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The CEO of CoBank reflects on 16 years of growth, mission service and efforts to give back to the community
Hitting New Highs in Healthcare We invited President and CEO of CaroMont Health Doug Luckett to talk us through the organization and how it strives for excellence in every aspect of its work.
Also in this issue... What Does 2017 Have in Store for SME Investment? Why Wealth Management Is as Much About Feelings as Figures Whisky Connoisseurs Throughout the World
April 2017
, , Welcome to the very first issue of CEO Monthly. The past twelve months have been both exciting and tough, as the corporate landscape faced many economic, social and political challenges. Despite this many firms have come out on top, and as such we are keen to highlight the CEOs who have led their companies to success and prosperity. Among these industry greats we have Bob Engel, CEO of CoBank, a B2B lender which has flourished under his leadership, growing from around $20 billion to over $120 billion in assets under his expert stewardship. Bob identified the unique positive attributes and potential of the company and worked hard to capitalzse on these in order to drive the firm to the success it enjoys today. In addition, we profile Doug Luckett, CEO CaroMont Health, an independent health system that provides innovative medical and wellness services across North Carolina. Drawing on over 25 years’ experience in the healthcare industry Doug has helped drive excellence and create a dedicated team of healthcare professionals who provide the very highest standard of care to their patients. Another innovative leader helping to shape a vital market is Rod Chappell, CEO of HBCU Direct, an organization dedicated to supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Drawing on the expertise of Rod and his dedicated team the firm aggregates the U. S’s 100-plus HBCUs in an effort to increase revenues, decrease expenses and provide career opportunities for students through connections with corporate and government partners.
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4. Bob Engel - CoBank 8. Luke Davis - CEO of IW Capital 10. Rod Chappell - HBCU Direct, LLC 12. Doug Luckett - CaroMont Health 14. Diana Chambers - CEO of The Chambers Group 16. Recycling Technologies Appoints New Non-Executive Director 18. Mandy Flint & Elisabet Vinberg Hearn: The Team Leadership Experts 20. Whisky Connoisseurs Throughout the World 22. Tony Yannone - Greco & Sons of Arizona 26. Kathy Geary - 80 Years on the Frontline 28. Lance Silver - The Silk Companies 30. Dr Chang Yi Wang - United BioMedical
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From Success to Significance
Company: CoBank Website: www.cobank.com Address: 6340 South Fiddlers Green Circle; Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Phone: +1-303-740-4000
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From Success to Significance Bob Engel reflects on 16 years of growth, mission service and efforts to give back to the community, as CEO of CoBank. In the year 2000, when Bob Engel made the decision to join Denver-based CoBank after serving as chief banking officer at HSBC Bank USA in New York, a lot of professional colleagues told him he was crazy. After all, HSBC was one of the world’s largest, strongest and most prestigious financial institutions, with over a trillion dollars in assets and operations all over the world. CoBank, meanwhile, was an obscure B2B lender focused on the agribusiness and rural utilities sectors. With only a little over $20 billion in assets, it was short on both capital and earnings, to the point where it was regularly selling off loans in order to stay in compliance with regulatory capital requirements. But Engel saw a diamond in the rough – one with a lot of unique positive attributes and potential. One plus was CoBank’s cooperative ownership structure, through which borrowers built equity in the bank over time in proportion to the amount of business they did. Another was its mission: CoBank was focused exclusively on serving industries that are essential to the U.S. rural economy. Yet another was its board of directors, composed mainly of farmers, ranchers and executives of rural businesses from around the country who cared more about keeping the bank relevant and valuable for
the next generation of customerowners than quarterly earnings. “I often say that rural America is one of the country’s most under-appreciated assets,” Engel recalled. “It is where the vast majority of the food we eat comes from and an increasingly large share of our energy as well. I was passionate about coming to work for a bank that had a higher purpose, one that would support our customers in all market conditions – to enhance the quality of life for all Americans.”
“The bank has also grown substantially, to over $120 billion in assets.”
Fast forward to 2016, and Engel says he has never once regretted his decision. Since Engel signed on, first as President & Chief Operating Officer and then as CEO beginning in 2006, the bank has recorded 16 consecutive years of record profits. In 2015 the bank generated $937 million in net income, despite having only about 900 employees. (On a per-employee basis, that was five times more profitable than Goldman Sachs.) The bank has also grown substantially, to over $120 billion in assets, and is now one of the nation’s top commercial/industrial lenders. “It has been extremely gratifying to see this bank reach its full potential,” Engel said. “I’d love to tell you there is a secret sauce that I brought to the table. But we have achieved success simply by focusing on having people that believe in our mission and on delivering exceptional value to customers. I constantly remind people here that our job is to know more and care more about our customers than any other financial institution. By and large we’ve been able to do that, and the financial performance of the bank has pretty much taken care of itself.” Engel, who is stepping down from the CEO role at the end of 2016, takes genuine pride in the fact that CoBank is “an old-fashioned relationship lender.” While many commercial banks focus on generating fee income from deals and then sell off the loans they
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From Success to Significance
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make in the secondary market, CoBank likes to keep as much as is prudent of its loans on its own balance sheet. Its goal is to build long-term customer relationships that will last years and even decades.
technological or market change. But Farm Credit has survived and thrived by remaining true to its essential characteristics and principles, including cooperative ownership and an exclusive focus on rural America.”
That approach is well-suited to CoBank’s customer base, which includes farmer-owned cooperatives and rural power, water and communications service providers in all 50 states. The bank is also a wholesale lender to 24 Farm Credit associations around the country – essentially memberowned credit unions that serve over 75,000 farmers, ranchers and other rural borrowers. Wellknown businesses that borrow from CoBank include Blue Diamond, CHS, Ocean Spray, Land O’Lakes, Sun Maid and Dairy Farmers of America.
At CoBank, one major endeavor for Engel in recent years has been building a vibrant corporate social responsibility program, which he sees as an extension of the bank’s broader mission of service to rural America. As one component of that program, Engel was able to garner support from the CoBank board to begin targeting 1 percent of CoBank’s budgeted net income for contributions to charitable organizations. That meant approximately $9 million in 2016, making CoBank one of the largest corporate donors in the state of Colorado.
“Our customers operate in capital-intensive industries,” Engel said. “They want a lender who not only has the capacity to meet their borrowing needs but who will be with them for the long term. Many commercial banks have a tendency to be fair-weather friends; they will pull out of an industry at the drop of a hat if conditions get tough. Our board would never let us do that. CoBank is specifically chartered to serve rural America, in good times and bad.”
“One of the great things about the financial success we have had is that it enables us to be a good corporate citizen,” Engel said. “Our margins have allowed us to further support our mission. And we have been able to give back to the community in a significant way, not only in Denver but in rural communities all over the country.”
