Speaker Biographies

DIRK ACHTEN

HEAD OF MODERN COATINGS AND ADHESIVES APPLICATIONS, COVESTRO DEUTSCHLAND AG Dirk Achten received a PhD in 1999 from RWTH Aachen in Germany in polymer science. He started his career at Bayer AG working for the rubber business group. After achieving additional qualifications as a rubber and adhesive engineer and various jobs with increasing managerial responsibilities in the adhesive and coatings application sector, he was asked to lead a startup incubator at Covestro AG. Dirk is currently heading the R&D group of Modern Coatings and Adhesive Applications at Covestro.

KEN ALSTON

CIRCULAR ECONOMY IMPLEMENTATION EXPERT, FOUNDING PARTNER AT CIRCULARITY EDGE, LLC Ken Alston is a nationally recognized Circular Economy Implementation Expert and Founding Partner at Circularity Edge, LLC and Senior Advisor to the Circular Economy Platform of the Americas. He is the former CEO of McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) where he worked directly with the co-authors of the seminal book: Cradle to Cradle – Remaking the Way We Make Things. Ken consulted with companies, universities and other organizations on the implementation of design principles for the Circular Economy. Prior to working at MBDC, from 1992 to 2000, Ken was the Director of Worldwide Sustainable Product Innovation for S.C. Johnson (SCJ) in Racine, Wisconsin. In this role he directed and implemented SCJ’s global sustainable development program – widely recognized to be among the leaders in business and sustainability.

KYLE ANDERSON

TS&D SCIENTIST, DOW INC. Kyle Anderson, Technical Service and Development scientist, has been with Dow Polyethylene since 2012. He currently works on developing applications in several markets spaces as the application development leader for Hot Melt Adhesives and Health, Hygiene and Medical elastomers. Kyle holds a bachelor’s degree in Materials Engineering from Iowa State University and a PhD in Polymer and Materials Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

ANDREW ANDRADE

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, ADVANCED POLYMER, INC. Andrew has a BS in Chemical Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Andrew has been with Advanced Polymer, Inc. for four years. He started out as a Product Development Engineer and he formulated coatings and adhesives for many different applications like construction and flexible packaging to develop specialty adhesion promoters for low surface energy substrates. Now Andrew is the Technical Director at Advanced Polymer, Inc. where he manages the Technical Team at API.

KUJTIM BIZATI

SENIOR APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT SCIENTIST, EASTMAN CHEMICAL Tim Bizati is a sr. application development scientist for adhesives technology at Eastman Chemical. Tim has a total of 14 years experience in adhesives formulations and applications as a technical and project leader in areas covering hot melt, solvent based adhesives, and PSAs, in the hygiene, and tape/labels markets. He was also employed by Nitto Denko and Momentive. He was the technical committee member of PSTC for nearly 2 years. He holds an MS in chemical engineering from NC state.

ORLANE BOUZARD

PRODUCT MANAGER-COATINGS, ADHESIVES & SEALANTS, ARKEMA Orlane Bouzard obtained a Chemical Engineering Degree majoring in materials at the ENSC Montpellier (France) and graduated from IAE Institute in Marketing & Product Management in 2019. Orlane is now working as Technical & Development Manager for Crayvallac® Additives (Arkema) specializing in Adhesives & Sealants applications. She has global responsibility to market players in offering technical assistance, developing new solutions & supporting growth for these evolving applications.

GEORGE BOYAJIAN

CEO, MUSSEL POLYMERS, INC. George Boyajian is Cofounder and CEO of Mussel Polymers Inc. which is bringing poly (catechol-styrene) to market, the world’s first adhesive to bind in wet environments. He is a technology executive with over 25 years of experience specializing in commercializing breakthrough technologies. He launched and headed PhytoWorks and Living Independently Group. He also helped launch Columbia Digital Knowledge Ventures, Columbia University’s digital asset commercialization venture among others.

JOHN BRANDT

TECHNICAL MANAGER, ADHESIVES AND SEALANTS NORTH AMERICA COATINGS AND ADHESIVES, COVESTRO John received his BS in Chemistry and a Masters in Polymer Chemistry from Carnegie Mellon University. He began his Covestro career in the Coatings laboratory in 1988. In 1997 he became a Key Account Manager for Adhesives and in 2000 transferred to Germany and worked in both Dormagen and Leverkusen, where he was named commercial head of the Adhesives and Sealants business for Europe in 2003. After his return to the US in 2005, John served in a number of roles in the Functional Films, Cosmetic Raw Materials and Carbon Nanotubes businesses. In 2012 John rejoined the Coatings and Adhesives organization and has since served as North American Technical Manager for UV Curable Coatings, Infrastructure and Adhesives and Sealants.

JESSICA CARSON

R&D ENGINEER, THREEBOND INTERNATIONAL, INC. Jessica Carson is a 2016 graduate from Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in Chemistry. She started her career analyzing analytical and physical properties of novel methylene malonate chemistries. In 2020, Jessica joined ThreeBond’s Research and Development group to work on application development and formulation, specifically targeted to epoxy and conductive adhesive chemistries.

TED CLARK

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, H.B. FULLER Ted Clark has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of H.B. Fuller since 2019. He previously held the role of Senior Vice President, Royal Adhesives, from 2017-2019. Mr. Clark is the author of Shipping Clerk to CEO – the Power of Curiosity, Will and Self Directed Learning. Prior to joining H.B. Fuller, Mr. Clark led Royal Adhesives and Sealants, Inc. as President and Chief Executive Officer from 2003-2017, which was acquired by H.B. Fuller in 2017. He also served as the President and Chief Executive Officer for Burke Industries, Inc. from 1999-2002, various leadership roles at PRC-DeSoto International, formerly Courtaulds Aerospace, Inc., from 1989- 1999, including President and Chief and Executive Officer, held various management roles at Products Research & Chemical Corporation (PRC) from 1982-1989, and in sales at Semco from 1978-1982.

