Five Appointed to Herty Advisory Board

March 14, 2013

Georgia Southern University President Brooks Keel, Ph.D. has named two new members to the Herty Advanced Materials Development Center Advisory Board. The new additions, combined with three previous appointments by Georgia Governor Nathan Deal, will be responsible for providing valuable business and industry expertise to Herty’s leadership team.

The two new members include: R. Timothy “Tim” Evans, president of Evans General Contractors and Larry Montague, president and chief executive officer of TAPPI, the world’s largest professional organization for the pulp, paper and packaging industries.

“We are excited to welcome both Tim and Larry to Herty’s Advisory Board,” said Keel. “Georgia Southern University’s Herty Advanced Materials Development Center is a world-class research, development and demonstration facility for the non-wovens industry, as well as the pulp and paper and the emerging bioenergy and biomaterials industries. I am confident that their business and industry expertise will prove to be a valuable resource for Herty moving forward.”

On Feb. 15, Governor Deal named the following individuals to the Advisory Board: Phil Jones, director of New Ventures and Disruptive Technologies for Imerys; G. Scott McCoy, a former grain merchandising specialist with White Commercial Corporation and third-generation tree farmer; and Trip Tollison, interim president and chief executive officer of the Savannah Economic Development Authority.

During its 75-year history, Herty has become recognized as a leading new product and process accelerator providing technical, market and development expertise to its clients. Herty is building on its extensive pilot-scale capabilities for prototyping new products and de-risking the commercialization process. Recently, the Center announced a nearly $2 million investment in Savannah to create the first fully integrated pilot pellet mill in the U.S.

“We are extremely pleased with the depth and experience of the industry and community leaders that Governor Deal and Dr. Keel have selected for our Advisory Board,” said Alexander A. Koukoulas, Ph.D., Herty’s president and CEO. “Their contributions and leadership will add great value to Herty. I look forward to working with them to support Herty’s mission for advancing new technology development and job creation within the state of Georgia.”

Located near the Georgia Ports Authority on Brampton Road in Savannah, Ga., manufacturers from throughout the U.S. and Europe seek out Herty for assistance with their materials innovation needs. As a result, Herty continues to not only grow its business portfolio, but expand and enhance economic development in the state of Georgia.

Herty Advisory Board Biographies

G. Scotty McCoy

Scotty McCoy is a third-generation tree farmer from Washington County, Ga. He served as a board member of the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority in Atlanta, Brentwood School in Sandersville, First Federal Savings and Loan in Sandersville, and Chem-Nut, Inc. in Albany. Scotty has worked as a Grain Merchandising Specialist for White Commercial Corporation in Stuart, Fla.

J. Philip E. “Phil” Jones, Ph.D.

Phil Jones is the director, New Ventures & Disruptive Technologies for Imerys. He earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from King’s College, University of London in 1970 and a Ph.D. in physics (solid-state properties of synthetic kaolins) from the University of London. In 1975, he joined English China Clays plc, which is now a part of Imerys. In 1979, Jones transferred to ECC International’s lab in Sandersville, Ga., where he became vice president, Technology. While there he built a Technology Center for studying pigment applications in paper, polymers, paints and ceramics. His work has concentrated on developing and understanding the mechanisms for white mineral pigment performance where pigment characterization and ways of structuring mixed mineral systems have allowed micro and nano- engineering.

Larry Montague

Larry Montague is the president and CEO of TAPPI, the world’s largest professional organization for the pulp, paper and packaging industries. TAPPI is a registered not-for-profit, international non-governmental organization of about 14,000 member engineers, scientists, managers, academics and others involved in the areas of pulp and paper. Prior to joining TAPPI in 2006, Montague was from The Newark Group, an integrated global producer of 100% recycled paperboard and paperboard products with manufacturing and marketing operations in North America and Europe, and served as vice president, sales and marketing, responsible for $185 million in sales. Montague earned his B.B.A. in marketing from the University of Memphis (formerly Memphis State University) in 1977.

R. Timothy “Tim” Evans

Tim Evans is president of Evans General Contractors, which provides comprehensive design/build and general contracting services to corporate, institutional and developer clients. Evans General Contractors is committed to meeting their client’s needs and exceeding their expectations by delivering quality facilities, on schedule, at the most competitive prices. The company is headquartered in Atlanta and has offices in Savannah. Tim has served on the board of trustees for Georgia Southern University for the past three years. He has also served on the advisory board for the School of Construction Management. Evans is a part of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and several other organizations that allow him to involve himself in the surrounding communities. He attended the Georgia State University program for Construction Management and the University of Georgia where he received a degree from the School of Business Administration in 1982.

Trip Tollison

Trip Tollison is the interim president/CEO of the Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA). Tollison is the former chief operating officer and vice president of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce and Visit Savannah. He received a degree from the School of Public and International Affairs from the University of Georgia. Upon graduation, he served as an aide in Georgia and Washington for U.S. Senator Sam Nunn. Afterwards, he went on to work as an aide to U.S. Congressman Jack Kingston in Washington and in Coastal Georgia. Tollison is active with several community organizations and currently serves on the Board of Directors of USO Savannah, America’s Second Harvest Food Bank, the

Rotary Club of Savannah and the Savannah/Chatham Metropolitan Planning Organization. Tollison is also the Honorary Small Wing Commander for the 165th Airlift Wing, Georgia Air National Guard and a graduate of Leadership Savannah and Leadership Georgia.

Georgia Southern University, a Carnegie Doctoral/Research University founded in 1906, offers more than 120 degree programs serving more than 20,500 students. Through eight colleges, the University offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs built on more than a century of academic achievement.  Georgia Southern is recognized for its student-centered approach to education. Visit: www.georgiasouthern.edu.