Meet The Speakers:

JERALYN CAMP
BYK INSTRUMENTS

​Jeralyn has been with BYK Gardner for 10 years. Previous to BYK, she managed a powder coatings formulation lab, worked as an automotive coatings formulation and technical service chemist and still serves is an application specialist finding solutions for color and appearance issues. Her specialty is color, gloss and appearance measurement in all applications of coatings and plastics. She has a B.S. Chemistry from St. Ambrose University. 

ROBERT SANDOVAL
EPS POLYMERS

Dr. Robert Sandoval is the Technical Director at EPS, leading the R&D activities for the coatings and adhesives markets. His industrial research has focused on polymer design, developing formulated products spanning multiple CASE segments. He earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Michigan Technological University in 2005 and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Northwestern University in 2010. He is a named inventor on 19 granted U.S. patents.
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JESUS MORALEZ
EASTMAN CHEMICAL

Jesus Moralez is currently with Eastman Chemical in Kingsport, TN, where he is responsible for providing technical services across the Americas and the Caribbean for Eastman’s extensive product portfolio in the paints, coatings, and inks industries. In this role, he supports strategic distribution partners and key direct customers by delivering product training in both English and Spanish, offering application insights, and sharing product expertise for new and existing products.
Jesus is an inclusive leader that has a passion for innovation, professional development, coaching and driving diverse and inclusive cultures in his organizations. He co-leads Mosaic ERG which focuses on attracting, connecting, and acclimating Latino /Hispanic team members to grow and thrive at Eastman. 
During his career he has led a variety of innovation teams focused on developing and launching new products in liquid filtration, head-up displays, circular textiles, acoustic sound dampers, aerospace materials, paints free of materials of concern and more. 
He began his professional career with the Canadian National Institute for Nanotechnology in Edmonton, Alberta, while pursuing a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Purdue University. In 2005 he joined The DuPont Company as a Research Chemist in Central Research & Development, Wilmington, DE. 
On a personal note, Jesus is married and a devoted father to two high school-aged sons. His passions for cooking and traveling not only provide joy and fulfillment but also offer opportunities to explore new cultures and culinary traditions, further broadening his perspective on life and work.

BONNIE PIRO
SUDARSHAN NORTH AMERICA

Bonnie (Technical Service and Marketing Manager) has been with Sudarshan for 7 years working with both the US sales team and with our labs in India to provide the technical support needed.  In addition, I head up the product promotion and customer learning and idea generation via our monthly webinar series – Pigment 101 and our Color of the Month series
Prior to Sudarshan, Bonnie was with Axalta Coating Systems (formally DuPont) for 30 years and all of that time was in the pigment/colorant area – replacement, dispersion formulation and color matching and design.
Education:
​B.S Chemical Engineering – Drexel University, 1989
M.S. Engineering Management – Drexel University, 1992

JIM READER
EVONIK

Jim Reader, Senior Technical Manager
Industrial & Transportation Coatings Americas Evonik Corporation
Jim Reader graduated from the University of Warwick (UK) in 1988 with a Ph.D. in Chemistry. He joined Air Products and Chemicals in 1988 in Manchester (UK) as a Research Chemist and later an Application Development Chemist for the Epoxy Additives business. He then became Technical Manager for the Air Products Specialty Additives business in 1996 based in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and has worked in Europe and Asia before becoming a Lead Chemist in Allentown, PA in 2008. Dr. Jim Reader joined Evonik Corporation as a Senior Technical Manager in January 2017.  He has extensive experience in the both the development and application of surfactants and defoamers in many different applications including paints, coatings, graphic arts, adhesives, concrete admixtures, and the production of latex gloves.  He is the inventor of one patent and has written over 30 technical papers.

JESSICA KOVAL
RUST-OLEUM

Jessica Koval is a Senior Regulatory Specialist at Rust-Oleum Corporation. She has been in the regulatory field for 10 years and has extensive experience in both international and US state and federal chemical regulations. Beyond ensuring product compliance, she has also been involved in many industry groups such as the American Coatings Association, the Household & Consumer Products Association, and the Chicago Paint and Coatings Association. 

CHRISTINE FORTENER
ARKEMA

Christine Fortener is a Senior Technical Account Coordinator for Arkema Coating Resins with 29 years experience in the coatings industry.  She started her career with UCAR Emulsion Systems specializing in latex paint chemistry.  Chris spent 10 years in research and development for the Ace Paint Division.  Prior to joining Arkema, she had a technical position with Dow Coating Solutions where she represented many business units that supply the coatings industry.  In her current role, Chris supports water and solventborne resin chemistries, rheology modifiers and dispersant product lines.   

RAM LALGUDI
ARIES SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Ram holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry and an impressive track record of over 25 years in strategic product development and commercialization. His profound expertise in transforming bio-based feedstocks into innovative specialty functional materials has led to successful applications across key sectors, including coatings, encapsulation techniques, controlled release of active ingredients, animal feeds, and effective bioremediation solutions. As a prolific inventor and entrepreneur, Ram holds 40 U.S. patents and authored over 25 influential research articles. His exceptional contributions have earned him four prestigious R&D 100 awards. In 2018, he launched Aries Science & Technology, a pioneering venture dedicated to developing bio-based functional materials, empowering customers to meet and exceed their sustainability objectives.

