Randall W. Powell, PhD

Randall “Randy” Powell is the Program Manager for Biobased Products at BioDimensions, Inc. where he oversees the interface between agricultural production and processing of alternative crops and downstream technologies related to advanced bio fuels and green chemicals. He also developed the “sugar platform” program for BioDimensions which is pioneering sweet sorghum as a new industrial sugar source for bio processing. Dr. Powell earned his Ph.D. in Synthetic Organic Chemistry from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Dr. Powell has over 30 years executive experience in both Europe and the United States. Dr. Powell spent most of his career with Eastman Chemical Company in a variety of operational and management roles in the United States and Europe. As Vice President of Performance Chemicals Manufacturing for Eastman Chemical Company, he was responsible for three specialty chemical manufacturing facilities located in Arkansas, Tennessee, and the United Kingdom. In 2005, he initiated a bio-based products business strategy for the Batesville, AR site, which included the commercialization of bio diesel and premium fuel pallets, and a cellulosic ethanol R&D program in collaboration with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). He subsequently led a transition team that managed divestiture of Eastman’s Specialty Chemicals business and served as President and COO for the new company, FutureFuel Chemical Company in Batesville, AR. Dr. Powell is a recent co-editor and author of Plant Biomass Conversion published by Wiley & Co in March 2011, and has contributed to numerous conferences, steering committees, strategic planning exercises, and start up companies.