“Do the Right Thing, Always.”
Mark Kaszubski is an accomplished senior executive, technology innovator, and specialty chemicals industry leader with more than 43 years of experience spanning chemical manufacturing, research and development, commercial operations, international business development, and executive management. Throughout his distinguished career, Mark has combined scientific expertise with business acumen to drive organizational growth, strengthen operational performance, and develop innovative solutions across diverse industrial and consumer markets. His leadership philosophy is grounded in integrity, accountability, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to doing what is right. With extensive experience guiding complex operations and translating technical innovation into commercial success, Mark brings a valuable combination of strategic insight, practical leadership, and industry knowledge to organizations seeking sustainable growth and competitive differentiation.
Mark previously served as Senior Vice President of Technology & Development for the HI&I Division of Barentz North America, a global specialty ingredients and chemical solutions organization. He joined the business in May 2010 and remained through its evolution from J Tech Sales to Maroon Group and ultimately Barentz, playing an instrumental role in strengthening the company’s technical capabilities, expanding its product portfolio, and supporting commercial growth. His responsibilities included overseeing research and development, technical service laboratories, product line technology, regulatory compliance, technical sales support, and the evaluation and integration of emerging technologies. By connecting scientific innovation with customer needs and market opportunities, Mark helped strengthen the organization’s technical infrastructure and enhance its ability to deliver value across the specialty chemicals marketplace.
At Barentz, Mark’s leadership extends beyond traditional research and development oversight. He has contributed to the expansion of external manufacturing and tolling relationships, supported the introduction of new product technologies, and leveraged longstanding customer relationships to develop additional business opportunities. His broad understanding of chemical formulations, manufacturing processes, regulatory requirements, and commercial applications allows him to bridge the often-complex relationship between technical development and business execution. Whether supporting sales teams, identifying new market applications, or addressing challenging customer formulation requirements, Mark approaches each opportunity with a combination of analytical rigor, commercial awareness, and a commitment to practical results.
Before joining Barentz and its predecessor organizations, Mark served for 12 years as Technical Director and General Manager of Chemical Corporation of America, commonly known as ChemCor, a specialty chemical manufacturer focused on wax emulsions and specialty additives. In this executive leadership role, he was responsible for virtually every aspect of the company’s operations, including research and development, quality control, manufacturing, logistics, purchasing, sales personnel, and regulatory matters. His comprehensive operational oversight provided firsthand experience managing the interconnected functions that determine organizational profitability, efficiency, product quality, and customer satisfaction. This period of his career established Mark as a leader capable of balancing technical excellence with the financial and operational demands of running a manufacturing enterprise.
Mark’s tenure at ChemCor was distinguished by substantial business growth and operational improvement. During his leadership, company sales increased from approximately $6 million to $21 million, representing growth of 250%. Average profit margins also improved from approximately 20% to 30–35%, reflecting a strong emphasis on operational discipline, product mix, manufacturing efficiency, and value creation. He helped introduce and expand product lines involving detergents, surfactants, resin dispersions, and specialty wax emulsions, creating additional opportunities for revenue generation and market penetration. Mark also championed production streamlining and automation initiatives that improved consistency, product quality, and efficiency, while introducing toll manufacturing activities to increase plant utilization and develop additional revenue streams. These accomplishments demonstrate his ability to translate strategic objectives into measurable commercial and operational outcomes.
Earlier in his career, Mark held technical and commercial positions with Clariant Corporation, working with specialty waxes, emulsions, dispersions, and their industrial applications. His experience at Clariant further strengthened his ability to connect complex chemical technologies with customer needs and commercial opportunities. Working across technical applications and customer-facing functions, he developed a practical understanding of how scientific innovation, product performance, and responsive technical service contribute to long-term customer relationships. These experiences reinforced his belief that successful organizations must integrate research, manufacturing, marketing, and sales rather than treat them as independent business functions.
Mark also spent approximately 12 years with Emulsion Systems Inc., where his career progressed from research and development chemistry into technical management, sales, and international executive leadership. His positions included Technical Director of Floor Care, Technical Service Manager, Northeast Sales Representative, and Vice President of the International Division. This progression gave him experience across product development, technical customer support, commercial relationship management, and international business operations. As Vice President of the International Division, he traveled regularly throughout Europe, including Germany, Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom, building relationships and gaining exposure to international customers, markets, and business practices. His international experience continues to inform his perspective on market development, cross-cultural communication, and the opportunities associated with global commercial relationships.
Mark began his professional journey after earning a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from St. John’s University in New York in 1983. His early experience with Allied Signal’s A-C Polyethylene Division, later associated with A-C Performance Additives, provided a technical foundation in wax emulsion production, application research, and industrial chemistry. His education and early laboratory experience established the scientific discipline that would become a defining characteristic of his career. Over subsequent decades, he expanded that foundation into an unusually broad combination of technical, commercial, and executive responsibilities, demonstrating an ability to grow professionally while remaining closely connected to the science underlying the products and industries he serves.
Throughout his career, Mark has developed extensive expertise in emulsion polymerization, acrylic and styrene-acrylic copolymers, wax emulsification, acrylic resin production, coatings formulation, water-based inks, detergent and surfactant synthesis, and industrial and institutional cleaning formulations. His technical background encompasses specialty materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, montan, carnauba, and paraffin wax emulsions, as well as resin dispersions and specialized surfactant chemistries. He has applied this expertise across floor care, coatings, graphic arts, household products, industrial cleaning, institutional maintenance, and consumer applications. This versatility enables him to evaluate technologies from multiple perspectives, identify potential market applications, and help organizations align innovation with manufacturing capabilities and commercial demand.
