Strategic transformation of Solésence continues with Kevin Cureton promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer; Laura Riffner named Chief Financial Officer; Jess Jankowski to serve as Board Advisor
Solésence, Inc. (Nasdaq: SLSN), a leader in scientifically-driven health care solutions across beauty and life science categories, announced strategic changes to its executive leadership. Kevin Cureton, a driving force behind the company’s expansion and innovation, will assume the role of President and Chief Executive Officer. Laura Riffner has been appointed Chief Financial Officer, bringing decades of financial expertise in enhancing operational excellence and efficiency. Jess Jankowski, who has been at the helm of the company as Chief Executive Officer since 2009, will serve as Board Advisor until his retirement from the company and its Board of Directors on November 21, 2025.
Effective immediately, these leadership changes are part of a wider strategic transformation for the company. In the first half of 2025, Solésence rebranded from Nanophase Technologies, a move that reflected the success of the Solésence Beauty Science platform and resolidified the company’s mission to deliver joy through innovation, inclusivity and the science of beautiful skin. On April 8, Solésence uplisted to Nasdaq, increasing the company’s visibility with the investment community and driving greater value to its shareholders. Building on this momentum, these key leadership appointments will position Solésence for continued success in delivering high-performance skin care, sun care and color cosmetics products to its brand partners and, ultimately, consumers worldwide.
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“Looking back over my 30 years working with and leading the talented and inspiring team at Solésence, their accomplishments are a testament to their unwavering commitment to our mission. Not only has the company transformed from an advanced materials company into a skin health innovator, but we have also revolutionized mineral-based sun and environmental protection in beauty, expanded the business with new products and markets, and set the stage for long-term profitability,” said Jankowski. “The elevation of Kevin’s role to President and Chief Executive Officer is a direct reflection of the growth and innovation achieved under his leadership. His partnership with Laura, a proven leader with a strong track record of maximizing profitability, marks a new era of growth for Solésence. I look forward to collaborating with Kevin and Laura to manage what I believe will be a smooth transition as we continue fulfilling our mission to help heal and protect the world through best-in-class skin health solutions.”
“On behalf of the Board, I want to express our gratitude to Jess for his extraordinary leadership and dedication to Solésence. He has been instrumental to the company’s success, navigating us through remarkable growth and challenges with unwavering commitment, and setting the company on its current trajectory for continued growth and future achievements,” said Janet Whitmore, Chair of the Board of Directors for Solésence. “As Jess transitions to his role as Board Advisor, we are delighted that Kevin will be our next CEO. During the company’s rebranding and throughout his tenure at Solésence, Kevin’s strategic thinking, creativity and unbounded enthusiasm have made him an unshakeable leader. We are confident that his visionary approach will lead us to new heights.”
“It has been a privilege to partner with Jess, whose deep history with the company and forward-thinking leadership has helped Solésence to become the innovative beauty science leader it is today. The company’s evolution is a testament to his relentless commitment to growth through scientific excellence,” said Cureton. “This next chapter for Solésence holds several pathways for growth and we are excited to continue shaping the future of beauty through industry-leading skin health products that consumers love to use.”
Laura Riffner brings more than 35 years of experience across finance management and strategic planning, with a passion for driving efficiency and service through information technology systems. Notably, she spent more than two decades as Chief Financial Officer and then as Chief Finance and Strategy Officer at Nagase America, a distributor and manufacturer of specialty chemicals. In this role, Riffner streamlined budget planning and analysis, enhanced operations management, and successfully oversaw the company’s acquisition of Fitz Chem. She also was previously the Chief Financial Officer at Paxton/Patterson, where she led the company’s development of new forecasting models, improving visibility and alignment across finance, sales and operations. Riffner holds a B.A. from Benedictine University in international business and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant.
“I’m eager to join the team at Solésence to continue to shape the future of beauty through innovative products that help improve skin health across the globe,” said Riffner. “I look forward to partnering with Kevin and the executive leadership team to build on the company’s growth momentum and achieve long-term value creation for our shareholders.”
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