Our Team
At KBG Technologies we are committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive environment. We recognize and value unique talents, perspectives, and experiences. These values are core to our beliefs at KBG Technologies, as evidenced in our organization’s leadership.
Kathy Buckman Gibson
President and CEO
KBG Technologies
Kathy Buckman Gibson is President and CEO of KBG Technologies, LLC, a Memphis, Tennessee-based distributor of a full range of chemical products, services and technologies.
KBG Technologies is the only woman-owned business providing a comprehensive array of specialty chemistries and smart technologies to pulp and paper, and one of only a few focused on the water treatment industry in the United States. KBG’s customer-centered approach helps facilities meet and exceed business objectives, and as a woman-owned business, supports client diversity goals.
Prior to founding and leading KBG Technologies, Kathy served as COO, Chairman of the Board, and General Counsel for Buckman, a specialty chemical supplier founded by her grandfather, Stanley J. Buckman, in 1945. Kathy has served on the boards of the Technical Association of the Pulp & Paper Industry (TAPPI) and other key organizations in the pulp and paper industry.
With a commitment to service, Kathy is active in charitable organizations and community initiatives with special emphasis on early childhood education. She led the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce Early Childhood Education Moon Mission and supports its Move Your Money to Memphis initiative. She has also served on the boards of notable organizations including Girls Inc., United Way of the Mid-South, and The National Civil Rights Museum.
Kathy holds an undergraduate degree from Duke University, an MBA and JD from Emory University, and is a graduate of the General Management Program at Harvard Business School.
Kathy and her husband, J.W. Gibson, have twin daughters. She enjoys boating, travel, reading and great food and wine.
Krista B. Ivy
District Sales Manager
KBG Technologies
As District Sales Manager for KBG Technologies, Krista B. Ivy brings a wealth of expertise in chemistry with specialization in water treatment systems. With a customer-centered focus, deep understanding of safety standards and regulations, and a track record of building successful partnerships and leading growth initiatives, Krista adds outstanding technical, professional and personal skills to the team at KBG Technologies.
Prior to joining KBG Technologies, Krista was a District Sales Representative for Nalco Water, an Ecolab company, where she received the prestigious Nalco Water Summit Achievement Award, Timberline Level, in 2019. Previously, she was a Technical Services Chemist and provided support for Product Technology Stewardship at Buckman International, troubleshooting and testing to identify solutions to client problems and providing regulatory and stewardship support for new and existing R&D products.
Krista earned M.S. and undergraduate degrees in Chemistry from the University of Memphis, where she served as President of the Department of Chemistry Graduate Student Association and taught undergraduate chemistry for six years while in graduate school. At Buckman, she received the Global Buckman Volunteer Award in 2015 and received multiple GEM awards. Krista is an ASSE/IAPMO/ANSI 12080 certified Legionella Water Safety and Management Specialist.
Krista and her husband, Chad E. Ivy, have two daughters. She enjoys horses, hunting, cooking, and travel.
Reid Hargrove
Area Sales Manager
KBG Technologies
Reid Hargrove serves as the Area Sales Manager for KBG Technologies. Reid has water treatment experience in industrial, healthcare, and commercial settings grounded in an academic foundation in biochemistry and microbiology. With his knowledge of cooling, boiler, and reverse osmosis water as well as raw and effluent treatment, Reid brings a diverse skill set and wealth of knowledge to meet the unique needs of our customers.
Prior to joining KBG Technologies, Reid was a Water Management Specialist with ChemAqua Incorporated where he focused on the healthcare and manufacturing markets. Prior to ChemAqua, he served as District Engineer and Southern District Representative for the heavy industrial Nalco Water division and as a Water Management Specialist for Jaytech Water Treatment Solutions. Reid graduated from Nalco Water’s accelerated sales engineering program where he was the winner of the internal networking competition.
Reid holds an undergraduate degree in Biochemistry with a premedical concentration and an M.S. degree in Microbiology from Mississippi State University. While in graduate school, Reid led animal and field work experiments at MSU’s Biological Science Department and is published in multiple scientific journals focusing on tickborne diseases.
Reid is a sports and outdoors enthusiast as well as a faithful Mississippi State fan and alumni. He enjoys spending time with his devoted golden retrievers.
