When a company is involved in an acquisitions process, the transition can involve numerous changes and challenges. To be successful when navigating this new pathway, it becomes imperative for those who will be leading the way in the new company to take an active leadership role along the way. This has been the case with Dr. Frances Gilman, who as one of the world’s foremost microbiology researchers has recently found herself as a leading executive at a new and innovative manufacturing facility specializing in hemp products and extraction, including THC-free and non-detectable THC.
Originally starting her business career with Blue Marble Biomaterials, a Missoula, MT based company that specialized in creating natural and specialty compounds for water soluble fragrances, cosmetics and foods, and she remained with the company when it was acquired by Socati. With her vast knowledge of the company as well as many of today’s newest and innovative methods involving hemp extraction and CBD, she was able to not only put her extensive research and development skills to good use, but also use her years of business knowledge to play an important role in developing a team of researchers and executives that would lead the company to future success.
Surprisingly, Dr. Gilman never expected to be on her current career path. Having obtained a PhD in Microbiology, she spent much of her time researching various aspects of climate change and the role microorganisms played in the process, and how water-soluble products impact the environment. As a graduate of the University of Montana, Dr. Gilman had a keen interest in not only staying in the area, but also doing everything possible to help make Missoula and the surrounding area as environmentally-friendly as possible.
Expecting to always have a career in academia, Dr. Frances Gilman chose the unusual step of applying for a job as a microbiologist at Blue Marble Biomaterials. To her surprise, she was hired for the position, which laid the groundwork for her eventually becoming a senior vice-president for Socati. Once Blue Marble was acquired by the new company, she was able to stay on and assume a more prominent leadership role within the company. Along with this, she played an important role in making sure the entire staff of Blue Marble was also retained, which set the stage for a smooth transition and future business success.
Though still heavily involved in research and development, Dr. Gilman is also devoting more of her time to building a team at Socati that will allow the company to take many new and innovative and broad spectrum steps within the next decade, exploring a depth and breadth of health and wellness areas impacted by many factors related to industry projected interests and markets. For example, by shifting the company’s focus almost exclusively to hemp extraction and CBD research, including water soluble CBD, THC-free and non-detectable THC, she is putting together an infrastructure that lets the company design and develop various natural processes and ingredients. By doing so, it is expected consumers who are choosing to use only environmentally friendly, for instance water soluble, products will become long-time customers of the company, also looking for solutions that use the cannabinoid class of diverse chemical compounds, with ingredients from hemp-derived products like CBG, CBC, CBN.
Though admitting she is working in a field that has in years past been dominated by males, Dr. Gilman has nevertheless been able to show other women that success as a researcher and business executive is possible. Often called upon to speak at many events featuring female business leaders, Dr Gilman makes it a point to let other women know they too can achieve whatever dreams on which they set their sights. A perfect example of how one’s career path can change unexpectedly, she firmly believes that since female consumers are primarily driving the hemp, CBD and other health and wellness markets, she and her company are poised for success.
Though today’s business world is ever-changing, those in the industry have little doubt that with her ingenuity, perseverance, and knowledge, Dr. Frances Gilman is one-of-a-kind.
You can learn more about Dr. Frances Gilman at Socati.com.