CoBank is the largest institution in the Farm Credit System, a GSE established by the federal government in the early 1900s in order to ensure that farmers and other rural borrowers had dependable access to credit and financial services. The System has since grown to over $300 billion in assets and accounts for approximately 40 percent of all farm lending. In 2016, the System celebrated its 100th anniversary, which included special proclamations from President Barack Obama and the U.S. Congress. “Very few business enterprises have the staying power to last for a century,” Engel said. “They get acquired, go out of business or become obsolete because of
One of CoBank’s signature programs is called “Sharing Success,” an annual $3 million fund that matches charitable contributions made by customers around the country. Through the program the bank funds everything from playground renovations at local schools to vehicle purchases on behalf of rural volunteer fire departments. In partnership with a local electric cooperative, the bank even funded the purchase of a digital movie projector at a small-town movie theater in the Midwest that would have closed without the new equipment. “I’m a huge believer in the power of partnerships,” Engel said. “Our customers know much better than we do what the needs are in their local communities. By working hand-in-hand with them we are far more effective in terms of having a positive impact.”
CoBank is also a major contributor to local causes in Denver and the surrounding area. In 2012, the bank contributed $2.5 million in support of a new commodities center at the University of Colorado-Denver Business School. The bank has also been a major contributor to Colorado State University, Food Bank of the Rockies, Young Americans Financial Center, American Red Cross, Children’s Hospital Colorado, and Mile High United Way. In addition, the bank allows each employee to direct a $500 contribution from the bank each year to a charity of his or her choice. “Our employees love that benefit,” Engel said. “Increasingly, our associates tell us they care about the bank giving back to the community, and this program allows them to take part in that and experience it in a very tangible way. It has been a fantastic driver of employee engagement for us.” Personally, Engel walks the talk when it comes to community service. He is a longtime trustee of his alma mater, Buffalobased Niagara University, and previously served on the board of Mile High United Way. He currently serves as chairman of the Regis University board of trustees. Engel was recognized for those efforts with a “Corporate Citizen of the Year” award from the Denver Business Journal in November 2016. “I have been very fortunate in terms of career success,” Engel said. “But I actually care a lot more about significance. The work I’ve been able to do during my years at CoBank, both in terms of supporting rural America and in giving back to the community, has been rewarding because it is significant. I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished together and believe the work we’ve done and the investments we’ve made will bear fruit for many years to come.”
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What Does 2017 Have in Store for SME Investment?
Name: Luke Davis, Co-founder of Crowdfinders and CEO of IW Capital Email: info@iwcapital.co.uk Web Address: iwcapital.co.uk Address: 42 Bruton Place, London, W1J 6PA Telephone: +44(0)20 7015 2250
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What Does 2017 Have in Store for SME Investment? The start of the New Year has already brought with it some important developments for Britain’s SMEs explains Luke Davis, Co-founder of Crowdfinders and CEO of IW Capital in a guest article. In January, the Government launched its industrial strategy, outlining how it intends to help small businesses to scale up. This was followed on 2 February by the release of the Brexit white paper, which sets out the Government’s preferred outcome in advance of the negotiations that will secure the UK’s departure from the European Union (EU). What already appears clear is that 2017 promises to be year of transition and opportunity as the UK implements and adapts to the landmark political and economic events from last year – namely Brexit, Trump and record low interest rates. In this climate, the robust levels of confidence among SMEs provide a cause for optimism. A recent survey of UK SMEs found that 82% are confident about their businesses’ performance in 2017. Even businesses exporting into the EU remain confident, with over half expecting either no impact or even a positive outcome. Meanwhile, new IW Capital research has found that 6.62 million UK investors believe that entrepreneurs and private business leaders are and will continue to play a critical part in driving private sector growth this year. The crowdfunding sector in particular has witnessed an exciting new trajectory; the emergence of rising numbers of lead investors on crowdfunding platforms, opening the possibility
that much higher levels of funding may become available to SMEs. These lead investors come in the form of high net worth, angel, seed or institutional investors who are able to energise a crowdfunding campaign by injecting momentum and confidence into the funding round through large, early donations. If their needs are accommodated by diligent platforms, these investors can provide support not just to new start-ups but also to proven SMEs with ambitious plans for expansion. This emerging trend could not come at a more exciting time for UK SMEs. Since last year’s Autumn Statement, the Government has unveiled the most ambitious set of SME initiatives in living memory. The rollout out of the Bank Referral Scheme in November set a course for this renewed focus by embracing alternative finance providers as a governmentmandated alternative to high street banks. New investments were also made in transport and digital infrastructure, and in SMEs themselves through local enterprise partnerships and venture capital funds via the British Business Bank. 2017 looks set to be the year of the scale-up. Britain’s remarkable record of start-up creation has given rise to an ambitious impulse to similarly raise the nation’s record of scale-up support. Indeed, while the UK ranks third in the OECD for start-up support, it trails behind in 13th for the number of SMEs
that manage to successfully scale-up. The Government’s upcoming Patient Capital Review will seek to address the barriers currently preventing SMEs from accessing growth capital and will form the basis of a renewed effort to spread the benefits of crowdfunding and alternative finance to support entrepreneurship and growth nationwide. For the UK’s 5.5 million SMEs, access to funding will be the critical vehicle towards success and industry solutions like Crowdfinders’ Race to Scale initiative will be vital to facilitate investment into the most promising investment opportunities the nation has to offer. It is clear to see why the confidence levels of entrepreneurs and investors alike are increasingly robust; given the importance private investment and government initiatives have placed upon improving the nation’s growth capital infrastructure. 2017 may well be remembered as the year that Article 50 triggered Britain’s exit from the EU, but equally it will also be the year that the scale-up revolution truly arrived; taking the forefront of both government policy and private investment agendas. In light of this, we look to the coming year not only for the opportunities that exist within the start-up economy but, with the expansion of the fast-moving alternative finance industry, to the rapid rise of a new category of investment opportunities within Britain’s thriving scale-up community.
