James A. Cusumano, Ph.D., founder, Catalytica, Inc., former R&D Director, Exxon

James A. Cusumano obtained a B.A. in chemistry and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Rutgers University. He studied business at Harvard and Stanford Universities, and is a Fellow of Churchill College at Cambridge University. Following his studies, he joined Exxon Research & Engineering Company where he became Director of Catalytic Research and Development. He and his team worked on fundamental and applied research projects in petroleum and petrochemical processing, fuel cells, synthetic fuels, and emissions control, which resulted in several $100 million per year in revenues for Exxon.

He left Exxon to found Catalytica, Inc., a public company, which consisted of two business units, Catalytica Energy Systems, Inc. (CESI—NASDAQ), which develops clean energy systems, and Catalytica Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which developed pharmaceutical technologies and manufactured prescription drugs such as AZT, Lanoxin, Wellbutrin, and Zyban, and OTC medications such as Sudafed and Neosporin. Catalytica Pharmaceuticals, Inc. became one of the foremost catalytic technology and manufacturing companies in the world, and was later sold to DSM Pharmaceuticals in Holland, at which time Dr. Cusumano retired as Chairman.

Dr. Cusumano has authored more than 50 papers and holds 20 patents in the areas of energy and environmental sustainability, and has lectured extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Japan. He is an advisor to the Fulbright Scholar Program, and is a founding editor of Applied Catalysis. He serves as President of Cotrugli Business Academy in Zagreb, Croatia.

In June of 2000, he founded a feature film production company, Chateau Wally Films. As President, CEO and Executive Producer, he produced and marketed his first feature film entitled What Matters Most, which won numerous awards at international film festivals and is currently distributed in more than 35 countries.

With his wife, Inez, Dr. Cusumano is currently engaged in the operation of Chateau Mcely, a castle located just outside Prague in the Czech Republic, that  functions as an executive education and retreat center, and a 5-STAR luxury hotel. Chateau Mcely also is home to the School of NeoAlchemy, a not-for-profit foundation. The foundation explores the creation of productive linkages among technology, business and the critical needs of humanity.

On the personal front, Dr. Cusumano enjoys high-altitude mountaineering and the history of alchemy. He is a former recording artist and was a member of a group that sold several million records. He has three daughters and three grandchildren and has homes in Prague and Annapolis, Maryland.