Plastic Processing and Plastic Compounding Expert with Far East Consulting Experience

Expertise

• 30 years of plastics testing and consulting businesses with continuing Asian technical and business contacts.
• In-depth technical and operations knowledge of plastics processing and compounding.
• Formulations expert in polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), nylon, polycarbonate (PC) and alloys, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and other engineering resins.
• Process design and experience in single screw, twin screw and FMC compounding.
• Expert in process and light stabilization of polyolefins.
• Underwriters Laboratories (UL) plastics flammability testing facilities and analysis.
• Technical positions in several major plastics companies, including Union Carbide, Arco Chemical, Ferro Corporation and ShinKong Synthetic Fibers Corporation.
• Significant Far East technical and marketing experience.
• Excellent leadership and management skills.
• Proven technical track record including improved sales for clients.

Experience

Undisclosed Company, Senior Research Scientist, 2011 - Present

• Manage and coordinate the technical aspects of the company's DOE grant project in CO2 foaming of polymers for efficient thermal insulation systems.
• Arrange compounding trials at vendor locations discovers partners to conduct foaming trials, consult vendors to order raw materials.
• Organize company initiatives in testing of polymers and plastics.
• Attend major industry trade conferences to promote company products and services.

Undisclosed Company, Consulting Director, 2009 - Present

• Created and founded consulting company specializing in plastics for oversees global customer projects.
• Meeting with multinational customers as needed, and creates/delivers solutions based on sales and technical needs; developing research and preparing reports.
• Manage financial initiatives and accounts payable/receivable.
• Create marketing presentations to deliver at trade shows, customer locations, and major industry conferences.
• Manages key projects and prepares comprehensive client reports.
• Assist clients to understand the plastics industry as an educator with the Gerson Lehrman Councils.

Plastic Science LLC, Smyrna, DE, Managing Director, 1999 - 2008

• Founded and built company from the ground up. Directed business initiatives, budgets totaling $1million, cash flow, vendor/employee payments, and $400 thousand in P&L/growth.
• Established pricing and objectives. Devised company policies, procedures, and strategies.
• Developed new business channels and followed up with customers to promote satisfaction.
• Applied for, developed, and negotiated contracts.
• Coordinated trade show exhibitions and developing/managing marketing campaigns.
• Ensured regulatory and ISO 17025-2005 laboratory compliance.
• Secured additional capital/credit to facilitate company growth.
• Recruited personnel, managed disciplinary issues, and trained employees in plastics/polymers and testing processes.
• Oversaw employee human resources activities, including payroll, time cards, and time off.
• Identified and procures cost-effective equipment, monitored pending testing requests, and analyzed/approved testing results. Managed key projects and prepared comprehensive client reports.
• Increased revenues through leveraging testing and consulting services, which enabled project pricing to range from $50,000 to $100,000.
• Established PlastiScience as a UL Testing site for flammability and RTI testing under the CWTDP.
• Secured a multiyear exclusive contract with ASTM for molding samples under the flammability proficiency test program.

Derritech Consultants International, 1993 - 2006

• As Consulting Director, worked on site in, Hong Kong, Taipei, Taiwan and Smyrna, DE.
• Created and founded consulting company originating in Asia.
• Oversaw global customer projects, met with multinational vendors and customers as needed, and created/delivered solutions based on sales/technical needs; developed research and prepared reports.
• Managed financial initiatives and accounts payable/receivable.
• Created marketing presentations to deliver at trade shows, customer locations, and major industry conferences.
• Consulted a client on a $27 million Kuwait investment by researching and supporting the development of a global sales and operations, technical, and marketing business report; investor proceeded with the projects based on provided recommendations.
• Successfully drove sales for North American multinational clients, including Dow Chemical, Eagle-Picher and Specialty Minerals, etc.
• Provided effective technical service and sales consulting for Fortune 50 chemical companies in engineering plastics formulations, and chemical additives for plastics formulations.

