VisualCV

Providing business counseling and guidance to start-up and early-stage companies as they establish and grow their businesses.  Support includes assistance in preparing business plans and marketing plans and providing advice on raising capital and operating their businesses.  Selected companies:

- Solaroad Technologies

- Transcending Cosmetics

- Vulcan Furniture

- NotYetPro

- NeWo Technologies

Supplying targeted Due Diligence support to Investment Bankers, Private Equity Groups, and Venture Capitalists considering making investments in the solar photovoltaic space. Information and insights provided include: PV market size and market trends, the strengths and weaknesses of the leading players/competitors, volume/price/cost trends, current and emerging technologies, etc. Selected clients:

- NGP Energy Technology Partners

- Goldman Sachs

- Silver Lake Partners

- Bain & Company

- Brandywine Funds

• Provided vision and leadership to AEC as it expands its operations from being a consulting and contract engineering company to being a product manufacturing and sales company as well.
• Restructured the organization and building the products "team" in parallel with AEC increasing revenues by 20.5% in 2007 and 47.3% in 2008.
• Prepared a comprehensive, multi-year business plan for the new TerraWatt Power^TM Division.
• Devised a marketing strategy and plan to build a global products business:
  • Developed the "brand" (division & product names, logo, tagline, etc.) and "message".
  • Generated marketing materials (website, flyers, brochures, trade show banners, etc.).
  • Created a PR campaign which included speaking engagements, panel participation, publishing technical papers and articles, press releases, and targeted advertisement.
• Established a sales organization and product distribution channels: Hired a sales and technical support staff and developed a network of distributors and manufacturers' representatives.
• Set up the supply chain including materials acquisition, contract manufacturing, warehousing and inventory management, and shipping/distribution.
• Secured IP, worldwide, obtaining multiple patents and trademarks.
• Worked with the Board in obtaining financing to grow the business - completed an "A" round and initiated a "B" round: preparing and making investor presentations, providing information for due diligence, preparing private placement memoranda, etc.
• Secured grant funding by identifying opportunities and preparing/submitting winning grant proposals; e.g. successfully obtained grants from NYSERDA.

Start-up nanotechnology R&D companies developing applications for the energy, automotive, and industrial sectors.

Lent detailed business and industry insights to venture capital firms and corporate Boards developing and com­mercializing new technolo­gies. Recommended which appli­cations and markets to pursue based on competitive climate, ease of market entrée, and long-term revenue opportunities. Directed product and technology development.  Created multi-year, evolving busi­ness models to quickly ramp-up and develop revenue-generating businesses for conceptual tech­nologies still under develop­ment.

New Venture Start-Up

• Prepared a detailed business plan for NanoEner to commercialize its thin-film nanotechnology for the lithium battery, solar cell, and fuel cell markets when financial constraints forced the parent to roll-up these products under an existing business.
• Led a 5-person management team and built the business model, technology roadmap, operational processes, and market­ing strategies.
• Presented detailed business and financial plans and strategies to the Nanox Board, venture capital (VC) community, and various govern­ment agencies resulting in ongoing VC and governmental funding.

Technology Commercialization & Market Development

• Hired a top-notch Commercial Development Director and formulated an aggressive strategy that defined and priori­tized the company's product offerings, value proposition, and target markets.
• Secured the company's intellectual property by filing several patent applications, expanded R&D laboratory testing and evaluation capabilities, and scaled production capabilities to commercial batch quantities within 11 months.
• Established strategic alliances/ relationships with Tier 1 suppliers and aftermar­ket companies.

President  -  TRICAT ZEOLITES, Baltimore, MD & Bitterfeld, Germany

2000 to 2004

Start-up worldwide chemicals/advanced materials manufacturing and supply business; a subsidiary of Tricat Management GmbH.

Contemporaneous with leadership tenure at Tricat Industries and Tricat Management, led a multinational executive team in financing, engineering, constructing, and operating new production facilities and driving substantial sales growth across all Tricat businesses.  Assumed full P&L management oversight to transform an amalgamation of products in various stages of development into a high-growth, profitable worldwide zeolite business.  Established policy and set the vision, direction, and priorities for R&D, engineering, manufacturing, and sales and marketing, and established inter-company corporate and financial structures.

Offshore Start-Up & Global Expansion

• Traversed cultural and language barriers to forge strong government and foreign banking relationships resulting in $50M in financing/grants for the construction of 3 new facilities in Germany. Completed construction and ramp-up in 1 year.
• Grew the zeolite business from market introduction to $8.5M in revenue in 3 years.
• Instituted continuous improvements that reduced cost of goods sold 68% on average, and reached peak production capacity in newly constructed facilities within 12 months.
• Developed new, innovative technologies resulting in 12 patents and numerous new product offerings that contributed to 90% of overall revenue growth.
• Built high-performance sales and technical service teams and developed strong customer relationships, translating into strategic partnerships and long-term supply agreements with major customers including BOC Gases, Engelhard, and Intercat.

Managing Director – TRICAT MANAGEMENT GMBH, Bitterfeld, Germany

President & CEO / VP, Operations - Tricat Industries, Inc. Baltimore, MD

1995 to 2004

Holding companies with global interests in start-up / early stage advanced materials manufacturing and supply businesses.

Joined the senior management team as the head of a newly acquired fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) additives subsidiary, and within 2 years appointed by the Board as the top executive of the rapid-growth parent company and its European holding company. Charged with developing and executing investment / divestment strategies across 6 different businesses in various stages growth and profitability.  Then, led the organization through a strategic rationalization and restructuring, an investment capital infusion and recapitalization, and a global market expansion.  At peak, led a 5-person senior team, controlled $38M in worldwide assets, and reported to the Board.

Business Transformation & Rapid Growth

• Restructured and reinvigorated a global company on the verge of bankruptcy into a major market player and delivered 4-fold growth over 7 years.
• Guided a $4M catalyst regeneration business to peak performance and #2 market share in the US and in Europe.
• Organized and led private equity investor presentations, successfully projecting the strength of the company's business model, market presence, and financial projections, resulting in $8M in funding for production and market expansion.
• Drove aggressive international expansion of Tricat Management's businesses from $500K to $13M in revenue in 5 years with solid performance.

Business Process Reengineering & Team Building

• Transformed a group of 6 independently operated subsidiaries and acquisitions into a cohesive business structure com­prised of 2 core businesses with distinct strategic plans, P&Ls, product offerings, and market channels.
• Shut down and spun-off $30M of non-value added product lines and business segments, freeing up the corporation to focus on high potential market sectors where Tricat could become a dominant market player.
• Integrated continuous improvements, standardized procedures, maintenance planning and scheduling systems, and various quality control measures into the day-to-day management and operations of Tricat's 4 worldwide manufacturing plants, resulting in peak production at the highest quality and lowest costs.
• Assembled a top leadership team that worked together to develop strategic plans and establish clear operational objectives, goals, and measurable milestones. Built a market-driven business culture and provided the focused leadership and motivation required for success.
• Reduced corporate overhead expenditures 50% through the centralization and consolidation of finance and accounting, purchasing, logistics, human resources (HR), legal, information technology (IT), and administrative services. Optimized people, processes, and technology to sustain the lowest headcount and highest productivity.