Product Development Sales
Resume:
GERALD W. CUMMINGS
Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin 53158
********@*****.***
Profile
Results-oriented technical leader/manager with over 25 years of combined R&D management, product development, technical service, and market development experience in the areas of consumer products, polymers, polymer additives, and nonwoven materials. Recognized for strategic and analytical thinking with innovative approaches to delivering technologies (inventions and methods), including the commercialization of the first “true” all-purpose surface cleaner to take Windex® from just a glass cleaner to the first “true” APC.
Career and Impact
Biolab, Lawrenceville, Georgia
A KIK Custom Products Company, manufacturer of pool and spa additives and Private 2016 to
Label consumer household cleaning products. Present
Director, R&D Pool Additive Division: Responsible to the Global Sr. Director, KIK
Custom Products for leading strategic research and product development programs to
advance technology platforms that improve core brands and drive future business growth.
Collaborate with business leaders and R&D teams to establish: Innovation /
Technology road maps, R&D priorities, Innovation Metrics and R&D reporting.
Develop project objectives, propose budgets, manage project timeline and identify best practices to improve processes.
Lead product development teams and successfully achieved project objectives
on time. Developed and commercialized new pool and spa products (i.e. sanitizers,
oxidizers/shocks and algaecides) for our North America Mass (Clorox Pool &
Spa) and Global professional (BioGuard) channels.
SC Johnson, Racine, Wisconsin
A $9 billon privately-held global manufacturer of consumer household products for Home Cleaning, Pest Control, Air Care and Home Food Storage.
2004 to 2015
Principal Chemist, Senior R&D Manager: Responsible to R&D Director for leading strategic corporate research programs and exploring external processes and tools to accelerate product development, with a mission to develop patented technologies to drive future growth. Directed research programs for up to 20 direct reports including PhD scientists, engineers, and technicians.
Led strategic research and product development groups with a mission to develop new technologies to improve core brands. Achieved project objectives on time. Patented technologies were developed and commercialized in core business brands including Scrubbing Bubbles®, Windex® and OFF! ®.
Managed support groups and coordinated research activities in the analytical, corrosion, material science and microbiology labs. Assessed technical needs and core competency and took action to acquire and train key personnel and acquire critical equipment. Achieved positive feedback from customers on lab support/credibility in the areas of speed, accuracy and expertise.
Identified and developed rapid analytical methods that more accurately assess the performance of pest control products. Reduced early stage of development time by over 70%, and generated critical data used to support IP and product claims.
Identified and co-developed with external partners new controlled released technology for personal repellents. Enhanced product performance by protecting consumers longer from mosquito bites using less actives, insecticide.
Initiated and co-lead cross-functional teams to develop patent strategies, innovation/ technology roadmap plans. Collaborated with business leaders and direct reports to identify strategic external partners and technologies with the potential to produce over $800,000,000 in incremental core business brand sales, including Windex®, Scrubbing Bubbles®, OFF!®, Raid®, Glade® and Ziploc®.
Assessed technical needs to accelerate product development by creating a new computer modeling, virtual product development research lab. Reduced product development cost and time by developing optimum prototypes faster from several months to several days/weeks.
Led RD&E Quality team with a mission to maintain R&D’s ISO 9001 certification. Responsibilities included keeping R&D”s policies & procedures updated, conducting internal quality audits, and training. Maintained R&D ISO 9001 certification.
Huntsman Corporation (Polymer Resin Division), Houston, Texas
A multi-billion dollar privately-held petrochemical company that manufacture surfactants, solvents and polymers, including polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyethylene.
1992 to
2003
Project Manager/Senior Product Developer, Polypropylene (PP) - Longview, Texas:
Responsible to Director, R&D for providing product development and tech service support to internal and external customers within the PP division.
Developed new commercial polypropylene grades. Generated new sales of $25,000,000.
