Scott K. Palm

**** ******** **** ******

Alpharetta, Georgia 30004

678-***-**** Home

770-***-**** Cellular

abnrh7@r.postjobfree.com

SUMMARY

Senior executive with a unique combination general management, strategy and

development and research and business development experience for leading international

companies, such as Imerys, World Minerals and UNIMIN, as well as for start-ups and smaller

businesses. Notable career accomplishments include the following:

• Over 10 years of general management experience with full P & L responsibility for

domestic and international businesses, with substantial profit improvement due to

introduction of best practices, improvements in the supply chain and process and

product innovation;

• The creation of World Minerals Inc., a leading supplier of filtration and separation

media and functional additives, through a series of domestic and international

acquistions;

• The creation and management of Advanced Minerals Corporation and its patented

product Celpure®, an extremely successful greenfield internal venture;

• The completion of over 20 business acquisitions;

• The development of strategic plans that mapped the subsequent growth and success

of Imerys, World Minerals and UNIMIN;

• The development and commercialization of numerous innovative processes and

products, with approximately 20 either protected by patents or with patents pending;

• The acquisition and operation of my own wholly-owned business.

EXPERIENCE

Sierra Madre Stone/Elite Countertops San Luis Potosi, Mexico;Tucker,

2005-2009

Georgia

President, Partner and Owner

Sierra Madre Stone and Elite Countertops were companies I co-founded and founded,

respectively. Sierra Madre Stone was involved in the exploration and development of

dimension stone properties in Mexico, and Elite Countertops was one of the three largest

suppliers of countertops in the Southeastern US. Due to the nationwide decline in the

construction and remodeling industries, I recently closed these businesses.

While with my prior employer, Imerys, I became aware, through contact with an exploration

geologist who was active in both industrial minerals and dimension stone, of the very strong

trend toward the use of natural stone products in countertops and flooring, and we created

Sierra Madre Stone to acquire and develop dimension stone properties located in the Sierra

Madre mountains of Mexico. We identified and acquired, at a low cost, rights to several

marble and breccia properties.

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I acquired, personally, and operated a leading regional fabricator of natural stone and

Zodiaq® quartz countertops, which served the building, home center, commercial and retail

markets in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and the Carolinas. Prior to acquiring the business,

which had sales of approximately $ 10 million, about sixty employees and was profitable, I

identified several areas for improvement: increased yields of raw materials; improved

distribution costs to the Birmingham and Huntsville areas; automation of the manufacturing

process, and the development of a stronger, professional sales organization.

Through a modification of the seam placement for Zodiaq® products, we increased the

gross margins on these products by 250%.

We converted the operation from mainly manual to automated processes through the

acquisition of multiple-head straight line polishing and CNC (computer numerically-

controlled)-based sawing and routing and digital templating equipment.

We reorganized installation and logistics to make interstate business more cost effective by

basing installation crews in Birmingham and Huntsville and by acquiring and modifying

trailers with A-frames, which were loaded with completed jobs and dropped twice per week

in local storage facilities.

By working with Georgia Tech and following their recommendations and through our

automation program, we were able to reduce worker exposure to noise and dust to within

PEL, and we were able to reduce our workmen’s compensation experience rating from 1.1 to

0.79.

I hired an experienced sales manager from the wood countertop industry who had extensive

experience in the principal markets, and we worked together to add additional residential

construction and commercial customers through traditional direct sales. We also initiated

radio and television advertising and related promotions, first, to increase our direct retail

sales, and later, to form a cooperative group in which we received exclusivity from kitchen

and bath dealers in exchange for the advertising and promotions and competitive pricing.

The retail network we formed, the Elite Kitchen and Bath Group, quickly grew to include

seven members, which covered a substantial percentage of the area in Georgia between the

Alabama and South Carolina borders.

The introduction of radio and television advertising and the formation of the Elite Kitchen

and Bath Group were significant marketing innovations for these products in Georgia.

We also added a number of stone and sink suppliers and we were able to negotiate very

favorable prices for natural stone and sinks, as well as very favorable credit terms (sixty to

ninety day terms for natural stone).

Through the supply chain and automation initiatives, we reduced our cash costs by

approximately 30%.

