Delighted to say that after my round robin email we have what promises to be an excellent management committee.
Chair - Steve Moore - (Fruitful Steve)
Joint Vice Chair - Roger Renshaw (Arthur Brown)
Joint Vice Chair - Rob Palmer
Treasurer - Paul Dack (pyromaniac303)
Membership Secretary - Christina Dunford
Publicity/Web - Bob Twells
ELR Liaison - Wayne Robshaw
We've decided to appoint a safety officer on an event by event basis.
We have not heard if Phill Cooper wishes to continue as Secretary. This is no longer a legally required role and if Phill does not continue, we will consider the position at a future management meeting.
I'll continue as Spark Editor & will be around to give any ex-officio advice if required.
Steve Moore is well known to many of us. Those who follow him on Facebook will know that he is a keen amateur scientist & experimenter with a particular desire to pass on the excitement of practical science to the younger generation. He's also a very experienced firer.
Roger Renshaw has been a UKPS member since the early days of the society. He organised the first ever 'Illuminate Consult' course for us. I don't think Roger will mind me saying that he has been a bit controversial from time to time but a different perspective can only be good for us. Roger also has a degree in chemistry.
Rob Palmer is new to most of us, so I quote his cv:
Robert Palmer BSc(Hons)
An Honours degree industrial chemist with CORGI and OFTEC registration and experience in handling hazardous materials and processes, Robert brings to any project his unique experience and skills in developing and optimising continuous production processes.
Co-founder of Phoenix Chemicals Limited Robert was responsible for the implementation of its fine chemicals manufacturing plant over seeing the design, construction and employment of subcontractors and the initial recruitment of staff. With Robert as its Managing Director, Phoenix Chemicals became a pioneer in the continuous manufacture of fine chemicals using these techniques to handle toxic and dangerous substances. Indeed, one of Robert’s many successes was the ‘taming’ of an old Boots Chemicals’ process for manufacturing a trypanocide that had caused several minor and then one major explosion at their Nottingham plant.
Due to a steadily increasing demand for Phoenix’s trypanocide, additional production capacity was sourced in India and eventually Robert personally transferred the whole of its manufacture to a plant in Mumbai. This product is still manufactured in Mumbai and Robert’s modified process has continued there without any mishap.
Inevitably, Robert was the main point of contact for the Health & Safety Executive, the Environment Agency, the Fire Authority and other local and national authorities and has become highly proficient at conducting HAZOP studies and establishing the SOP’s required by GMP protocols.
More recently, Robert has developed expertise in ‘Carbon’ management and CHP systems and has filed four patent applications including charcoal production, ‘carbon dioxide capture’ and a new fertilizer composition based upon charcoal, carbon dioxide and ammonia.
Robert is also the principal inventor of a ‘combined cycle steam engine with heat recovery and screw expander power plant’, which has resulted in three recent patent applications by Zun energy Limited.
So Rob looks particularly strong in terms of chemistry, manufacturing, legislation, methodology & liaison with the authorities. All areas that could be very useful to us.
Apologies for the long post, but I thought everyone should be in the picture.
If you wish to meet everyone, then do come to the AGM next Saturday.
Edited by phildunford, 11 March 2014 - 10:20 PM.
