Plants Are The New Plastic

A self-taught golfer turned nationally-ranked player, Dillon Baxter is a testament to determination. Earning a golf scholarship at top-ranked Southern Methodist University, his academic prowess was equally notable. As a high school National Merit Finalist who won multiple engineering competitions, he continued to excel in college, majoring in Finance with a specialization in Alternative Asset Management. Recognized among the Top 100 Best and Brightest Business Majors of 2020, Dillon also gained invaluable experience in investment banking and private equity. It was this diverse background, combined with his entrepreneurial spirit, that led to the birth of PlantSwitch. Today, as its founder and CEO, he drives the company's vision for sustainable biopolymer innovations.

Maxime Blandin's journey is as diverse as his talents. Fueled by dreams of professional golf, he moved to the US from Martinique when he was 13 and soon earned a scholarship at Southern Methodist University, where he honed both his golfing skills and his academic prowess with a major in Economics. Post-college, Maxime took his talents to the European Tour, playing professional golf and building a global network. But it was his reunion with former teammate, Dillon, that marked the inception of PlantSwitch. Leveraging his extensive experience in distribution, Maxime plays an integral role in the company. His knack for sourcing strategic partners, securing investors, and connecting with customers ensures that PlantSwitch is not just innovative but also market-forward.

In the compounding industry, Rob Jerman's name resonates with expertise and innovation. With a career spanning over 40 years, he's established himself as a leading industry expert, especially during his tenure at Rohm and Haas, where his focus on compounding and twin screw extrusion set new standards. After the company's merge with Dow, Rob transitioned to Markel Corporation, leading their compounding operations to new heights. Boasting dozens of patents to his name, Rob’s blend of profound technical knowledge and sharp business insight makes him invaluable. At PlantSwitch, he's the driving force behind our advanced technology, ensuring we're at the industry's cutting edge.

Michael O'Keefe has a highly decorated track record. At SMU, he tackled the demanding challenge of triple majoring in math, engineering, and finance, and distinguished himself by graduating as valedictorian. Upon graduation, he immediately stepped into the position of vice president at a multi-billion dollar global investment firm. Michael's career later took a turn into the hedge fund space, where he was instrumental in developing investment strategies centered around carbon and agriculture. Now at PlantSwitch, Michael channels his deep expertise into steering both operational and financial aspects of the company.

Jason Menendez comes to PlantSwitch with decades of expertise in scaling compounding operations. He served as operations manager at Borealis and plant manager at Riverdale Global, and also contributed as a product development engineer at Washington Penn Plastic. Notably, Jason has commissioned and grown multiple compounding plants from their inception, achieving revenues into the 8 figures. At PlantSwitch, he is responsible for directing all manufacturing operations.

Chris Erdman is a dedicated chemical engineer with a specialized focus on twin screw extrusion. His experiences as a process engineer at both Coperion and Azek saw him working extensively on diverse materials and equipment, honing his skills in process development and optimization. At PlantSwitch, Chris is entrusted with refining and advancing the compounding operations, ensuring they operate at peak efficiency and effectiveness.