Innovation and intellectual property have been important elements of Mark’s professional contributions. He is named on two United States patents: U.S. Patent No. 5,310,772, concerning the coemulsification of oxidized polyethylene homopolymers and amino-functional silicone fluids, and U.S. Patent No. 5,728,673, addressing a process for making a fluid, stable liquid fabric-softening composition. These patents reflect his involvement in applied chemical research and the development of solutions to practical formulation challenges. Beyond his patented work, Mark has contributed to technical education and industry knowledge-sharing through presentations, webinars, and professional engagements. His ability to explain complex scientific concepts in accessible, commercially relevant terms has made technical communication an important part of his leadership approach.
A defining strength of Mark’s executive career is his ability to operate effectively at the intersection of technology, manufacturing, regulatory compliance, and business strategy. He understands the importance of product innovation, but also recognizes that successful commercialization depends on manufacturing reliability, supply chain coordination, customer relationships, regulatory awareness, and financial discipline. His experience overseeing entire manufacturing operations gives him a perspective that extends beyond individual departments or functional responsibilities. He evaluates business opportunities with consideration for their technical feasibility, operational implications, commercial potential, and long-term organizational value. This integrated approach is particularly relevant to companies navigating product diversification, operational expansion, evolving customer expectations, or increasingly complex specialty chemical markets.
Mark’s leadership style is rooted in credibility, consistency, and relationship-building. Having worked with organizations ranging from smaller specialty chemical manufacturers to larger international businesses, he appreciates the distinct challenges and opportunities associated with companies at different stages of development. He values collaborative problem-solving, detailed preparation, and the willingness to make informed decisions even when circumstances are complex. His extensive relationships across the industry, combined with decades of hands-on experience, enable him to contribute perspectives shaped by both executive responsibility and direct operational involvement. He believes that effective leadership requires not only identifying opportunities but also establishing the processes, relationships, and accountability necessary to turn those opportunities into results.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Mark places significant importance on family, mentorship, community involvement, and personal development. He and his wife, Maureen, have shared more than four decades of marriage and raised two daughters, Jennifer and Samantha. During their childhood, Mark devoted time to coaching youth sports, including recreational basketball and competitive travel soccer teams. These experiences reinforced his appreciation for teamwork, discipline, preparation, and helping others develop confidence and achieve their potential. He also enjoys sports and woodworking, interests that reflect his appreciation for craftsmanship, patience, precision, and continuous improvement. His personal values are captured in a simple but meaningful philosophy: “Do the right thing, always.”
As Mark considers the next chapter of his professional journey, he is particularly interested in applying his extensive experience through corporate board service, advisory board participation, and strategic consulting opportunities. Rather than viewing retirement as a departure from professional engagement, he sees it as an opportunity to contribute his knowledge in a different and potentially broader capacity. His interests include specialty chemicals, household, industrial and institutional markets, chemical manufacturing, industrial technologies, and related businesses, while remaining open to opportunities across other sectors where his expertise can create meaningful value. He is comfortable working with organizations of varying sizes and is open to international engagement and travel.
Mark’s prospective value as a board member or strategic advisor lies in his ability to combine technical depth with executive judgment, operational understanding, and commercial experience. He offers perspectives on research and development investment, product portfolio strategy, manufacturing efficiency, margin improvement, regulatory considerations, business development, and international market opportunities. His record of helping grow a specialty chemical manufacturer, strengthening technical capabilities across evolving organizations, and cultivating long-term commercial relationships demonstrates the breadth of his experience. While his background has primarily involved executive and operational leadership rather than formal corporate board service, it provides a strong foundation for contributing to board-level discussions and advising management teams on complex strategic decisions.
Ultimately, Mark J. Kaszubski represents a combination of scientific curiosity, proven business leadership, and principled decision-making. His career reflects more than four decades of adapting to changing markets, embracing new technologies, developing organizations, and supporting the success of customers and colleagues. He approaches future board and advisory opportunities with the same qualities that have defined his professional life: integrity, practical intelligence, disciplined execution, and a genuine desire to help others succeed. For organizations seeking an experienced executive who understands how to connect innovation with profitability, strategy with execution, and leadership with accountability, Mark offers a distinctive and valuable perspective.
Character:
Mark exemplifies integrity, accountability, and a deeply held commitment to ethical leadership, consistently embracing his personal philosophy of doing the right thing, always. His dedication to family, mentorship, professional relationships, and responsible decision-making reflects a leader who values trust, respect, and long-term organizational success.
Knowledge:
With more than 43 years of experience in specialty chemicals, manufacturing, research and development, and commercial leadership, Mark possesses an exceptional breadth of technical and operational knowledge. His patented innovations, extensive formulation expertise, international exposure, and executive management experience enable him to provide informed perspectives on complex business challenges and emerging opportunities.
Strategic:
Mark has demonstrated strategic leadership through significant revenue growth, improved profitability, product portfolio expansion, manufacturing optimization, and the development of new commercial opportunities. His ability to connect technological capabilities with market demand, operational efficiency, and financial performance positions him to contribute meaningfully to corporate strategy and long-term value creation.
Communication:
An experienced communicator who has worked effectively with scientists, manufacturing teams, sales professionals, customers, international business partners, and executive leadership. His background in technical presentations, professional webinars, international business development, and cross-functional management demonstrates his ability to communicate complex information clearly, build productive relationships, and foster collaborative decision-making.
