Experience

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  Independent Consultant

  • Costa Rica

  • • International Agribusiness Development Specialist

    • 2008 - Present
    • Costa Rica

    Independent consulting projects in agricultural product production and processing including ornamental crops, micro-greens production (including edible flowers), fruits, and other high-value horticulture. Engineering consults include greenhouse construction and management and irrigation systems....

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  Roots of Peace

  • Afghanistan

  • • Agribusiness Director

    • Jan 2007 - Jul 2007
    • Afghanistan

    Established and managed the Northern Regional office in Mazar-e-Sharif, Balkh, Afghanistan to promote agribusiness activities with a focus on enhancing value chain activities, processing, pest control, processing, and local and export markets. Completed initial investigations to define value cha...

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  International Executive Service Corps (IESC)

  • Azerbaijan

  • • High Value Agriculture Specialist

    • 2004 - 2006
    • Azerbaijan

    Established and managed a regional office in Lankaran, Azerbaijan to promote demand-driven agribusiness, increased competitiveness, the development of trade/market opportunities, production and processing expansion, and greater employment primarily through the expansion of the food processing ind...

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  Tico Helechos de Poas, S.A.

  • Costa Rica

  • • President

    • 1994 - 2004
    • Costa Rica

    Demonstrated his capacity as a successful entrepreneur by purchasing a bankrupt ornamental flowers farm after completing a market analysis of historical price trends in the European ornamental market. This analysis identified leatherleaf fern as having the best value and most stable pricing. Ma...

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  Chemonics International

  • Eritrea

  • • Private Sector Specialist

    • 2002 - 2002
    • Eritrea

    Held a major leadership role in the assessment of enterprises that have received support and funding under the USAID Rural Enterprise Investment Partnership, Eritrea. Identified new business opportunities in leather/hides, artisanal fishing and fish culture, and ornamental horticulture. Mr. Bec...

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  Shalimar Flowers Kenya Ltd.

  • Kenya

  • • General Manager

    • 1991 - 1994
    • Kenya

    Responsible for the turn-around of a bankrupt ornamental flower farm in Kenya. Under Mr. Becker's management, Shalimar reached profitability within two years and maintained profitability until the sale of the farm after its fourth year in operation. He identified new markets within three mo...

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  Elephant Enterprises, Ltd

  • Kenya

  • • Managing Director (Partner)

    • 1988 - 1990
    • Kenya

    Assumed control of a hotel (White Elephant Sea Lodge), a furniture production carpentry (Elephant Enterprises), and a real estate development and construction business (Ndovo Ndogo Ltd). Under his management, these businesses grew into three highly profitable businesses through training, marketi...

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  L’Art sans Frontières

  • Democratic Republic of the Congo

  • • Proprietor

    • 1983 - 1988
    • Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Established a trading company operating in Central African countries. Assessed market needs and developed means to fulfill them, earning substantial profits. Privately supported a medical clinic in the Ituri Forest.

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  United States Peace Corps

  • Honduras

  • • Small Business Consultant

    • 1982 - 1983
    • Honduras

    Instrumental in developing profitability of a large cooperative of more than two hundred tailor shops. Conceived and implemented a Regional Development Plan in two departments (states) which reduced small business failure rate from 87% to 21% primarily through an integrated marketing plan for hun...

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  Edward Secon & Associuates, Inc.

  • Connecticut

  • • Vice President (Business Management)

    • 1979 - 1982
    • Connecticut

    Applied industrial management skills to product and environmental design business. Increased and broadened customer base through planning, management and goal definition.

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  Chemcoat, Inc.

  • Williamsport, Pennsylvania Area

  • • Product and Sales Manager

    • 1974 - 1979
    • Williamsport, Pennsylvania Area

    Established a business plan that ultimately doubled sales volume within two years. Clients included Zenith (wood finishes), Sylvania (flashbulb coatings), Xerox (metal finishes), and Masonite Corp. (primer for exterior siding).

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  Pontus Imports, LLC

  • Greater Boston Area

  • • Vice President (Financial Partner)

    • 1976 - 1978
    • Greater Boston Area

    Founded import-export business in Greece (Dibex Hellkas) and U.S.A. (Pontus Imports). Sold profitable operations in two years.

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  Dibex Hellas

  • Greece

  • • Partner

    • 1976 - 1978
    • Greece

    Founded import-export business in Greece (Dibex Hellas) and U.S.A. (Pontus Imports). Sold profitable operations in two years.

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  Technovation, Inc.

  • Greater Philadelphia Area

  • • Vice President (Operations)

    • 1972 - 1974
    • Greater Philadelphia Area

    Revamped an ineffective hi-tech furniture facility and increased production ten-fold while reducing production cost by 60%. Granted process patent.

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  Chemcraft, Inc.

  • Williamsport, Pennsylvania Area

  • • Vice President (Operations)

    • 1970 - 1972
    • Williamsport, Pennsylvania Area

    Commercialized a new plastics process. Started-up and sold profitable venture within three years. Granted product and process patents.

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  Globe Paint Works, Inc.

  • • Product Development Manager

    • 1964 - 1970

    Managed both the sales force and the product development laboratory to insure client needs were fulfilled. He doubled sales within four years. Recognized opportunity to apply existing facilities into new product and market areas. See Chemcraft, Inc.

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  Armour Leather Company, Inc.

  • Williamsport, Pennsylvania Area

  • • Laboratory Analyst, Pilot Plant Manager

    • 1963 - 1964
    • Williamsport, Pennsylvania Area

    Chemical and physical analysis of leather process chemicals as well as hides, intermediate and finished products. Supervised pilot production of experimental leather tanning process.