Chemistry Board of Advisors
The function of the Board of Advisors is to provide guidance and counsel in relevant matters to the department head, faculty and students.
The Board of Advisors will also review the departmental programs and recommend areas of opportunity.
By working with the chemistry department, the board will influence the university, state and nation by assisting the department head in creating excellence in teaching and research programs. By partnering with the department, the development of professionals for industry, government and academia will be enhanced.
Serving as a liaison between the department, industry, government and the community at large is the key to the future success of the department and board.
Major fundraising efforts for the department, along with motivating students to develop employment opportunities through association with board members, will foster graduate success and future involvement in the department and Board of Advisors.
Advisory Board bios
Learn more about the chemistry department's Board of Advisors and their accomplishments.
Harold Boone
Harold Boone is currently the R&D Director for Intellectual Capital Management within Dow’s Packaging and Specialty Plastics & Hydrocarbons Division.
He joined Dow in 1996 in Dow’s Central Research Division investigating perfluoroaryl ether polymers with high optical clarity for interlayer dielectric applications. In 2001, he joined Dow’s Polyolefins Catalyst group where he developed and commercialized Dow’s first generation of post-metallocene catalysts for specialty polyolefins.
These catalyst systems found utility for their production efficiency across multiple Dow product lines. In 2009, he became the Dow Specialty Plastics Process R&D leader for the Process and Pilot Plant organization. In 2011, he was named the Dow Elastomers Product R&D leader where he established and built the Product R&D group and lab capabilities in Shanghai, China.
He actively developed a diverse team of people in Texas and Shanghai that successfully developed and commercialized many products and technologies.
In 2012, he added responsibilities for the compounding and extrusion capabilities of Packaging and Specialty Plastics. In 2018, he was named the R&D Director for Dow Elastomers and the Polymer Compounding organization.
Harold earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Missouri State University in 1992 and a Ph.D. in chemistry from The University of Arizona in 1996. He is an inventor on 13 US granted patents and three pending patent applications.
Mike Ebers
Mike is a 1984 graduate from the Missouri State Chemistry department with a Bachelor of Science in environmental chemistry and a minor in biology.
Mike started his career as an analytical and QC chemist for a chemical specialty company in St. Louis, Missouri. Subsequent to this position Mike transitioned to Regulatory Affairs for a OTC drug and medical device company in St. Louis (Calgon Vestal Laboratories); the company was acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb and subsequently by STERIS Corporation based in Cleveland, OH.
Mike currently is Vice President of Global Regulatory Affairs for STERIS and is responsible for both domestic and international product regulatory guidance and registrations.
Mike resides in O’Fallon, Missouri and is married with four children. Mike has been a member of the Chemistry Advisory Board since 2022.
Wyman Grindstaff
Wyman Grindstaff joined the Southwest Missouri State College (SMS) faculty in 1965 when chemistry was part of a science department.
Each year brought many changes as we became a university, a department of physical sciences, a chemistry department, a chemistry department with a research chemistry degree (MS) and finally to become Missouri State University. Thirty-six, event-filled years ended with retirement in 2001.
Matthew A. Harthcock
Dr. Harthcock is currently Founder and CEO of Solutions by Harthcock Associates. Prior, he was Head of Engineering & Quality and executive leadership member for Schneller LLC (a TransDigm Company making commercial aircraft interior decorative products). Also, he was Head of R&D and executive leadership member for L&L Products (privately held automotive preformed adhesives and sealants supplier), Technology Manager at GE Plastics (now Sabic), and Research Manager at The Dow Chemical Company where he began his industrial career in 1982.
He has over 35 technical publications, patents, articles, and book reviews; edited one book; given numerous technical/leadership presentations; organized/chaired sessions at conferences and his employers; conducted technical/quality workshops. He has received several company or society awards recognizing aspects of his technical work and leadership.
He has served in leadership and/or advisory roles for professional societies, universities, and community groups. Currently, he is a member of the Missouri State University (MSU) Department of Chemistry Advisory Board, MSU Foundation Board of Trustees and recently completed serving on Campaign Cabinet, and is Chair of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Foundation Board. He is a member of the American Chemical Society, SPE (Emeritus), and Society for Automotive Engineers.
He received his PhD degree in physical chemistry from Texas A&M University and BS degree in chemistry from MSU. He is certified by the Total Quality Institute, a Six Sigma Green Belt/Champion, and a Trusted Advisors Network Affiliate.
Dr. Harthcock resides in Sun City Center, Florida; Stow, Ohio; and Franklin, Tennessee.
C. Michel (Mike) Minor
Mike, a Springfield native, received a chemistry/education undergraduate degree from MSU in 1980 and served as a supply instructor at MSU in the chemistry department for the two semesters following graduation.
In 1981, he moved to Kansas City to work as a chemist for Midwest Research Institute (MRI). At MRI, computer skills Mike acquired at MSU were quickly recognized, and he moved into the role of Data Processing Coordinator.
Next, Mike began a new career applying computer skills to factory automation, labeling, and the new field of barcoding, working as a consultant for major corporations.
Mike changed careers yet again to the emerging field of cellular phone technology and began working for the company that would become Verizon Wireless.
Mike, now retired from Verizon, sells real estate in the Kansas area, and provides technical support for volunteer organizations. Along the way, Mike achieved three master’s degrees in information technology, business administration, and conflict management/dispute resolution.
