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| About DMI |
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Direct Measurements Inc.(DMI) is a privately held company with locations in Columbia,
SC and West Chester, PA specializing in the development of leading edge, strain-indicating technologies aimed at improving
accuracy and field inspection capabilities in various market sectors. This field friendly, science based data retrieval
capability translates into significant cost avoidance opportunities in downstream planned and unplanned maintenance initiatives.
With over 100 years of combined experience in experimental mechanics and new product development, the DMI team specializes in
creating innovative, non-destructive inspection tools along with custom applications for laboratory and field inspection needs. |
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| Leadership Profiles |
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Dr. Bill Ranson
President, Board Member |
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Dr. Ranson has over 40 years of combined experience in management, business development
and R&D. He has led numerous technology development projects for NASA, the Department of Defense, the National
Institutes of Health, and large corporations such as Gulfstream Aerospace, Michelin Corporation, and Westinghouse.
Dr. Ranson established one of the three original manufacturing extension programs in the United States. This program
has grown to 52 centers providing ISO certification, product development, technology integration, and supply-chain
management services to a base of 325,000 manufacturing companies. Dr. Ranson has founded several startup companies
offering products and services in the industrial, medical, and government sectors.
Dr. Ranson has been a chaired professor of mechanical engineering, and is a recognized expert in the area of stress
and fatigue analysis of mechanical systems. He has served as consultant and expert witness for many engineering and
manufacturing corporations. Dr. Ranson serves as an advisor for a joint U.S. Army, Army National Guard, Goodrich Aerospace,
and University team tasked with managing structural vibration in military helicopters in an effort to reduce cost, eliminate
unscheduled maintenance, and improve operational readiness and safety.
Dr. Ranson holds a Ph.D. in Engineering, a M.S. and Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering. He is a member of ASME International,
SEM, and is a Registered Engineer. Dr. Ranson has authored national-research-award winning publications, and holds several patents.
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Dr. Gregg Hovis
Vice President Technology, Board Member |
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Dr. Hovis has over 25 years of customer-focused leadership experience in technology
and product development. He spent several years at Pratt & Whitney's Government Products division developing
and testing fighter engine components for the F-4, F-15, F-16, and F-22.
From 1989-2000 Dr. Hovis held positions of increasing responsibility at Westinghouse, heading a series of
projects related to the production and safe handling of special nuclear materials for strategic defense.
At Westinghouse he directed large-scale flow and heat transfer experiments, authored standards for nuclear/chemical
facility hazard identification and analysis, and designed robotic equipment and robot vision systems. His innovative
and cost-saving accomplishments led to numerous Vice President's and President's Awards, and he was recognized with the
distinguished George Westinghouse Signature Award of Excellence.
Prior to co-founding Direct Measurements, Dr. Hovis served as Product Deployment Director for a silicon valley business-intelligence
software company during its launch. In this position he participated on a global sales team, building key relationships
with General Electric, Proctor & Gamble, Toyota, Verizon, Philips Electronics, SAP and others. He worked closely with C-level
executives matching client needs with product capabilities, developing and managing product deployment plans, and providing
product support via training and consulting.
Dr. Hovis has published over 30 technical articles on a variety of topics ranging from alternative fueled vehicles to enterprise
software solutions. He is a member of ASME and has served on several ANS and EFCOG international conference organizing committees.
Dr. Hovis holds several technology patents and is a Microsoft Certified Professional.
Dr. Hovis received a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech, and he holds an M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering
from the University of South Carolina.
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Lex Pavlo
Vice President, Business Development |
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Lex has over 25 years of Sales, Management and Operations experience in the area of
Supply Chain Management and software integration. Lex was Global Sales Manager for Federal Express Corporation
from 1988-1998 where he assisted Fortune-50 clients worldwide in improving their supply chain efficiencies.
During his Global Sales tenure at Federal Express, Lex increased revenue 10-fold.
Prior to joining the Direct Measurements team, Lex served as Executive Director of Sales in two B2B start-up companies.
In addition to planning, developing, and overseeing the sales and marketing organizations in each company, Lex's direct
accounts included GE, CitiMortgage, Darden Group, Whole Foods, Cincinnati Bell, TQInet, and RoadRunner Time-Warner group.
Lex is a graduate of Villanova University with a degree in Business Administration.
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Dr. Reginald Vachon
Chairman of the Board |
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Dr. Vachon holds a Ph.D. in engineering, a M.S. in Nuclear Science, a LL.B. and Bachelor
of Mechanical Engineering degree. He is a member and served as President of ASME International, NSPE and AIAA.
