Chem321:Acme employees

Acme Chemical Company

Chemistry for the 21st Century

Nate Plantz: VP of sales

Nate Plantz has only been with the company for 5 years, but after coming straight out of college signed on to Acme company and was assigned the midwest region of sales. After 3 years in this role, Nate proved that he understood the market and it's customers, doubling the sales in that area. After these 3 years, Nate was moved back to the Acme headquarters where he was being trained for the last 2 years to replace Bob Vance, the VP of sales for the past 25 years. Where Bob was very reserved, Nate being young, is very bold in his sales tactics. Being the new "kid" in the higher ups in the company, Nate has a need to prove that he deserved the VP title, at such a young age and limited experience. In theory he believes in the environment and taking steps to avoid environmental issues, but his main focus remains on boosting sales now throughout the company. This is his sole focus and he is determined to double sales within the next 5 years. he has a no holds barred type attitude when it comes to sales, and he is willing to do whatever it takes to succeed in his new role.

Chris Murphy: Production Manager

• Education: BS in Chemistry
• Joined Acme: 1994
• Experience before Acme: Shift foreman (5 years), shift manager (10 years)

When he joined the company in 1994, Chris Murphy brought 15 years of production experience, and he was responsible for much of how the new plant (1999) was designed. He is respected as a “no-nonsense” manager, though this means that he can lose patience in meetings where people begin to digress or when no progress appears to be made. He is a “company man,” very dedicated to the company’s success, and this explains his willingness to work on the environmental committee, despite his reservations about whether or not it will actually do anything worthwhile. He believes that some environmental improvements may be necessary to meet EPA regulations, but he doesn't want such things to hurt the company's profits. He prides himself on the fact that the plant has an excellent production record, with little "down time" in the reactors. He is liked by most of the plant workers, though he drives them hard. He gets on well with the lab people, but is less popular with some of the newer administrative staff.

Bob Johnson: Lab Manager

• Education: PhD in organic chemistry from UC-Davis
• BS in chemistry from U-Wisconsin at Madison

Bob Johnson has been with the company since 1993, having worked at the original plant (now closed). He is responsible for developing the TAC process, which now provides a large portion of the company’s income. Bob hates having to go to meetings, as he would rather be working in the lab. However, having been manager for five years, he has begun to accept that sometimes he needs to be involved, and he grudgingly accepts that the safety improvements and ISO 9001 have brought some benefits. He is also becoming interested in “green chemistry,” as the challenge of designing processes that are safer appeals to his inquisitive nature. He is a good friend of Chris (production manager) who is another one of the “old guard” of long-time employees. He can be rather intolerant of the newer staff, particularly those in sales.