ROMEOVILLE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Advanced Diamond Technologies (ADT), the world leader in developing diamond films for industrial, electronic, and water treatment applications today announces that John D. Yerger, III has been named president and chief executive officer (CEO). Yerger brings more than 25 years of management experience in running global businesses to ADT as well as significant experience in market creation, high technology manufacturing, and successfully developing and taking products to market.
“Yerger is exactly the intelligent, high energy, intense leader who thrives on building new things and implementing the structure, process, and rigor necessary for success,” said ADT’s Chairman Bob Geras. “He certainly qualifies as an inspirational leader and has proven himself quite capable of being a hands-on leader within a growth stage company. His knowledge of operations enhancement, customer relations, and vision are an ideal fit for ADT.”
ADT enables a wide range of products with UNCD®, a patented thin-film form of nanocrystalline diamond that harnesses the unsurpassed properties of diamond, to exponentially enhance performance with little added cost. This announcement comes on the heels of ADT closing its $5.2 million Series D financing. The investment will be used for sales, marketing, and business development to realize diamond’s potential in the areas of industrial coatings, semiconductors, and water treatment—each with a potential market in the billions of dollars.
“I am joining ADT at a key time in the company’s history, especially considering its rapid growth and strong leadership position in the marketplace,” said Yerger. “ADT is an internationally recognized manufacturer of award-winning products enabled by diamond and has positioned itself to deliver game-changing products into markets with high potential revenues and high societal impacts; I’m eager to help ADT reach its fullest potential and take it to the next level.”
Yerger comes to ADT from SMS Technologies (San Diego, CA) and Total Electronics (Logansport, IN), both premier electronics manufacturing contractors specializing in high-end niche applications such as LED lighting, high-tech defense/RF, automotive, and industrial products. As the president and CEO of both firms, Yerger led a financial and operational turnaround through the addition of new customers and implementing lean manufacturing techniques. He achieved a net income increase of $2.5 million per year through strong growth in revenue and cost reduction that doubled the company’s value at the time of its sale in December 2010 to Thailand based Cal-Comp Electronics. Prior to that, Yerger led the design and launch of several award-winning products at DEK in Weymouth, England.
“As ADT’s co-founder, I’m excited to have John come on board as ADT turns the corner and moves into its growth phase,” said Dr. John Carlisle, ADT’s chief technology officer. “His greatest potential contribution to ADT will be his proven ability to take a product concept and turn it into a marketable, profitable product line. His experience in high technology manufacturing, approach to identify and prioritize product opportunities, and knowledge of international markets will produce immediate results and create new opportunities for our breakthrough technology.”
Yerger holds an MBA, MSE, and BSE degrees from Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.
About Advanced Diamond Technologies
ADT develops products that are enabled by thin smooth diamond. ADT is a World Economic Forum 2007 Technology Pioneer, recipient of a 2008 EuroAsia IC Award in the Materials Enabling category from EuroAsia Semiconductor, 2008 R&D 100 Award winner for UNCD® Seals (mechanical seals for pumps), 2009 R&D 100 Award winner for NaDiaProbes® (AFM probes made entirely of diamond), and 2011 R&D 100 Award winner for its Integrated RF MEMS Switch/CMOS Device. For more information about ADT, visit www.thindiamond.com.
Contact:
PR Contact:Calyx ConsultingJill Jackson, 312.231.9870
Fax: 312.264.0319
jill@calyxconsulting.com
www.calyxconsulting.com
