Polymer Technology Planning Expert: Patent Portfolio Consultant (576)
Expertise
Strategic technology analysis and planning.
Research project management.
Polymer synthesis and manufacturing process development.
Polymers for ion exchange resins and expertise in catalysis, waste treatment and certain bio separation processes.
Polymer supports for solid phase synthesis.
Patent portfolio analysis, patent mapping and studies to determine competitors' patent strategy.
Fluent in French, some Dutch and Italian.
Microporous inorganic (Zeolite) and organic catalysts.
Experience
Independent Consultant 1995 - Present
Helped a pharmaceutical company develop meaningful specifications for an outsourced polymeric material and identified second commercial source, thus ensuring consistent supply of this key ingredient.
Wrote two chapters reviewing recent technology developments related to organic/organic catalysts and macroporous organic polymers.
Helped a specialty chemical company scale-up a suspension polymerzation process from the laboratory to the 50 L scale
Appointed as a polymer expert to the Tribunal de Commerce (Business Court) de Namur, Belgium
Rohm and Haas Research Division, Spring House, PA 1981 - 1994
Planning Associate, 1993 - 1994
Provide the Vice President for Research with an assessment of the research division’s activities from the perspective of maintaining long term competitiveness.
Analyzed the Research Division projects portfolio and tested for alignment with business strategic objectives.
Identified technical core competencies and tested their ability to sustain ~competitiveness in a variety of scenarios.
Research Section Manager, Ion Exchange Products and Applications Development 1989 - 1993
Managed people and projects in a section of 15 to 22 employees. Projects dealt with products, processes and application development as well as technical service.
Participated in a team charged to identify how to improve research productivity. We identified project management as a highly leveraged element. The stage/gate project management process was subsequently implemented throughout the division.
Managed a program in cooperation with an academic laboratory to demonstrate the superiority of our new catalyst in a major petrochemical application. The catalyst became the recommended product by the process licensor and was commercialized.
Lead a marketing, plant, regulatory and legal team that demonstrated feasibility of retrieving spent products from customer sites for regeneration into new products. This approach met customer needs and would reduce manufacturing cost by 30%.
Defined and implemented a system for managing plant process changes working with the plants worldwide. Program insured consistent product quality and customer satisfaction, worldwide.
Initiated a program to automate routine, labor intensive operations. Saved a full person's time for more creative activities.
Sr. Scientist, Bioprocessing Research 1986 - 1989
Provided polymer synthesis and functionalizations as well as application support for bioseparation project.
Developed polymeric reverse phase chromatographic packing suitable for preparative separation of polypeptides and small proteins which allowed us to penetrate a new, high profit market segment.
Sr. Scientist, Fluid Process Chemicals 1981 - 1986
Provided polymer synthesis and functionalization as well as application support for acrylic and special application resins. Supervised one technician.
Developed a patented high capacity, low rinse acrylic anion exchange resin.
Developed immobilized enzyme testing capabilities for the laboratory and tested competitive products. This led to the development of an improved (patented) polymeric support for the application
Affiliations:
American Chemical Society
Commercial Development and Manufacturing Association
Chemical Consultants Network (Chair, 1999 - 2002)
Joseph Priestley Society
Product Development and Management Association
Honors & Publications
Professional lectures and papers.
Patents
Education
PhD Physical Organic Chemistry, University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
Awarded the "Prix Jean Stas" by the Belgian Academy of Arts and Sciences (outstanding Ph.D. dissertation)
B.S. Chemistry, University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium