and Officers
Richard M. DeMarco - Chairman, President & CEO
Mr. DeMarco, the founder of AgraTech, has been a leader in the New Jersey business community for over 40 years. He is experienced in corporate management and has an extensive background in marketing and sales. Mr. DeMarco's background has been highlighted with many successful entrepreneurial business ventures such as publisher of the Clifton News Journal, a weekly publication (now Dateline News). Mr. DeMarco is a retired Colonel in the United States Army and former paratrooper having earned numerous service ribbons including the Meritorious Service Metal with Oak Leaf Cluster. Mr. DeMarco was also a candidate for The United States Congress. Mr. DeMarco has served as a Director of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and was a founding Director and Treasurer of the Allegro School for autistic children. He has also served as National Director and Chairman for Governmental Affairs for The United States Jaycees. He is a Rotarian and Paul Harris Fellow. Mr. DeMarco is a graduate of The United States Army Command and General Staff College as well as The Industrial College of the Armed Forces, and serves as a Field Admissions Representative at The United States Military Academy at West Point.
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Richard M. DeMarco Chairman, President & CEOGregory M. Ensign Executive VP, Secretary
and General CounselJoseph F. Bristow, Ph.D. Vice President & CTO
Gregory M. Ensign - Executive VP, Secretary and General Counsel
Mr. Ensign was a corporate executive and attorney from the Cleveland, OH area and now lives in Charleston, SC. Most recently, he worked for Kirkwood Industries from 1986 to 2003, a company that manufactures electrical motor components for the automotive, aerospace, power tool, household appliance and industrial motor industries. He was recruited by the President/CEO to fill a newly created position that combined administration with the General Counsel function to support planned organizational growth. Mr. Ensign played a pivotal role in restructuring corporate operations and expanding the company from $60 million to $180 million and was the number two ranking executive with the title of Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel. Prior to Kirkwood Industries, Mr. Ensign worked for the legal firm Sindell, Sindell, Rubenstein, Einbund & Pavlik from 1978 to 1986, first as an associate, then four years later, was elevated to partner. Mr. Ensign also worked for the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Retardation as a manager of the legal department, eventually serving as Director and Chief Counsel, where he aided in defending multiple class action lawsuits filed against the mental health and retardation facilities. He participated in the writing of Ohio's legislation for the mental health patients' bill of rights. Mr. Ensign has been admitted to the South Carolina Bar. Mr. Ensign received his BA from Ohio Wesleyan University and his Juris Doctor from CapRal University Law School in Columbus, OH.
Mr. Ensign serves as President and Secretary of SC Shrimp Processing & Biotechnologies, Inc.
John A. Bermingham - COO
Mr. Bermingham was most recently an investment advisor at CoView Capital, a boutique investment banking and advisory firm in New York. Before joining CoView Capital he was the President & Chief Executive Officer of Cord Crafts, LLC, a leading manufacturer and marketer of permanent botanicals where he tumed the company around and placed it for sale. Prior to Cord Crafts he was President & CEO of Alco Consumer Products, Inc., an importer of houseware, home goods, pet, and safety products under the Alco brand name and through licenses from the ASPCA and Red Cross. He successfully turned around the company in 60 days and sold Alco to a private equity firm.
Previously, Mr. Bermingham was the President & CEO of Lang Holdings, Inc., an innovative leader in the social sentiment and home decor industries, and Chairman, President and CEO of Ampad, a leading manufacturer and distributor of office products. He also held the positions of Chairman, President, and CEO of Centis, Inc., Smith Corona Corporation, and Rolodex Corporation, turning around and successfully selling all three companies to strategic buyers. He turned around as well as started up several business units of AT&T Consumer Products, serving as Group Vice President - New Business Ventures. Prior to AT&T, he served as the Executive Vice President of the Electronics Group and President of the Magnetic Products Group for Sony Corporation of America. Mr. Bermingham served 3 years in the U.S. Army Signal Corps with responsibility for Top Secret Cryptographic Codes and Top Secret Nuclear Release Codes. He earned his BA in Business Administration from Saint Leo University and completed the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Advanced Management Program. He is a Trustee of Saint Leo University and is Chairman of the Business Affairs Committee and a member of the Executive Committee. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Miss America Organization as its Treasurer and as an Executive Committee member, and is a member of the Editorial Advisory Board and a monthly columnist for "Drug Delivery Technology" magazine.
