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Leadership

Executive

Mark Grambart, President and CEO

In 2004 Mark Grambart joined Contech as an investor and as the CEO. His prior professional experience included roles with Mercedes-Benz and JM Huber in Germany, South Africa, Switzerland, and the United States.

Mark has been recognized with two “Top 40 under 40” awards. He is an advisor to Starfish Medical (a designer and manufacturer of high-tech products for the medical device industry) and a director of VIATeC (Vancouver Island Advanced Technology Centre). Mark is also a member of The Executive Committee (TEC) – an international organization of more than 2,000 corporate CEOs and presidents dedicated to improving the quality and productivity of their organizations.

Mark has a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Victoria and an MBA from the International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Allen Spigelman, VP of Sales and Marketing

Allen Spigelman joined Contech in 2007. He came to Contech from the Hilti Group, where he held various senior marketing, business development, and general management positions in Europe, Asia, and the United States. Prior to that, he was Country Manager for General Physics corporation in China.

Allen has an MBA from the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland and a Commerce degree from the University of Manitoba.

Bill Jones, VP of Operations

Bill Jones joined Contech immediately after the merger with Phero Tech in May 2008 to help ensure the company’s supply chain could meet the demands of its commercial success. Bill came to Contech after 10 years with JM Huber Corporation during which he served as production manager, director of global productivity and San Diego plant manager for the company’s CP Kelco division.

Bill’s education includes a bachelor of science in civil engineering from North Carolina State University, and an MBA from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.

Dr. John Borden, Chief Scientific Officer

After a distinguished career in academia, Dr. Borden joined Phero Tech in 2004. Today, he leads Contech’s scientific research team, spearheading many of the company’s innovations.

Dr. Borden received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley and is currently a professor emeritus at Simon Fraser University. Dr. Borden has received numerous honors throughout his career, including gold medals from the Science Council of British Columbia and the Entomological Society of Canada, the Hewlett-Packard Canada Forum Award, the Scientific Achievement Award from the Canadian Institute of Forestry, the J. Everett Bussart Award from the Entomological Society of America, and the Founders’ Award from the Western Forest Insect Work Conference. He is a Fellow of the Entomological Societies of Canada and the United States, an Honorary Life Member of the Entomological Society of British Columbia and the Professional Pest Management Association of British Columbia and in 1999 was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.

Dave Radick, C.A., Director of Finance

Dave Radick joined Contech in the spring of 2009. Radick comes to Contech from Thrifty Foods where he held the positions of manager, corporate finance and manager, distribution finance. He also worked as a business analyst for Overwaitea Foods in Vancouver and as a chartered accountant for Grant Thornton in Victoria.

Radick brings expertise in the areas of long-term strategic planning, corporate acquisitions and integrations, and project management to the growth-oriented company.

Marianne Hooper, Director of Innovation and Engineering

Marianne Hooper joined Contech’s innovation team in 2006. Prior to Contech, Marianne worked on the World Bank’s Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization Financing Task Force. She also held a seven-year position with IBM® as a marketing and systems engineering representative and a financial analyst.

Marianne has a bachelor of science (B.Sc.) in zoology from the University of British Columbia as well as a masters of business administration (MBA) from the Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario.

Board of Directors

Jim Heppell, Chairman of the Board

Over the last twenty years, Mr. Heppell has served as director, officer or advisor to approximately one-third of the life science companies that have spun out of BC universities. He was co-founder, CEO and fund manager for the Advantage Life Science Fund I—the retail venture fund with the highest five-year returns in Canada.

Mr. Heppell is chairman of the board for Inovio Biomedical, director of Protox Pharmaceuticals and Urodynamix Technologies, and director of a number of other private life science companies. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology and an LL.B. from the University of British Columbia.

Carol Burman, Director

Carol Burman is the Director, Transformation & Project Services for the province of British Columbia’s Public Service Agency. She is also the managing director of Burman & Burman Corp., specializing in large organizational transitions, business transformations and project management.

Ms. Burman has also served in executive director, director and human resources positions for the province. In 2002, she was awarded the Queen’s Royal Jubilee gold medal. Ms. Burman graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree (Honors) from the University of Manitoba.

Cary Gregory, Director

Cary Gregory is the president of Nextstep Advisory Group, providing marketing and strategy consulting to companies looking to take their business to the next level by rapidly growing their retail sales. Before Nextstep, Mr. Gregory was a senior vice president with ARAMARK Galls, one of the largest providers of public safety equipment and apparel. He has also held business development, merchandising, marketing and sales positions at Hilti, Inc., Rubbermaid, Inc., Stanley Steemer International and Eastern Airlines.

Mr. Gregory earned his Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from The Ohio State University and an Executive MBA from The Pennsylvania State University.

John Zaplatynsky, Director

Mr. Zaplatynsky is the president and CEO of Canada Gardenworks Ltd.--one of Canada's largest independently owned and operated retail garden centre operations. Prior to Garden Works, he held a series of senior management positions with T. Eaton Co. Ltd. Mr. Zaplatynsky is also a founder and principal of Pender West Capital Partners Inc.--a private equity group focused on mid-market private companies.

Mr. Zaplatynsky is a director for SunGro Horticulture Income Trust and for Premium Brands Foods Income Trust. In addition, he is the past president of the Vancouver Executives Association.

Mr. Zaplatynsky holds a Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) from the University of Manitoba.

Mark Grambart, President, CEO and Director

Please see Mr. Grambart's biography above.