JANA COHRS-RAHMOUN

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FEICA (THE ASSOCIATION OF THE EUROPEAN ADHESIVE & SEALANT INDUSTRY) Jana is the Executive Director Regulatory Affairs at FEICA and has worked at the association for almost 15 years. During this time, she has covered many Regulatory Affairs issues such as environmental legislation (including REACH, CLP and the EU Green Deal), as well as construction and food contact. Today, Jana oversees and coordinates FEICA’s Regulatory Affairs department and leads the development of FEICA’s strategy on regulatory affairs. She also manages groups dedicated to food contact and the sustainability of packaging in a circular economy. Before starting her career at FEICA, Jana worked at the European Parliament and for the European Pharmaceutical Association.

DOUGLAS CORRIGAN

DIRECTOR, CHEMQUEST TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE Dr. Doug Corrigan is the Director of the ChemQuest Technology Institute. Doug is the inventor of dozens of early stage disruptive technologies in the fields of solidstate materials, nanotechnology, additive manufacturing, and medical research. Doug has B.S. and M.S. degrees in Engineering Physics with a primary emphasis on solidstate physics and materials science. He also holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

SCOTT COWEN

R&D DIRECTOR, H.B. FULLER Scott Cowen began his professional career developing moisture curing polyurethane and silylated polymer adhesives. Over his nine-year career, Scott’s research focus expanded to include two-component polyurethane sealants and foams. He co-authored a patent to work on an expanding silylated polymer adhesive and was a lead author for a load bearing polyurethane foam patent. He holds a Master of Science, specializing in chemistry, with research focusing on bonding of monolayers to solid particles.

MALCOLM DAVIDSON

SENIOR DATA SOLUTIONS ENGINEER, CITRINE INFORMATICS Malcolm works at the nexus of technical sales, materials science, software development, and data science where he showcases Citrine’s technology to customers and builds AI and data management tools that help solve real-world materials design and optimization problems. At Citrine, Malcolm learns about the challenges top material and chemical companies face in designing sustainable, performant products to meet market demands. Based on his past experience as a polymer scientist and a research scientist, he develops pragmatic solutions that leverage AI to deliver value for customers. He holds a B.S. in chemistry from Louisiana State University and a Ph.D. in Materials Science from Colorado School of Mines.

MIKAELA DECIO

HEAD OF ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, MAPEI Mikaela Decio graduated in pharmaceutical chemistry at the University of Milan, in Mapei R&D since 1999. Since 2003 she’s been involved in evaluation of Volatile Organic Compounds emissions and certifications of green products. She’s now Group Leader in Environmental Sustainability, performing Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies and Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), monitoring international regulations and market needs for eco-labels and green programs such as LEED and BREEAM. Expert in TC 189 WG7 “Sustainability issues for ceramic tiling systems,” she is a member of the board in GBC Italia. She is the author of several papers in adhesives and VOC emissions fields.

CHRISTOPHER DOBBINS

APPLICATION MANAGER, ADHESIVES & SEALANTS, OMYA INTERNATIONAL AG Chris Dobbins studied at the University of Wales, Bangor and has over 15 years of experience as a chemical engineer. He joined Omya as Application Manager for Adhesives and Sealants in 2021. In 2006, he joined Dow Inc. and held various research roles in Emulsion Polymers for Synthetic Grass, Specialty Latex and Paper and Board. Later, he transitioned into a Laboratory Leader role in Polyurethanes R&D before moving to Technical Service for PU flexible foam in EMEA.

MICHAEL DREWERY

MARKET MANAGER ADHESIVES AND SEALANTS, BYK USA INC. Mike Drewery’s current position is Market Manager, Adhesives & Sealants in the NAFTA Region for BYK USA. Responsibilities include improving market focus, leveraging technologies and chemistries for the Adhesives and Sealants segment. He holds a BS in Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Synthetic Organic Chemistry both from the University of Toronto. With more than 30 years of industrial experience in coatings, adhesives and sealants, Mike has broad technical and product development experience along with a strong background on the market and business side of the Adhesives and Sealant market. Previous positions include serving as the Vice President of Technology for adhesive manufacturer LD Davis Industries, multiple technical and business roles for BASF in emulsion polymers and Research Manager for Arkema Coating Resins.

ANNE DUSSUAD

SENIOR SCIENTIST, MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS Dr. Dussaud earned her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering in France, and was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Princeton University. She has 25 years of industrial research experience in a broad range of areas, including complex fluids, interfacial properties, fluid dynamics and polymers. Dr. Dussaud is an expert in using a multidisciplinary approach to create customer-driven innovations. She has co-authored more than 15 publications and is an inventor on 20 patents. She joined Momentive in 2007.

RONALD EMANUEL

HEAD OF GLOBAL R&D, URETHANE SYSTEMS, LANXESS CORPORATION Ronald M. Emanuel, Jr. has been a chemist with Lanxess Urethane’s Systems since May of 1998. During his 23 year career at Lanxess Urethane Systems Mr. Emanuel pioneered low free monomer methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) technology development and production scale up globally. This effort allowed Laxness to establish the best production and scale capability to achieve below 0.1 percent of free isocyanate monomer and to establish a position to develop low free version of any isocyanate. Ron’s current research focus is leading development of low monomer prepolymer formulations for adhesives, coatings and sealants.

