P2 Science, Inc., a renewable chemical company with an initial focus on the flavor and fragrance market, has formed a strategic advisory board, comprising leading figures from industry, academia, and government.
P2 Science is a venture backed company, using patent pending chemical technology to convert biomass into specialty chemicals. Initial target markets include Flavors & Fragrances, Cosmetics and Polymers. The scientific co-founders of the company, Professor Paul Anastas and Dr. Patrick Foley, worked together at the Yale Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering.
P2’s Strategic Advisory Board is intended to provide insight and counsel from experienced professionals with a track record in relevant technology and business as the company commercializes its technology and works toward its first production capability scheduled for 2014. The four members are Professor Paul Anastas, Dr. James Barber, Professor Eric Beckman and Mr. Stephen Hicks. Further details follow:
Professor Paul Anastas, is Director of the Yale Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering. Professor Anastas served as the Assistant Administrator for the US EPA and the EPA Science Advisor from 2009-2012. From 2004 -2006, Professor Anastas served as Director of the ACS Green Chemistry Institute in Washington, D.C. He was previously the Assistant Director for the Environment in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy where he worked from 1999-2004. Professor Anastas is credited with establishing the field of green chemistry during his time working for the US EPA as the Chief of the Industrial Chemistry Branch and as the Director of the US Green Chemistry Program. Dr. Anastas has published widely on topics of science through sustainability including eleven books, such as Benign by Design, Designing Safer Polymers, Green Engineering, and his seminal work as co-author, Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice.
Dr. James Barber served as President and CEO of Metabolix, Inc. from 2000 to 2007. During this period, he led the transformation of Metabolix from a research boutique to a world-renowned, publicly traded renewable polymers company. Prior to joining Metabolix, Dr. Barber served as a Global Business Director at Albemarle and as a Director of Nippon Aluminum Alkyls, a JV between Albemarle and Mitsui. Dr. Barber’s prior experience includes time as a venture capitalist and in the formation of venture backed companies. He currently serves as a director or advisor to a number of leading renewable chemical companies. Dr. Barber received the ACS Henry F. Whalen, Jr. award for Business Development in 2003.
Dr. Eric Beckman is a co-founder of Cohera Medical, Inc. and is the primary inventor of the company’s proprietary adhesive technology, which recently won a Gold Edison award for innovation. Dr. Beckman is also co-Director of the Mascaro Sustainability Initiative at the University of Pittsburgh, where he is a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering. Dr. Beckman has held positions in industry, including at Monsanto Plastics and Resins and Union Carbide’s Silicones and Urethanes Intermediates Division. Dr. Beckman received the 2002 Academic Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award from the EPA, and was honored by the Engineers’ Society of Western Pennsylvania as the 2005 Engineer of the Year.
Stephen J. Hicks is the recently retired Director of R&D at Procter and Gamble for Global Flavors and Fragrance Development. In this role, Mr. Hicks led innovation strategy and organization for all flavor & fragrance development for all P&G brands globally. He managed a research and development organization in 10 P&G technical centers around the world. Over a 37+ year career with P&G, Mr. Hicks led research and strategy programs and organizations in other areas including paper products, beverages, cookies, salted snacks, health care, beauty care, skin care and fine fragrances. He worked on a number of iconic brands including Olay®, Vicks® and Pantene®. He has lived and worked in Cincinnati, Canada and the UK. Mr. Hicks currently consults in the flavors and fragrance industry in the areas of innovation and strategy and is an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering & Applied Science.
About P2 Science
P2 Science has received financing from Elm Street Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm and Connecticut Innovations, Inc. The company has an exclusive licensing agreement for certain technology with Yale University and works in partnership with the Engineering firm, Desmet Ballestra, Italy in the design of P2’s process plant. P2’s CEO is Neil Burns, who prior to joining P2 had over 25 years experience in specialty chemicals.
