Chemical Industry: Polymers, Plastics, Materials, and Product Liability Expert

Expertise

Summary

Ph.D. Chemist, Scientist and Executive in chemical and polymer industries with broad a range of experience including research and development, intellectual property, manufacturing, and business development. Specific focus to polymers, plastics, materials, composites, adhesives, coatings, and failure analysis.

Providing over 30 years of industrial experience as a Scientist, R&D Manager, Director of Research and Development, Chief Technology Officer, and Director of Manufacturing with the largest chemical companies in the world. Exclusive expertise to chemistry, materials, polymers, plastics, adhesives, and coatings. Intellectual property experience, served as expert witness and as fact witness for cases involving plastics, adhesives, and intellectual property. Published and presented in the fields of chemistry, biopolymers, coatings, adhesives, polymer degradation, polymer failure, and others.

• Over three decades of experience in the chemical industry as scientist, manager, and global director of research with strong expertise in:
• Chemistry
• Polymers
• Plastics
• Adhesives
• Acrylics
• Polyurethanes
• Polyesters
• Intellectual property
• Patents
• Inter parts reviews
• Product liability
• Failure analysis
• Research leadership and management
• Project and portfolio analysis

Expert Witness Experience

• Expert witness in the Inter parties review of U.S, patent 7,705,056 on aerosol adhesives.
• Expert witness in the case of an employee injured by a contaminated product.

Experience

Undisclosed Company, President, 2018 – Present

Providing chemistry, leadership, and strategic problem solving to the chemical industry with specialization in polymers, plastics, materials, and adhesives.

• Expert support for intellectual property and inter-parties review in polymers, plastics, chemicals, materials, and adhesives.
• Product liability and failure analysis and in polymers, plastics, adhesives, coatings, and composites.
• Chemistry solutions to address production and product performance issues.
• Business, market, and competitive analysis.
• Safety and regulatory reviews for workplace and environmental exposure.

Bostik Americas, 2016 - 2018

Chief Technology Officer; Global Director of Research and Development (Global Industrial Adhesives)

• Led Industrial Adhesives Americas and Global R&D organizations and shared-services group including Americas Pilot Plant, Analytical, and Regulatory groups (over 200 reports).
• Oversaw research, development, and commercialization for polyester, polyurethane, olefin, hot melt and multiple other adhesive products.
• Technical lead for Bostik Americas Executive Team, Global and Regional Industrial Adhesives Business Teams, and Bostik Global Innovation Committee.
• Elected to the Board of Directors of the Adhesive and Sealant Council.
• Completed Merger and Acquisitions (M&A) due diligence

Altuglas International, Division of Arkema, Global Director of Research, 2006 - 2016    

Global Director of Research and Regional Director of Manufacturing (Dual Role), 2009 - 2011

• Oversaw Global Research and Development program of Altuglas, commercializing numerous new products and won the Innovation Award for LED lighting and other awards; Research and Development, Research and Development 100 award for Rnew biopolymer alloys, Prix Pierre Potier for ShieldUp sheet, Arena Award for Solarkote Capstock, and was finalist for the Arena Award (LED diffusion resins).
• Secured and defended multiple patents and guided global patent strategy.
• Altuglas Leadership Team to lead strategic innovation and Research and Development issues.
• Key contributor and champion for initiative to improve engagement and innovation.
• Refocused business on high value opportunities leading to 2x to 4x increases in average new product selling price and in unit margins.
• Improved Altuglas injury and process safety performance each year while Manufacturing Director for over 300 person organization.
• Oversaw capital, research, technical service, and operations budgets exceeding $20 million.

Research and Development Manager, 1996 - 2006

• Led research and development of high performing polymers for extrusion, coextrusion, and injection molding applications.
• Upgraded Altuglas coextrusion and compounding capabilities to be models for King of Prussia Research and Development facility. Established high through-put capabilities for physical property testing and emulsion polymerization.
• Led and presented failure analysis studies of plastic and composite materials including failures from weathering, thermal degradation, chemical attack, and fracture.
• Co-designed the Altuglas Stage Gate process to manage Research and Development projects including both 'light' and 'full scale' versions to accommodate projects of varying size and complexity.
• Established University of Massachusetts (Top 3 Polymer Science school) recruiting program to improve Research and Development talent.

Technical Marketing Specialist, 1996 - 1998

• Initiated Solarkote product line by identifying market need, developing product concept, selling idea with senior management, designing first two products to launch, and branding products
• Initiated cross-business programs with multiple Elf Atochem groups to accelerate integration.

Rohm and Haas (and Altuglas Precursor Companies), Sr. Research Scientist, 1985 - 1996

• Led the development and commercialization of the patented and trade secret '-101' technology products. Project was budgeted as a 5-year development by redefining the approach and providing a solution, resulting in commercial scale in 3 months. The technology has generated several billion dollars of sales.
• Introduced North American manufacturing technology to our new production facility in Rho, Italy.
• Developed and helped commercialize Plexiglas SG7 and SG10 resins. The patented technology made these products the medical industry benchmark for gamma resistant acrylic molding resins.

Acting Chairman of the Impact Technical Team, 1991 - 1994

• The multifunctional team was responsible for addressing customer and plant needs in a responsive manner.
• Developed proprietary binder system for injection molding of powdered metal and ceramic substrates. The binder technology was later refined, patented, and the rights sold.
• Developed novel 1K shelf-stable silane-crosslinking emulsion technology for multiple applications.

Honors & Publications

Credentials

• Received the Tunis Wentinck Graduate Student of the Year' award and a Rohm and Haas Fellowship.
• California Institute of Technology Certificate in Technology Management.

Academic and Professional Affiliations

• American Chemical Society
• Society of Plastics Engineers
• Adhesives and Sealants Council
• Society of Automotive Engineers

Awards

• Innovation Award for LED lighting
• Arena Award finalist for LED diffusion resins
• R&D 100 award for Rnew biopolymer alloys
• Prix Pierre Potier for ShieldUp sheet
• Arena Award for Solarkote Capstock
• Cornell University Tunis Wentinck Award
• Rohm and Haas Fellowship

Publications and Patents 

• Author and Co-Author of numerous publications in peer reviewed journals                      
• Inventor of numerous U.S. and World Patents in the areas of: Polymeric articles, UV transparent acrylic, printable matte-thermoplastic, copolymer film, textured and frosted surfaces, bullet resistant, white light diffusing, and fluoropolymers.

Education

• Ph.D. Organic, Organometallic Chemistry, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• B.S.    Chemistry (Magna Cum Laude) University of Scranton, Scranton, PA