MARK ERICSON

VICE PRESIENT, SUPPLY CHAIN, MERIDIAN ADHESIVES GROUP Mark has over 28 years of supply chain and manufacturing experience at Sealed Air Corporation,

Royal Adhesives & Sealants, Elite Comfort Solutions, and most recently at Meridian Adhesives where he is the Vice President of Supply Chain. In his current role Mark leads all sourcing activities and develops sourcing strategies to leverage spend across all of Meridian’s divisions. Mark holds CPSM and C.P.M. certifications from the Institute for Supply Management and a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Polytechnical Institute.

MATTHEW FREEMAN

TECHNICAL SERVICE SPECIALIST, HUNTSMAN Technical Service Specialist for Field Promotions at Huntsman. Main area of focus supporting sales and customers for transportation and industrial growth markets pertaining to adhesives. Experience providing technical expertise for formulated two-part systems and adhesive components. Previously worked with polyurethane foams, formulating systems used for insulation. Also has a background in coating development for optical lenses applications. Educational background Texas A&M, B.S. in Chemistry.

MAUREEN GORSEN

PARTNER, SIDLEY AUSTIN LLP Ms. Gorsen is the former director of the California DTSC, where she directed regulation of waste, soil and water cleanups under CERCLA, RCRA, and brownfields laws. She spearheaded the California Green Chemistry Initiative and resulting laws governing chemicals under the California Safer Consumer Product rules and other state’s products programs and federal TSCA Reform. Ms. Gorsen is the former general counsel of the California Environmental Protection Agency, as well as the former general counsel for the California Natural Resources Agency. In these roles, she oversaw policies that enforce California’s environmental laws, including Prop 65, the Endangered Species Act, Coastal Act and CEQA. She has been ranked in U.S. News and World Report’s Best Lawyers® since 2013.

RAJ HARIHARAN

SENIOR GROUP LEADER, MAPEI CORPORATION USA Dr. Raj Hariharan is a Sr. Group Leader with MAPEI Corporation, where he works on research, development, production and application of products for floor coverings such as adhesives, sealants and primers. Before Joining MAPEI, Raj worked for Rohm and Haas/ Dow Chemical. Raj has a Ph.D. in Polymers from Baylor University, TX. He has authored several United States and International patents and published several articles in peer reviewed journals.

LELAND HARRS

MANAGING DIRECTOR, HOULIHAN LOKEY Mr. Harrs is Head of Houlihan Lokey’s Chemicals practice. As a member of the firm’s Industrials Group, he is responsible for managing banking relationships with public and private clients in the global chemical and related sectors and providing strategic ideas and advice related to M&A activity and capital raising. Mr. Harrs focuses on specialty chemicals and related subsectors, including formulate products, adhesives, sealants, coatings, and resins. Mr. Harrs has more than 20 years of investment banking experience in the chemicals industry. He holds an MBA from the Darden School at the University of Virginia and a B.A. from Columbia University, where he majored in Economics.

VERA HAYE

MANAGING DIRECTOR, GERMAN ADHESIVES ASSOCIATION Vera Haye is Managing Director at IVK – the German Adhesives Association. She is substantially involved in developing IVK’s sustainability strategy and supports the members with topics concerning adhesive bonding technology. Vera holds a doctoral degree in microbiology. In her spare time, Vera enjoys good food, travelling and running.

RALF HEINZMANN

GLOBAL TECHNICAL MANAGER, SIKA DEUTSCHLAND GMBH Mr. Ralf Heinzmann studied Polymer Chemistry and works as a Global Technical Manager in the division Sealing & Bonding of Sika AG in Germany. He is also an active member of various technical committees. He is the Chairman of the German DIN standardization committee Joint Sealants, Convener of Working Group 4 of CEN TC 349 Sealants for Joints in Building Construction, Head of the German Delegation to ISO TC 59 SC 8, and Chairman of Working Group 7 Sealants within the German Chemical Manufacture.

ANDY HINZ

MANAGING DIRECTOR, GRACE MATTHEWS, INC. Andy Hinz is a Managing Director at Grace Matthews and has over 15 years of M&A advisory experience in the chemicals and materials industry. Andy has led transactions in a variety of chemical sectors including adhesives and sealants, paints and coatings, polymers and additives, plastics, packaging, food ingredients, and oil & gas. Andy is a frequent contributor to a variety of chemical industry publications and writes the M&A Corner column for Adhesives & Sealants Industry magazine.

DAVID HORWAT

PROPRIETOR, ADHESIVES-EXPERTS.COM Dave Horwat is a technical consultant for the adhesives industry with over 45 years of experience in formulation and technical support of acrylic and vinyl acetate polymers. Dave has worked and consulted in adhesive formulation development for woodworking, automotive, HVAC, insulation and many other submarkets or applications. Most recently, Dave has worked on the development of a mathematical adhesive formulation system which theoretically models structure-property relationships of adhesives.

ROB HUBBARD

CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER, H.B. FULLER As H.B. Fuller’s chief procurement officer, Rob Hubbard oversees more than $2 billion in spend, including over 18,000 unique raw materials and a wide range of indirect goods and services. Through his leadership of H.B. Fuller’s global strategic sourcing organization, he and his team strive for H.B. Fuller to be the preferred customer with its 15,000plus suppliers by employing global procurement strategies and technologies, hiring and developing a best-in-class team, fostering collaborative relationships with suppliers, and championing a culture that consistently delivers the best total value for the company. Prior to joining H.B. Fuller in 2012, Rob was with Procter & Gamble (P&G) for 22 years. He started his career in research and development at P&G, where he led technical teams to define, develop, and qualify new processes and raw materials. Later he moved into the procurement organization, where he discovered his passion for creating win-win solutions with suppliers.

