Meet our leadership team.
Jim Schurman has been providing food safety, sanitation, and hygiene solutions to his clients for over 40 years. As a pioneer and innovator, Jim has been instrumental in the development of much of the equipment, products and industry best practices that are accepted as today's global standards in Food Safety and Sanitation. An avid traveler, Jim and his family reside in South Florida.
Since 1996, Jim Williams has been responsible for all day-to-day operations of Chemstar Corporation, including: Manufacturing, Research & Development, Distribution, and Finance. Jim's background includes extensive experience in chemical-related industries. Prior to joining Chemstar, Jim was Vice President of Operations for Novamax Technologies, Inc. - a multi-plant specialty chemical firm that provided a variety of high tech chemical applications to the metal finishing and fabricating industries. Prior to Novamax, Jim worked for Oxford Chemicals from 1970 to 1993, during which time he held a variety of positions from Chemist to Vice-President of Operations. He was heavily involved in the development of Oxford's "Spectrum Program" which became the standard that today's food safety and sanitation service programs are designed upon. Jim holds a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Georgia and an MBA from Georgia State University. Jim resides outside of Atlanta, Georgia where he enjoys spending time with his wife, daughter, and grandchild.
Blake Batley's extensive sales and management experience across multiple industries is a driving force in helping Chemstar expand its reach both in the U.S. and international markets. Prior to Chemstar Corporation, Blake served as Senior Principal and Vice President of Sales for The Complex Sale, Inc. - a sales training and consulting firm founded by Rick Page, author of bestseller, "Hope Is Not A Strategy - The 6 Keys to Winning The Complex Sale". Blake was responsible for managing sales efforts in The Complex Sale's high-growth segments and drove significant improvements in sales effectiveness for its clients. While at TCS, Blake personally trained and coached more than 5,000 salespeople and executives around the globe on methods and strategies for improving sales effectiveness. Prior to The Complex Sale, Blake worked in the high tech sector where he held leadership positions for Optio Software and Xpoint Corporation in roles such as: VP of Sales Operations, VP of Channel Sales, Regional VP of Sales, National Sales Director, and Regional Account Executive. Blake holds a BBA in Management Information Systems from The University of Georgia. He lives with his wife and three children outside of Atlanta, Georgia. Blake enjoys competitive golf and tennis. He is an active member of the community, involved in his church, local charities, and youth scouting.
Since 2000, Philip has been responsible for the finance, accounting and administrative operations at Chemstar. Philip holds a B.B.A. degree in Accounting from Georgia State University as well as a B.S. in Geology from the University of Alabama. Philip has worked in both the science and accounting fields. Prior to Chemstar, Philip worked in the financial reporting departments at Atlanta Gas Light Company and Georgia-Pacific. He has also been the controller and treasury manager with two residential developers in the Atlanta area.
With over 20 years experience in the retail food safety arena, Greg Orman is truly a "subject matter expert" on food safety best practices. Greg joined Chemstar in 1991 and currently serves as Vice President of Retail Sales where he leads all sales growth efforts for Chemstar in the retail, grocery/supermarket, and convenience store markets. Prior to Chemstar, Greg began his career in food safety at Oxford Chemicals (later Johnson Diversey) where he held positions such as: Supermarket Industry Manager, Marketing Programs Manager, and Field Sales Representative. While at Oxford, Greg pioneered the first-ever computerized supermarket inspection system Ð Supermarket Account Management System (or SAMS).
To maintain his tremendous level of industry knowledge, Greg is active in many of the organizations that influence food safety and sanitation for the retail markets. Greg is an associate member of the Food Marketing Institute and serves on the FMI Council Board. Additionally, he holds industry positions such as Vice President of the Florida Association for Food Protection, and Chair of the Ad Hoc Sponsorship Committee for the Conference for Food Protection. Greg is also a sustaining member of the International Association for Food Protection, a member of the Texas Association for Food Protection, and a member of the Association of Food and Drug Officials.
Greg is a native of Indiana and holds a BS in Marketing from Western Kentucky University. The former two-time Olympic Track & Field Trials participant (10,000m and marathon) is an outdoor enthusiast. Greg shares his active, Atlanta household with his wife and four children. He enjoys volunteer work at Christ the King Cathedral and the Boy Scouts of America.
The Food Safety Experts and Customer Service Technicians are the face of Chemstar. For over 19 years, Steve Wood has been a part of the service excellence for which Chemstar Corporation has become so well-known in the industry. More experience. More focus. More smarts. More responsiveness. Steve leads the team of dedicated people that actually live "The Chemstar 4-Point Promise"...everyday. Steve is a native of Kentucky and has 33 years experience in the retail supermarket industry. Prior to Chemstar Steve was a regional manager for National ICEE Corporation. Steve is a Certified Professional Food Manager and an authorized CPFM instructor for NSF. Steve is also a graduate of the food store sanitation course through Cornell University, and a member of the Florida Association for Food Protection. Steve has 3 daughters and lives in Hampton, GA with his wife of 26 years. They enjoy camping and outdoor activities.
Since 2005, Dr. Su leads Product Development, Quality Control, and EPA Registrations for Chemstar Corporation. As a Ph.D. in Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry from Baylor University, Dr. Su holds two patents. Prior to joining Chemstar, Dr. Su held the position of Director of Research & Development for SiShield Technologies, Inc. Before SiShield, he held a similar position at BioShield Technologies. In each organization, Dr. Su led Product Development, Manufacturing Control, EPA Registrations, and Asian Market Development. Dr. Su began his career in the commercial chemical sector by working as a Research Chemist for Zep/Enforcer Products. While at Zep, his research led to the development of the Home Depot line of products. Dr. Su enjoys travel, cooking, and competitive tennis. He lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia.
Lydia Strayer is Director of Food Safety and Regulatory Affairs for Chemstar Corporation. A native of Mississippi, Ms. Strayer holds a Masters Degree in Food Science from Mississippi State University. Lydia is the former Director of the Mississippi Bureau of General Environmental Services, as well as the past Chair of the Conference for Food Protection. She is currently active in AFDO, AFDOSS, Southeast FDA and NEHA and holds training certifications for SuperSafeMark, ServSafe and the National Registry. Lydia is charged with helping Chemstar provide its customers with up-to-date knowledge on Food Safety Best Practices, Industry Issues, and Regulatory Compliance. Through active participation in many of the important industry conferences that impact food safety, Lydia Strayer is able to help drive knowledge, innovation, training, and improvements to Chemstar and their customers.
