Sales Management
Resume:
David C. Darwin, Ph.D., MBA
Wayne, NJ 07470
******@***.********.*** (973) 647-
**** (cell)
Innovating New Products to Market - Specialty Chemical R&D Management - New
Venture Development
Summary of Qualifications
R&D programs in basic and applied science are managed with the goal of
changing paradigms and generating profit. New products and technologies
are scaled-up and introduced to the market or the discovered science serves
as a platform for future advances. A technical-business approach assesses
opportunities for innovation potential and internal and external resources
are assembled to move concepts to market. Focus areas are highly
technical, and typically have spanned diverse areas of science and
engineering. Creation of business plans is performed from an integrated
perspective of financial, technical, and operational analyses. Results are
demonstrated in the areas of new market assessment and stage-gate
management of projects. Success is achieved by directly leading or feeding
R&D into functions including marketing, sales, and manufacturing.
Experiences include food, personal care, pharmaceutical, specialty
chemical, applied inorganic materials science, polymers, and construction
materials. Developed and managed intellectual property (IP) portfolios,
with eleven issued US patents. Well versed in consultative selling,
collaborations, negotiations and open innovation. Demonstrated ability to
hire, lead, and supervise.
Edward C. Levy Co., Dearborn, MI Technical Research and Business
Development 2012 - 2014
Managed diverse technical and marketing activities for Levy Specialty
Products. Chemical and physical characterization of inorganic ceramic
material streams from steel mills, namely slags, metallic, and refractory
materials. Established KPI's, new product definitions and business in
areas of agricultural, portland cement, asphalt aggregate, and fine
particle iron magnetic products.
Evaluated co-product and waste material streams from steel mills.
Determined chemical and physical compositions of materials. Prepared
presentations to prospects. Negotiated collaboration agreements.
Optimized material streams from Fe (Iron) Beneficiation mining process into
defined products. Market placed material streams for optimal strategic
value.
Hycrete, Inc., Carlstadt, NJ Research and Development,
Technology Management 2007 - 2012
Established and managed technical arm of early-stage, venture capital
funded, cleantech company. Product platform is an in situ polymerizing
waterproofing corrosion inhibiting technology.
Designed and built chemical and concrete laboratories on minimal budget.
Hired staff (6 reports at peak) and commenced in-house R&D. Design and
supervise research; analyze and present data. Drove new product
development, customer application development, and manufacturing quality
control.
Determined global intellectual property patent strategies. Wrote basis for
new patent art generated from R&D. Controlled technical due diligence for
a $15MM, oversubscribed "Series C" funding raise.
Assessed technical, business, and competitive prospects for new business
areas, including green, non-portland cement concrete binder system, ultra-
low VOC silicon oleochemical based concrete penetrating sealer, and
engineered wood stabilization technology. Technology advance in wood
dimensional stability and bio resistance led to $0.5MM plus extended
royalties exclusive license offer. Patent pending.
Wrote successful proposals and budgets as principal investigator for $2MM
and $1.6MM US Army Corps of Engineers corrosion prevention technology
grants. Managed internal and external research and field demonstration and
validation programs.
Mentored young employees in all functional areas. Technical expert for
sales, customers (concrete producers, contractors, architects, engineers,
and owners), universities, and government agencies.
Avatar Corporation, University Park, IL Marketing, Quality and
Technical Management 2002 - 2007
Top non-owner executive in privately held manufacturer of food,
pharmaceutical and personal care ingredients. Entrepreneurial, growth
company requiring integrating diverse skills to generate profit.
Grew sales, without acquisition, from $13MM to $32MM. Increased gross
margin percentage by 20%. Strategic business initiatives included moving
product mix from distributed to manufactured products and introducing new
offerings in release agents, lubricants, and personal care ingredients.
Focused advertising budget to website www.avatarcorp.com. Designed search
engine optimization and pay-per-click programs. Created new brochures,
promos and trade show booth.
Marketing and problem solving management of direct sales force (5
employees). Instituted sales force automation, call report system, lead
generation by SIC code, new market initiatives, and sales meetings.
Managed technical functions including R&D, new product development, and
quality control (4 scientists). Resolved key regulatory issues arising
with FDA, NSF, USP, Kosher, and Organic programs.
Performed market and financial analyses of acquisition targets including
discounted cash flow (DCF), intellectual property, and asset analyses.
Analyzed manufacturing capital investment decisions.
Grace Davison, Baltimore, MD Technical Service/Applications
Development Manager 1997 - 2002
Managed interactions between customers, marketing, sales, manufacturing,
R&D, and allied suppliers. New business development, marketing, and
strategic planning for adsorbents.
Prepared marketing materials and sales presentations on zeolite and silica
adsorbent technologies used in insulating glass, refrigeration, oil and gas
purification, and ink jet paper coatings.
Established value, standardized and presented technology advances in
polymer compounded insulating glass desiccants, pharmaceutical desiccants,
and oxygen scavenging.
Stage-gate advanced to paper customers silica-latex ink jet coatings using
Six Sigma Green Belt (DOE).
W. R. Grace & Co., Research Division, Columbia, MD Senior
Research Chemist 1989 - 1997
Project management of fundamental research to develop polymers for
concrete. Invented breakthrough disruptive technology of polycarboxylate
superplasticizers. Led team bringing invention to market.
Invented novel concrete and water treatment surfactants (globally branded
ADVA polycarboxylate superplasticizers using molecular architecture
nanotechnology. Awarded: W.R. Grace Research Division Research Award 1994 -
"Novel 'Thermally Grafted Comb Type Polymer' Superplasticizer." and Grace
Corporate Premier Award 2000. Ten US Patents. Publications in concrete
and colloids.
Leader on Product Introduction Teams bringing polycarboxylate
superplasticizers to global markets.
( Created polycarboxylate focused mix designs of high
performance/self-consolidating concrete.
( Addressed quality, scale-up, and cost issues related to polymer
manufacturing.
( Transferred production technology to joint-development partner
company.
( Current Grace sales of ADVA over $50 MM annually; competitors
matched the technology.
Expertise in water soluble and melt polymers, cement and concrete,
rheology, construction materials, asphalt, colloidal science, molecular
modeling, patent strategies, literature searching, and data analysis.
Education
M.B.A., Finance, University of Maryland, 1996; GPA = 3.9; GMAT = 710 (98+%
at that time)
Ph.D., Chemistry (dissertation areas of chemical kinetics and laser
spectroscopy, emphasis physical and organic chemistry), University of
California at Berkeley, 1989; GPA = 3.9
B.A. with honors, Chemistry and Integrated Sciences, Northwestern
University, 1983; GPA = 3.5
Personal - Eagle Scout, golf, family, academics, national parks.
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