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Development and Support for HBCUs
Company: HBCU Direct, LLC Contact: Rod Chappell Address: 2020 Howell Mill Road, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30318 Email: rod@hbcudirect.com Website: www.hbcudirect.com
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Development and Support for HBCUs HBCU Direct aims to be the leader in supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in their efforts to sustain and grow. We invited CEO and Executive Director Rod Chappell to talk us through the firm and the range of services it offers to achieve this ambitious aim. Established in 2010, HBCU Direct aggregates the country’s 100-plus HBCUs in an effort to increase revenues, decrease expenses and provide career opportunities for students through connections with corporate and government partners. The firm is a vertical business unit of Grassroots Promotions, Rod’s multicultural marketing company which was launched in 2001. As CEO and Executive Director of HBCU Direct Rod is responsible for safeguarding the strategic direction of the company. This includes maintaining relationships with the institutions, developing strategic business partnerships and creating platforms that support HBCU connectivity with the broader global audience. Rod discusses the firm’s service offerings. “There are more than 300,000 HBCU students, millions of HBCU graduates and even more fans and friends. Our role is to deliver strategic marketing partnerships, utilizing our experience and expertise with programs for customized for HBCUs,” said Chappell. “We are the trendsetters in our industry, which requires innovative products and services, with consistent contact with the institutions, their alumni and our business clients at all times.”
Another key part of Rod’s role within HBCU is to ensure that clients receive the service they expect. Through Rod’s leadership, he ensures that everyone is aligned to the firm’s guiding principles and is able to provide the very best possible service. “HBCUs were created by thought leaders in 1837 out of a desire to train and teach black students. At HBCU Direct, our efforts to support our partners dictate that our staff understand the broader purpose. A key principle is that we serve and support the HBCU community first. Our staff of professionals must be competent and believe in this guiding principle.” Working in such a dynamic, fast-paced industry, remaining in the forefront of innovation is vital. However, keeping up with industry trends is becoming increasingly difficult as technology changes daily. Rod discusses how his firm manages to keep up with sector evolutions despite this challenge. “Understanding technological trends is key to HBCU Direct. Through keeping up with and using technology, HBCU Direct is able to test and expand messaging for our audiences. We utilize various technologies including email, social media, training software, internet television, solar development and remote sensors.
“In addition, we keep abreast of the latest changes in the wider HBCU market through constant, diligent research. I read a great deal about new trends through online articles, industry email alerts and magazines like Entrepreneur, Inc., Black Enterprise and Forbes. I often attend industry events and trades shows, and visit locations where I can reach key audiences. All of these activities ensure that our firm is consistently one step ahead of the latest industry developments and are able to adapt our service offerings accordingly.”
“Overall the future is bright for HBCU Direct. The use of technology will become increasingly more impactful in the near future with the launch of our IPTV network, solar technology training initiative, talent booking software and a new remote sensing platform.”
As he looks to the future, Rod is optimistic about the plans he has to build upon the firm’s current success and continue to support the work of HBCUs. “Overall the future is bright for HBCU Direct. The use of technology will become increasingly more impactful in the near future with the launch of our IPTV network, solar technology training initiative, talent booking software and a new remote sensing platform. In five years, I plan to be on my second HBCU CEO book tour teaching young entrepreneurs about the carousel road of business and monetizing their passions. The first book, entitled HBCU CEO: Passion to Profit, will be released during the second quarter of 2017, and I am excited about the opportunities this will provide and look forward to empowering other young people and entrepreneurs through my insightful book.”
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Hitting New Highs in Healthcare
Company: CaroMont Health Address: 2525 Court Drive, Gastonia, NC 28054 Website: www.caromonthealth.org
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Hitting New Highs in Healthcare CaroMont Health is an independent health system that provides innovative medical and wellness services across North Carolina. We invited President and CEO Doug Luckett to talk us through the organization and how it strives for excellence in every aspect of its work.
For more than 70 years, CaroMont Health has been committed to its vision to be a recognized leader and trusted partner in promoting individual health and vibrant communities. Doug, who has been with CaroMont Health for six years and believes himself to be Chief Encourager, Coach, Resource Provider and Strategist, outlines how the organization achieves its aim through dedication and expertise. “Here at CaroMont Health, our network of physician practices, urgent care, hospice and emergency facilities is anchored by CaroMont Regional Medical Center – a 435-bed, not-for-profit hospital. The hospital was first established in 1946 to serve the medical needs of the citizens of Gaston County. Many years and expansions later, our mission remains focused on caring for the people and communities we serve. “What has always distinguished CaroMont Health from other healthcare systems is the extraordinary care we provide to patients and those who love them. Our dedicated team combines the skill and experience of world-class practitioners with a distinctly human, neighbourly approach to compassionate care.”
Doug started his career by serving in the United States Army Infantry. Following on from his service, he completed the Radiologic Technology Program from Jefferson State Community College in 1989 and began a healthcare career as a Radiologic Technologist. He joined CaroMont Health in December 2010 as Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer. The following June, he accepted the role of acting CEO, while also fulfilling EVP/ COO duties, in order to maintain executive leadership during a CEO transition and in 2013, he officially assumed the helm as President and CEO. With more than 25 years in the healthcare industry, Doug has strong experience supporting staff and leading teams. He discusses the most important aspects of leadership and how he aims to embody these at all times. “When managing staff, it is of vital importance that you always show the utmost respect to them and offer a caring culture where they feel supported. Our corporate culture, which is best defined and explained by our corporate CARES values – compassion, accountability, respect, excellence and safety – is how I structure my management approach. While each value is important to our
mission, our compassion for our patients and each other sets us apart. The acronym for our CARES values aligns perfectly with our mission and vision as an organization as well as my own. “Our corporate pillars also help guide me, my actions and decision-making on behalf of the organization, our employees and our patients. These integrated pillars are our commitment to our stakeholders and to each other. As a healthcare system, we have a high responsibility unlike other industries, and this obligation underscores the services we offer, the care we provide, the stakeholders we interact with and the way we interact with our community.” “Listening is also key to being a successful leader; throughout my career and my experience raising my daughter, I have learned to wait until the conversation is finished, rather than start prescribing answers. You have to let all the information come in before you offer your advice. I have also had to learn selfdiscipline and how to remove self-bias in order to truly listen and understand the other person.
“Fundamentally I always strive to lead a system that will be a model for other local, independent health systems; to provide as good or better value than large delivery systems. In five years, I hope to see myself continuing to improve CaroMont Health. I am invested in our employees and in our community and I want to see both of them grow. “In order to achieve this, one of the areas I focus on is mentorship. I see a host of young talent that will make great future executive leaders. Our industry is high stakes and I aim to provide these aspiring leaders with mentors who have the knowledge and experience to share in a safe and supportive environment. I look forward to the opportunity to work with and develop new talent and watch them flourish.”
Doug is passionate about building on the success that CaroMont Health has already achieved and is keen to create a legacy of excellence by continuing to develop and adapt.
