Mike Darland has over 25 years of experience in senior level operational, R&D and business development roles. He has served in leadership positions and as an advisor or consultant to many mid-market commercial companies. Mr. Darland specializes in corporate strategy and supply chain management and has experience in a variety of industries, including:

Agriculture Chemicals Consumer packaged goods Distribution High tech

Manufacturing Pulp, paper and forestry Retail and wholesale food products Transportation logistics Water purification systems

His engagements with CRG Partners have been diverse in nature, ranging from short-term operational and financial analyses to long-term interim leadership. A few noteworthy engagements include:

• CEO of a start-up water purification firm, where he was involved in the product scale-up, market development and commercialization of a unique, highly patented vapor-compression distillation unit designed for residential and industrial applications
• COO of a $200 million dollar hydroponics firm
the largest greenhouse complex in the world
• Led the carve out, implementation and transition teams for a $300 million dollar company specializing in equipment rental and construction safety services
• Spearheaded turnaround and crisis management for a $100 million dollar company specializing in cheese manufacturing and food processing
• Provided supply chain support for numerous companies, where he developed and implemented operational restructuring plans that resulted in significant returns to investors

Previously, Mr. Darland was vice president of supply chain and chief procurement officer for Sappi Paper, a multi-billion dollar, integrated pulp and paper company. At Sappi, he was a member of the senior executive committee, was the compliance officer for Sarbanes-Oxley, and he led several globalization activities. Prior to Sappi, Mr. Darland worked for the Polaroid Corporation as director for the several divisions of film assembly, chemical manufacturing and imaging media.

Mr. Darland holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and nuclear engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and an MBA with concentrations in finance and strategic planning from the University of Massachusetts. He is a Certified Purchasing Manager and is recognized as a world-class expert in supply chain operations. Mr. Darland served as a nuclear submarine officer and is recently retired as a Captain in the Naval Reserves after five command tours.