Award-winning Cornell-educated PhD chemist with 35+ years of expertise in the chemical industry. Earned 10 personal US patents and oversaw >20 additional granted patents. Led research and development, intellectual property, and litigation initiatives around the world, serving as scientist, global director of research, director of manufacturing, and CTO for multi-billion-dollar chemical companies.
Expertise in polymers, composites, (meth)acrylics, fluoropolymers, additives, plastics, film and sheet, polyurethanes, light management/optics, coatings, adhesives, nanotechnology, polyesters, aerosols, expert witness.
Dr. Wanat has strong experience in chemistry, plastics, polymers, materials, adhesives, coatings, product liability, failure analysis, patents, and intellectual property. He has been retained as expert on: 17 Intellectual Property cases (including 2 PGR, 10 IPR) 25+ Other cases (litigation, arbitration, etc) With 8+ depositions and 4 testimonies
• Expert in product development and commercialization of numerous new products with cumulative sales exceeding two-billion dollars for use in automotive, aerospace, cosmetics, energy, medical, construction, packaging, display, lighting, optical, and marine applications. • Supervised teams of 200+ technical professionals and >300 manufacturing employees. • Partnered with attorneys to secure dozens of patents and to reach favorable resolutions in multi-million-dollar litigations. • Served on the Board of Directors for the Adhesives and Sealants Council and judged the 2019, 2020, and 2021 Adhesives and Sealants Innovation Awards. • Expert in process scale-up and manufacturing.
• PhD in Chemistry, from Cornell University Dissertation: The Structure and Reactivity of Organometallic Compounds Advisor: Dr. David B. Collum • Received Tunis Wentink ‘Graduate Student of the Year’ award and Rohm and Haas Fellowship • Master of Science in Chemistry, Cornell University • Cal Tech Certificate in Technology Management • BS in Chemistry from Univ. of Scranton. Graduated in 3 years, Magna Cum Laude • Taught Chemistry Laboratory courses to Cornell undergraduate students • Taught and mentored PhD, MS, and BS employees for Arkema and Bostik in chemistry, polymer science, optics, and project management
President; Innov8 Chem LLC (www.innov8chem.com): 6/2018- Present Providing chemistry, leadership, and strategic problem solving to the chemical industry with expertise in polymers, plastics, materials, and adhesives. • Served as expert witness for 17 intellectual property cases in polymers, plastics, chemicals, materials, and adhesives and provided reports and testimony in ITC patent infringement cases. • Provided product liability and failure analysis reports in cases involving polymers, plastics, and chemicals. • Defined research and commercialization strategy for multiple chemical industry start-ups. • Provided business, market, and competitive analysis. • Conducted safety and regulatory reviews for workplace and environmental exposure.
Chief Technology Officer; Bostik Americas and Global Director of R&D; Bostik Global Industrial Adhesives: 2/2016-6/2018 • Led Industrial Adhesives Americas and Global R&D organizations and shared-services group including Americas Pilot Plant, Analytical, and Regulatory groups (>200 reports). • Oversaw research, development, and commercialization for polyester, polyurethane, olefin, hot melt, and multiple other adhesives, resulting in successful commercialization of patented products for packaging, renewable polymers. • Served as technical lead for Bostik Americas Executive Team, Global and Regional Industrial Adhesives Business Teams, and Bostik Global Innovation Committee. • Elected to the Board of Directors of the Adhesive and Sealant Council. • Completed M&A due diligence.
Global Director of Research; Altuglas International Division of Arkema; Dual role of Global Director of Research + Regional Director of Manufacturing (2009-2011): 2006-2016 • As a world-leading expert in acrylic plastics, oversaw global R&D program of Altuglas, commercializing numerous new products and won Innovation Award for LED Lighting (2015), R&D 100 award for Rnew biopolymer alloys (2012), Prix Pierre Potier for ShieldUp sheet (2012), Arena Award for Solarkote Capstock (2010), and was finalist for the Arena Award (LED diffusion resins) in 2015. • Recruited, hired, and trained employees on science, patents, and project management. • Secured and defended multiple patents and guided global patent strategy. • Led programs resulting in 2x to 4x increase in average new product selling price and unit margins. • Led Americas manufacturing group of 300+ employees producing over 200,000,000 pounds of product annually. • Oversaw capital, research, technical service, and operations budgets exceeding $20M.
R&D MANAGER; ALTUGLAS INTERNATIONAL DIVISION OF ARKEMA: 1999-2006 • Led research and development of high performing polymers for automotive, construction, lighting, optical storage, medical, and recreation applications. • Upgraded Altuglas coextrusion and compounding capabilities to be models for King of Prussia R&D facility. • Established high through-put capabilities for physical property testing and emulsion polymerization. • Led and presented failure analysis studies of plastic and composite materials including failures from weathering, thermal degradation, chemical attack, and fracture. • Established Univ. of Mass. (a top-3 Polymer Science graduate school) recruiting program to improve R&D talent and led program for over a decade.
TECHNICAL MARKETING SPECIALIST; ELF ATOCHEM N.A., ATOGLAS DIVISION: 1996-1998 • Initiated Solarkote product line by identifying market need, developing product concept, selling idea with senior management, designing first two products to launch, and branding products.
SR. RESEARCH SCIENTIST; ROHM AND HAAS AND ALTUGLAS PRECURSOR COMPANIES: 1985-1996 • Led development and commercialization of patented and trade secret ‘-101’ technology products. Project was budgeted as 5-year development but by redefining the approach, my solution was validated at commercial scale in ~3 months. Technology has generated several billion dollars of sales. • Developed proprietary binder system for injection molding of powdered metal and ceramic substrates. Binder technology was later patented, and licensed. • Developed novel 1K shelf-stable silane-crosslinking emulsion technology for multiple applications
PATENTS: • Acrylic photovoltaic module backsheet, US Patent 10,640,672. May 2020 • Optical light diffuser and method for measurement thereof, US Patent 10,539,290. Jan. 2020. • Impact resistant transparent thermoplastic compositions, US Patent 9,988,527. June 2018 • Multilayer composition with high gloss, US Patent 8,034,441. Oct. 2011 • Molded object exhibiting a polychromatic effect, US Patent 7,879,927. Feb. 2011 • Thermoformable photovoltaic backsheet, US patent application US20120024353A1. Mar. 2010 • Weather resistant high impact strength acrylic compositions, US Patent 7,294,399. Nov. 2007 • Acrylic polymer capstock with improved adhesion to structural plastics, US Patent 6,852,405. Feb. 2005 • Stabilization of methacrylic polymers against sterilizing radiation, US Patent 5,258,423. Nov. 1993 • Clear impact resistant plastics, US Patent 5,063,259. Nov. 1991 • Polymers stabilized against light and heat degradation. US Patent 5,066,696. Nov. 1991
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