Credentials
RODNEY JOHNSON
Accomplished Product Development Leader highly regarded for a successful idea-to-market development history. Experienced and proficient in leading and executing best practices for Product and Technology Development of Dietary Supplements, Foods, Beverages, and Botanical Raw Materials. Committed to development excellence with strong customer focus and technological leadership in a compassionate and transparent environment.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Formulation
Open Innovation
Technology Assessment and Development
Product Development and Optimization
Business Process Development
Project Management
Leadership Development
Intellectual Property Processes
ARISANNA GROUP
Vice President of Research and Development
Developed and executed the development of an R&D Organization from the ground up including key functions such as New Technology Discovery and Development, New Product Development through commercialization and base business sustenance and growth.
Oversaw product development process from concept through commercialization.
Identified and developed relevant new technology to build and maintain Arisanna’s leadership position.
Partnered with Regulatory, Quality, Legal, Supply chain, Manufacturing and contract manufacturers to expedite and facilitate development and routine production.
Executed development to meet efficacy, cost, quality, sensory and other requirements.
Managed all product claims to ensure they meet technical, legal and regulatory requirements.
Kept abreast of emerging science within related industries for development into unique product offerings.
BULLETPROOF 360
Director of Research and Development
Established a research and development organization for a startup company. Refined and improved the product development process from technology development through commercialization.
Developed and commercialized over sixty food, beverage and supplement products in three years.
Introduced and implemented a new technology and innovation development process.
Executed product development with internal scientists and technical team via a network of contract research and development and contract manufacturing.
Upgraded claims substantiation process to include a dossier to validate all claims.
Developed a sensory optimization program for foods and beverages.
Established a clinical testing program with two clinicals being implemented.
Instituted a patent development process resulting in two products with “Patent Pending” status.
AMWAY CORPORATION (NUTRILITE)
Senior Principal Open Innovation Scientist
Developed new nutrition technologies through partnerships with external companies, suppliers, universities, and entrepreneurs. Established and implemented new technology and open innovation processes.
Lead global scouting activities to find targeted technologies.
Identified, developed and transitioned probiotic technologies with a global market value of $30M+.
Provided in-depth technical assessment of new technology’s feasibility.
Authored the “gold standard” report and dossier for the transition from New Technology to Product Development.
AMWAY CORPORATION (NUTRILITE)
Manager, Research and Development
Acquired, developed and retained technical and leadership talent including two staff promoted to manager level. Defined and codified the product development process from the fuzzy front end, through scale-up, validation and final integration in the overall value chain.
Managed the raw material research and development department (Concentrate Development) for a +$7 billion multinational company.
Managed the development of herbal and granulated raw materials and nutritional products that support optimal health.
Developed and executed a technology plan to understand current technologies, potential gaps and then map out the pathway to maintain technological leadership.
Established a screening process to evaluate botanical ingredients through in vitro models.
Develop and implemented processes to integrate research and development organizations in California, Michigan, Mexico, Brazil, China and Japan by working with multiple workgroups.
WEIDER NUTRITION INTERNATIONAL
Vice President of Research and Development
Established a product development organization strategically aligned with company goals. Refined and documented the development process, designed laboratory and pilot facilities, and identified and acquired professional talent.
Directed R&D staff for the development of foods (food bars, ready-to-drink beverages, dry-mix beverages, etc.) and tablets/capsules (botanicals, multivitamin, etc.). Product areas included health food, sports nutrition, private label and mass market.
Specified critical characteristics for functional ingredients including food ingredients (e.g., enzymatically modified fibers), botanicals and functional compounds (e.g., glucosamine, acetyl-L-carnitine).
Set up a testing program to optimize sensory properties of foods.
Wrote the R&D and QA Manual that provides detailed procedures for the development and validation of supplements (food products and tablets/capsules).
Assisted in writing legislation regarding supplement ingredients.
Provided R&D due diligence investigation for company acquisitions, claim substantiation and structure-function claims.
AMWAY CORPORATION (NUTRILITE)
Senior Food Scientist
Developed herbal supplement formulations based upon evaluation of technical merit. Investigated Echinacea, ginseng, ginkgo, St. John’s wort, passionflower, milk thistle, saw palmetto and others.
Investigated functional foods and food additives for international markets.
EDUCATION
Master of Science, Food Science; University of Minnesota; Graduate School. Supporting Area: Statistics.
Bachelor of Science, Food Science and Technology. University of Minnesota; Graduated with Distinction Emphasis in Engineering.
PUBLICATIONS
Bakshi, A. S. and Johnson, R. M. Calorimetric Studies on Whey Freeze Concentration. Journal of Food Science, 4:48, p. 1279.
Johnson, R. M. and Breene, W. M. Relative Precision of Three Instruments for Pectin Gel Strength Measurement. Food Technology 2:42.
Brovelli, E.A., Menon, G., Li, Y., Johnson, R., Vergel de Dios, L., Expression Technology Affects Qualitative Parameters of Echinacea purpurea Herb Juice, World Conference on Medicinal & Aromatic Plants, Budapest, Hungary.
PATENTS
Method of Increasing Concentrations of Caffeic Acid Derivative and Alkylamides and Composition Containing the Same. United States #6,306,443 B1
Water Soluble Extract of Spinach for Prevention & Repair of DNA Damage. Japan #5134005
Nutraceutical Composition for an Increase in Beneficial Bacteria and Healthy Immune Response and Method of Use. Patent Pending 16/228,412