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Viachem Board of Directors
Michael Efting
President and Founder
Mike Efting’s innovation and leadership have yielded a solid track record of results.
A senior executive in the chemical industry for more than 20 years, Efting’s sales strategies and leadership resulted in record growth for Univar (formally Van Waters & Rogers) and its producer suppliers. Efting developed business strategies and sales processes designed to expand sales and grow market share for major chemical producers like Dow Chemical, Church & Dwight, DuPont and Monsanto Chemical Companies to name a few.
In 1998 Efting foresaw the inevitable change that technology would bring the chemical distribution supply and demand chain. He acquired funding from Univar and founded ChemPoint.com. With the start-up Efting presented a new, efficient distribution model to producers of specialty chemicals and leveraged technology to streamline and automate sales, distribution and marketing. Building on Efting’s vision Chempoint.com has experienced significant growth and successfully proved the effectiveness of the producer-centric, inside sales model. Viachem takes the best from ChemPoint.com and improves on many of these processes while adding new innovations in CRM, sales and marketing.
After founding Chempoint.com, Efting was recruited to develop and run the global mining industry’s eMarketplace, Quadrem. As Quadrem’s first employee and founding CEO in November 2000, with $130 million of investment capital, Efting was tasked to develop a new global technology services business -- what is now the most successful and only global eMarketplace. In a competitive space where few start-ups survived, Efting led Quadrem to become a profitable company charting year-over-year growth in the double digits for five consecutive years. Additionally, Quadrem expanded to serve other industries with new customer wins such as Nestle, Schlumberger, and Renault Automobile.
Efting has held audience with foreign ministers such as the Minister of Mining in Peru, the Chilean Internal Revenue Service, the Netherlands Government and the Australian Trade Commission. There are several key political issues Efting has worked to resolve. Examples include addressing the legal electronic invoice requirements in South America that until recently required paper copies, and working with the Peruvian government to make sure its important small business base of suppliers were not disenfranchised in the process of automating the supply/demand chain. In Africa, Black Empowerment is of paramount importance and using b2b to improve business opportunities for small local suppliers is key. Additionally, Quadrem ramped up transactions in Uzbekistan, and there were a number of unique government requirements for doing business in that region.
Efting has spoken at many forums and industry groups about e-commerce, sales and business innovation. Efting is a resource for global print media and has made radio and TV appearances. Examples include speaking in Davos, Switzerland at The World Economic Forum in 2000 and 2001 and achieving recognition in the Supply and Demand Chain Executive 100, the InfoWorld 100, and write-ups in The New York Times and Washington Post as well as several international publications.
Efting is a member of the Board of Directors of Feldav Inc (www.feldav.com).
Darwin Simpson
Director
Darwin Simpson brings a background of exceptional leadership to Viachem from distinguished careers both in the private sector as CEO and the US Military as Major General.
Until 2003 he served as President and CEO of Van Waters & Rogers (Univar), the largest chemical distributor in the United States. Prior to assuming that role, he led Vopak’s North American division as President and CEO, North America.
For over 30 years Simpson developed hands on experience managing logistics strategy, operations and sales. He held senior leadership roles for chemical distributor Univar and its predecessor McKesson Chemical Company as well as Arkansas Louisiana Gas Chemical Corp.
Before retiring from military service in 2003 Simpson achieved the rank of Major General of the US Army, commanding the 263rd Army Air and Missile Defense command. He is a Veteran of Operation Noble Eagle.
Simpson is a retired trustee of Wofford College and a board member of the Spartanburg Humane Society, St Lukes free Medical Clinic and Freeman Gas Co.
Gene Sabatier
Director
Gene Sabatier is a well-known leader among chemical producers and distributors with more than 37 years in the industry.
As a member of the Van Waters & Rogers (Univar) senior management team, Sabatier provided leadership at various North America locations helping guide the company's growth and strategic direction. He was instrumental in several acquisitions including McKesson Chemical, Dixie Chemical and Ellis and Everhard, both as a negotiator and in the integration process. He played a senior management role in the e-commerce efforts from a commercial perspective.
In July of 2001, Sabatier accepted the position of President for Vopak North America where he had overall responsibility for the marine terminal business throughout North America, as well as the Waste Disposal and Railcar cleaning businesses. Vopak is the leading global terminal storage provider with assets on five continents. Under Sabatier’s leadership Vopak NA was successfully restructured. Additionally, they acquired a chemical terminal in Los Angeles. During 2005, the Waste Disposal and Railcar business rebounded and overall 2005 financial results were outstanding.
He retired from Vopak in December 2005.
Bob Willis
Director
Bob Wills brings a wealth of experience in executive management and leadership to his position as a Director on the Viachem Board.
For more than 25 years, he has worked for SEA Wire and Cable of Madison, Alabama, where he currently serves as Chief Executive Officer. Under his leadership, SEA has grown from a small operation with five employees to an international powerhouse in its industry with more than 50 employees and operations on five continents.
Under Mr. Will’s guidance, SEA has earned numerous awards for excellence in their industry, including Boeing’s prestigious Chairman’s Awards, Lockheed’s Star Supplier Award and DRS Technology Supply Chain Strategic Supplier. The company has grown to serve more than 2000 customers in the aerospace and aviation industries as one of the industry’s leading suppliers of mil spec wire and cable.
Prior to joining SEA, Wills was a district sales manager for the plastics division of Dennison Manufacturing Company, a Fortune 500 company based in Framingham, MA. He is a graduate of Presbyterian University where he played varsity football for four years and served as captain of the team his senior year. He served over 3 years active duty in U.S. Army as an airborne infantry officer and an additional 8 years as a reserve officer, retiring as a captain.
Mr. Wills has served on the Board of Directors of the Huntsville Boys and Girls Club, Bank Alabama, Union Planters Bank, Torch Concepts and Randolph School. He has also worked as a Sunday School teacher at Trinity Methodist Church and coached soccer and football in the local recreation league.
See also management. |
