About Machine Safeguarding

Joe Nitiss is the Chief Executive Officer of Rockford Systems. He has held senior leadership positions at industrial technology companies including Elster, Emerson, and Honeywell, with a focus on operational management and business development. At Rockford Systems, Joe oversees strategic planning and company operations across machine safeguarding, lockout/tagout, and combustion safety business units. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and an MBA in Finance and Marketing from The University of Chicago.

John joined Rockford Systems in 2023.  He is a CPA with 35 years of experience in primarily corporate financial leadership roles serving private equity or publicly held industrial service, manufacturing, distribution and construction entities.  Most recently he was CFO of Eastek International, LLC and also held various executive positions with the Westinghouse Electric Co.  John has a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has attended the Advance Strategy Program on Building and Implementing Growth Strategies at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Emily Scheel is an experienced and people-focused HR professional with a strong background in employee relations, strategic planning, and full-cycle HR management. As the HR Manager at Rockford Systems, she draws on her knowledge to foster a positive workplace culture, streamline HR processes, and help drive the company’s growth through effective talent management.

Emily began her HR career at Target as an FMLA Specialist, where she supported payroll, onboarding, and best practices. She is passionate about developing processes that make life easier for teams, improve company culture, and attract top talent. A member of SHRM, Emily brings a thoughtful, solutions-driven approach to every challenge and is known for supporting both employees and leadership with empathy, efficiency, and integrity.