Knowledge &
Resource Center

Andy joins the Center of Excellence with over 30 years’ experience in food, feed, and other value-added products derived from renewable feedstocks, and in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries.  In his most recent experience in the dairy industry, Andy served as the technical and scientific resource for ADPIAmerican Dairy Products Institute member company Hoogwegt U.S., elevating the team’s understanding about the functional and nutritive properties of dairy ingredients, as well as evaluating qualityFocus on doing things well and producing a product acceptable to consumers and food safety-related risks for products and for suppliers.  He also was instrumental in the startup of the Lone Star Dairy Products joint venture and in the initial certification of that new facility to the Safe QualityFocus on doing things well and producing a product acceptable to consumers Food standard for Food SafetyFocus on avoiding bad events and harm to consumers..

Andy’s career accomplishments can be grouped into multiple interrelated areas of achievement:

• Applied scientific expertise, working directly as a microbiologist and an analytical chemist, where he focused on instrument-based separations and characterization techniques such as gas chromatography (GCGas chromatography), high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLCHigh performance liquid chromatography), and various spectroscopic methods including infrared (IR), near-infrared (NIR), ultraviolet (UV), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMRNuclear magnetic resonance), and ion trap mass spectroscopy (MSMass spectrometry);
• Manufacturing operations, supporting facilities engaged in the production of renewable products, especially via fermentation; and utilizing separations techniques including evaporation, centrifugation, chromatography (normal phase and ion exchange processes operated as fixed bed, ISEP and CSEP), to membrane-based processes including reverse osmosis (RO)Membrane process that separates water from all other components in milk, whey or permeate. Reverse osmosis resembles evaporation, however, reverse osmosis is not able to achieve total solids as great as possible with falling film evaporators., microfiltration (MF)Membrane process that separates lactose, minerals and small proteins from fat and large proteins., ultrafiltration (UF)Membrane process that separates proteins and fats from lactose and minerals. Ultrafiltration is used to produce milk protein and whey protein concentrates., and nanofiltration (NF)Membrane process that separates water and monovalent ions (ions with one charge) from fats, proteins, lactose and divalent ions (ions with two charges). Nanofiltration is used to remove acid components from acidified whey and sodium chloride from salt whey.;
• QualityFocus on doing things well and producing a product acceptable to consumers and food safetyFocus on avoiding bad events and harm to consumers. compliance, implementing and maintaining QualityFocus on doing things well and producing a product acceptable to consumers Management Systems and Food SafetyFocus on avoiding bad events and harm to consumers. Management Systems by the application of certifications in Lean Six Sigma, ISOInternational Organization for Standardization is an international nongovernmental organization made up of national standards bodies that develops and publishes a wide range of proprietary, industrial, and commercial standards., and various Global Food SafetyFocus on avoiding bad events and harm to consumers. Initiative (GFSI)- recognized schemes such as SQFSafe quality foods, BRCBritish Retail Consortium (BRC): The go-to trade association for all UK retailers, promoting the story of retail, shaping debates and influencing the issues that matter to the industry.  Visit https://www.brc.org.uk/ to learn more., IFS, and FSSC 22000;
• Domestic and international commercial management, providing business planning, sales direction, leadership, market analysis, and facilitation of strategic planning for teams of colleagues in the U.S., Central and South America, the Caribbean, Asia, Oceania, and Australia.

Andy earned both his Bachelor’s Degree in Molecular Biology and his Masters Degree in Business Administration at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, and he remains connected to his alma mater through his ongoing relationship with members of the faculty at the Gies College of Business, including regular appearances as a guest lecturer for both undergraduate and graduate students on the subject of Process Management and Improvement.  He is also certified as a Lead Auditor and a Practitioner by the Safe QualityFocus on doing things well and producing a product acceptable to consumers Food Institute (SQFI); as a Lead Auditor to the ISOInternational Organization for Standardization is an international nongovernmental organization made up of national standards bodies that develops and publishes a wide range of proprietary, industrial, and commercial standards. 9001 qualityFocus on doing things well and producing a product acceptable to consumers management standard; and as a Lead Auditor in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP).  Andy is a member of the American Chemical Society, the American Society for QualityFocus on doing things well and producing a product acceptable to consumers, and the Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honor Society.