MARLBOROUGH, Mass., July 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Block Engineering, a leading developer of MEMS, laser and FTIR spectroscopy sensors, announced today that Jeff Sherman has joined the company as its new Vice President of Worldwide Sales. Jeff will lead all sales activities at Block, as the company aggressively pursues the introduction of its Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCLs) based handheld and portable spectrometers for detection and identification of chemical threats.
Petros Kotidis, CEO of Block Engineering, commented, “Block’s novel and revolutionary products are opening numerous new opportunities in industrial, life sciences and military markets. Jeff brings to Block a unique combination of sales experience, applications understanding and analytical chemistry knowledge that will be critical in our efforts to properly position our new QCL-based spectrometers and aggressively grow our sales.”
Jeff added, “Block is changing the world of infrared spectroscopy by improving existing applications and enabling new ones with the company’s QCL-based spectrometers. Block is applying its decades-long knowledge and understanding of infrared spectroscopy to meet the needs of a myriad of customer applications and has established an experienced team that has strong understanding of laser packaging, optical integration and systems validation. I am very excited to join the Block team and I look forward to being part of the company during this time of accelerated growth.”
Jeff comes to Block Engineering from the Mettler-Toledo AutoChem strategic business unit, a company that is the market leader in the use of technologies for academic research and the discovery and development of processes for the pharmaceutical and high value specialty chemical markets. These technologies include in-situ FTIR, Particle Systems Characterization, Calorimetry, and Automated Lab Reactor products. Over the past 10 years, he has risen to several strategic positions within the Mettler Toledo’s management structure, including Head of Business Development for the Americas, Advanced Technology Development, Head of Worldwide Sales for AutoChem and General Manager of two different units within the AutoChem SBU. He has strong experience in establishing distributors and sales channels in many parts of the world, including US, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Canada and Latin America. Prior to Mettler-Toledo, Jeff worked for Spectra-Tech (ASI, Applied Systems division), a developer of the original FTIR spectrometers for in-situ Reaction Monitoring. He also worked for BioRad Laboratories/Digilab Division in Cambridge, MA.
Jeff holds a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia and BS in Chemistry from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, Shippensburg, PA. His PhD thesis was based on the use of FTIR spectroscopy and Chemometric methods for analytical chemistry applications.
About Block Engineering:
Founded in 1956, Block Engineering is a leading developer of high performance Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) and FTIR spectrometers for chemical detection and analysis to military, government, commercial, and industrial customers. Block’s Mobile Chemical Agent Detector (MCAD) system, a fixed site, passive FTIR spectrometer offered in partnership with Northrop Grumman Corp., and PORTHOS, a portable, passive FTIR spectrometer system, remotely detect chemical threats as far as 3 miles and protect against chemical warfare agents and weapons of mass destruction. Following the success of those products, Block has applied its extensive knowledge of spectroscopy and chemical detection towards the commercialization of its high performance QCL based spectrometers, such as the LaserScan Analyzer. In addition, Block is developing a revolutionary MEMS-based, miniaturized spectrometer, the ChemPen, which is a low cost, FTIR chemical gas detector the size of a fountain pen.
Block Engineering, LLC is headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts, USA. For more information, visit http://www.blockeng.com.
Contact:
Ms. Flo Ramonas
508-251-3100
This release was issued through The Xpress Press News Service, merging e-mail and satellite distribution technologies to reach business analysts and media outlets worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.XpressPress.com.
SOURCE Block Engineering, LLC
