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About Optibrand | Management Team | Board of Managers | Careers
The company is fortunate to have the following experienced business professionals as members of the Board of Managers. Joe Ritter, CEO, and Ralph Switzer, CFO, complete the Board's membership.
Fred joined Optibrand as CEO in 2007. Prior to Fred's selection as CEO, he had been involved with Optibrand for several years as a member of the company's Advisory Board.
He brings a wealth of business experience to Optibrand, having served in various executive positions, most recently at Calgon Corporation. Fred's experience covers a wide range of business functions including sales, marketing, research and development, mergers and acquisitions, strategic development and financial management. He was formerly President and CEO of Calgon, a global specialty chemical company. Before being appointed Calgon's CEO, he held to positions of VP Marketing and Sales and VO R&D. Prior to his twenty years experience with Calgon, he spent ten years in progressively responsible positions in the chemical industry.
Dr. Kerst holds a Ph.D. degree in chemistry from Harvard University and B.S. and M.S. degrees in chemistry from Colorado State University. He has served on the CSU Alumni Board, the CSU Research Foundation Board, and the Board of Governors of the CSU System. He also serves on the boards of several start up companies.
Lee Leachman joined Optibrand's Board in August 2003. Lee has a substantial background in the livestock industry and significant business experience. He studied Animal Science at Colorado State University and received a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Harvard. He is the manager of a cattle company conducting business in Colorado, with customers throughout U.S. and several foreign countries.
Dr. Bernard Rollin is a co-founder of the company. He is a University Distinguished Professor in philosophy, biomedical sciences, and animal sciences, and holds a joint appointment in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University. He has conducted extensive research in the humane treatment of animals, particularly livestock. Through his research and lecturing in twenty countries, he has developed extensive contacts in the international livestock industry. He has consulted for many governments, businesses and universities on animal welfare issues. Dr. Rollin is a graduate of City College of New York, with Bachelor of Arts degrees in Philosophy and Literature, and a Doctorate degree in Philosophy from Columbia University.
Lee joined Optibrand’s Board in October 2003. He received a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of Finance and served in the U.S. Army for two years prior to beginning his business career. Lee started his career on Wall Street with Merrill Lynch and Company where he served as a retail broker, floor member on the NYSE, head of institutional equity trading, and senior official with Broadcourt Capital.
Since 1990, he has served as Chairman and CEO of both the Pacific and Philadelphia Stock Exchanges. He served as President of the Security Traders Association that was headquartered in the World Trade Center. In 1996 and 1998, Lee taught finance classes at the University of Northern Colorado and has been a valued guest lecturer on occasion. He returned to teach at the Monfort College of Business, University of Northern Colorado, as a full-time executive professor in the fall of 2003. Throughout his distinguished career, he has also been an active community servant, working closely with such organizations as the Multiple Sclerosis Society, the Coro Foundation and the Jewish Vocational Services.
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