Our Leadership Team
Leading the Way
From innovation to inspiration, the leadership team at Ultra Clean Systems is driven to provide our customers with the best products possible and our employees with the means to make it happen.
Becky Cale
President
Becky learned about ultrasonics when the medical supply company she worked for began selling a new a new product line of capital equipment for hospital central sterile departments. This was the forerunner of what became Ultra Clean Systems’ Sonic Irrigator. Tasked with finding someone to service these machines, Becky recommended O’Brien because of his background in mechanics. He, of course, went from fixing the machines, to selling them, to starting Ultra Clean Systems in 1999 and designing the products we have now.
In those early days, Becky set up the accounting system for Ultra Clean at night while still working at her full-time job during the day. In 2012, that company was sold, and she joined Ultra Clean full time. She continues to act as our Director of Finance, in addition to her duties as company president.
O’Brien Cale
Founder, CEO
Driven, caring, modest. These words describe Ultra Clean Systems’ founder. He started Ultra Clean Systems after watching sterile processing technicians clean surgical instruments and realizing he could give them better, safer tools. Using his nearly 20 years of industry experience, from repairing to selling ultrasonic cleaners, O’Brien has developed a range of products and a number of industry firsts. With his vision and deep understanding of customer needs, he has made the company an industry innovator and leader in ultrasonic cleaning systems. “It’s about giving the SPD technician the best tools possible to do the best job to have the best outcome in surgery for a patient.”
O’Brien’s employees mean as much to him as his clients, and he’s confident he has given them the tools to create the best product in the most efficient way. Always available to answer questions or listen to new ideas, O’Brien can often be found hanging out in the breakroom at lunchtime or enjoying the office cookouts and parties. “My employees are everything. My employees are Ultra Clean. I just happen to be CEO of it.”
Wendy Keeling
VP of Sales and Marketing
Wendy’s drive and passion for helping others are key to her success—at Ultra Clean Systems and in life. She began her career at Ultra Clean in 2010 as an inside sales representative, and quickly rose through the ranks to assume her current role and place on the Executive Committee in April 2015. A thoughtful and caring leader, she has developed a dynamic and dedicated team around her who mirror her own belief in advocacy for the customer, and ultimately, for Ultra Clean.
Originally from the United Kingdom, Wendy came to the United States more than 25 years ago. In her decade-plus at Ultra Clean, she has learned the ins and outs of ultrasonic cleaners and has become a repository for the history of our company and its products. She is the person you can turn to when uncertain about the inner workings of our machines or how to explain a process to a potential client. Her goal, for herself and her team, is to be a messenger for patient safety in the fight against hospital-acquired infections, a goal she strives toward daily.
Ralph Hatfield
VP of Production
As vice president of production, Ralph’s knowledge and dedication are central to the company’s success. Over 32 years, he worked his way up the ladder at a kidney dialysis equipment manufacturer, gaining skills as an assembler, team leader, supervisor, and finally, production manager. In 2015, he joined the Ultra Clean Systems family, where he keeps the production floor humming. Always willing to share his extensive experience, he was instrumental in implementing our quality program and is a valuable member of the Ultra Clean Systems Executive Committee.
Since our machines are built to order, timing is everything in Ralph’s world. His ability to prioritize production needs and coordinate schedules with testing and shipping allows us to meet every deadline. The result? Happy customers. And with his impeccable timing and understated demeanor, the team is never surprised when he lets a quiet zinger fly.
Bryan Russell
Director of Product Development
Bryan is an innovative leader and the director of product development at Ultra Clean Systems. He joined the company in 2013 after a lengthy career in the food and beverage industry, beginning in customer service and technical support. His “customer first” approach and dedication to ensuring an honest, proactive, and transparent relationship with the customer are his top priority. The values that he embodies, and the vast knowledge he has gained in the industry, have assisted the company’s growth over the years. Bryan’s role has grown into a director’s role, and in 2021, he joined the Ultra Clean Systems Executive Committee.
He strives to build lasting relationships throughout the company and with our customers. He values non-scripted communication, and feels that businesses that rely on scripts never build a solid relationship with their customers because a script doesn’t address each individual customer’s concerns. To Bryan, understanding the customer’s needs and concerns is what drives customer satisfaction and builds lasting relationships.
Sandra Allen
Director of Operations
Sandra has been in the medical industry for more than 30 years. She met Ultra Clean Systems President Becky Cale while working together at a medical products distributor. She spent more than 20 years there before becoming manager of a medical supply distribution center whose main business was providing medical supplies to VA hospitals. Eventually, Becky lured her to Ultra Clean, where she has worn many hats, from accounting to operations to human resources. A member of the company’s Executive Committee, Sandra enjoys the variety in her position. She is one of the first people new employees meet when she helps them navigate the new-hire paperwork.