Bay Resins, Inc., Vice President Technology, 1994 - 1996

• Directed Research and New Product Development departments for compounding company, featuring nylon 6 and 6,6 compounds and also blends.
• Managed 20 employees, including quality assurance laboratory, color laboratory, and new product research and development.
• Successfully managed technical, marketing and sales cross-functional teams to introduce new products and maintain current line.
• Emphasis was on automotive sector; significant interaction with engineering.

Shinkong Synthetic Fibers Corporation, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China, 1990 - 1993

• Plastics Division, Marketing Development, Manager
• Marketing and technical development of filled and reinforced PP.
• Expanded PP business by times.
• Developed markets for lawn furniture, appliances, flexible TPO, and flame retardant (UL) for electrical and electronics.

Ferro Corporation, Filled and Reinforced Plastics Division, Technical Director, 1986 - 1990

• Organized and managed a research and development department staff expansion to 23, including product development, pilot plant and color lab.
• Responsible for technical budget of $1 million.
• Achieved product expansion for new chemistry for fiber glass coupling, high gloss mineral fillers, and filler master batch technology.

Alloy Polymers, Inc., Technical Manager, 1985 - 1986

• Reporting to President, managed all technical functions of this toll compounding company, including QA, product and process development, and customer process trials.
• Assisted in planning and installation of 2 ZSK-90 and 1 ZSK-53 twin screw compounding lines. Skilled at process design for compounding of engineering plastics, including nylon 6 and 66, SAN, styrene and EPR alloys, PET, PBT, phenoxy, PC and liquid crystal polymers.
• Created screw designs for each job.

Ciba-Geigy Corporation, Group Leader, Polyolefin Additives, 1984 - 1985

• Project planning for technical service and new applications development of Irganox® antioxidants, Tinuvin® and Chimassob® line of light stabilizers.
• Expert in process and light stabilization of polyolefins.

Arco Chemical Company, Senior Research Scientist, 1979 - 1984

• Product and applications development for PP compounds, including new random copolymers, developing lab tests for QA, formulations for medical packaging, and paintable TPO bumper formulations.
• PE wire and cable applications, especially for foamable HDPE, black jacketing LDPE and LLDPE compounds.
• Significant customer and sales interface experience were developed.

Union Carbide Corporation, Project Scientist, 1974 - 1979

• PE wire and cable applications, including semi-conductive copolymers, cross-linking of PE, EVA and EEA copolymers.
• Studied thermal degradation kinetics of PE, and environmental stress cracking of PE copolymers.

U. S. Army, Bien Hoa, Republic of Vietnam

• Specialist 5, Finance Specialist - Promoted 5 pay grades in 19 months of active duty, was records Team Chief, Officers Finance Records, 1st Cavalry Division.

Accomplishments

• Secured a Government Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Multi-Schedule Contract; PlastiScience was the only GSA contractor offering plastics and polymer testing services.
• Obtained Underwriters Laboratories (UL) flammability testing status for an external lab to improve testing services. Increased growth by 25% through instituting enhanced testing processes, including Relative Thermal Index (RTI) testing.
• For Dow Chemical saved $1 million in research costs for two projects by decreasing development time and efficiently utilizing expertise.
• Captured $500 thousand in consulting contracts over a three-year period through aggressively negotiating with clients.
• Fueled sales growth by 100% in two years by revamping and improving processes to enhance PBT product line quality and compete with world class GE Plastics Products.
• Increased production capacity by 200% through recommending and successfully managing the implementation of key quality improvements.
• Improved efficiency and reduced product development time by 30-40% through effectively training personnel.

Honors & Publications

Academic and Professional Affiliations

• American Chemical Society, Rubber Division, Polymer Chemistry Division, Plastics Division
• Society of Plastics Engineers, Electrical and Electronics Division and Polymer Modifiers and Additives Division
• Kiwanis Club of Newburgh, IN
• Solid Waste Subcommittee, Evansville Chamber of Commerce Environmental Planning

Awards

• Won two Ferro New Product Development awards (Product line: PP compounds of minerals and fiberglass, and managing the development in Nylon 6 and PC).

Education

• Ph.D. Polymer Science, University of Akron, OH
• B.A. Chemistry, Earlham College, Richmond, IN