BILL HYDE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OLEFINS & ELASTOMERS, IHS MARKIT Mr. Hyde is a member of the IHS Markit Chemical Insight Olefins Team where he leads a group focused on analyzing markets related to C4 Olefins, synthetic and natural rubber, and tire raw materials. He has been consulting in this market since 2002.

NIREL INMAN

CO-PRESIDENT, CHICAGO GLUE & MACHINE – ADHESIVE DISTRIBUTION EXPERT At Chicago Glue and Machine (CGM), we are thinking about glue 24/7/365 so our customers don’t have to. As Co-President and a proud second-generation family business leader, Nirel leads that mission via her focus on CGM’s operations, customer experience and, most importantly, team satisfaction. With small businesses like CGM employing nearly 48% of US workers, Nirel’s passion lies in supporting and empowering not only her own team, but those individuals her company does business with regardless of the size of the company. Whether it is environmental sustainability, navigating supply chain challenges or using emotional intelligence to create a more supportive working environment for customers and team members, Nirel’s actions and those of her company are rooted in the values they strive to uphold every day.

STUART JENKINSON

VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL SALES, H.B. FULLER COMPANY Stuart has over 25 years of experience in the adhesive industry with expertise in business & sales management across in a wide range of segments in the packaging and converting markets. He is a director on the FEICA Executive Board and EEB sponsor on the FEICA European Advocacy Group. Stuart Jenkinson holds an Applied Economics degree from University of Hertfordshire and is currently the Global Vice President Sales for Hygiene, Health & Consumables at H.B. Fuller.

STACY JORDAHL

VP INDUSTRIAL SPECIALTIES BUSINESS, INGEVITY – RAW MATERIALS EXPERT Stacy began his career in the chemical industry 25 years ago. 22 of those years have been dedicated to the field of pine chemistry with Ingevity and predecessor companies. Throughout his career he has led several businesses focused on rosin-based resins; tall oil fatty acids and derivatives; as well as lignin-based chemistries servicing markets ranging from adhesives and printing inks to asphalt additives, agriculture and oilfield chemicals. In addition, he has led the efforts to successfully source, close and integrate many of company acquisitions. Today he oversees Ingevity’s Industrial Specialty business. His sourcing efforts began in 2005 after shortages caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Since then, Stacy has led Ingevity’s procurement strategy for Crude Tall Oil, a co-product from the pulp and paper industry and critical feedstock supporting sustainable tackifiers for the adhesives industry.

RAINER KALKOFEN

TECHNICAL MANAGER/TECHNICAL SERVICE AND APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT, ARLANXEO DEUTSCHLAND GMBH Rainer Kalkofen completed his studies at the WWU Münster/Germany in 2006 with a PhD degree in organic chemistry. After a postdoc at Stanford university, he joined the R&D department at ARLANXEO in 2008. In 2016 he transferred to the technical service and application development department for polychloroprene and ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers. Since 2020 he works as an application specialist with the focus on customer support for adhesives including ethylene - vinyl acetate elastomers, polychloroprene and butyl rubber.

MOUHCINE KANOUNI

TECHNICAL MARKETING MANAGER, CLARIANT CORPORATION Dr. Mouhcine Kanouni is currently holding the position of Marketing Manager for Coatings within Clariant Performance Additives BU. He joined Clariant in 2013 from Cytec/Allnex where he held the position of global marketing manager for consumer electronics and automotive coatings. Previously and for over 13 years, he occupied several positions at Ciba Specialty Chemicals.

KAY KIAN-HEE

PRODUCT INNOVATION & TECHNICAL MANAGER, SHELL MDS (MALAYSIA) SDN. BHD. Bachelor & Master of Science in Industrial & Environmental Chemistry, PhD in Chemistry, Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC). Leads Shell MDS Product Innovation Team. Prior experience as chemist, R&D manager and head of laboratory. Dr. Kay is passionate in product innovation and exploring new product application. By unlocking the potential of new molecules, he aims to bring solution to customers through innovation of customer-focused specialty products.

GREG KOZERA

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, SHALE CRESCENT USA Greg Kozera is Director of Marketing for Shale Crescent USA, a regional non-profit research and economic development marketing organization whose mission is to create jobs. He is a professional engineer with a masters in environmental engineering and more than 40 years of experience in the natural gas and oil industry. Kozera is the author of the books Just the Fracks Ma’am and Learned Leadership. Greg is a leadership & marketing expert, professional speaker and a writer with numerous published articles including a weekly newspaper column..

NICOLAS KRAUSS

DIVISIONAL HEAD OF INDUSTRIALS AND ELECTRONICS & REGIONAL HEAD OF AMERICAS, HENKEL ADHESIVE TECHNOLOGIES Nicolas Krauss is Corporate Senior Vice President of Henkel’s Industrials and Electronics’ Division as well as Regional Head of Adhesive Technologies Henkel Americas. Additionally, Nicolas is responsible for Strategic Marketing and New Business Models across Henkel Adhesive Technologies. Nicolas joined Henkel in January 2012. Prior to this he worked for The Boston Consulting Group and the United Nations. Nicolas has a Masters in International Politics & International Business from New York University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

BECKY KRISTOPEIT

SENIOR MANAGER CO2/FOOTPRINT REDUCTION, HENKEL CORPORATION Becky has worked in the adhesive industry for nearly 20 years, the last decade with a focus on adhesive solutions for nonwoven and tissue applications. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin. Throughout her career, Becky has held various technical and business leadership roles supporting applications in paper converting, packaging, furniture and building components. She has led trainings at various consumer goods companies on adhesive applications and troubleshooting. She has been instrumental in driving the development of sustainable adhesive solutions for the personal hygiene industry. She is currently a member of Henkel’s industrial adhesives Circular Economy team with a focus on CO2 and footprint reduction.