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Why Wealth Management Is as Much About Feelings as Figures
Diana Chambers is a family wealth mentor and philanthropic advisor, and President and CEO of The Chambers Group/ ‘True Wealth: Letters on Money, Life, and Love’ by Diana Chambers is available on Amazon now. Paperback £21; Kindle £7.93 http://dianachambers.com/
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Why Wealth Management Is as Much About Feelings as Figures Diana Chambers, family wealth mentor and philanthropic advisor, outlines why wealth management is as much about feelings as figures, in a special guest article. From the Rich Kids of Instagram to the 7th Duke of Westminster’s £9bn inheritance, the relationship between high net-worth individuals (HNWIs) and their financial assets has captured the media’s fascination in recent months. Indeed, the financial choices we have – how we make money, how much of it we have or want, what we do with it, the role it plays in our life, and how we pass it on – raise questions that affect us all. When we think of wealth management, we normally think in terms of learning how to manage investments. But in the broadest context, it’s how we manage money in our lives and relationships. My work is to help people understand their relationship to money so they are in control of it, rather than it being in control of them. Often I find many highly successful, intelligent people, both individuals and families, don’t prioritise financial emotional intelligence (EQ); that is, understanding their feelings, beliefs and expectations around wealth so they can foster a positive experience around their financial assets, including in their relationships. This is understandable. After all, feelings about money are often harder and more complex to address than hard financial facts. The pitfalls of wealth Money is simply a means of exchange that should be used
to serve social, intellectual, human, and spiritual needs – both our own and those of others. But failure to explore, and constructively talk about, our feelings about wealth can be the first step towards money becoming our priority and us becoming subservient to it. I have seen that if a family makes money a priority per se, and adopts a competitive attitude towards gaining the most – either in relation to other families or within the family itself – the family members become lost in the process. They can become mistrustful, even paranoid, as their wealth defines them and money becomes the determining factor in their relationships. Ultimately money starts to inhibit rather than facilitate their lives. Developing financial emotional intelligence Building our self-awareness is the first step towards financial EQ. This is expressed as we overcome the taboo that surrounds talking about our wealth, which in turn increases our clarity. By having freedom to talk to those close to us about our wealth, we can also come to appreciate what we have in abundance and learn to establish ‘what is enough’. Once we have such clarity, we are no longer pawns to our financial desires. The second step is to determine exactly what brings us true satisfaction and fulfilment. There is nothing wrong with money itself, but it cannot ultimately offer true power, freedom, control,
security, and happiness. A strong network of relationships and a sense of meaning and purpose in our lives are the true drivers of happiness. The power of giving Those with wealth who are fixated on acquiring more tend to focus on personal rather than collaborative success. They forget that real significance is found in our contributions to others, our communities, and our society – not in the extent of our bank balances. This is one reason why helping clients with their philanthropy is such a central facet of my work. Everyone who gives well feels good about doing so. Giving can generate a lasting impact, offers an avenue for a legacy that extends beyond immediate family, and generates great satisfaction knowing a wellplaced social investment has been made. Educating the next generation With wealth comes the responsibility to ensure that not just ourselves, but future generations, are equipped with financial EQ. How large financial assets are handed down to the next generation is one of the issues that most concerns my clients. Parents and grandparents who have high financial EQ are inevitably concerned with how their wealth will help or hinder their next generations. Considerable inheritance carries
considerable responsibility, which may be experienced as burdensome. There is a risk that young people are unable fully to define their own identities as the weight of the wealth shapes and suffocates them. The ability of parents to talk openly to their children about money and inheritance is crucial in this situation. Doing so will ensure children feel trusted and are made aware of the wealth before they can access it, so they can be well-prepared and financially intelligent enough to handle the money well upon receiving it. Involving children in philanthropy from a young age will help ensure they enjoy the experience of giving to others and want to continue this as adults. The media often highlights young people who have fallen into a bad place because of the wealth they have inherited. Their parents have not tailored the inheritance to ensure it genuinely enhances their children’s lives and they may not have maintained an advisory role once the money has been passed down. But with a strong grounding in financial EQ, coupled with the values of hard work and resilience, as well as a growth mindset, considerable wealth needn’t negate the recipient’s appetite for being a productive member of society. In fact, it can be the trigger for developing greater meaning, purpose, and generosity in their lives.
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Recycling Technologies Appoints New Non-Executive Director
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Recycling Technologies Appoints New NonExecutive Director Recycling Technologies today announced that Paul Hodges, a trusted adviser to major global chemical companies and the investment community, has joined the Recycling Technologies Board as a NonExecutive Director.
Paul has worked in the chemical industry for 30 years having initially spent 17 years as a senior executive with one of the world’s leading companies, ICI, both in England and the USA. Here he held senior executive positions in petrochemicals and chloralkali, and was Executive Director of a billion-dollar ICI business. Paul is Chairman of IeC and is currently working as the Global Expert with the World Economic Forum. He is also a member of the Energy Institute and a freeman of the City of London. Paul writes the ICIS Chemicals & the Economy blog, is co-author of the influential new study Demand – the New Direction for Profit, and regularly writes for the Financial Times. He is also a well-known face on the international speaker circuit. Paul’s invaluable experience of the petrochemical market, along with his knowledge of global markets, will prove extremely beneficial to Recycling Technologies as it further develops the business and the RT7000, a machine incorporating
a recycling chemical process which will be assembled on production lines then installed at Material Recovery Facilities [MRFs] around the world.
are looking forward to the insight and contribution that he will undoubtedly make to the business as we forge ahead with our plans for 2017.”
Adrian Griffiths, CEO, Recycling Technologies comments: “We are thrilled with this latest addition to the board. Paul has an enviable track record in the petrochemical industry and we
Paul Hodges, Non-Executive Director, Recycling Technologies comments: “Recycling Technologies aims to contribute to the creation of a circular economy for plastics, which ultimately could dramatically reduce the negative impacts of plastic waste. I am very excited to be part of this innovative organisation that is fast gaining recognition around the world.”
“I am very excited to be part of this innovative organisation that is fast gaining recognition around the world.”
The potential for Recycling Technologies’ innovation to contribute towards tackling the problem of plastic waste is being recognised across the industry. Recycling Technologies has been shortlisted for a number of awards and recently was specially selected to exhibit at leading trade show, Innovate 2016. Recycling Technologies has also been included in an initiative called Unreasonable Impact – the first international network of accelerators focused on scaling up entrepreneurial solutions to pressing societal and environmental problems.
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Mandy Flint & Elisabet Vinberg Hearn: The Team Leadership Experts
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Mandy Flint & Elisabet Vinberg Hearn: The Team Leadership Experts Introducing Mandy Flint and Elisabet Vinberg Hearn – highly sought-after leadership strategists who have been helping teams and leaders of some of the world’s leading organisations to work together more effectively. In a constantly, fast-changing world, they help organisations find strategies to solve challenges and make the most of opportunities for sustainable results.
