RICHARD P. MCDERMOTT, CEO, SIGNAKEY

•   Dr. McDermott was born in England and received his B.Sc. from Salford University and Ph.D. from the University of Leeds

•   He emigrated to the U.S. in 1975 to work for a division of WR Grace.

•   McDermott acquired that division thru a leveraged buyout in 1981.

•   Over the next 35 years, he owned and operated 36 businesses - the largest with annual revenue of $420 million and 1,300 employees.

•   Today, with a partner, he owns SignaKey, where he is CEO.

•   Signakey lists global clients in Europe, Africa, Asia, and N.A. It is involved diverse track/trace and authentication programs, such as cigarette tax stamps, thoroughbred horseracing, hemp sample tracking, crime-scene evidence traceability, parenteral drugs, automotive racing engines, etc.