SUZANA KUPIDLOWSKI BOAVENTURA

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, BRASKEM Bachelor in Chemical Engineer with MBA degree on Product Engineering and Management at São Paulo University. More than 20 years of experience in the chemical industry at Research and Development function with strong focus on sustainable products and process developments for multiple markets, including textile, plastics, paints, adhesives and intermediate chemistry. Nowadays a member of Braskem Specialties Business company, previous job was at Solvay company.

DYLAN LAFERRIERE

TECHNICAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE, KING INDUSTRIES, INC. Dylan LaFerriere is the Technical Sales Representative for King’s K-KAT® non-tin catalyst and K-FLEX®/K-POL® specialty diol resin modifiers. Dylan received his M.Sc in Chemistry from Sacred Heart University. After graduating, Dylan was a product development and technical service chemist in King’s coatings additive division for three years. He focused on development of acid catalyst and King’s K-FLEX and K-KAT products. Dylan moved into his current sales role in 2020.

HAKSU LEE

NORTH AMERICA TECHNICAL MANAGER, COATEX (ARKEMA GROUP) Haksu Lee is the North America Technical Manager for Coatex, part of Arkema Group. He received his Bachelor of Science in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from University of Pennsylvania and Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering from Lehigh University. He has over 15 years of experience in R&D and Technical Service in Construction, Coatings, and Adhesives, with focus on waterborne rheology additives. He currently holds five US patents.

VINCENT LEGROS

CHAIRMAN & CEO, BOSTIK Vincent Legros, 48 years old, graduated from Ecole Polytechnique and from Ponts et Chaussées, and holds a postgraduate diploma (DEA) in production and corporate organization. In 1998 he joined the Saint-Gobain group as production engineer at the Pont-à-Mousson plant (1998 – 2000), before becoming manager of the Toul plant (2000 – 2002), followed by deputy manager of the Pont-à-Mousson plant (2000 – 2004), managing director of the fittings and valves business (2004 – 2006), director of operations for Saint-Gobain Pont-à-Mousson (2006). From 2009 to 2013 he held the post of managing director of Saint-Gobain Pont-à-Mousson China before being the managing director of Saint-Gobain Pontà-Mousson and manager of the group pipe business. Since 2016, he is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bostik, an Arkema company, a leading global adhesive specialist in construction, consumer and industrial markets.

JOSIANE LEON

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT TECHNICAL MANAGER, PPG Product Development technical manager for PPG Automotive, Adhesives & Sealants - Graduated from INSA chemical school in 1990 - 30 years experience in managing technical teams dedicated to products developments to Automotive in the field of Adhesives, Vibration dampers, battery pack materials.

SHAILESH MAJMUDAR

SR. STAFF SCIENTIST, SOLVAY Shailesh Majmudar is a Senior Staff Scientist at Solvay. He is responsible for technical support and new product development for the Novecare Coatings business. Shailesh earned his MS in Applied Chemistry from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and Masters in Business Management from GNFC College. His work experience includes the preparation and use of surfactants, monomers and other additives in the preparation of polymers using emulsion technology for use in coatings and adhesives.

DALE MCCLUNG

VICE PRESIDENT, SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICES, CLX LOGISTICS With a background in chemical and biochemical engineering and over 20 years’ experience in strategic supply chain innovation, Dale McClung leads the Procurement and Supply Chain Design Solutions teams at CLX Logistics. Delivering innovative and disruptive procurement and supply chain solutions for the most complex global supply chain challenges is what we do best. By using a unique blend of descriptive, predictive and prescriptive analytics coupled with trajectory forecasting and experience transporting freight we give clients remarkable insight into the performance of their supply chains as it relates to their financial bottom line, their customers and suppliers.

IRA MILLER

R&D MATERIAL DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST, L&L PRODUCTS Ira Miller has developed structural adhesives, primarily for the transportation industry, for the past 23 years at L&L Products. He has spent 15 of those years in France, working with global automotive producers, providing structural adhesive solutions for the immerging markets of vehicle light-weighting and multi-material bonding.

JIM MO

DEPUTY MANAGER, CIRS GROUP USA, INC. Jim Mo is the Deputy Manager of CIRS US office located in Arlington, Virginia. Before joining CIRS, Jim received his M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Texas Tech University and became involved in the regulatory affairs practices during his two year experience in the industry. Four years with CIRS, Jim’s consulting expertise involves China chemical management regulations (China REACH & Haz chem), GHS communications (SDS & Labels) and national industry standards (VOC & RoHS & FCM).

HAMID MORTAZAVIAN

SCIENTIST, L&L PRODUCTS Hamid Mortazavian earned his doctorate degree in the field of polymer chemistry at Oklahoma State University. He has also done research at the University of Michigan with a focus on polymer synthesis. For the last five years he has worked as an R&D scientist for L&L Products, developing two component adhesives and foams for construction, marine, and automotive industries.