Imerys Roswell, Georgia 2002 2005

Imerys, a global corporation headquartered in Paris is a $ 4 billion sales

producer of inorganic materials used as functional additives for paint,

paper, plastics, adhesives and sealants; refractories; kiln furniture;

batteries; filtration media and building materials.

Following the retirement of Bill Woods and the decision by Alleghany Corporation to divest

its non-insurance holdings (including World Minerals), my position with World Minerals was

eliminated. Shortly thereafter, I was invited by Patrick Kron, President and CEO of Imerys, to

join its Pigments and Additives Division, which was based in Roswell, Georgia, as Vice

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President. Mr. Kron and I had met while Imerys and Alleghany were involved in discussions

regarding the possible sale of World Minerals to Imerys.

Vice President, Specialty Mineral Group 2003- 2005

Vice President Pigments and Additives Group 2002-2003

Strategy and Corporate Development

Research and Commercial Development

Exploration (Selected Locations)

Upon joining Imerys, I was asked to identify and pursue growth opportunities for the

Pigments and Additives Group, which included the ground calcium carbonate, precipitated

calcium carbonate, kaolin clay and calcined kaolin products and which served the paper,

plastics, paint and other functional additive markets. I determined that opportunities existed

to identify and obtain additional reserves and to expand the ground calcium carbonate

business, and I worked with the exploration department and six general managers to

organize an exploration program for calcium carbonate (marble) reserves. As a result of

these early efforts and subsequent successful exploration programs, ground calcium

carbonate has become Imerys’ largest single product.

After approximately nine months with the company, the business was reorganized, and I

moved to the Specialty Minerals Group, which included a number of materials used in

functional additives and other applications, such as ceramics, building products, horticultural

products and batteries, but not paper. The products included ground calcium carbonate,

kaolin and calcined kaolin, graphite, kiln furniture, vermiculite, feldspar, ball clay and mica.

I was asked to develop and direct an effort to make the Group more dynamic and

innovative, and I established a group-level research and development function in Cornwall in

the UK and a commercial development (business development for new and conceptual

products) function in Roswell and Cornwall. This group coordinated worldwide innovation for

Performance Minerals and directly identified and developed a number of innovative new

products from non-traditional raw materials, including high aspect ratio, high viscosity clays;

cullet (waste glass), brucite (natural magnesium hydroxide) and very finely ground

expandable materials. Five product and process patents were filed for these products and at

least two are being commercialized.

In addition to the innovation function, I identified and pursued acquisitons for the Group,

principally in China, Vietnam, USA, Mexico and Russia, and I worked with a leading

consulting geologist and an Imerys geologist on an exploration program in Mexico and

China. Acquisitions were completed in Vietnam and the US during this period.

World Minerals Inc. Santa Barbara, CA 1991 2001

World Minerals, an international company headquartered in Santa Barbara,

California, is the world’s leading producer of engineered materials derived

from diatomaceous earth and expanded perlite, two structured light weight

minerals. Applications for the products include filtration and separation for

beverages, sweeteners, biopharmaceuticals and many other applications, as

well as horticulture and hydroponics, construction materials and functional

additives in paint and plastics.

As part of a diversification program I had been asked to undertake for my prior employer,

UNIMIN, I identified and pursued the acquisition of the Filtration and Minerals Division of

Manville. While still with UNIMIN, I directed the due diligence of the acquisition under a

contract with Alleghany Corporation, and I was invited to join the new company, which

became known as World Minerals, as Vice President with responsibility for planning,

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corporate development, research and development, exploration and the Latin American

business unit.

In addition to my direct responsibilities, which are summarized below, I introduced best

practices learned from my prior employers, including: statistical process control (six sigma),

maintenance planning and management procedures, process audits and process

engineering practices; and the use of pre-employment psychological and intelligence testing

for the recruitment of key employees.

Executive Vice President 1999-2001

General Manager Western Hemisphere Region

President, Advanced Minerals Corporation

Strategy, Corporate Development, Research and Commercial Development

Corporate Human Resources

Mine Planning and Exploration

Senior Vice President 1995-1999

General Manager, European Region

General Manager, China Operations

President, Advanced Minerals Corporation

Strategy, Corporate Development, Research and Commercial Development,

Exploration

Corporate Human Resources

Vice President 1991-1994

General Manager, Mexico/Latin American Region

Strategy, Corporate Development, Research and Development, Exploration

During a ten-year career, with World Minerals, I played a key role in the formation,

management and growth of the company. with the following responsibilities and

accomplishments.

