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Since founding the company in 1997, Chas has led Southern Sun as Chief Executive Officer and President. Chas led the growth of the SoSun from the research at the University to commercialization. The transition included the implementation of the corporate management structure, business strategy, marketing, resource acquisition, and overall company development. Chas has fifteen years experience in the horticulture industry as an executive, an entrepreneur, and extensive experience with leadership and development of startups. Prior to launching Southern Sun, Inc., Chas was the founder of Knox Nursery, Inc. in 1990. Chas led the company to become one of the largest ornamental growers in the state of South Carolina. In 1996, Chas was named South Carolina Young Nursery Professional of the Year. Chas is also a former President of the South Carolina Nursery & Landscape Association. Upon graduation from college, Chas was the fourth round draft pick of the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs and spent three years in the NFL as a wide receiver. EDUCATION: B. A., Business Administration & Computer Science, Furman University, 1986. EXPERIENCE: President & CEO, Southern Sun BioSystems Systems, Hodges, SC, 1997 to present. Specialized in the manufacture of micropropagation systems. SCNA Educational Board Member, 1995 to present. Chairman 1996 and 1997. President & CEO, Knox Nursery, Inc., Greenwood, SC, 1990 to 1997. Winesburg Gardens, Kiawah, SC, 1988 to 1990. |
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Robert
K. Pollock Robert is the Chief Engineer at Southern Sun and is responsible for The Nurseryman™ research and development. Robert is one of the inventors and founders of Southern Sun technology and has been involved with the creation and development of the company. Robert has been with Southern Sun for two years and manages The Nurseryman™ product commercial development. Prior to Southern Sun, Robert worked as a Consulting Engineer and Graduate Research Assistant for Roy Young at Clemson University, his research has been critical to the development of the system to date. In combination with work at Clemson and Southern Sun, Robert has worked with The Nurseryman™ project for nine years. Robert has worked as a consulting engineer for ML Irrigation for 5 years designing and selling greenhouse and nursery irrigation systems. He spent fours years with Yoder Brothers, Inc. as an engineer. His responsibilities included planning and oversight of facility expansion and improvement of mechanized operations of chrysanthemum greenhouses. EDUCATION: Ph. D., Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Clemson University, 2004. M.S., Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Clemson University, 1992. B.A., Psychology, Hiram College, 1970. EXPERIENCE: Chief Engineer, Southern Sun Propagation Systems, Hodges, SC, 1997 to present. Consulting Engineer, Clemson University, 1996 to present. Consulting Engineer, M.L. Irrigation, Laurens, SC, 1992 to present. Graduate Research Assistant to Roy Young, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Clemson University, 1989 to 1996 Engineer, Yoder Brother, Inc., Pendleton, SC, 1984 to 1988. PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION MEMBERSHIPS: American Society of Agricultural Engineers The International Society for Measurement and Control. HONORARY MEMBERSHIPS: Tau Beta Pi (Honorary Society for Excellence in Engineering). |
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Gianpaolo
Bonaca Mr. Bonaca is the Technology Operations Manager in charge of technology manufacture, installation, service and maintenance. Tech Ops Manager oversees both the Nurseryman™ and the Liquid Lab™ technologies. Mr. Bonaca Also, project driven development in design and implementation and assessment of computer hardware and software configuration. Gianpaolo's leadership in creativity, implementation, and management has been instrumental to the development of SoSun’s technology. Gianpaolo has a BA in Marketing and Management from Lander University and has worked with The Nurseryman™ since 1998. |
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| Eric
D. Johnson Mr. Johnson has been critical to the development of plant propagation protocol using SoSun’s technology. He is in charge of the farm operations and all plant propagation. His focus has been to develop Hodges Tree Farm. Mr. Johnson came to Southern Sun from one of the country's preeminent tree farms where he was instrumental in patenting some of the most difficult clonal tree lines known. Under his direction, several species were taken from cottage industry numbers and turned into high volume crops that created millions in annual revenue. Mr. Johnson was educated at the University of Georgia where he received his B.S. in Horticulture and studied under Dr. Michael Dirr, one of the country's leading plantsman and foremost woody crop authorities. During his UGA career Eric was awarded the prestigious Dirr Scholarship. |
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| Beto
Avila Mr. Avila worked previously at Tree Introductions and a manager under Eric Johnson. Mr. Avila is the farm manager and oversees numerous farm operations including production and shipping. |
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