Expert Details

Chemical Environmental Forensics Expert

ID: 735139 Iowa, USA

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Expert has a B.S. and M.S. in Interdisciplinary Physical Science is a Fellow of the American Institute of Chemists (FAIC) and is a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI). He is President of his consulting company, along with other prestigious positions in various companies. He has been Manager, Cement Kiln Services for Safety Kleen Corp.; Manager, Business Development for McKesson Envirosystems; and Technical Director for Systech Corp. During his professional scientific career, he developed a large number of the commercially available systems for utilizing waste as fuel in cement kilns.

Over the last 16 years, he has provided expert witness and investigation services in matters of fires, explosions, chemical releases, personal injury, enforcement actions and similar issues related to litigation support. Prior to entering the hazardous waste management field in 1980, he held a faculty position at the Michigan State University Heavy Ion Laboratory where he worked as an instrumentation engineer. He is currently serving on the American Institute of Chemists Editorial Review Board. He is on various committees for ASTM International including Air Quality; Waste Management; Molecular Spectroscopy and Separation Science; Occupational Health and Safety; and Environmental Assessment, Risk Management, and Corrective Action. Over the years, Expert has been involved in the process of developing, reviewing and approving numerous ASTM standards.

He is a member of the American Chemical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the International Society of Environmental Forensics, the National Fire Protection Association, the National Association of Fire Investigators, the Forensic Expert Witness Association and is an Associate Member of the American Bar Association (ABA)-Section of Environment, Energy & Resources and Section of Tort Trial & Insurance Practice. He is a licensed Private Investigator and is on the Technical Advisory Board of Core Technology Development Group, LLC. He is a named inventor on five patents granted by the US Patent Office.

Education

Year Degree Subject Institution
Year: 1979 Degree: Master of Science Subject: Interdisciplinary Physical Science: advanced analytical chemistry, exploration geophysics, climatology, management/communications and thesis. Institution: Michigan State University
Year: 1977 Degree: Bachelor of Science Subject: Major in Interdisciplinary Physical Science: extensive background in chemistry, physics, mathematics and geology. Additional courses in engineering, cartography and climatology Institution: Michigan State University
Year: 1975 Degree: First two years of B.S. Subject: Courses in chemistry, physics, geology and mathematics. Institution: Hanover College