In general management, I directed the sales, marketing, accounting, operations and

engineering activities of all divisions of the company, including the Western Hemisphere (14

plants located in North and South America and $175 million in sales), China ( two plants

located in Jilin Province China with $10 million in sales), Europe (eight plants located in

Spain, Italy, the UK, Iceland, France and Turkey and $60 million in sales) and Mexico (One

plant with $15 million in sales and sales responsibility for Latin America). Notable

accomplishments as general manager included the integration of all significant acquisitions;

substantial reductions in operating and SG & A costs through the elimination of redundant

functions; major sourcing and supply chain initiatives and the introduction of best practices

worldwide; the crash conversion of the company’s largest facility to fuel oil from natural gas

in response to a 1000% increase in natural gas prices; the development and introduction of

many new products, particularly from acquired operations; the implementation of an ERP

system for the Western Hemisphere Division; and the completion of difficult negotiations

with the company’s Chinese partners that led to the closure of 95% of the competitive

diatomite mines in China. These projects were especially successful in the Chilean and

Mexican operations, where gross margins increased from 30% to 55% and in Advanced

Minerals Corporation.

In internal entrepreneurship and general management, I created an internal greefield venture,

Advanced Minerals Corporation and served as its President. Advanced Minerals Corporation

produces patented Celpure® clarification media. Celpure®, an extremely high purity, high

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performance product, has become the standard processing material in selected

biopharmaceutical, green tea, sake, and other specialty beverage and specialty chemical

industries. Although World Minerals’ facilities were ISO-certified and used statistical process

control (six sigma) and followed best practices for food and beverage-grade facilities, the

requirements for the Advanced Minerals/Celpure® operation, took us to an entirely new

level, as the product is used in the production of parenteral (injectable) drugs. This required

us to establish much stricter quality control and production procedures, which included

much smaller production lots for testing purposes and the development of detailed

procedures and batch records, as well as the use of pharmaceutical grade packaging

materials and procedures.

Advanced Minerals has been extraordinarily successful, with gross margins of 70%, plant

operations sold out for five years running and sales continuing to increase at over 20% per

year.

In corporate development, I completed the acquisition of the Filtration and Minerals Divisions of

Manville and Witco Chemical to form the company, as well as additional transactions in the

US, Mexico, Chile, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Korea and China.

The acquisition of 100% of Dialmecon in Mexico on 1991, the acquisition of 100% of Ege

Perlite in Turkey in 1995, and the joint ventures in China in the mid-90’s, and a greenfield

development in China, the Linjiang-Celite Diatomite Company, were among the earliest

successful majority-owned mineral and materials processing foreign investments in these

countries.

In strategy and corporate planning, I prepared annual five year strategic plans that guided the

company’s growth, which led us to expand into the perlite filter aid and high purity markets

and to expand geographically to chase populations with rapid per capita income and

food/beverage consumption growth in Asia and South America.

In research and commercial development, I developed a team-based multidisciplinary approach

for the brainstorming, evaluation, project management and product commercialization

processes that led better decisions, improved morale and improved implementation,

resulting in dozens of inventions and numerous patents, including Celpure® high purity

clarification media; low crystalline silica, high performance composite filtration media;

advances in the processing efficiency of several adsorbents; the introduction of LRA®

calcium silicate lipid removal agents for blood plasma processing (from technology licensed

from the American Red Cross) and Optimat high performance perlite flatting agents; as well

as fundamental breakthroughs in powdered media filtration, which allow for precise particle

separations (such as the leukoreduction of whole blood and blood cell concentrates). A

number of important breakthroughs in production processes also occurred, including the

development of processes to: produce direct run paint and plastic fillers with 100% yields;

pre-process high sulfur raw materials to remove the sulfur prior to calcining; and an

improvement in understanding the process by which iron solubility can be modified in the

manufacturing process.