HARRY MOSER

FOUNDER & PRESIDENT, RESHORING INITIATIVE® Founder and president of the Reshoring Initiative after being president of high-end machine tool maker GF Machining Solutions for 22 years. Awards include: Industry Week’s Manufacturing Hall of Fame, Quality Magazine’s Quality Professional of the year, SPE’s Mold Designer of the Year. Participated actively in President Obama’s 1/11/12 Insourcing Forum at the White House. Frequently quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Financial Times,, New Yorker and USA Today and seen on Fox Business, MarketWatch, and other national TV and radio programs. BS and MS in Engineering from MIT and MBA from U. of Chicago.

DAN MURAD

PRESIDENT & CEO, CHEMQUEST GROUP, INC. Dan Murad is the CEO of The ChemQuest Group, Inc. His career in the specialty chemicals industry spans over 40 years. Dan serves on many professional and industry organizations and committees, and he serves as an independent director on the Board of four organizations. His passions lie in enhancing sustainable profitable growth through innovation and value creation. He holds a BS Chemistry degree from Wabash College and an MBA in Finance from William & Mary.

BRETT NEUMANN

TECHNICAL MANAGER, KRATON CHEMICALS, LLC Brett Neumann has worked in technical service and new product development in adhesive related industries for twenty nine years. For the last three years he has worked for Kraton as the Technical Manager for the R&D & Applications team in Savannah, Georgia providing support for the use of tackifiers and SBC polymers in adhesive formulas. Brett received a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Chemistry from the University of Louisville in 1992.

KRISTEL ONS

SECRETARY GENERAL, FEICA (THE ASSOCIATION OF THE EUROPEAN ADHESIVE & SEALANT INDUSTRY) Kristel Ons is Secretary General of FEICA (the Association of the European adhesive and sealant industry). Prior to joining FEICA, Kristel had a successful career in global business development across a range of industries. Her ability to understand customers’ strategic initiatives and identify opportunities has been the driver of her professional life. Based in Brussels, Belgium, Kristel holds a Bachelor’s in Marketing & Communications, a Postgraduate Diploma in Corporate Finance, and an Executive Master’s in International Association Management. In addition, she is a certified Prince2© Foundation Project Manager.

BRIAN ORKIN

PARTNER, ARSENAL CAPITAL Brian Orkin is an investment partner at Arsenal Capital Partners where his responsibilities include investment strategy development, deal origination, and transaction execution as a member of the fund’s Industrial Growth team. Prior to joining Arsenal in 2010, Mr. Orkin was a principal at The Anderson Group LLC. Prior to joining The Anderson Group LLC, he co-founded a bank holding company which acquired a national bank in Florida. Mr. Orkin started his career as a corporate finance attorney with law firms in California and Pennsylvania. Mr Orkin currently sits on the Board of Directors of AvCarb Materials and CME STEM. Mr. Orkin earned a JD from California Western School of Law, an MBA from the executive program at the University of Pittsburgh, and a BA from the University of Michigan.

JIM OWENS

PRESIDENT & CEO, H.B. FULLER COMPANY James J. Owens was named president and CEO of H.B. Fuller Company in November 2010, where he is leading the company’s transformation and profitable growth in its targeted markets. He joined H.B. Fuller on September 2, 2008, as senior vice president of the Americas region. Prior to H.B. Fuller, Owens spent 22 years with National Adhesives, a division of ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries Limited), in a variety of management positions. He also ran the North America adhesives business for Henkel after its acquisition of National Adhesives. Owens is a board member of Donaldson Company, Inc., and serves on the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Business Board of Overseers and its Executive Education Advisory Board, and is a board member of the America Chemical Council (ACC). Owens is a former board member and chairman of the Adhesive and Sealant Council (ASC) and served on Minnesota Super Bowl LII Host Committee. Owens holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Delaware and a master’s in business administration from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

JEREMY PASATTA

TECHNICAL SERVICE MANAGER, TRANSPORTATION AND INDUSTRIAL, HUNTSMAN CORPORATION BS in polymer chemistry from Rochester Institute of Technology. Continuing education in polymer science from University of Akron. Over 15 years experience in epoxy adhesives and components for epoxy adhesives. Currently holds several patents related to tougheners for epoxy formulations. Current Vice President of the Thermoset Resin Formulators Association. Current role is Technical Services Manager for Transportation and Industrial applications at Huntsman Corporation.

JAY PATEL

APPLIED TECHNOLOGY SCIENTIST IV, EVONIK CORPORATION Jay Patel joined Evonik’s Functional Silanes business line as an Applied Technology Scientist in June of 2020. Since then, his research has focused on silanes for adhesive & sealant related applications. In the past Jay has worked as a formulations chemist and as a product development engineer in the A&S industry for the past 11 years. He obtained his B.S. in Chemical Engineering at Lehigh University in 2010.

MARY ELLEN PERKIN

MANAGER, CONSUMER AND CLEANING PRODUCTS, ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE CANADA Mary Ellen Perkin is the Manager of Consumer and Cleaning Products within the Products Division at Environment and Climate Change Canada. Mary Ellen joined the department in 1996 and holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo, Canada. Currently, Mary Ellen’s team is responsible for the development and administration of regulatory controls for several substances used in the cleaning products, cosmetics, and adhesives and sealants industries.

TOM RIBELLI

RESEARCH ASSOCIATE, AVERY DENNISON Tom Ribelli is currently a research associate working in the Avery Dennison Polymer, Adhesives and Coatings Center of Excellence (PACE) in Mill Hall, Pennsylvania. Throughout his four years with PACE, he has been focused on developing next generation pressure sensitive adhesive technologies to advance Avery Dennison’s sustainability initiatives. He received his PhD in chemistry from Carnegie Mellon University working with Krzysztof Matyjaszewski developing photoinitiated polymerizations for the synthesis of advanced functional materials.