Work History

Years Employer Title Department
Years: 2015 to Present Employer: Undisclosed Title: Chief Investigator Department:
Responsibilities:
Providing chemical and environmental forensic and expert witness services both nationally and internationally
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 2004 to 2019 Employer: ChemRight Laboratories, Inc. Title: President Department:
Responsibilities:
Providing laboratory testing services to local communities in eastern Iowa.
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 2000 to 2005 Employer: ERAtech Group LLC Title: Managing Partner Department:
Responsibilities:
Developing multiple international waste fuel blending and fuel use facilities in Europe, South America and Asia.
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1994 to Present Employer: Undisclosed Title: Owner Department:
Responsibilities:
A 670 acre corn, soy bean and timber farm located in eastern Iowa, including active forest, savanna and prairie ecological restoration as part of the farming operation
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1988 to Present Employer: Undisclosed Title: President Department:
Responsibilities:
Providing technical, regulatory and scientific consulting services to industry both nationally and internationally.
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1987 to 1988 Employer: Safety-Kleen Corp. Title: Manager Department: Cement Kiln Services
Responsibilities:
Continued to manage and expand hazardous waste fuel use in cement kilns after McKesson Envirosystems acquisition by Safety-Kleen.
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1986 to 1987 Employer: McKesson Envirosystems Title: Manager Department: Business Development
Responsibilities:
Developed and managed cement kiln outlet for waste fuels including state of the art on-site laboratory. Fuels outlet permitted overall corporate growth to record levels. Also assisted in corporate development of standard company analytical procedures, QA/QC program and health and safety evaluation system. Negotiated corporate purchase of Perkin-Elmer GCs and minicomputers to standardize plant labs.
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1985 to 1986 Employer: McKesson Envirosystem Title: Manager Department: Marketing
Responsibilities:
Assisted in technical development and marketing of cement kiln waste fuels outlet in Puerto Rico. Conducted systems analysis of three plant labs to improve operations. Developed and implemented a new waste stream qualification program, providing a 50% increase in number of qualifications and adding $500,000 in corporate revenues for qualification analysis services.
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1982 to 1985 Employer: Systech Corp. Title: Director/Manager Department: Technical Services and Safety & Regulatory
Responsibilities:
Transferred to corporate staff of vice president. Assumed added responsibilities of corporate safety and regulatory compliance. Originated and performed early design of computerized, plant level system for receiving, invoicing and other real time data management activities.
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1982 to 1982 Employer: Systech Corp. Title: Director Department: Technical Services
Responsibilities:
Responsible for all technical aspects of the Waste-to-fuels Division. Analyzed and specified analytical equipment and computers for labs in Ohio, California and Kansas. Responsible for the design and set-up of each of the new labs. Continued training of all new chemists and other technical personnel. Additional research and development of faster and more accurate methods of analysis
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1980 to 1982 Employer: Systech Corp. Title: Site Manager and Chemist Department: Laboratory
Responsibilities:
Built, developed methods for and operated pilot project laboratory for analyzing waste solvents prior to their use as fuel in a cement kiln. Project involved extensive research into cement chemistry and industrial waste solvent chemistry in order to determine appropriate analytical criteria and methods. Hired, trained and managed staff of up to five chemists and technicians. Trained two future site managers. Position involved extensive communications with cement plant personnel, industrial waste generators, waste haulers and corporate sales and management staff. Also responsible for on-site interactions with federal and state regulatory personnel.
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1979 to 1980 Employer: Self Employed Title: Private Tutor Department:
Responsibilities:
Tutored college students in chemistry, math and physics
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1978 to 1979 Employer: Science and Mathematics Michigan State University Teaching Center Title: Graduate Assistant Department:
Responsibilities:
Taught lab and recitation section of Sophomore Physical Science. Supervised one undergraduate employee. Provided academic advising for undergraduate students enrolled in interdisciplinary science programs. Responsible for helping students deal with numerous academic and bureaucratic problems
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1977 to 1978 Employer: MSU-NSF Heavy Ion Laboratory Michigan State University Title: Specialist Department: University faculty position
Responsibilities:
Systems engineering work involved design, construction and operation of instrumentation systems. Implemented computer controlled magnet mapping system and was involved in design and operation of cyclotron control systems. Technologies included digital and analog electronics, mini-computers, cryogenics, RF systems, super-conducting magnets and vacuum systems. Wrote the in-house biweekly engineering newsletter “Cyclotron News” updating technical changes and developments in operating and future systems.
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1975 to 1977 Employer: MSU-NSF Heavy Ion Laboratory Michigan State University Title: Research Aid Department: University faculty position
Responsibilities:
Same as above. Also performed computer assisted analysis of nuclear spectra; occasionally supervised other student employees doing computer analysis. Gave tours of the cyclotron lab to school groups and the general public
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1975 to 1975 Employer: Shaw High School Madison, Indiana Title: High School Teacher (temporary). Department:
Responsibilities:
Taught one class of high school chemistry.
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1973 to 1975 Employer: Hanover College Hanover, Indiana Title: Teaching Assistant Department:
Responsibilities:
Assisted teaching college freshman chemistry. Supervised and prepared labs. Graded lab reports and tests
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1974 to 1974 Employer: Systems Technology Corp. Dayton, Ohio Title: Skilled Laborer Department:
Responsibilities:
Implemented the conversion of a mothballed sewage digester to a methane producing solid waste/sewage digester. Included supervising one other employee, purchase of all needed equipment and supplies and implementation of drawn up designs

Additional Experience

Expert Witness Experience
* Testimony on industrial burn accident
* Report source of fatal fire at hazardous waste mgmt facility
* Expert report on railcar explosion
* Waste recycling patent dispute analysis
* Report on explosion cause at an HWF storage facility
* Assisted in prep of testimony for permit hearings
* Forensic examination to determine fire/explosion cause
* Analysis of litigated odor complaints
* Numerous fire/explosion investigations
* Report on adequacy of product labeling

Career Accomplishments

Associations / Societies
AAAS American Association for the Advancement of Science, ABA American Bar Association, ACS American Chemical Society, AEHS (ISEF) International Society of Environmental Forensics, AIC American Institute of Chemists, Inc., ASTM International, AWMA Air & Waste Management Association, NAFI National Association of Fire Investigators, NFPA National Fire Protection Association,
Licenses / Certifications
CFEI Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator

Fields of Expertise

environmental forensics, forensics, forensic analysis, environment, agricultural chemical environmental effect

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