Mike appreciates the importance of volunteering and being an active member of the community. He currently serves as a trustee for the MSU Foundation and a member of the Chemistry Advisory Board.
Previously, Mike has served as the president of the Kansas City Symphony Alliance, Association of Major Symphony Orchestra Volunteers (AMSOV), the Friends of the Kansas City Symphony, the Friends of the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, the Southwest Missouri Humane Society, and the Chemistry Advisory Board at MSU.
Mike is the founder of the Lucile Abegglen Strawson Scholarship, in honor of his grandmother, who attended MSU, then the Fourth District Normal School, in the early 1900s.
David W. Osborne
Osborne received his BS in chemistry from Missouri State University in 1982 and a PhD in chemistry from Missouri University of Science and Technology under the direction of Professor Stig E. Friberg in 1985.
Dr. Osborne honed his skills while employed at the Upjohn Company (now Pfizer) and the Merck subsidiary, Calgon Vestal Labs. He became Vice President of R&D for ViroTex Corp, which was acquired by Atrix Laboratories.
Dr. Osborne was VP of the Dermatology Division at Atrix, then moved to Dow Pharmaceutical Sciences as VP of Product Development from 2003 until 2008. He then lead Product Development at TOLMAR, Inc. until retiring as Chief Scientific Officer in May 2016. Currently, David is Chief Technical Officer of Arcutis Biotherapeutics.
David Osborne has over 100 issued patents and 60 publications primarily in the areas of surfactants, formulations, and skin delivery. He co-edited the books Topical Drug Delivery Formulations (Marcel Dekker, 1990) and The Role of Microstructure in Topical Drug Product Development (Springer, 2019).
He is the developer of ACZONE® 5% Gel, MetroGel® 1%, CLOBEX® Spray, DESONATE® Gel, ZIANA® Gel, ACANYA® Gel, JUBLIA® Topical Solution, and ZORYVE® (roflumilast) Cream and Foam.
He was the 1992 Chairman of the ACS Division of Colloid and Surface Chemistry, Founding North American Editor of the journal Colloids and Surfaces: Biointerfaces and the 2001 Missouri State University Outstanding Young Alumnus.
Annette Wardell
As a native Springfieldian, attending Southwest Missouri State University (now MSU) was an obvious choice for Dr. Annette Wardell.
While at SMSU, she worked at the Taylor Health Center (now Magers Family Health and Wellness Center), majored in chemistry, minored in biomedical science and was involved in several academic clubs.
Dr. Wardell received her Doctor of Medicine degree at Mizzou in 1992 and returned to Springfield for the Cox Family Medicine Residency.
Out of residency, an opportunity opened for her to return to SMSU at the Taylor Health Center as a clinic physician and be in charge of their Women’s Clinic.
In 2020, she retired after 25 years at MSU and has been a member of the Board of Advisors since 2004.
Mary Krause
Mary Krause, Ph.D., earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Chemistry from Missouri State University in 2005 and her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Kansas in 2011. Her doctoral work focused on the characterization of a novel metal binding peptide tag and resulting metal complexes, including novel platinum-protein conjugates for use as targeted anti-cancer therapeutics.
After her graduate studies, Mary continued this research at the University of Kansas as a PhRMA Foundation Post-Doctoral Fellow in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and later as a Scientist at a startup company that licensed this technology.
Mary is currently Director of Formulation Development in the Sterile Drug Product Development Department of Bristol Myers Squibb in New Brunswick, NJ. In this role, Mary leads a group of formulation scientists to support formulation and process development of injectable drug products.
Mary is passionate about mentoring young women in STEM and is on the global leadership team for the Bristol Myers Squibb Network of Women (B-NOW). She is lead author/co-inventor on many patents, publications, conference presentations, and invited lectures.
In addition to her membership of the Chemistry Advisory Board, Mary is currently a member of the Board of Directors for the Missouri State University Alumni Association.
Geoffrey Manani
Geoffrey Manani is currently the Vice President of Operations & Chemical Solutions Consultant at ChemBle Solutions, a business providing chemical consultancy services and specialty products to Government Agencies and other chemical manufacturers and wholesalers across the US. Mr. Manani also operates as Independent Manufacturers’ Representatives for these niche products. This comes after working for 9 years as Lead Chemist at Rhomar Water, a company specializing in the manufacturing of products for the hydronic industry including heat transfer fluids (mainly antifreeze), cleaners, and corrosion inhibitors.
During his tenure at Rhomar Water, he undertook various roles including product analysis, technical assistance, sales and marketing, as well as ensuring the safety and health of both products and end users. He was instrumental in creating and updating technical documents and oversaw the registration of non-food compounds/products with the NSF. His notable achievements include improving and stabilizing product quality by moving production in-house and developing and launching new products. Additionally, he has collaborated with clients across diverse sectors, such as defense contractors, higher education institutions, healthcare facilities, mechanical contractors, engineering firms, energy companies, and recreation (including indoor/heated pools and recreational vehicles).
Mr. Manani also previously worked with Mumias Sugar Company in Kenya as a Management Trainee and subsequently as Production Superintendent where he oversaw all activities in the sugar processing house and managed resources to maximize throughputs while minimizing downtimes.
Mr. Manani earned his BSc. degree in chemistry from The Nairobi University in 2009 and a M.S. in Chemistry from Missouri State University in 2014.
Nathan Schultheiss