In exploration and mine planning, we identified and acquired attractive perlite properties in

Turkey and Mexico and attractive diatomite properties in Mexico, Peru and China. We

developed greenfield mining operations in Turkey and Peru, leading to significant cost

reductions for manufacturing sites located in Western Europe and Chile, respectively.

In human resources, I played a key role in recruiting and upgrading all professional levels of

the corporation worldwide and in labor negotiations, including an unusual and extremely

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successful six year agreement with the Chemical Workers for the company’s largest

manufacturing facility. At the request of Mr. Woods, I also implemented a communications

and morale program that included quarterly review meetings for the company’s employees,

semi-annual family events, and the publication of a company newsletter, Our World.

1987-1991

Unimin Corporation New Canaan, CT

UNIMIN, a subsidiary of Sibelco of Belgium, is one of the world’s largest

producers of glass and ceramic raw materials and is a leading producer of

specialty minerals used in the production of high purity silicon metal and

high intensity lighting products, hydraulic fracturing proppants, and

functional additives for paint and plastics.

General Manager, Strategy and Corporate Development

After several years as a management consultant, I became interested in the successful

implementation of strategies and decided to seek a position with an industrial company. I

was recruited by William J. Woods, Jr., Founder, Chairman and CEO of UNIMIN, to develop

and implement a diversification program for the company.

I directed the corporate development and strategic planning activities of UNIMIN. During this

period, the Company completed seven acquisitions and one divestiture, leading to a 100%

increase in revenues.

Working with teams of line executives, I completed strategic plans for the high purity quartz,

nepheline syenite and feldspar, mica, dolomite, ground silica and silica sand (flat glass,

container glass, specialty glass, hydraulic fracturing and foundry) businesses, as well as

operating plans for each of the company’s 25 production facilities.

CRA International Boston, MA 1984 1987

CRA International is a leading international consulting firm with 21 offices

in North America, Europe and Asia.

I pursued a position with CRA following a downturn in MA Hanna’s business during a severe

industrial recession, and was hired by Dr. James C. Burrows, a leading business economist,

who is currently CEO of the company.

For CRA clients, I directed strategy, diversification and acquisition studies, and I identified

and contacted potential acquisition targets and performed cash flow and ROI analyses.

MA Hanna Company Various Locations 1982 1983

MA Hanna was a leading industrial company that eventually became part of

Polyone

I was invited to join Hanna by Mike Monaghan, Sr. VP of Operations, following a summer

internship there and my final year of business school.

As an associate in Hanna's operations management executive program, I completed

engineering and operations assignments and training courses in the company's plants

located in Colombia, Minnesota, Colorado, Oregon and Labrador. Training included

operations procedures, such as maintenance planning and management, statistical process

control (six sigma), team-building and Japanese manufacturing techniques and plant

organization, the measurement and management of productivity, and the preparation of

position descriptions.

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EDUCATION

University of Chicago Graduate School of Business Chicago, IL 1980 1982

I received the Master of Business Administration degree in finance and marketing, and

graduated in the top ten percent of the class.

Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO 1976 1980

I received a Bachelor of Science degree in mining engineering with a minor in economics,

and graduated in the top four percent of the class.

PATENTS

Shiuh, Palm et al., Highly Purified Biogenic Silica, U. S. patents 5,565,569 and

6,653,255.

Palm et al., Advanced Composite Filtration Media, U. S. patents 5,776,353 and

6,524,489.

Palm et al., Purified Natural Glass Product, U. S. patent 5,908561.

Palm et al., Method of Mechanically Separating Microparticles Suspended in

Fluids Using Particulate Media, U.S. patent 6,140,040

Palm et al., Perlite products with Controlled Particle Size Distribution, U.S.

Patents 6,464,770 and 6,712,898.

Palm et al., Filterable Composite Adsorbents, U.S. Patent 6,712,974.

PATENTS PENDING

PCT/GB2007/004217 Grinding and Beneficiation of Brucite

PCT/GB2006/002742 Particulate Glass Compositions

PCT/GB2006/002734 Particulate Material

PCT/GB2005/00388 Ultrafine Ground Brucite

PCT/US2007/073690 Process for Removing Organic Contaminants from Non Metallic

Inorganic Materials Using Dielectric Heating

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