Working together and separately, Mandy and Elisabet have helped top brands like MasterCard, American Express, Virgin Atlantic, Symantec, BAE, Sun Alliance, Apple, H&M, IKEA and the NHS to increase employee engagement, transform organisational culture and improve efficiency. Their approach focuses around the emotional and behavioural aspects of leadership and teams, looking at how people impact each other. They create positive changes in team dynamics that have a ripple effect throughout an organisation and beyond, considering the complexity of all key stakeholders. As CEO of Excellence in Leadership, Mandy Flint coaches, facilitates and engages both teams and individuals in areas such as creating exceptional teams, vision creation and cultural change leadership. Elisabet Vinberg Hearn is the founder of leadership consultancy Think Solutions, and specialises in futureproofing
leadership and developing sustainable corporate cultures. Award-Winning Authors Mandy Flint and Elisabet Vinberg Hearn have written two international award-winning books together. Their critically acclaimed first book, The Team Formula, tells the fictional story of two companies merging following an acquisition. Through the story’s central character, Stephen, the authors cleverly examine the conflicts and dynamics of creating a team, drawing on experiences and observations from working with leaders and organisations around the world. Their latest book, Leading Teams – 10 Challenges; 10 Solutions provides insights into the ten most common obstacles teams face, and provides simple, effective strategies to enable leaders to overcome them, using their storytelling technique to achieve deeper emotional and behavioural learning. The book is structured in a way that makes it very easy to approach, simple to understand and practical to implement.
Ready to Speak to the Media Both Mandy and Elisabet are experienced and highly engaging public speakers. They regularly speak to businesses and organisations around the world on subjects like developing winning teams and cultures and the future of leadership. They are available for interview, expert comment and by-lined articles on topics such as: • 2020 vision leader – How to futureproof your leadership style • The “Ruler” leader will soon be extinct – and the “Custodian” leader will rise to the top • How to lead a millennial workforce • Work wars – the most common workplace conflicts and how to address them • How to make a virtual team REAL • How to lead through the emotional minefields of mergers, acquisitions and demergers • How leaders can create improved customer experience and loyalty! Storytelling in the new media world • Five “must have” qualities of an emotionally competent leader
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Whisky Connoisseurs Throughout the World
Company: Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Name: MOJI SHAND Email: info@duncantaylor.com Web Address: www.duncantaylor.com Address: King Street Huntly, Scotland AB54 8HP Telephone: +44 (0) 1466 794055
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Whisky Connoisseurs Throughout the World Moji Shand, CEO of Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky, talks openly about the firm, the industry and the challenges it faces in the future.
Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky is an award-winning, independently owned scotch whisky merchant based in the north-east of Scotland. They own one of the world’s largest privately-held collections of rare and vintage scotch whisky casks. The Company’s focus is on cask maturation, independent bottling and also blending of one of the world’s best blended Scotch whisky, Black Bull. Duncan Taylor’s branded products are available to whisky connoisseurs throughout the world. Duncan Taylor has won several global awards in the last year. Most notably, at The San Francisco World Spirits Competition and China Wine & Spirits Awards. In December, their Octave collection won 7 awards at the Independent Bottlers’ Challenge run by worldrenowned Whisky Magazine. Moji Shand is the CEO of Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky. She tells us more about the firm and her role. “Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky has been in existence since 1938 and has since grown into a global brand, selling in 50 plus markets worldwide. We have several brands under the umbrella of Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky. Our portfolio includes The Dimensions, The
Octave, The Single, The Tantalus and The Rarest. In addition to the Single Malt and Single Grain range, we also produce several blended products including The Smokin and The Big Smoke. The main range in our blend portfolio is Black Bull which has won a plethora of awards and has 6 whiskies to appeal to all palates - Black Bull Kyloe, 8, 12, 21, 30 up to a limited-edition 40-year-old blend. “Our stunning Tantalus collection brings together some of the most sought after vintages from some of Scotland’s rarest distilleries, including some closed distilleries. Each whisky is packaged in hand-blown decanters and housed in a handmade oak ‘Tantalus’, produced from the very casks that matured it to perfection. And finally, The Rarest Collection contains just as it sounds, some of the world’s rarest Scotch Whiskies that exists today, including Macallan, Bowmore, and Kinclaith, all from the vintage 1960’s era. “Our HQ is based in Scotland and we also have offices in the US. No two days are the same. I start the day by trying to prioritise what is important for the business and working my way through that. I work very closely with the team at Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky in both Scotland and U.S., as well as our PR & marketing company and external sales team. We are always looking at our products, what sells well, where we are stocked
and assessing what we can do to highlight our products to the wider market. I continually look at routes to market. As a trained lawyer, I also deal with all the legal aspects for the company.” The staff at Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky play a huge part in the firm’s overall success, as Moji tells us: “We prefer to refer to our members of staff as team members and every team member in our company has a different yet important role to play in the success of the firm. From the Master Blender, Bottling Hall Manager, production, packaging, labelling, sales and marketing, they all play an important part. The success of the firm is all down to the team we have. We have a dedicated, loyal, and passionate team who go above and beyond their call of duty to ensure Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky is one of the most leading and innovative companies in our industry. We don’t have a high turnover of staff and I think that is proof that our staff enjoy working at Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky. “We get a lot of very positive feedback from customers. Since opening our US. based office in 2012 we have grown our profile in the U.S. significantly, multiplying sales in that region, resulting in one of the best ever years in 2016 for sales which was extremely encouraging. We do sponsor and attend quite a lot of high-profile events. With Black Bull, we sponsor a British GT Motor Racing team. We also
were sponsors of the prestigious Hollywood world-famous Critics’ Choice Awards Ceremony, which gives us the chance to showcase our whiskies to a new market. We have a high percentage of returning custom which cements to us we are producing whiskies that people enjoy and want to buy again.” With regards to the wide picture, Moji elaborates on what challenges and opportunities lie ahead for the company in the not-too-distant future. “Obviously, the main thing to touch on here would be Brexit,” she states. “We think it will produce opportunities and challenges going forward and we watch it closely to see what impact it will have on the whisky industry. “Personally, for Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky, we are looking to build a Cask Warehouse and potentially a distillery at some point in the future, along with some other exciting projects. We expect there will be many challenges along the way but it will produce many opportunities for us in the future.”
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A Recipe For Success
Company: Greco & Sons of Arizona Name: Tony Yannone Email: AZsales@grecoandsons.com Web Address: www.grecoandsons.com Address: 402 S 63rd Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85043 Telephone: +1-(602)-437-8600
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“Five years from now? I will let you know – right now, this rocket just keeps accelerating.”