He is a Registered Engineer in six states, is licensed to practice law and is admitted to practice before the US
Supreme Court. He is a charter member of the Pan American Academy of Engineering. He is licensed as an European
Engineer and is licensed in the UK, Hong Kong and Singapore. He is a retired Colonel in the USAR. He has been a
chaired professor of mechanical engineering. Dr. Vachon has authored a number of technical papers and holds four
patents. He has over 45 years experience in project management, administration, engineering, design, construction,
manufacturing and education for government, business and industry. He has extensive experience as a CEO with start-up
companies and turn-arounds. As CEO of an engineering firm he served as "Resident Engineer/Constructor" for the US Strategic
Petroleum Reserve. In 2004 he was a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Structures Committee
of Standards that developed Standard, S -1110-2005 Space Systems-Structures, Structural Components, and Structural Assemblies.
He has managed projects in systems design/integration including management of multidisciplinary teams on domestic and
international projects in Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Iran, Venezuela, Cameroon, Nigeria, Honduras, Nicaragua, Brazil, Mexico,
Indonesia, Hong Kong, Belize, Tajikistan and Ecuador. He is listed in a number of Who's Who including Who's Who in Finance and
Industry and Who's Who in the World.
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Pat Croce
Board Member |
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Pat Croce serves as Board Member of Direct Measurements, Inc., a technology company that produces
products used to measure and predict the structural health of operating systems in the fields of aerospace, civil
infrastructure, and energy/power.
Croce graced the cover of Success magazine as the first person to ascend from the training room to the boardroom of a professional
sports team. His remarkable success as a physical therapist and pioneer in the sports medicine field to the colorful leader responsible
for the resurrection of the Philadelphia 76ers as a NBA championship contender has been defined as one of the most amazing stories in sports
history.
Through his business savvy, dynamic personality, and emphasis on customer service, Croce created Sports Physical Therapists, a sports medicine
empire of 40 centers in 11 states, into a top-ten finalist for the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Following the sale of his
company, Croce focused his entrepreneurial spirit and indestructible positive attitude on the purchase of the NBA's last place team, the Philadelphia
76ers in 1996. During his 5-year tenure as President, the team rose from worse to first in the NBA standings and broke franchise records in attendance,
revenue, merchandise, and consecutive wins on the way to the NBA Championships against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2001.
Croce has served as a commentator on the NBA on NBC and the Summer Olympic Games, hosted a nationally syndicated daily show Pat Croce: Moving In for
Sony Pictures Television, and performed as a panel judge on ABC's American Inventor. Croce continues to fill requests as a nationally-renowned motivational
speaker, and is the author of the New York Times bestseller, I Feel Great and You Will Too!, the motivational tome 110%, and the business book Lead or Get
Off the Pot!
Croce was the proud recipient of the "Entrepreneur of the Year" Award, featured on the cover of Inc magazine as
"The Dale Carnegie of the 21st Century," and honored with A&E Biography's "Community Hero" Award.
For more information, join him at www.patcroce.com.
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Robert Duncan
Board Member |
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Graduate of Auburn University in Accounting 1957 and the Graduate School of Savings and Loan, University of Indiana 1974.
Practiced public accounting with KPMG Peat Marwick from 1959 to 1968. Employed by Magnolia Federal Bank from 1968 to 1997 and served in numerous position
including CEO and Chairman of the Board. Subsequent to the merger of Magnolia into Union Planters was employed by Union Planters (now Regions) from 1997
to 2002 as Sr. Executive Vice Pres responsible for Mergers and Acquisitions, Legal, and project Excel, a special re-engineering project.
Mr. Duncan was a past member of the Alabama and Mississippi Societies of Certified Public Accountants and served on the Mississippi State Board of
Governors 1973-74. In the financial industry Mr. Duncan was former Director, Executive Committee member and President of the Mississippi League of Savings
Institutions. Served as Director of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas 1987-88, Thrift Institution Advisory Counsel of the Federal Reserve 1988-89,
Thrift Industry Advisory Board to FSLIC 1989, FDIC Savings Association Insurance Fund Industry Advisory Committee 1990-91,
Financial Institution Advisory Committee to the Federal Reserve of Atlanta 1993-95, FNMA Southeastern Regional Advisory Council 1988-89,
Served on the American Community Bankers board of Directors 1988-94, Executive Committee member 1990-1994 and served on the Government Affairs
Policy Committee 1988-91 and as Co- chairman for three years.
Born Montgomery, Alabama June 24, 1936
Attended grammar school and Jr. High in Auburn
Graduated from Marion Institute High School 1953
Served in U S Army in 1957 and retired from reserves as Capt. In 1964.
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