Senior Management Team Bios  Peter Brooks, Co-Owner A resident of Las Vegas, Nevada, Peter is a co-owner of ABI. Peter has been involved in the corn refining industry for 34 years. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Food Technology from the University of Georgia. Additionally, he attended Georgia Tech and Rutgers University to continue his education and interest in Food Engineering. In 1971, Peter joined the Hubinger Company of Keokuk, Iowa and was credited with several new modified food starch inventions for the baking and confectionary industry. Today, Peter provides technical guidance and expertise associated with setting corporate strategy. Chuck Carvette, Co-Owner Chuck is the other co-owner of ABI and a resident of Stamford, Connecticut. Chuck has been involved in the corn refining industry for 27 years. He received a B.S. degree in Finance from The University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida. Chuck joined Hubinger Company in 1978 as its regional sales manager. He left Hubinger in 1981 to form Industrial Ingredients, Inc.(the distribution arm of ABI) with Peter Brooks. Today, Chuck provides sales guidance and expertise associated with setting corporate strategy. Randy Schmelzel, President Located in Keokuk, Iowa, Randy is the president of Allied Blending and Ingredients (ABI). Randy has more than 25 years of experience in food products involving ingredients and prepared foods. His career has spanned sweeteners, vegetable and fruit extracts, flavoring and spices, meat and vegetable dehydration and bakery-ingredients fruit preps. He has held senior management positions with Celanese, Tastemaker, Burns Philp Foods, River Ranch Produce and Oberto Sausage Company. Randy has been directly involved in successfully integrating multiple acquisitions totaling over $100 million in food ingredients sales annually. Randy has a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Missouri – Rolla, and is a registered P.E. He joined ABI in 2003 and is a Professional Member of the Institute of Food Technologies (IFT).   Bob Blaida, Executive Vice President – Sales & Marketing A resident of Naperville, Illinois (in the Chicago area), Bob has more than 20 years experience in the baking industry selling and marketing bakery mixes, frozen batters and doughs, fruit fillings, icings, toppings and fresh-baked products. Prior to joining ABI, Bob held senior level sales and marketing positions at Pillsbury, Unilever, CSM n.l. and Meyer’s Bakery. He has been directly involved in integrating sales and marketing functions through acquisitions, divestitures and mergers. Bob holds a B.S. in Agriculture and a B.S. in Business Administration from Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS and an M.S.M. from Maryville University, St. Louis, MO.   Matt Stelzer, General Operations Manager Matt lives in Tucson, Arizona and is responsible for our companywide manufacturing operations. Matt has more than 25 years experience in Operations obtained in management positions with Chiquita, Ralston Purina, Continental Grain and Pacific Grain throughout South and Central America, Europe and Asia. Matt is bilingual in Spanish and holds a BS in Economics and Finance from the University of Arizona. John Fannon PhD, Vice President Technical Services A resident of Keokuk, Iowa, John has more that 20 years experience in the Food Science industry. His career began with national Starch as their R & D Projects Manager. John went on to Penford Foods as their Director of Commercialization and Research and then on to Solae (Dupont subsidiary) as their Research Director. After leaving Solae, John started J.P. Technologies where he acted as a consultant throughout the U.S. and abroad advising on carbohydrate projects. John received his Ph.D. in Food Science from Purdue University in 1991. His research dissertation was titled “Corn Starch Structure, Behavior and Reactivity”.