A Recipe For Success Greco and Son’s is a full-service distributor operating out of Phoenix, Arizona, with an acute specialization in Italian and Mediterranean concepts, but also with a presence in many quick-serve and sports bar restaurant concepts as well. Founded by Eddie Greco and his father Pasquale in 1990, the company holds sway over a growing enterprise; with its corporate office, manufacturing facility and main distribution centre based in the Chicago suburb of Bartlett, Illinois, the company also has a distribution facility in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and in Phoenix, Arizona. From here, the company services Arizona, New Mexico, Southern California and the Las Vegas markets from these strategic points. We caught up with the President of Greco Arizona, Tony Yannone, to uncover his role as a CEO in driving continued expansion across the company. Greco & Sons has experienced change on a regular basis since it was founded, so as to include numerous different concepts. In its infancy, Greco manufactured fresh Italian sausage, and just distributed to pizza and Italian fine-dining restaurants. Tony Yannone is the President of Greco Arizona, as well as a partner in the business. As such, he is responsible for all facets of this facility from formulating the annual budget to implementing and executing the company’s annual plan for growth and profitability. Alongside, he manages the directors of all departments and oversee daily operations. Tony begins by describing Greco’s expansion into Arizona – reflecting on the swift establishment and astronomical growth, he refers to it like being strapped to a rocket. “We
began March 3rd 2008 in a 35,000-square-foot facility with only a couple of trucks. We grew very rapidly then moved into our current 70,000-square-foot facility just four years later in 2012. We are now constructing a 130,000-square foot facility which we will move into the 1st quarter of 2017. Five years from now? I will let you know – right now, this rocket just keeps accelerating.” To Tony, this underlines the important role that Greco & Sons plays in the industry, by providing a range of product lines and brands that are recognized as the best in the industry. “Greco and Sons has an excess of 12,000 items that have been sourced worldwide, specializing in pizza products, Italian specialties, as well as all other foodservice applications. Greco also operates as a USDA inspected facility, where we handle and process fresh beef, fresh pork, fresh poultry, and
our very own ‘world-class’ line of Italian Sausage. “We always pride ourselves on carrying the best quality products in our industry. Our competitors all like to push private label products; there is no loyalty to those brands.” To Tony, his involvement in Greco & Sons is a very personal experience, and one that he is forthcoming about, especially in regards to his approach to leadership and management of staff in this rapidly growing business. “My partner and friend Eddie Greco, the founder and principle owner of Greco and Son’s, has been a mentor for me. I always knew how to work hard but he always inspired me to push beyond what I thought were my limits. It was very tough at times. I have always found my greatest lessons are learned when things are at their worst. That is when the true character of a man is exposed. Do you give
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A Recipe For Success
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up? Or do you dig in and face the challenge.” Tony has carried these principals through to the way he runs his company. He is immensely proud to have created a culture of hardworking employees throughout all levels in this company. “When we interview potential new employees, we spend 90 per cent of the interview evaluating if that employee will meet our culture of striving for excellence and doing whatever it takes. We do not focus on asking about their skill set – we can teach that. What you cannot teach is the “Can Do” attitude that we aspire to. We can stoke a ‘fire in the belly’ and make it into an inferno, but it can be very difficult to light that fire to begin with.” Tony’s background as a leader comes from his childhood dream of being a career military man. “I have always had a great respect and admiration for the men and women who serve our country – I think it is the highest honor in our land, and I was on that path from an early age. I began to beg my parents to go to a military academy when I was 12. After convincing them to visit a few Military Academies they began to see the advantages of a high discipline environment and leadership training that the good ones promote. “And so, I attended Missouri Military Academy in Mexico Missouri - their motto was “If You Don’t Want Them, Neither Do We”. The washout rate was quite high, with very few cadets graduating from the entire 4-year program. I was very proud of that particular accomplishment. I learned some of my greatest leadership skills from my time at the Academy – it was hammered into us every day all day. While I was there, it was rated as not only the top military academy in America by the US Army, but also as the top private school. Unfortunately for Tony, his ambitions underwent a sudden and drastic change in course when, in his Sophomore year at Florida State University, his mother was involved in a
very serious car accident and remained in a coma for 16 years before passing away. “Shortly after my mother’s automobile accident, my father was having a difficult time coping with running our family business Arena Distributing Company (Pizza Supply Company) and managing my mother’s extreme circumstances. That is when I knew it was time to help out at the family business.” Tony states unequivocally that he has no regrets about not finishing college, or getting a chance to follow his military dream. “I enjoy what I do,” he says proudly. “Heralding from a traditional Italian family, we were all very close. My father was definitely my greatest teacher. He was an incredible salesman and could read people like no other. Our family lifestyle seemed to always revolve sitting around a table full of food either to strategize for our family business or discuss current events in our personal lives.” Drawing his strong leadership traits from this devoted, closeknit family circle, as well as his military upbringing, Tony channels these energies into a new direction, working along with Eddie Greco to build the company based on extreme customer service. “Many people preach that, but don’t really live it,” he states. “We do not put a price on servicing our customers. I have a standing order for every manager in this company: if you find yourself in the situation where you don’t know what to do and cannot find your supervisor, then make your decision to always service our customer, no matter what the cost. That way, you can never be in trouble from me – even if I don’t agree with your decision – because you chose to service our customer.” As if to reinforce this message of putting the customer above all else, Tony shares an anecdotal reference to what he describes as the ‘light-switch’. “I tell this story because it is about training your mind set. The difference
between most people and highly successful people is just that little extra effort. Have you ever walked out of a room and you are two steps out the door and realize you left the light on? That is the critical moment of choice: do you take the couple extra steps back and shut the light off, or do you say ‘hey, it’s not that big of a deal – I will be coming back in a while anyway’? Training yourself to always take that little extra step makes all the difference between mediocre and greatness. “Last Friday, I had just left the office and a customer called me. He said that he might be lacking terminology for his fryer this weekend. I said I just left the office but I can turn back and bring it to him – it was right by my home, anyway. The customer said, ‘no, I can probably make it through the weekend anyway.’ He let me off the hook, so what do you think I did? I called home and said I would be a little late for dinner.” Reflecting on his own past experiences with being micromanaged – an experience he has no fond memories of – Tony pledges to not do that to his own managers. “I give them the responsibility for their position,” he explains, “but I also give them the authority that goes along with that. I have found that it is the best way to create good leaders – I hold them accountable for their results in each department, and this sometimes includes letting them fail and learn from that experience.”