Served as the internal polymer additive stabilizer expert and partnered with purchasing in working with external additive suppliers. Developed new polymer additive stabilizer formulas that maintain product performance at a reduced cost. ($2,000,000 annual savings on additive stabilizers).
Partnered with marketing and sales to develop new products and technical marketing strategies. Developed and commercialized more profitable specialty polypropylene grades.
Provided critical technical service support to key injection molding and extrusion customers. Achieved positive feedback reviews from key customers that assisted sales and marketing to negotiate price increases and acquire new business.
Led technical team that identified and successfully implemented new higher activity PP catalyst technologies. Increased plant production rate and volume.
1996
to
2003
Manager, Polypropylene Research, Technical Service and Development (RTS&D) - Chesapeake, Virginia/Woodbury, New Jersey/Odessa, Texas: Responsible to Director, R&D for managing the polypropylene research, technical service, and product development teams.
Initiated and led technical teams that developed new commercial polypropylene grades for key customers. Generated over $60,000,000 in incremental sales.
Assessed and re-formulated existing commercial PP grades. Improved product performance and reduced cost, delivering over $1,500,000 in annual cost savings.
Provided critical technical service support to external customers. Created trusting relationships with customers that assisted the sales group in exceeding volume objectives and negotiating price increases.
Generated technical data for product brochures and data sheets. Assisted sales and marketing in advertisement and communicating with customers.
Assisted with evaluation and implementation of new higher activity catalyst into plants. Increased production rates by over 20%.
1992 to
1996
The Drackett Company (subsidiary of Bristol-Myers-Squibb)), Cincinnati, Ohio
A household cleaning consumer product manufacturer, including Windex® glass cleaners, Drano® drain opener, and Vanish® toilet cleaner.
1990 to
1992
Scientist (Project Leader): Responsible to the Manager, Windex Brand for the development of new technologies for Windex® products.
Developed and patented new and improved Windex hard surface cleaner formulations. Expanded use of Windex® into the multi-purpose cleaner category, increased Windex® market share by over 30%, and reduced formulation cost by over 50%.
Solvay-America (Formerly Soltex Polymers), Houston, Texas
A multi-billion dollar petrochemical company that is a subsidiary of Solvay S.A. manufacturer of polymers, surfactants, and solvents peroxides.
1989 to
1990
Senior Polymer Chemist/Customer Technical Service Representative: Responsible for providing technical service support to sales, marketing and external customers.
Initiated product development programs to produce polypropylene resins for external customers.
Developed and commercialized numerous new polypropylene resins for fiber and sheet extrusion applications.
Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Roswell, Georgia
A multi-billion dollar consumer personal care company that produces mostly paper-based products, including Kleenex®, Cottonelle®, Scott®, Kotex®, KimWipes®, and Huggies®.
1985 to
1989
Research Scientist: Responsible for the expansion of polypropylene (PP) non-woven materials used in infant, personal and health care products.
Utilized electron beam and R.F. plasma technologies to chemically modify polyolefin non-woven materials to enhance surface properties.
Created low cost absorbent, hydrophilic, nonwoven surfaces for baby and personal care products.
Developed enhanced barrier properties on nonwoven medical fabrics by creating breathable hydrophobic surfaces.
Education
PhD, Physical Organic Chemistry, Howard University, Washington, DC
MS Degree, Organic Chemistry, Howard University, Washington, DC
BS Degree, Chemistry, Savannah State University, Savannah, Georgia
U.S. Patents Awarded & Pending
Pat.# 5,750,482 Glass Cleaning Composition
Pat.# 7,314,852 Glass Cleaning Composition
Pat # 9,149,031 Portable area repellent device
Pat.# 6,420,482 Dyeable polyolefin containing polyether amine modified functionalized polyolefin
Pat.# 6,093,496 Polyolefin containing polyether amine modified functionalized polyolefin
Pat.# 5,985,999 Dyeable polyolefin containing polyether amine modified functionalized polyolefin
Several Patents Pending
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