Ascent Lifting Team

Dee Schweigert has been with CERTEX for 25 years having joined in 1998 as the Controller for the Western region of the United States. He became part owner of CERTEX USA in 2004 and was appointed Chief Financial Officer. In January 2023, Dee was named CEO of Ascent Lifting in preparation for Ascent’s acquisition of CERTEX USA. Dee graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelors in Accounting in 1991. He received his CGMA certificate in 2012 and is also a registered CPA.

Charlie Jaques founded Advantage Sales with his wife Kim Jaques in 1996 and has over 30 years of experience in the rigging industry. In January 2023, Charlie was appointed President for Ascent Lifting. Charlie is integral in formulating business strategies, cultivating a strong culture, identifying, and qualifying vendor relationships, developing branded products, and establishing quality processes at Advantage and Cargo Control. He serves on the board of the Associated Wire Rope Fabricators (AWRF) trade association.

In June 2023, Barbara joined the company with over 20 years of human resources experience. She is a trusted leader with a reputation for developing strategies that impact business results. Prior to joining Ascent Lifting, Barbara was the Director, Global HR Systems and People Services at TEAM, Inc. She has demonstrated success in integrating company cultures during acquisitions and mergers and has a broad background in recruiting, employee relations, and human resources operations. Barbara earned a Master’s in Business Management from Baker University and a Bachelor of Science in Management and Ethics from Manhattan Christian College.

Brett Woodland has over 30 years of experience in the rigging industry and was promoted to VP Operations for Ascent Lifting in 2023. Brett has served as President of Susquehanna Wire Rope & Rigging, as Managing Director for CERTEX USA, as VP Sales for Associated Wire Rope & Rigging, and as Sales Director of Engineered Products for The Crosby Group, a key industry OEM. He is a recent past President of AWRF , continues to support the AWRF Board of Directors in several key industry initiatives, and is an active member of the AWRF Technical Committee.