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Chuck Herak

CEO, Board Director and Angel Investor

Atlanta, Georgia

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Chuck Herak

President, CEO and Board Director

Transformational, high impact, global leader with a consistent track record for achieving superior revenue and profit growth.

Proven ability to develop and execute new strategies, lead change, and build motivated, high-performance teams in Fortune 500, private equity-owned and family-owned businesses.


Angel Investor and Advisor to Early-Stage Companies.


Broad Experience:

Strategy Development and Execution, Mergers & Acquisitions, Restructuring, Sales Leadership, Manufacturing, Board Member



Professional Experience



DCL Corporation

Chief Executive Officer, DCL Corporation 2019 - 2023


DCL Corporation is a leading global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality color pigments and dispersions to the coatings, plastics and specialty ink markets. DCL Corporation was formed by the combination of Dominion Colour Corporation and Lansco Colors, had six manufacturing sites in US, Canada and Europe.  DCL was owned by H.I.G. Capital until its sale in 2023.

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President , Huber Engineered Materials 2015-2017


A leader in acquiring, scaling and operating a global portfolio company of premium functional ingredient businesses. Portfolio included Fire retardants, Silica and Calcium Carbonate with $830 million revenue, 1850 employees and 17 plants. Preferred supplier to thousands of B2B customers in personal care, food, coatings, rubber, plastics, wire and cable, electronics, oilfield, and other markets.

  • Delivered three consecutive years of record profitability.
  • Led a highly engaged workforce - selected as a top workplace by Atlanta Constitution Journal


Vice President & General Manager, Silica 2009-2014


Responsible for profitability and strategic direction of Silica business ($280 million & 700 people). Global leader in dental silica and also serving food, paper and industrial markets.

  • Led business to record profitability, increasing EBITDA by $35 million through growth and manufacturing improvements.
  • Developed and executed new strategy to expand growth via increased capacity investments while diversifying sales into new markets.
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Ashland Inc. (Ashland bought Hercules in 2008)

Vice President, Coatings Additives 2006-2009


Global responsibility for profitability and strategic direction of the Coatings Additives business unit ($270 million), serving the paints, coatings, adhesives and related industries.

  • Developed & executed new growth strategy to build on the strong core by adding adjacent products.
  • Achieved revenue and profit growth of 35% and 26%, respectively.
  • Led team for establishing a new $100 million Hydroxyethylcellulose plant in Nanjing, China, including negotiations with Chinese government.


Global Business Director, CMC 2003-2006


Responsible for profitability and strategic direction of the Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) business with sales of $140 million to the food, personal care, paper, and oilfield industries

  • Turned around declining business, increasing EBITDA $8 million by increasing sales volume and pricing while reducing manufacturing and procurement costs.


Regional Sales Director, Asia Pacific, 1998-2003


Transformed Asia Pacific business from opportunistic to $60 million strategic growth platform. Responsible for sales, technical support, customer service, supply chain, distributors, and strategic initiatives.


Various Engineering, Research and Business Management Positions until 1998

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Board Member Experience

Excellent communicator & relationship builder with executive presence from board room to employee meetings. More than a decade of experience working with public company and private company boards.


CEO and Board Director, DCL Corporation, Toronto, Canada

Board Director, Huber Engineered Materials, Atlanta, Georgia

Board Director, Magnifin GmbH, Vienna, Austria - Joint Venture between RHI Magnesita and JM Huber

Chairman, Huber Chemicals India Limited, Mumbai, India

Chairman, Huber Engineered Materials Qingdao, China

Chairman, Huber Engineered Materials, Belgium

Chairman, Hercules Chemicals Jiangmen, China

Advisory Board Member, iFOLIO, Atlanta, GA

Board Member, Atlanta Technology Angels

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Mergers & Acquisitions

  • Led successful acquisition and integration of Albermarle’s $200M fire retardant business at HEM.
  • Led successful $630 million sale of Silica business from JM Huber to Evonik along with comprehensive transition services agreement.
  • Negotiated and completed Joint Venture with the leading producers of Methylcellulose in China, Feixiang Chemicals.
  • Acquired and successfully integrated Dexter Chemicals $15 million specialty surfactants business at Ashland.
  • Led the successful acquisition & integration of the leading Chinese CMC producer, Jiangmen Quantum.
  • Led acquisition of a $40 million guar polymer business and related 20% equity position in Benchmark Performance Group for oil and gas market.

