Gelest, Inc. has appointed Janis Matisons (pictured at left) senior technical manager, who will report to Jerry Larson, vice president R&D. In addition Jonathan Goff has been appointed manager, silicones R&D and Yun Mi Kim has been named technical service manager. As senior technical manager, Matisons is responsible for the development of innovative material and polymer technologies. He has been involved in applied chemical research for more than 30 years, specializing in materials, polymer- and silicon-based research. Matisons has published more than 400 scientific, technical and conference articles. He also has participated in 28 major industry-academic collaborative grants resulting in more than two-dozen patents, the formation of three spinoff companies, and the launching of 79 products into the marketplace.
 
As manager, silicones R&D, Goff is responsible for leading the efforts of the silicones research and development group at Gelest. He joined the company in 2009 as a polymer development chemist, working to develop new silicone products. Goff has co-authored 16 published papers on silicones and other polymeric materials.

As technical service manager Kim is responsible for leading Gelest’s technical service group, and specializes in surface modification and silicon chemistry. She joined Gelest as an application chemist in September 2006. Kim began her professional career as a research chemist at Kudko Chemical Ltd. in South Korea, specializing in epoxy resin systems and hardeners. Kim has published seven papers and holds two patents.

Company veteran Edward Kimble has been promoted to product manager, silicones, and Barbara Tsuie has been promoted to product manager, silanes and metal-organics. Both report to Joel Zazyczny, vice president, Silanes, silicones and metal-organics.

As product manager, silicones, Kimble is responsible for the development of new business for Gelest’s polymeric materials. He joined Gelest in 1998 in the company’s development group. Thereafter, he assumed positions of increased responsibility until he was promoted to production supervisor, then to applications and polymer development manager in 2004. In this position, he headed Gelest’s silicone R&D group, working to develop new siloxane-based polymers, until he was assumed his current position.
 
As product manager, silanes and metal-organics, Tsuie is responsible for the development of new business for Gelest’s wide range of functional and non-functional alkyl silane compounds and for the company’s greatly expanded range of metal-organic compounds for materials, polymers and synthesis. She joined Gelest following a successful 10-year tenure at Equistar Chemicals (now LyondellBasell) in Cincinnati, OH.