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THOMAS BLASZCZYKIEWICZ

Phone: 716-240-2782; Cell: 716-816-9129; Email: info@blueskypartner.com

Innovative thinker with broad-based expertise in technology development, operations, finance and business development. Proven ability to quickly analyze business drivers and develop strategies to grow the bottom-line.

1. OVERVIEW:

Thomas Blaszczykiewicz is the Chairman of AccuMED Innovative Technologies, Inc. A quintessential entrepreneur, Tom founded AccuMED from green-field as a small cut and sew shop in 1994 and grew it as its President/CEO into a $32 Million developer and manufacturer of technical fabrics by 2008. In the process, he has invented many new technologies including the patented Breathe-O-Prene® that owns over 68% of the global sleep-apnea headgear market. In late 2008, after positioning AccuMED for a strategic sale to reap significant value to investors, Tom assembled an executive team in charge of AccuMED’s future and is now looking forward to identifying his next opportunity to create value.

Areas of expertise include:

2. DESCRIPTION OF PROFESSIONAL STRENGTHS:

Tom’s core strengths include:
  1. Technology development
  2. Business development
  3. Operations management
  4. Financial performance management

A summary of achievements under each core strength domains is listed below:

  1. TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT:
    • Invented Breathe-O-Prene®:
      • Invented by Tom B as a solution to customer skin irritation problem
      • Patented and trademarked
      • Applications in medical, orthopedic, sporting goods, law enforcement, footwear industries
      • BOP® owns 68% market share in sleep apnea headgear market
    • Hybrid technologies – converted business model from cut/sew to technology company:
      • Started R&D division in India with 14 engineers and medical professionals
      • Created a portfolio of technologies based on the core BOP® technology:
        • Antibacterial SilverTEC
        • Moisture-vapor transmissible eShield™
        • Breathe-O-Prene®-Extreme for winter applications
        • Flame retardant Breathe-O-Prene®
        • BOP® Impact
        • Others
    • Repositioned AccuMED's image from a non-technology company to a technology company and leader in technical materials development
  2. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT:
    • Grew revenue from $622,000 during start in 1994 to $30 Million in 2007 and growing
    • Identified and brokered multi-Million dollar partnerships with companies such as:
      • ResMED
      • 3M
      • Philips Healthcare
      • Smith & Nephew
      • Cardinal Healthcare
      • Under Armor
      • Ridell
    • Established a sales and marketing team comprising of the some of the best talents in the industry
    • Created individual strategic business units for medical, sporting goods, defense and retail business
    • When AccuMED's business model transformed from a cut and sew shop to a technical materials manufacturer, we re-branded the company website, collateral, etc. to position the technology portfolio to big industry OEMs
    • Positioned AccuMED to grow EBITDA from $3.5 Million in 2006 to a projected EBITDA of $5 Million in 2009.
    • Due to technology portfolio transformation (from a cut and sew shop model), enterprise value has significantly improved due to increase in multiple on EBITDA. Multiple is estimated to have increased from 5 in 2006 to 8 in 2008.
    • Grew export market from zero in 2000 to 70% in 2008
  3. OPERATIONS:
    • Surrounded the organization with excellent talent and decision makers – drawn from a truly diverse background, culturally, socially and profesionally
    • Supply chain integration: acquired $2 Million GC4 lamination company
    • Post acquisition, merged operations with Buffalo ops and bought a state-of-the-art $1.5 M lamination machine subsidized by an EIP grant for $250K
    • Directed a $12 Million management buy-out and oversaw post buy-out strategies
    • Established Asia supply chain for low-margin high volume business, in Southern China and Taiwan.
    • DR: Started from green-field a low cost manufacturing division in DR with the goal of moving select products from the US and China facilities to the DR facility. AccuMED's core product is sleep apnea headgears, representing 70% of the revenue stream. To become more cost effective, converted the traditional process layout in US to a Cellular Manufacturing System (CMS) to manufacture the core headgear product. Then, moved all non-core from the US to the green-filed low cost manufacturing division in the DR. This allowed freeing up and eliminating significant operating overheads and SGA from the Buffalo operations, hence reducing monthly breakeven from $2.1 Million to $1.8 Million. Also, products made in China that need to be shipped to the US were also moved to the DR facility, while products that need to be shipped within China stayed with the China manufacturing facilities.
    • Knowledge management:
      • Identified Six Sigma Black Belt Certification training needs for top management and ensured 5 personnel through the certification
      • Lean manufacturing training
  4. FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
    • Started AccuMED in 1994 as a small cutting and sewing company, with revenues of $622,000
    • Grew the company from this to a $32,000,000 technical fabrics company with EBITDA exceeding $4MM in 2009
    • Three stages of evolution/company growth:
      • Early stage: 1994-2004
        • Commodity Small cut/sew
        • Keeping the innovation dream on – "smart spending" on R&D
        • Invented BOP® as a solution to customer skin irritation problem
        • Built a sales team to prepare the company for growth
        • Identified customers and partners to distribute BOP® -- 3M, ResMED
        • China partners
      • Transformation stage: 2004-2008
        • Business systems development
        • ISO 9001:2000 certified
        • $12 M Management buy-out & raised $24M capital for growth
        • India R&D
        • New materials development: SilverTEC, eShield, Xtreme
        • Established marketing department – both market research & branding
        • Enterprise re-branding initiatives
        • Formed Innovation & Growth group: New technologies, marketing & sales
        • Solutions provider -- Partnering with long term technical material partners and distributors: Under Armor, Ridell, Adidas, Cardinal Health, etc.
        • Low cost manufacturing set-up in DR
        • Late 2008 organizational restructure – positioning the organization to reap value to investors by 2011
          • Transitioned from day-to-day President/CEO role to nonexecutive Chairman role
          • Put new executive management in place – recruited top notch CEO and CFO for day-to-day business management
          • Transition plan in phase
      • Realization phase: 2009+
        • Activities in growth phase showing results: Q1-2009 EBITDA record high!
        • Company poised for excellent enterprise value by 2011
    • RECOGNITIONS:
      • 2000 Citibank SBA Company of the Year
      • 2005 Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Runner up
      • 2006 Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Runner up
      • 2007 Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Runner up
      • 2005 Beta Award for Manufacturing
      • 2004-2007: Business First Fastest Growing Company list
      • Key press conferences:
        • Jobs for New York with Senator Hillary Clinton, 2006
        • With New York State Comptroller
      • Good Morning Buffalo with Linda Palagrino
      • Buffalo Niagara Partnership Board
      • Niagara University, Advisory Board
    • NOT FOR PROFIT ACTIVITIES:
      • Founder/Chairman: Blaszczykiewicz Foundation for patients with neural disorders
      • Fund raisers:
        • 2006 Mt. Rainer Climb
        • 2007 Mt. Kilimanjaro Climb
        • Golf: WNY Corporate Open
    • PERSONAL:
      • Tom is married 25 years to Debbie and the family lives in Orchard Park, New York (a Buffalo, NY suburb) with their three daughters – Kristin, Jenna and Gracie. Tom's hobbies include boating, snow-boarding and mountain climbing.