Nanotechnology Business Expert: Energy Storage and Lithium Batteries

Technical Consultant #2005

Commercialization of micro and nano material technologies.
Intimate knowledge of nanotechnology, lithium ion batteries, electric vehicles, alternative energy.
Electrode material production support: Lower cost of production and raw materials, volume versatility from batch to high tonnage, uniform reproducibility to levels previously not achievable and dramatically lower capital and facility requirements needed to process.
Business restructuring (joint ventures and partnerships), repositioning, strategic planning, portfolio management.
Valuing, investing and managing start-ups with venture capital, private equity and corporate partners.
Financial modeling of companies, portfolios and programs for portfolio management and resources prioritization.

Undisclosed Company, President and CEO, 2008 - Present

A venture-backed company serving the needs of the lithium ion battery industry meeting the needs of the auto industry.
Apply patented, nanoparticle process technology; to ensure customers achieves lower cost and higher performance.
Foster widespread adoption of hybrid and electric vehicles, and contribute to U.S. manufacturing leadership in this critical area.
Transformed the firm from a science experiment in nanotechnology to a globally-recognized technology leader for electric vehicles.
Leveraged patented process technology for fine particles to create a unique, defensible position in the crowded lithium ion battery space: Low-cost production of electrode materials that are critical to EV (Electronic Vehicle) performance, safety and cost.
Raised $20 million in debt and equity to expand from lab to pilot to full-scale manufacturing facilities.
Secured $7 million from federal, state and local agencies to fund research and development by establishing government lobbying and relations program.
Grew the firm from 8 people in a garage to 30 people with broad expertise in material science and process design, in an integrated office, lab, and production facility.
Recruited executive management team, board and key advisors including the world's top battery scientists and companies.
Secured strategic investment and license agreement with the world's leading chemical company.

Air Products & Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, PA, Director, Advanced Materials, 1991 - 2007

Serving several positions for a global industrial gas and specialty chemicals company with over $10 billion in revenues that faced stagnating growth and declining margins across its portfolio.
As a leader in the $2 billion chemicals group, tasked with reinvigorating growth and restoring profitability in commodity businesses, and creating new growth platforms on the frontiers of the company's established geographies, markets and technologies.

Director

Created a small number of high-impact platforms from diffuse research and development efforts in over a 100 member central science organization.
Led programs from laboratory concept through to pilot production and initial sales.
Created programs in lithium ion batteries, advanced displays, thin-film solar, and nanotechnology that were ultimately licensed out to generate millions in license fees and over $100 million investments by licensees.
Provided strategic focus and direction for over 50% of the corporation's central research and development.
Implemented cutting-edge portfolio management tools to rationalize dozens of projects into three focused business and technology teams.
Forged license agreements, joint venture partnerships, venture capital fund investments, and minority equity investments to gain access to critical knowledge, talent and global markets while optimizing cost, risk and speed of execution.
Served on Boards of portfolio companies and partnership committees of venture funds.

Business Manager, (Air Products Polymers, LP)

Restored a $350 million emulsion polymer business unit to record profitability, and positioned it for long-term growth with differentiated cost and performance.
Scrapped half of the company's technical programs after rigorous financial and strategic assessment.
Shifted resources from incremental programs to concentrated platform efforts.
Chartered development of shorter cycle-time products with lower fixed and variable costs, and forced adoption of these standard products in all global regions.
Step-change in cost-benefit allowing penetration of large, growing market segments where company's products had been too expensive to compete.
Sold one non-strategic plant and closed other supporting unprofitable products, concentrating manufacturing in world-scale facilities focused on defensible markets and technologies.
Reduced overhead by 20% to reach a level consistent with the reduced asset base and a differentiated-commodity business model.
Concurrently implemented price increases to protect margins during unprecedented raw material cost escalation, and led the business through a work process redesign to support global SAP implementation.

General Manager, (Air Products Resinas, SA de CV), Mexico and Latin America

Restructured debt, slashed receivables 40% and achieved cash-flow break-even while leading cultural integration between an acquired family-run business and its global corporate parent, and between the U.S. parent and its Mexican JV (Joint Venture) partners.
Led a JV from its initial start-up phase with multi-million dollar annual losses through to profitable operations.
Built market share in polymer latex from 7% to more than 40%.
Reprioritized capital spending to provide needed expansion and infrastructure improvement at a rate that matched the firm's ability to fund it.
Led cultural change from command-and-control to an effective and efficient work process environment.
Created a self-sustaining, financially viable organization to facilitate local implementation of global strategies and best-practices, becoming the showcase operation for the global business.

Marketing Manager

Built profitable franchises from licensed and acquired businesses while leading sales, marketing and product development programs.
Protected a profitable U.S. cement additives business from market-entry by the European licensor.
Aggressive product-line and capacity expansion convinced licensor to enter into a formal JV and eventually re-acquire the business rather than compete as a new entrant.
Turned an unprofitable acquisition into a solid profit contributor. Led forward-integration into formulated adhesives despite resistance from established global latex business.

Dow Chemical, Detroit, MI, Sales Representative, 1985 - 1989

Built a sales territory with $15 million in annual sales of engineering thermoplastics.
Delivered 5 times the revenue growth in less than 3 years.
Managed direct accounts (components suppliers to the auto OEMs, Original Equipment Manufacturers), compounders and distributors.
Provided on-site technical service and training to key clients, resulting in exceptional client satisfaction and retention record.

Languages

Academic and Professional Affiliations

Publications and Patents

Multiple guest editorials, Batteries International, Battery and Energy Storage magazines.
Multiple presentations national and international, including these recent events:
Society of Automotive Engineers, Battery Standardization, Detroit, (Session chair)
The Battery Show, Detroit, (Session chair)
Advanced Energy, NYC
Lithium Battery Power, Las Vegas
1. U.S. patent.