International Experience

  • Conducted business across six continents
  • Traveled to over 50 countries
  • Lived and worked in Singapore for 5 years.
  • Lived and worked in Canada for 4 years.
  • Strong understanding of different cultures and ability to build relationships with people of diverse backgrounds.
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Investor in Early Stage Companies



  

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Veritas Investments, LLC

Managing Director - 2017 to present


Veritas provides funding and advice to early stage companies. Veritas looks for innovative companies with transformative technologies to address significant market opportunities. Particular areas of interest include clean technology, advanced materials, SaaS, financial technology and health care.

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Board Member - 2018-2019


The Atlanta Technology Angels is one of the nation’s top angel investing networks. Its members invest in top tier early-stage companies in the Southeast. The investments and ATA support serve as a catalyst that helps young companies achieve success and make a positive impact on society.

iFOLIO

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Investor and Advisory Board Member


iFOLIO modernizes digital engagement across sales, marketing, and service with 1-to-1 customer experiences, customizable landing pages, and personalized SMS Campaigns. iFOLIO is powering over 5,000 clients including Madison Square Garden, Atlanta Falcons, Georgia Tech Sports, Notre Dame and Clemson.

Oncolens

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Investor


Oncolens is empowering a new generation of cancer centers. OncoLens delivers innovative solutions for tumor board management, survivorship care planning, accreditation and quality improvement.

Piersica

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Investor


Piersica is focused on developing cutting-edge materials and innovative technology to engineer a next-generation battery that can achieve three times the energy density of existing lithium-ion batteries.

Qure4u

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Investor


Qure4u is an all-in-one patient app bringing healthcare into the 21st century. It eliminates paperwork and improves communication after visits with digital technology and telehealth for better patient outcomes.

Trellis

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Investor


Trellis is focused on helping farmers reduce water consumption and improve crop yields. A unique combination of moisture sensors and software connected via the IoT makes it simple and convenient for farmers to make better decisions.

PrizePicks

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Investor


PrizePicks is the fastest-growing sports company in North America according to the 2022 Inc. 5000 rankings and the largest skill-based fantasy sports operator in North America.

mPATH

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mPATH uses cloud-based automation to close care gaps and empower patients.  It is an automated program that identifies individuals who need a preventative care service, provides personalized education, and connects them to needed care.  

XN Health

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XN Health is a new technology for those on mechanical ventilation, which stimulates the phrenic nerve inducing diaphragm contraction to prevent unnecessary damage to the lungs.  

FlyFlat

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FlyFlat is a flight concierge service that guarantees beating every price on the market for business and first class tickets. 



Personal Life



Education

  • University of Delaware - MBA, Business Administration
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology - PhD, Chemical Engineering
  • University of Delaware - BS, Chemical Engineering, Men's Varsity Tennis Team
  • Kellogg Executive Education - Governing Family Enterprises
  • The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, Executive Education, Leadership and Strategic Impact
  • University of Michigan - Ross School of Business, Executive Education, Landscape of Positive Leadership
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Volunteer Service

Must Ministries - Poverty Alleviation


Mission: Serving our neighbors in need … transforming lives and communities in response to Christ's call.

Vision: To become Georgia's most respected Servant Leader -- Restoring lives one person and one community at a time.


Urban Promise - Transforming at-risk youth


The mission of UrbanPromise is to equip children and young adults with the skills necessary for academic achievement, life management, personal growth and servant leadership

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Chuck Herak

CEO, Board Director and Angel Investor


chuckherak@gmail.com

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