MIKE IDACAVAGE
RADICAL CURING LLC

Dr. Mike J. Idacavage received his Ph.D. from Syracuse University in 1979. Mike’s work in energy curing started at Eastman Chemicals with the establishment of a photopolymer lab in 1985. In 2003, Mike received the President’s Award for Outstanding Achievements in the Radiation Curing Industry from RadTech North America. He was also the President of RadTech North America for the 2009 to 2010 term. Mike is the Founder of Radical Curing LLC, a consulting company focused on industrial applications for UV and EB curing and serves as an advisor to RadTech and multiple companies. In addition, Mike was an Adjunct Associate Professor at SUNY-ESF in Syracuse, NY teaching courses in UV and EB curing technology from 2014 to 2019.

MICHELLE BAUER
ICL

Michelle Bauer is a Scientist at ICL where she has spent nine years focused on new product development and technical service support of the Halox product line.  Michelle possesses a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Augustana College.  She has accrued over 20 years of coatings industry experience, successfully commercializing additives and consumer coatings.  She previously held positions in quality management and product development for Valspar and Ace Hardware Paint Division and is an active board member of the Chicago Society for Coatings Technology.     ​​

GALE MURPHY

Gale has been in the coatings industry for over 37 years, and most recently consulting in the industry. He has served as the Vice-President Research & Development Product Finishes (Industrial Coatings) Division of the Sherwin Williams Company.  In this leadership role, he managed all over 350 formulators within R&D operations of the Global Finishes Group Technical Research & Development Organization for North America, Europe and Asia.   His formulating expertise includes Architectural Coatings (Solvent borne, Waterborne, Interior, Exterior, Stains, Clear and Sealers in Alkyd, Water Reducible Alkyd  & Emulsion technologies), Industrial Wood (Solvent borne, Waterborne, Interior, Exterior, Clears, Primer/Sealers, Topcoats in NC, AC, PU, UV, Powder & Emulsions technologies), and Industrial Metal & Plastic (Solvent borne, Waterborne, Interior, Exterior, Primers, Topcoats in  Alkyds, Epoxy, PU, Aspartic Esters, UV, Powder, Water Reducible & Emulsions technologies). He has also served as Vice-President of R&D and Manufacturing for Sashco as well as Technical Director for Hempel.   He has additional expertise in the implementation of Stage Gate, Project Management, Experimental Design and Business Systems Management.  Gale received his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Baker University in Kansas.  He received his MBA from Baldwin-Wallace in Ohio.

MARTIN WASILEWSKI
RUST-OLEUM

Martin Wasilewski is a R&D Scientist within the Wall Coatings and Water-Based Group at Rust-Oleum. Martin began working at Rust-Oleum in 2023 as an R&D Chemist, working previously at True Value Manufacturing within the Architectural Coatings Group. Martin holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Master’s in Polymer and Coatings Science from DePaul University in Chicago.

MORGAN ALEXANDER
KING INDUSTRIES

Morgan Alexander is the Technical Manager of the Coatings Technical Service & Development
Group at King Industries, Inc. Morgan began working at King Industries in 2015 as a Technical
Service Chemist after receiving an ACS-accredited Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from the University of Connecticut. Before becoming manager, Morgan was a Technology Leader in the Coatings Additives Division at King Industries, specializing in acid catalysts for aminoplast-crosslinked coatings.

MARY KATE NOLAN 
BYK ADDITIVES

Mary Kate Nolan is the technical support manager for distributor accounts in the United States and Canada.  She has 10 years of experience in the coatings industry.  She began her career as a formulator specializing in waterborne industrial and architectural formulations. In July, 2021, she joined the BYK team to support additives growth.  Mary Kate earned her bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Ursinus College.

PAUL LEWIS
​E2C

Paul Lewis is president of E2C, a consulting company offering technical expertise to the chemical industry, including: Chemical Analysis & Interpretation, Expert Witness, Formula Development, Technical Support and Presentations.
Paul has successfully led the development of many $multi-million products and holds a number of patents. He has a degree in Chemistry from Nottingham University in the United Kingdom. 
Paul has been a hands-on technical manager at a number of adhesives and coatings companies, including Rust-Oleum, Johnson Wax, JohnsonDiversey and Quest Industrial products (now Sherwin Williams). He was recently Technical Manager at the Univar Solutions lab in Houston.

WESLEY HUFF
Byk Additives

A 39 year veteran of the coatings industry.  Wes has worked for Devoe, Kurfees, Courtaulds, Akzo, PPG, Sud Chemie, Southern Clay and BYK.  For 1999 until 2019 had responsibility for non-ionic associative thickeners, then at the end of 2019 transferred from the lab to sales as the BYK Senior Technical Sales Representative for the Upper Midwest.