Ryan Dennis Email and Phone Number

The Lhoist Group develops high quality solutions from the finest natural mineral resources. The carbonates, lime, dolime and speciality products bring essential functionalities to our customers' processes. Each manufacturing step is long-term oriented towards a sustainable methodology, from the first deposit exploration until the restoration of our quarries. Mining & Metals, Mining, Lime, Dolime, Carbonates, Privately Held Company Size 5001-10,000 employees. Founded 1889As Technical Manager, Ryan Dennis was responsible for developing new products and new business with existing and new clients and building relationships in specified markets. Collaborated closely with the Sales, Marketing and Production teams to guide all Process Engineering projects to continually improve throughput, performance and consistency, while generating new projects from leads to new business. • Developed and introduced a successful new product for the joint compound industry. • Led a Six Sigma project reducing off-spec material on one product line by 48%. • Completed several processing projects moving testing up-stream reducing off spec by 30% across all product lines.

BYK Additives & Instruments is one of the world’s leading suppliers in the field of additives and measuring instruments. Additives are chemical substances which, when used in small quantities, improve product properties such as scratch resistance or surface gloss. They permit the rheological behavior of liquid materials to be adjusted, providing the optimum conditions for smooth-running manufacturing and application processes. Ryan Dennis joined Southern Clay as a Technician in 1980 and promoted 3 times based on performance to the position of Technical Manager (Site Lab Manager / Research & Development Manager / Technical Service Manager) in 2012. As Technical Manager, Ryan Dennis was responsible for all R&D and Tech Service activities, new product development, project management, budget, staffing and capital expenditures. Coordinated projects with internal customers in different states and countries within the organization to unite diverse expertise and achieve strategic company goals. Very active in representing the technical group and the company with regards to customer interactions, and recruiting new R&D projects for new business development. Supervised four Chemist and five Technologist and oversaw a budget of $.5M.• Oversaw all raw material evaluations identifying and characterizing Sodium and Calcium Betonites, Hectorites, Saponites and Sepiolites for quality, performance and variation.• Handled and solved all customer conflict resolution in role as Technical Manager.• Coordinated projects with internal customers at sister sites in Kentucky, Germany and England utilizing the diverse expertise across the company.• Created all QE testing for new products working extensively to resolve QE testing problems with solvent variation, poor testing parameters, gage R&R issues, sampling issues, etc.

As Technical Services Manager, Ryan was responsible for immediate commercial opportunities, technical selling, identifying and implementing Six Sigma projects, cost reduction opportunities. Supervised two Chemists and two Technologists and built and staffed a drilling Mud Lab for evaluating Organoclays in different drilling mud applications for research projects and for Quality Engineering. • Developed and introduced a new product for the Fracking Industry providing superior rheological and suspension characteristics at lower loadings than the competitors, and due to the unique carrying capacity of the product, solved separation over transport problems typical throughout the industry, generating over $5M in new business in 2 years with a greater than 50% profit margin.• Led a Six Sigma project for Dryer Optimization reducing cost by $142K.• Developed a successful new product for the Oilfield market designed for extended reach drilling rigs generating over $3M annually with a greater than 50% profit margin. • Reduced raw material cost by $.5M annually.

As an Associate Chemist, Ryan was responsible for the laboratory management and coordination of new product development, the identification and implementation of improved quality standards, and the laboratory equipment and maintenance, and test development. Equipped and staffed a Nano-composite Processing laboratory for compounding clay/plastic blends, including extrusion, injection molding, impact strength and other testing. • Developed a rheological additive for the soy-based newsprint market that improved the rheology with faster yield reducing customer production rates. This product was so unique that it had no competition until the newsprint market began to decline. Generated in over $2M in revenue annually.• Equipped and staffed a Nano composite Processing laboratory for compounding clay/plastic blends, including extrusion, injection molding, impact strength and other testing. • Developed and introduced a new product for the grease and ink market that utilized unique branched Quat chemistry to achieve self-activation eliminating the need for additional chemical activators (U.S. Patent 5,739,087).

As a technician Ryan was responsible for day-to-day laboratory testing, operating and maintaining laboratory equipment, and extensive cross-functional training.