4 minutes with… Sam Burkett, President, BioBlend Renewable Resources

December 24, 2014 |

Sam_headshotTell us about your organization and it’s role in the advanced bioeconomy.

BioBlend makes and sells high performance industrial lubricants that are biobased, biodegradable and ultra-low toxicity. BioBlend makes and is continually improving products that compete in price / value and performance to their petroleum counterparts while having significant environmental advantages.

Tell us about your role and what you are focused on in the next 12 months.

My role over the next year is to lead BioBlend in identifying new and existing markets in which we can expand. This involves areas that we have products today that can perform well at a competitive price as well as areas that we can develop new products and new technology.

Our growth over the last five years allows us now to reach scale to lower cost and make investments for the next stage of our development. The areas that we are looking to expand are both in different applications as well as in different geographies. My role is to prioritize these applications and markets as well as to work with our partners in the industry – both suppliers and customers – to make this happen as fast and efficiently as possible.

Lastly, my role is to ensure that we have the right people to grow as a company. Quality people that understand our end user markets as well as our capabilities are the key to our eventual success.

What do you feel are the most important milestones the industry must achieve in the next 5 years?

The industry must be seen as a viable alternative to petroleum based products both on a performance and value basis. In addition, the industry must be constantly improving both our cost structure and technology to solve customer problems.

If you could snap your fingers and change one thing about the Advanced Bioeconomy, what would you change?

The one things that I would change is the perception that Biobased products are inferior to the alternatives in the market. While we do not have the answer to every application today, in many cases the Bio alternative performs as well or even better than the product being used today.

Of all the reasons that influenced you to join the Advanced Bioeconomy industry, what single reason stands out for you as still being compelling and important to you.

The main reason that I joined the Advance Bioeconomy was the challenge of providing a viable high performing product that is good for the environment. The other way that I say this is that “it’s the right thing to do.” And to do it well is a challenge both technologically and to overcome years of history.

Where are you from? 

I grew up in Marion, Va, a small town in the southwestern part of Virginia in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

What was your undergraduate major in college, and where did you attend? Why did you choose that school and that pathway? 

I graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a degree in Nuclear Engineering. I went to West Point due to my interest in service, leadership, engineering and the military. Other than my family, West Point solidified and enhanced many of the things that make me who I am today.

Who do you consider your mentors. What have you learned from them?

I have had many great mentors. Among them are:

1. My Dad, Samuel S Burkett. He accomplished a tremendous amount in the banking industry without a college degree. He did a lot with a little. And he was always calm, eager to serve (34 years on the local town council) and supportive of me.

2. High school coaches – sports was a big part of my youth and these coaches imparted hard work, teamwork and persistence is my work habits.

3. Colonel Hampton Conley – a commander in the Army that emphasized leadership, taking care of people, developing people and being an example for the entire organization.

What’s the biggest lesson you ever learned during a period of adversity?

The biggest thing that I have learned and reinforced from periods of adversity was to have a strategy and stick with it. If you have a well thought out and solid strategy, stick with it. In several cases, I have seen others make a drastic change in their strategies just when they were ready to succeed.

Having said that, I also think that you need to be flexible and make adjustments to that strategy as you learn more about any project.

I also think that leadership is most important in times of adversity. Your organization will look to a leader to share the vision, share information, be calm and be strong in these times of adversity.

Get started early, make adjustments / fine tune as you progress and stick with your strategy.

What hobbies do you pursue, away from your work in the industry? 

Away from work, I spend a lot of time with my family – our big hobby is traveling and exploring new places. I am also a big sports fan and try to stay fit with working out and exercise.

What 3 books would you take to read, if stranded on a desert island?

The Bible

Army manual FM 5-34 – manual on survival and engineering.

Life’s Little Instruction Book

What books or articles are on your reading list right now, or you just completed and really enjoyed?

Reading “The Life and Legend of Robert E Lee” Just finished the latest book by WEB Griffin.

What’s your favorite city or place to visit, for a holiday?

New York City – always alive, new things to do and the family loves going. The energy level is always high.

Category: Million Minds

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