us to grow efficiently while maintaining the flexibility and responsiveness that make the company unique."
Richards' appointment reflects Continuum's continued investment in the leadership and organizational capabilities needed to support its expanding operations, strategic partnerships, and long-term growth.
About Continuum Powders
Continuum Powders is the leader in high-performance, sustainable metal powders with locations across the United States. Continuum is the creator of The Greyhound M2P (melt-to-powder) Platform, a patented cradle-to-cradle process of recycling alloyed metal waste-stream products into powder in a single processing step. The platform affords customers the same high-quality spherical metal powder they use today while contributing significantly to their decarbonization and sustainability programs by utilizing Continuum Powders’ nearly carbon-free powder materials.
The company supports additive and advanced manufacturing applications with process-ready materials, custom particle size distributions, and alloy development programs built for qualification and scale. Continuum is a portfolio company of Ara Partners; a global private equity and infrastructure firm focused on decarbonizing the industrial economy. For more information, visit www.continuumpowders.com.
Media Contact
Amir Iliafar
Continuum Powders