ERIC RONNING

PRESIDENT & CEO, RE MIXERS, INC. In 2012, Eric Ronning introduced the first 3D printed prosthetic arm while a Sophomore at UW-Madison. In 2015, Ronning received funding through UW-Madison’s Igniter program and later placed second in Wisconsin’s Business Plan Competition for his plan to launch Re Mixers, Inc. After securing financing in 2016, Eric spent four years growing Re Mixers, Inc. and developing the Xemex Mixing Nozzle. Eric continues to serve as President and CEO of Re Mixers, Inc. in Madison, Wisconsin.

CARLOS RUZAFA SILVESTRE

RESEARCHER, ADVANCED MATERIALS & TECHNOLOGIES, INESCOP Graduated in Environmental Sciences, I am a researcher at the Advanced Technologies Department of the Footwear Technological Center, INESCOP and I am part of the secretariat of the Spanish Association of Glues and Adhesives Manufacturers, ASEFCA. My current research focuses on the field of the application of more sustainable adhesives and coatings, surface treatments and sustainability. I have worked in the environmental sector in an environmental and integrated water cycle management company.

VICTORIA SCARBOROUGH

VICE PRESIDENT COLLABORATIVE INNOVATION, CHEMQUEST GROUP, INC. Dr. Victoria Scarborough has worked in the coatings industry for over 40 years and retired from The Sherwin-

Williams Co. As New Technology Director for the Consumer Brands group, Dr. Scarborough sought & developed new technologies for well-known brands. She holds multiple national and international patents, published numerous articles on innovation, product development and commercialization and has been an invited speaker to both national and international conferences. She joined The ChemQuest Group Inc. in 2019 as Vice President of Collaborative Innovation to assist client-sponsored projects. She holds a B.S. in Biology from the University of Mary Washington, a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of TN Health Science Center and completed the Sherwin-Williams Leadership Excellence Program at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western University.

RAPHAEL SCHALLER

CTO, NOLAX AG In 2013, Raphael commenced his doctoral studies “Creating Complex Polymer Systems - From Polyethylene Al Dente to Polystyrene Mille-Feuille” in the Department of Materials at the ETH Zuich in Switzerland. In 2016, he worked as a postdoctoral scientist in Switzerland, the UK, and China. In January 2017, he joined nolax and established the start-up “Thin-ply,” and in October 2018, he took over the CTO role and is leading both the Application and Research & Development teams at nolax.

KRISTIN SCHOENE

TECHNICAL SERVICE MANAGER ADHESIVES, SYNTHOMER Dr. Kristin Schoene studied Chemistry, specializing in Materials and Nanochemistry at the University of Hannover. During her PhD, she presented her research on solardriven energy conversion (inter)national conferences. In 2018, she joined Synthomer as R&D Graduate with rotating assignments in R&D (EU & USA), Technical Service and Marketing. Since joining the Technical Service Adhesives team, she works on customer- and innovation-driven technical product developments for Synthomer’s adhesives.

DR. JAYSHREE SETH

CORPORATE SCIENTIST AND CHIEF SCIENCE ADVOCATE, 3M COMPANY Jayshree Seth is a Corporate Scientist at 3M and leads Applied Technology Development projects for Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division, the largest industrial business at 3M. She has a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University in NY and a Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering from India, and holds 65 US patents for a variety of innovations that she has worked on in her 26 years at 3M, including adhesives, tapes, nonwovens and fasteners. Jayshree is currently working on identifying new growth opportunities, and is engaged in new technology development and commercialization for sustainable Industrial Products within various markets. She is also a certified Design for Six Sigma Black Belt. In 2018 Jayshree was appointed as 3M’s first ever Chief Science Advocate and is using her scientific knowledge, technical expertise and professional experience to advance science and communicate the importance and benefits of science in everyday life. A focus area is making science more accessible and fostering a new generation of scientists and science advocates.

CALVIN SHEN

MARKETING MANAGER, ARAMCO PERFORMANCE MATERIALS Calvin Shen is the Marketing Manager at Aramco Performance Materials, a United States based subsidiary of one of the world’s leading energy providers, Saudi Aramco. He joined Aramco Performance Materials in 2017 to lead its new product development efforts for polycarbonate polyols. Dr. Shen holds a Ph.D. in polymer science from The University of Akron.

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JINGGUO SHEN

TECHNICAL MANAGER, EVONIK CORPORATION Jingguo Shen is a polymer chemist by training. He is a Technical Manager for the Advanced PU Materials group at Evonik Corporation, responsible for the Applied Development and Technical Service efforts in the High-Density PU and CASE market. He holds a PhD degree in Chemistry from University of Southern California. Before joining Evonik, he worked on automotive coating systems at DuPont Performance Coatings and later Axalta Coating Systems.

PAUL SNOWWHITE

CEO, APPLIED MOLECULES Paul Snowwhite received his B.A. in 1993 and his Masters in materials in 1998. Paul has worked in various technical, market development and leadership roles at Northwest Coatings, Borden Chemical, Hexion and ADCO Products. Paul has >30 UV patents in various CASE applications and hundreds of commercial products. Paul is current CEO and of Applied Molecules.

ELIZABETH STAAB

GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY MANAGER, RIGID PACKAGING, H.B. FULLER Elizabeth leads the sustainable packaging product strategy for the Rigid Packaging segment at H.B. Fuller and ensures that product and solution developments meet future sustainability and circular economy needs. She has 15 years of B2B marketing experience, has led regional and global teams and a deep passion for sustainability.

