Polymer and Emulsion Process Development Expert

Technical Consultant #2277

Vinyl acetate homopolymer, vinyl acetate ethylene copolymer and acrylic emulsion process development.
Vinyl acetate ethylene PVOH spray dried polymer process development.
Process and product scale-up and technology transfer from lab to pilot to manufacturing across all market areas of the emulsion business.
Identification and deployment of research and development best practices across global technology organizations.
Deployment and use of electronic laboratory notebooks to replace paper.
Project management for large novel research and development projects and portfolio management that relies on analysis and modeling of both the technical and financial aspects of each opportunity.
Stage-gate work process.
Innovation work processes.
Research and development change management.
Manufacturing operating procedures.

Independent Consultant, Present

Air Products and Chemicals Inc., Allentown, PA, Project Manager, 1984 - 2009

Provided project management leadership for $8 million annual budget novel lithium battery material focused on emerging HEV/PHEV battery markets.
Led feasibility study to assess the value of electronic laboratory notebooks to replace paper notebooks across global technology organizations.
Identified productivity savings of at least 30 minutes per week and up to 10 hours per week for research and development technologists as business case.
Presented results of pilot trial of electronic laboratory notebooks at Association of Laboratory Managers Conference (ALMA).
Provided financial models and templates to assess new business and technology opportunities across all global technology and commercial development organizations.
Designed, developed and deployed a global research and development intranet portal as part of the new Microsoft SharePoint environment for knowledge retention and sharing.

Manager, Process Development

Led deployment of best practice research and development work processes across the electronics, performance materials and corporate research and development organizations.
Developed and implemented a standard approach for financial analysis of technology programs and projects.
Deployed a common stage-gate development work process across all global Air Products technology organizations.
Developed, trained and deployed a common approach to financial analysis of new offerings which led to being able to place a present and future valuation on what the $140 million per year research and development spending is worth at Air Products.
Provide a common set of metrics for project valuation and portfolio management across the corporation.
Led, mentored and coached multiple stage-gated (over $5 million per year spending) technology projects for novel advanced materials focused on electronics, battery materials and nano-materials markets.

Asset and Process Technology Manager

As a dual Research and Development Business Manager, developed and led portfolio of global development programs and projects for the Air Products Polymers emulsions business.
Managed process development group, new product development, process and quality improvement, maximization of capacity and capital utilization programs for the 300 million pounds, per year business.
Successfully deployed a "best in class" reactor technology system design in both a California and a Mexican plant cutting cycle times by more than half and doubling plant capacity saving $20 million in capital expansion.
Managed process development group and pilot plant successfully, expanding pilot plant with $2 million capital expansion to support "best in class" development.
Pilot scale and manufacturing support for doubling capacity of VAE spray dry business.

Manager Process Development

Managed process development group that included 24 engineers and technicians, 2 pilot plants, and quality improvement programs in support of the overall, 750 million pounds, per year emulsions business.
Developed technology platform plan which served as the basis and key input for developing the business strategy for this $300 million per year revenue business.
Led cross functional group that increased system-wide capacity 30% with no cost and low cost capital options, via debottlenecking from a sold out position saving over $10 million in capital.
Served on due diligence teams and provided technology support of domestic and international acquisitions that explored a Brazil expansion and led to expansion into Mexico and Korea.

Principal Process Engineer/Section Manager

Led numerous process and product scale-up activities from lab to pilot to manufacturing across all market areas of the emulsions business.
Actively involved in due diligence and start-up of two domestic acquisitions.
Documented a technology transfer work process.

BF Goodrich Chemical, Independence, OH, Sr. Process Engineer

Process design for the central engineering group.
Major projects included doubling the capacity of a specialty manufacturing facility, debottlenecking PVC fluid bed and rotary dryers, and an increase in polymer latex capacity by 50%.

Davy McKee, Independence, OH, Process Engineer

Process design for a wide variety of chemical and petrochemical capital projects.
Major projects included plant designs for several ethylene oxide and ethylene glycol plants, specialty polymers and refineries.

Credentials

Selected top manager at Air Products for a five part Leadership Education series (part of a group of 200).
Completed internal education programs: Innovation, quality management, statistics, statistical design, and continuous improvement.

Academic and Professional Affiliations