Joseph F. Bristow, Ph.D. Vice President & CTO
Dr. Bristow, a pivotal member of our operation, served as the Chemical Engineer for ChitinWorks America, LLC, where he was responsible for the design and operation of the chitosan production plant. Dr. Bristow was also responsible for laboratory analysis of the chitosan to determine the effectiveness of the processing steps, wastewater treatment and safety. Dr. Bristow helped to develop low-cost solutions to certain problems inherent in the production of chitosan from blue crab shells. In the laboratory, Dr. Bristow established protocols for the analysis of chitosan properties, process solution concentrations and wastewater characteristics. Prior to his tenure with ChitinWorks, Dr. Bristow held a post-doctoral position at the University of Maryland, where he researched methods for producing chitosan.
Dr. Bristow received his PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Kentucky specializing in polymer engineering. Dr. Bristow's work has been published in journals and has been presented at regional and national conferences. He received his BS degree in Engineering at the University of Maryland.
Dr. Bristow serves as Vice President and Treasurer of SC Shrimp Processing & Biotechnologies,Inc.
Roy Noble, Jr.
Roy E. Noble, Jr., one of the original founders of AgraTech, is President and CEO of NEMA, Inc., an Energy Service Company serving businesses and industries both nationally and internationally in the supply and utilization of energy. His clients include many of the largest Chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturers worldwide and some of the largest hotel chains. He is also Senior Partner of Noble Properties, LLC based in Charleston, SC, purchasing and selling both commercial and industrial real estate. Mr. Noble is a retired Major from the United States Army and the United States Army Reserves, attended Command and General Staff College and has a BS in Business Administration. Mr. Noble served on the Group of Energy Technologies as a Director (Le GET 8 and 11) for Rhone-Poulenc, Lyon, France.
Royce E. Freebourn
Royce E. Freebourn is the CEO of Ambassador Health Care, Inc., Martus Health Care Management, Inc., Grace Care, Inc. and Texas Health Care ConSUlting, Inc. Ambassador Health Care (AHC) specializes in management, financial, clinical and program development services that should prove useful in the planning, development, organization and implementation of SC Shrimp Processing & Biotechnologies, Inc.'s Business Plan. With over twenty-five years of experience working in the long term care community, Roy offers proven revenue and development skills. Roy received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Alliance College and his degree in Nursing from the Clarion State University of PA. He has served on the PHCA Board of Directors in PA and for the Payment for Services Committee in both Pennsylvania and West Virginia. A past Vice President of the Warren, PA Rotary Club and Health and Welfare Council, Roy co-founded the Monroeville Health & Welfare Council. Roy is very active in his church life and has served in many capacities.
Birgir T. Helgason
Mr. Helgason, another critical member of our team, served as the Plant Manager/Lead Engineer for Chitin Works America, LLC, where he was responsible for the design, construction and operation of their chitosan factory. ChitinWorks, along with the University of Maryland and the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, won the Outstanding Engineering Achievement Award for 2000 from the Baltimore Engineering Society. Prior to his time at ChitinWorks, Mr. Helgason served as the Chief Engineer for Vector Microwave Research as well as Seismic Explorations International. The Board of Directors of Marine Services, Ltd., elected Mr. Helgason as the Manager of Marine Services, where he was given full authority to manage the marine assets of the company.
Mr. Helgason was the owner/operator of Hamma's International where he worked extensively with food processing plants on areas of design, engineering, fabrication and installation of equipment used in the production of food products. At Coldwater Seafood Corp, Mr. Helgason was the lead engineer for the design and fabrication of food processing systems. Mr. Helgason was also Plant Manager for Silderverksidja Siguardsonar and Machine Engineer for Velsmidjian Hedinn, Ltd., in his native Iceland. Mr. Helgason attended the Technical Institute for Journeyman Engine Fitters and received his Bachelor of Science at the Marine Engineering School, both in Reykjavik, Iceland.