“I have always had a great respect and admiration for the men and women who serve our country”
On top of his credentials as a leader of employees, Tony confesses to being a big fan of technology – however, he also expresses concerns that businesses need to be careful when it comes to the danger of information overload. As he explains, “sometimes we spend so much more time managing information – especially through email – that it takes our focus away from what is important: the customers. We talk quite a bit about Return on Investment (ROI) of our time; in other words, what is going to be our largest return for the time invested? I have seen many employees get frustrated because they are not doing a good job while working long, hard hours. That tells you they are not making good choices about how they prioritize their time spent on tasks. “If an employee is doing a poor job, the first person I look at is their manager, and then myself. Why did we not create an environment for that employee to succeed? Was it insufficient training, equipment needs, resources etc. I make a big distinction between management skills and leadership skills. A leader gets his employees to want to do a good job. A manager can sometimes create the same result, but not have the respect of the team. That is why we push leadership qualities and skills. People can be your best asset in business, or they can be your worst. In the matter of Greco Arizona, Tony is unabashed in his claims to have “the best employees in the business.” He is, he says, very fortunate to be surrounded by people that have real talent, and while he gets a lot of the credit for the superb work that they do, he works hard to create an environment that lets their individual talents shine. “While we do have a chain of command, we do not allow our employees to put titles on their business cards. We want to create a humble atmosphere which fosters a better team attitude. No room for egos here – nothing good ever comes from it. “I really do owe it all to them.”
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80 Years on the Frontline
Company: Democracy Federal Credit Union (FCU) Name: Kathy Geary Web Address: www.democracyfcu.org Address: 400 N. Columbus Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314, USA
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80 Years on the Frontline This is a landmark year for Democracy Federal Credit Union (FCU). Having received its charter on May 26 1936, just two years after the passage of the Federal Credit Union Act, the firm is now celebrating 80 years of service, and has come to represent a byword for responsibility. Unlike banks that make profits off their customers to pay their shareholders, Democracy’s profits are returned to its members in the form of no- and low-fee products and services and competitive interest rates in accordance with a credit union, governed by a Board of Directors comprised of members. The 1936 charter was originally issued in the name of Social Security Employees Federal Credit Union. The name was changed to FSA Employees Federal Credit Union in 1946, and again to HEW Employees Federal Credit Union in 1955. In March 1984, ‘Employees’ was deleted and the company’s views on its staff as partners and members became more and more prevalent; the name was changed accordingly to HEW Federal Credit Union. After a further three decades of growth, recognizing its democratic structure and principles, and honouring its commitment to its growing family of members, the firm became Democracy Federal Credit Union on January 1, 2015. Membership eligibility was initially limited to employees of the Social Security Board in Washington, D.C. and their immediate families. Numerous government reorganizations and subsequent amendments to the company charter over the years have brought the Credit Union to its current position, serving the employees of the Departments of Health and Human Services (formerly Health, Education & Welfare), Department of Education and employees of other agencies and their families. Democracy FCU also serves
people in many underserved areas of the Washington metro area. Today, Democracy FCU operates out of four offices – in Washington DC, Philadelphia, Skyline Branch, Virginia, and Maryland – in addition to their Executive Offices in Alexandria, Virginia, which is home to the company’s member services, credit card, lending, accounting and marketing departments. The steady growth of Democracy FCU over the last 80 years has been highly notable in the corporate tiers of the USA. It is highly interesting to note that it took 36 years for the Credit Union to reach its first $10 million in assets and a membership of 12,000. Just 14 years later, though, when the Credit Union celebrated its 50th birthday 1986, the firm’s assets had jumped to $39 million reflecting an increase of nearly 300% with membership at 26,000. In 2001, Democracy FCU surpassed the $100 million mark in assets. Today, the Virginia-based company’s primary goal is to help our member achieve their financial goals by offering affordable products and services, providing an alternative to Big Banks and protecting our members from predatory lenders. Striving to educate its members
on financial management options designed to help secure their futures, Democracy FCU offers comprehensive banking services delivered through nationwide credit union service centers, shared branches and surchargefree ATMs. Typically, Credit Unions offer consumers an alternative to stockholder-owned banks and other for profit financial services institutions. Democracy FCU, though, is owned by the devoted members that have deposited funds into the Credit Union. As a not-for-profit financial services cooperative, they remain steadfast in their goal to exist purely as a means of helping their members to succeed financially. This is why its earnings are used to offer lower loan rates to members, as well as competitive investment rates and financial education, and to create a staff that is committed to service. Democracy Federal Credit Union is committed to providing members with the products, services and guidance needed to meet their financial goals. It is considered a vital component to their success that they retain and develop their ability to gain the trust and confidence of their members, which they accomplish by providing competent, caring services, and exceeding
expectations in demonstrating commitment to members’ financial success. Financial education comes to Democracy FCU’s members, and to members of the community, through one-on-one counselling efforts, seminars and financial education programs geared to youth as well as adults. What really aids them in building this outreach program is the recognition and valuing of demographic diversity in their staff as well as in volunteers; this keeps the company striving to bring people of diverse backgrounds and experiences into leadership and other roles at the credit union. For the last 80 years, Democracy Federal Credit Union has been working to build and strengthen a unique credit union movement by providing financial and in-kind resources to others within the credit union community, and by actively advocating the credit union difference at all levels of the government and in other appropriate public forums. This commitment to the Credit Union Movement and other cooperative activities binds the company intimately in with the communities that it serves.
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Keeping it Real (Estate)
Company: The Silk Companies Address: 1000 Germantown Pike, Suite J-4, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania 19462. Phone: +1-610-994-8600 Fax: +1610-994-8700 Email: info@silktitle.com Website: www.silktitle.com
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Keeping it Real (Estate) The Silk Companies LLC is a family of companies providing products and services to the residential and commercial real estate markets. We profile Chief Executive Officer Lance Silver and explore how he has driven the firm to the success it enjoys today. stablished in 2002, the Silk Companies is one of the nation’s largest, privately held real estate and insurance services companies. Silk Title & Escrow LLC provides title insurance, search and settlement services all over the Nation to institutional lenders, mortgage brokers, developers, REO sellers, realtors and foreclosure attorneys. With a New York attorney on staff (Ron Wilk, President), Silk Abstract Company is expert in all facets of CEMA and COOP transactions. Wilk Silver LLC, a law firm affiliated with The Silk Companies LLC, boasts attorneys licensed in DC, GA, NJ, NY and PA. The firm is primarily engaged in lender services, such as loan documentation defect repair in connection with sale of mortgage pools; all facets of CEMA and COOP transactions, such as CEMA reinstatement, COOP lost certificate affidavits and document escrow service; and lender/bank representation. Affiliated with Wilk Silver LLC is Silk®, one of the nation’s premier title insurance agencies, providing title insurance, search and settlement services to the residential and commercial markets nationwide. The firm’s experienced staff works hard to make sure that its clients receive rapid title insurance, search and settlement services fulfilment from start to finish. The company is attorney-owned
and operated, so its clients know they will only receive the highest-quality, most compliant title services. In this era of increased focus on settlement services and compliance, clients can rest assured knowing that Silk® is prepared to meet these new challenges. Silk Insurance Services LLC provides homeowners, auto, umbrella, professional liability, business, life and health insurance to clients in Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and North Carolina. In addition, Silk Realty LLC is a Pennsylvania real estate brokerage firm. Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Silk® Companies LLC, Lance Silver, Esquire, served as General Counsel of Global Technologies, Ltd., a technology incubator that was publicly traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market from September 1999 through to December 2002. Prior to this, from 1994 to 1999, Lance was an associate with the law firm of Wolf, Block, Schorr and Solis-Cohen LLP, where he practiced in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, securities, capital markets and general corporate law. With a world class education which includes graduating magna cum laude from the Temple University School of Law, where he was a member of the Law Review, Lance is clearly among the leading business minds of his generation. His undergraduate studies were at the Pennsylvania State
University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance from the Smeal College of Business.
