Gregory (Greg) R. Palen (Chairman)
Greg joined the Botanic Oil Innovations Board in 2006 and was appointed Chair in May 2007. Greg has enjoyed a long and successful career as executive, entrepreneur and investor in companies spanning several industries. Currently, Greg also is the chief executive officer of the Palen/Kimball Company; chairman/chief executive officer of Spectro Alloys Corporation; and a managing partner of Palen Property Management. In addition, also he serves on the board of directors of a number of corporations including Polaris Industries, Inc, Opus Northwest, LLC, Valspar Corporation and Fabcon, Inc.
Greg holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. John's University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Minnesota.
John S. McKeon (Vice Chairman)
John (Jack) S. McKeon joined Botanic Oil Innovations as vice chairman of the board after retiring in 2005 from ConAgra Foods where he served as president of the Venture Development Group. Jack joined ConAgra in 1993 as president of its Golden Valley Microwave Foods unit, a leading manufacturer of microwave popcorn, and went on to lead the consolidated ConAgra Snack Foods Group. Prior to joining ConAgra, Jack was a principal for seventeen years in an investment banking business that specialized in mergers and acquisitions in the food industry. Jack was also a founding partner of The Food Fund, a venture capital company.
An alumni of the University of Minnesota and General Mills, Jack also serves on a number of boards including that of Hawkins, Inc., a publicly-owned distributor of chemicals and pharmaceuticals in Minneapolis, where he is chairman.
Mark J. Mueller (President)
Mark Miller is a principal founder of Botanic Oil Innovations and has served as president since 2003. Mark has extensive experience in rural business innovation and technology programs. Prior to co-founding Botanic Oils, Mark served as executive director of the Northwest Regional Planning Commission (NWRPC) and the Wisconsin Business Innovation Corporation (WBIC) guiding the strategic direction and the development of a regional network of business enterprise centers. Mark is committed to helping people live healthier lifestyles.
Mark received his Master of Science degree in water resource management from the University of Wisconsin. In addition to his work with the NWRPC, he also provided counsel for the University of Minnesota-Duluth Center for Economic Development.
Michael P. Schall (Board Member and Business Advisor)
Mike Schall is president of Strategic Marketing Methods, a consulting firm that provides marketing and business development expertise to food companies. Mike was formerly Senior Vice President at Wise Foods Company, president/CEO of The B. Manischewitz Company and president/CEO of Guiltless Gourmet. Mike has extensive experience as a packaged goods executive with a strong track record in sales, marketing, operations and executive management of branded natural, specialty and snack food companies, from entrepreneurial initiatives to large national brands.
Mike holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing from the Marshall School of the University of Southern California.
Daniel Saltzman, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S. (Medical Advisor)
Dr Saltzman is the Chief of Pediatric Surgery and Associate Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota, where he also holds the Arnold S. Leonard M.D. Ph.D. Chair in Pediatric Surgery. He is a practicing pediatric surgeon at University of Minnesota Children's Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
In addition to practicing medicine, Dr. Saltzman is actively involved in medical research. He, along with Dr. leonard, runs the bioengineering lab at the University of Minnesota Surgery Department. He has authored numerous publications and presentations, and has won several prestigious awards including the American Surgical Association Foundation Fellowship Award.
Dr. Saltzman has a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology, Ph.D. in surgical sciences, and his M.D. degree from the University of Minnesota.