Hai Robotics Expands American Leadership Team to Support Growing U.S.-Based Customer Support, Software Development, and Strategic Partnerships
Hai Robotics, a leading global provider of Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS), continues the strategic expansion of its U.S. leadership team with the appointment of three seasoned industry veterans to support the growing U.S. market.
Patrick Dougherty joins as Director of Customer Service and Support, Rob Schrager as Director of Software, and Matt Kelly as Director of Strategic Partnerships and Commercial Development. These appointments mark a significant step in Hai Robotics’ commitment to enhancing its operations and service capabilities in the Americas.
Patrick Dougherty: Elevating Customer Service and Support
Patrick Dougherty brings to Hai Robotics over 12 years of experience leading and building highly successful customer service and support teams. He previously served at Swisslog as the Global Customer Service Delivery Manager where he aligned global operations to a unified platform that supported effective service and quality delivery.
Dougherty will lead Hai’s American-based Customer Service and Support department, which provides localized, on-demand support to Hai Robotics’ customers. His team will manage spare parts onshore in the U.S. for quick delivery and support to customers throughout the Americas with local, resident service engineers and field service engineers across North and South America.
“Joining Hai Robotics as the Customer Service and Support Director is an exhilarating opportunity for me,” Dougherty said. “The company’s focus on customer success through advanced warehouse automation and robotic order fulfillment systems aligns perfectly with my passion for automation and logistics efficiency.”
“Leading a team at the forefront of technological advancements is incredibly exciting,” he added. “I’m eager to drive impactful change and solve complex challenges in a supportive, forward-thinking environment.”
Rob Schrager: Advancing Software Development
Rob Schrager joins Hai Robotics as Director of Software, bringing nearly 20 years of experience in software leadership, 11 of which were spent at Symbotic as a founding member. His appointment enhances Hai Robotics' local software capabilities and support for customers in the Americas.
Under Schrager’s leadership, Hai Robotics aims to better respond to the specific needs of its customers in the AMER region and accelerate the maturation of its software solutions.
“The opportunity to join Hai Robotics, where I can apply different skills to solve diverse and complex customer challenges, is incredibly exciting,” Schrager said. “I am thrilled to bring my experience to this innovative environment and tackle new challenges that will drive the future of warehouse automation.”
Chris Smith, Vice President of Project Delivery at Hai Robotics USA, expressed his confidence in Schrager’s appointment, saying, “Robert has a vast array of industry knowledge and experience in development and leadership. He will take Hai’s software to the next stage of maturity, further setting HaiPick Systems above the rest of the ASRS robotics space.”
Matt Kelly: Driving Strategic Partnerships
Matt Kelly brings extensive experience in the ASRS industry to his role at Hai Robotics as Director of Strategic Partnerships and Commercial Development. He is responsible for managing, maturing, and growing Hai Robotics’ integration partner network to expand and refine customer support capabilities.
Kelly brings a decorated history of experience in the goods-to-person robotic space to his role. He served at inVia Robotics as a strategic account manager, specializing in and gaining expertise in warehouse execution systems and robots, before joining AutoStore for several years, where he developed the North American partner network with great customer success.
Expressing his enthusiasm for joining Hai Robotics, Kelly said, “The HaiPick System solves many gaps I recognized in my previous roles selling isolated each-picking technologies that couldn't handle a broad spectrum of SKUs. I’m excited about Hai’s leadership, growth, and the potential of our partner network. It’s a young network with immense capabilities and horsepower to help us scale. I look forward to maturing this network and enabling them to sell Hai Robotics effectively.”
Kelly emphasized the importance of long-term customer value, stating, “One of Hai’s key differentiators is our focus on our partners’ ability to supply our solutions in a way that provides maximum customer value, not just at the time of implementation but well into the future. We enable our partners to deliver HaiPick Systems that operate reliably, continuously, ensuring sustained customer satisfaction.”
Brian Reinhart, Chief Revenue Officer at Hai Robotics USA, shared his enthusiasm, saying, “The addition of Matt Kelly, Patrick Dougherty, and Rob Schrager to our U.S. leadership team makes Hai Robotics better positioned than ever to support our customers in the American market. Their combined expertise and passion for innovation are exactly what we need to continue our impressive growth and solidify our position as a leader in the ASRS industry.”