VOLKER STANJEK

HEAD OF RESEARCH, WACKER CHEMIE CORP. Dr. Volker Stanjek was born in Dinslaken (Germany) on April 17th, 1969. After school, military services, university and his doctorate he joined Wacker Chemical Corp. in 1998. Nowadays he is head of a research laboratory and manager of the innovation platform “hybrid polymers.” He is author or co-author of more than 80 patents, and the only Wacker researcher who has won twice the Alexander Wacker Innovation Award which was granted annually for the most successful present innovation.

YA-TING SU

SCIENTIST, ARKEMA INC. Ya-Ting Su is a Scientist working for Arkema’s Plastic Additives team. Plastic Additives produces a range of acrylic based modifiers designed to improve the processability and performance properties of different resins. Her responsibilities include both new product development and technical support for customers. Currently, she focuses on improving the mechanical properties of structural adhesive systems. She obtained her PhD in Fiber and Polymer Science at NCSU.

HAJIME TAKEDA

R&D, AGC INC. Hajime Takeda joined AGC Inc. in 2012 after receiving his B.S. degree in Applied Chemistry from Doshisha University in 2010 and M.S. degree in Chemical Biology from Tokyo University in 2012. He has been engaged in R&D of Polyether polyols for the past six years.

CHRISTIAN TERFLOTH

BOARD OF DIRECTORS, JOWAT SE Holding a doctoral degree in chemistry Christian Terfloth joined Jowat in 1995. Since January 2003, he has been a member of the Board of Directors at Jowat SE. Main areas of activity: Research and development, technical support and service, procurement, and management systems in the field of industrial adhesives.

SHOTA UMEMOTO

SENOR ENGINEER, SHARP CHEMICAL IND. CO., LTD. Osaka City University, 2015: Bachelor in Functional Chemistry. Experience: Research and development of adhesives and sealants for five years.

MARLEN VALVERDE

SENIOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGEROEM AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES, H.B. FULLER Dr. Marlen Valverde has over 20 years of experience in the chemical industry with expertise in adhesion science and adhesive formulation, structure-property relationship of polymers, strategic planning, project management and business communication. She has published several technical articles in peer-review journals and has authored several patents. Dr. Valverde holds a PhD degree from Iowa State University and is currently a Business Development Manager for the Automotive and EV markets.

PIETER VAN HELDEN

PROJECT LEADER: APPLICATIONS DEVELOPMENT, SASOL CHEMICALS Pieter van Helden has a PhD in Quantum Chemistry and Catalysis and joined Sasol in 2009. He was appointed as Project Leader for Applications Development in Sasol Chemicals, Performance Solutions, Wax Laboratories in 2019. His team is responsible for the development of the applications of Sasol products in the fields of Adhesives, Inks and Polymer processing.

RUOLEI WANG, SR.

TECHNICAL AND MARKETING DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, KANEKA NORTH AMERICA Ruolei Wang is Sr. Technical and Marketing Development Manager at Kaneka North America, providing technical support for customers on MS Polymer formulation and application developments. Dr. Wang holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from University of Akron. Ruolei Wang has 17 years’ experience with product development and technical support involving various chemistry in CASE applications.

CHRIS WHITE

SENIOR MANAGING SCIENTIST, EXPONENT Dr. White, a consultant with Exponent, is a recognized expert in rheology, adhesion, polymer degradation, and other aspects of polymer science. He is also an appointed member of a United Nations Environmental Program Scientific Advisory Panel working on materials degradation. Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. White worked at NIST quantifying the degradation of polymers exposed to outdoor weathering. He holds a Ph.D. from University of Wisconsin and a MBA from University of Maryland.

STEVEN WILLIAMS

VP, C5 AND HYDROCARBON RESINS, ARGUS MEDIA Steve Williams is Vice-President for C5 and Hydrocarbon Resins at Argus Media Inc. In that capacity, he is responsible for overseeing the C5+ consulting and editorial publications, including the monthly C5 and Hydrocarbon Resins Report and the Hydrocarbon Resins Annual. Steve joined Argus in March of 2020 and has over 35 years of prior experience in the petrochemical industry, having spent over 28 years at The Dow Chemical Company (now Dow Inc.) in various production and commercial roles.

EMILY WILTS

POLYMER SCIENTIST, EXPONENT Dr. Emily Wilts completed her PhD in Macromolecular Science and Engineering at Virginia Tech in 2020 in the Timothy Long research group. She investigated structureproperty-processing relationships of water-soluble and biodegradable polymers for 3D printing and biomedical applications. She completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2022 at the University of British Columbia in the Timothy Kieffer research group studying immunoprotective biomaterials used for encapsulation of islets for celltherapy treatments of diabetes. She is currently a Polymer Scientist at Exponent in Natick, MA.

THOMAS WOLF

START-UP LEADER, NOLAX AG Thomas Wolf is a wood engineer and has an EMBA in International Management. He began his career in the adhesives industry in 2001 at Collano AG as the leader of both the Innovation and Engineering departments. In 2007 he moved to 3A Composites where he held positions in business development and management in the field of structural core materials for the wind power industry and marine applications. Thomas joined nolax in 2016, and he is currently leading two start-up companies within nolax, and he is also a member of the management team.

LARRY WU

PROJECT MANAGER, TEX YEAR INDUSTRIES INC. National Taiwan University of Science and Technology - Master Manufacturer of Photoresist - R&D Engineer Tex Year Industries Inc. - HMA Researcher Scientist Tex Year Industries Inc. Project Manager.