and new client acquisition, as well as implementing strategic operational, technological, and business processes.
Lance’s Co-Founder Ronald G. Wilk, Esquire, serves as President of the group, and also serves as the managing partner of the group’s law firm, Wilk Silver LLC. Ronald is a graduate of the Temple University School of Law and received his Bachelor of Science Degree from the Smeal College of Business at the Pennsylvania State University. He is a member of the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Georgia and Illinois Bars and has also received the AV Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating. The AV Rating is the highest Peer Review Rating attainable and shows that a lawyer has reached the height of professional excellence and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity, highlighting the level of excellence which Ronald operates at.
With 13 years of experience in the industry, he has led several teams to success. His proudest accomplishment is his oversight of a national title company’s growth from a couple hundred closings to thousands of closings monthly. Marc also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Georgia State University.
The two Co-Founders are joined in the group’s senior team by Marc Trachtenberg, Chief Operating Officer, who has more than 13 years of experience directing as many as 400 employees in companies with revenues in excess of $50 million. Marc has led these companies through turnaround and growth. A high-energy leader, Marc brings a positive spirit and great communication skills to every client and employee interaction. His responsibility is for overall strategic growth
Combined with Lance’s strong experience in real estate development, mortgage lending, due diligence and title insurance the three make a formidable team, and exercise strong leadership to ensure that the Silk Companies maintains its market leading position. In order to share its strong industry knowledge, which it acquires through a combination of experienced staff and immersion in the real estate market, the group provides regular blog posts and social media comments in order to support both clients and the wider industry, providing thoughtful and current information and advice. Moving forward, the Silk Companies are hiring new staff as they seek to grow and continue to provide their clients with the same expertise and support which it has become renowned for.
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Ahead of the Curve on Immunology
Company: United BioMedical Address: United Biomedical, Inc., 25 Davids Drive, Hauppauge, NY 11788 Phone: +1-631-273-2828 Fax: +1-631-273-1717 Email: info@unitedbiomedical.com Website: www.unitedbiomedical.com
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Ahead of the Curve on Immunology United BioMedical (UBI) is a privately-held multinational biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of immunotherapeutics and vaccines for chronic and infectious diseases. We profile Co-Founder and CEO of the firm’s Asian company Dr Chang Yi Wang, exploring how she has helped lead the firm to the success it is today.
BI’s product pipeline is filled with a new line of synthetic peptide-based biologicals for the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease, AIDS, and Allergy, along with a portfolio of animal health diseases, highlighting the firm’s dedication to supporting patients. These products are based on our proprietary designer peptides, vaccine formulation systems, and methods to manufacture therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. The firm’s platform technologies are also being used to develop a line of biosimilar versions of widely used protein and antibody drugs whose patents are about to expire. UBI’s proprietary designer peptide technology has been used to produce a line of blood screening diagnostics and the first successfully commercialized synthetic peptide vaccine. Additional revenue streams are generated from pharmaceutical contract manufacturing by the firm’s subsidiary UBI-Asia and various sponsorships in product development. UBI-Asia’s CEO Dr Chang Yi Wang has been a Chairperson on the firm’s Board of Directors since 1998, and is now the Chairperson and CEO of UBIAsia. Dr. Wang is the principal
inventor of over 80 of UBI’s issued patents and patent applications. Under her direction, the UBITh platform technology was developed. She has published more than 120 peer reviewed scientific papers and has been invited to give plenary lectures in the areas of immunology, vaccination, immunotherapeutics and infectious diseases. She also serves on the US NIH scientific review committee for the “Cooperative Research Partnerships for BioDefense” funding program and the SBIR Immunobiology and Allergy funding program. In 2007 Dr. Wang received the Inventor of the Year Award from the New York Intellectual Property Law Association (NYPLA). From 1981 to 1985, Dr. Wang was a principal investigator and head of the Laboratory of Molecular Immunology at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and a faculty member of the Department of Immunology, Sloan-Kettering Division, Cornell University Medical School. Dr. Wang received her B.S. degree in Chemistry from National Taiwan University and her Ph.D. degree in Immunology and Biochemistry from The Rockefeller University, New York.
Dr. Wang has been a pioneer in following a path with the concept of “Immunology as a secret weapon of medicine,” combined with a powerful motivation to develop medical interventions through the application of basic biomedical sciences. Her first applications and inventions in the field of immunological applications of Synthetic peptide were antibody screening immunoassays employing highly optimized synthetic viral peptide antigens. First was the development of a synthetic peptide based HIV 1 test and later an HIV 1,2 diagnostic test for blood screening, which received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals in 1989 and 1996, respectively. These tests were subsequently approved by WHO as suitable for worldwide use. Her other inventions in this area include synthetic peptide-based blood screening diagnostics for HTLV I/ II, HCV Hepatitis C virus, which has CE certification and has been sold in the global market through Organon Teknika / Biomerieux since 1991, and the SARS Coronavirus, as well as diagnostic tests for the differentiation of infected vs. vaccinated animals for Foot and mouth disease. Since 1992, she has been encouraged by the support and guidance of Dr. James D. Watson, the co-
discoverer of the double-helix structure of DNA Double helix structure in the courageous pursuit of many challenging vaccine and immunotherapeutic programs employing designer synthetic peptides Synthetic peptide. Dr. Wang’s United Biomedical, Inc. also received Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grand Challenges Explorations grant for a new approach to an AIDS vaccine. Currently, UBI’s proprietary designer peptide technology has been used to produce a line of blood screening diagnostics and the first successfully commercialized synthetic peptide vaccine. A second designer peptdie vaccine for immunocastration has gained product regulatory approvals as first class new biologics in Taiwan, Mexico and Brazil with many more to follow moving forward.
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