r s u m

DARWIN RICHARDS

**** *********** ****, **********, ** 27858

Home: 252-***-**** Business: 252-***-****

Email: acpzt7@r.postjobfree.com

SUMMARY

Graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. A customer-

oriented manager with a direct, results-based leadership style.

Demonstrated expertise in manufacturing, human resources (including

training and development), production planning and control, industrial

engineering, project management, and needs assessment. Extensive small

business and plant start-up experience. Experienced at the plant floor

level as well as executive levels.

1/12 to Present

. Project Coordinator for Beaufort County Community College, managing

federal grant to assist the college in upgrading its manufacturing

course alignment: electrical, electronics, machining, drafting and

design, and welding. It is part of a 10-college consortium,

designated as the North Carolina Advanced Manufacturing Alliance.

BCCC's share of the grant is about $2 million.

9/01 to 12/11

. Founding President and COO of Janus Development Group, a "spin-off"

company from East Carolina University with a mission to develop and

market assistive living devices for people with disabilities.

Successfully engineered and brought to market an anti-stuttering

device patented in 1999 by three researchers at ECU's School of Allied

Health. (See website at www.speecheasy.com) Successfully grew the

company to sales exceeding $7 million, with 15 full-time employees and

a wholesale distribution network of over 100 Speech-Language

Pathologists contracted to sell the product. Janus is still

profitable and debt-free, and has evolved as generating the highest

return (fees, royalties and stock) to the University of any technology

transfer arrangement in which ECU has participated.

. Late in 2005 I began focusing my efforts on the development of

international markets and distribution, clinical trials, third-party

payments, and exploration of non-stuttering applications for

SpeechEasy , evolving my role into the company's general advisor.

12/97 to 9/01

. Worked for NC State University's Industrial Extension Service as

Regional Manufacturing Engineer in the North Carolina Manufacturing

Extension Partnership. Funded by a combination of federal and state

monies plus fees-for-services, NCMEP's mission is to assist small

businesses in NC to do the things necessary to achieve "world class"

status. Solicited and delivered a variety of projects, including

"lean manufacturing," attainment of ISO 9000 status, and team

building.

. During this assignment officials from ECU's Regional Development

Services and Technology Transfer units approached me for assistance in

commercializing a couple of patented ideas owned by the university. I

proposed to form a "spin-off" company to develop and market one or

both of ECU's patents. Compensation to NCSU was in shares of the new

venture's stock. Subsequent to a successful fundraising effort which I

facilitated, the new company launched with me as the first Janus

Development Group employee and Founding President. (One year later,

NCSU sold its stock back to Janus at a substantial profit and created

a handsome endowment for the Industrial Extension Service.)

10/88 to 11/97

. Returned to full-time work after recovering from a severe spinal cord

injury by establishing a freelance consulting business, generally in

(but not limited to) manufacturing. Clients included NWL Capacitors

in Snow Hill, ABB in Pinetops, Atwood-Morrill in Washington,

Tharrington Industries in Rocky Mount, Tideland Electric Membership in

Belhaven, SE&M Contractors in Rocky Mount, and numerous others. Some

projects were delivered on behalf of NC State's Industrial Extension

NCMEP program. When NCSU entered a partnership with ECU to expand the

office in Greenville, they called and asked me to apply if interested.

I applied, and began work as an NCSU employee on December 1, 1997

which led to the opportunity to form the "spin-off" company for ECU.

3/80 to 9/88

. Worked for Collins & Aikman in Farmville, NC as Division HR Manager

responsible for two plants and a sales and administrative contingent

in NYC totaling over 1300 employees. Named Automotive Product Manager

in 1984 when C&A was just entering the automotive sector, then was

promoted to Division Planning Manager. At the time, automotive sales

were two million dollars weekly. Played a key role in C&A's achieving

designation as a Q-1 supplier for Ford Motor. Also instrumental in

introducing and leading C&A into a highly successful Quality Circle

program. Personally trained all Circle leaders.

. In July 1987, I was severely injured in a beach accident dumped on

my head on the ocean floor while bodysurfing, resulting in a spinal

cord injury and total paralysis. During six months of rehab,

progressed from being bedridden to a wheelchair to a walker to elbow

crutches.

Early Background

. Prior to joining C&A in 1980, I was the Corporate HR Manager for

Tuscarora Yarns based in Mt. Pleasant, NC: a four-plant specialty

yarns producer with 550 employees and $30 million in sales. Given

broad authority to affect change: developed policy, revamped benefits

package, and upgraded key management through selective recruiting.

Resigned to take the C&A position, which at the time seemed to offer

greater long-term growth. C&A was a billion dollar company.

. Before Tuscarora, having served as a Start-up Engineer and Training

Manager for Fiber Industries Inc. (Celanese Corporation) in the

world's largest polyester plant, I was recruited away to become the HR

Manager in the building and start-up of a polyester fiber plant for

Texfi Industries in New Bern, NC. Involved from ground-breaking

through the four year mark, recruited and hired over 500 people from

machine operators to key technical and management staff...responsible

for all training and development. (Next to forming and successfully

launching Janus Development Group and the SpeechEasy device, this was

the most gratifying career challenge.)

. After graduating from West Point with a BS degree (engineering

concentration), served in the Army Corps of Engineers and also as

Training Officer of the Advanced Airborne School at Ft. Campbell, KY.

First civilian employment after leaving the Army was as Industrial

Engineer and Quality Engineer for Ford Motor Company in automobile

assembly plants in Norfolk, VA, and St. Louis, MO.

Contact this candidate