Paul Pickard, MBA

Leading intellectual property strategy and execution with the leader in non-toxic Quantum Dots.

Engaged for multiple contracts including: * Product Development Process and Company Culture optimization, Go-To-Market Strategy and Key Process/Procedure development for a VC-backed medical device startup * Patent Portfolio Analysis and Strategic Plan for a mid-9-figure business unit of a major multi-national * Advising on color science/spectrally agile lighting * Competitive market analysis and product architecture development for a leading LED Lighting company * Patent brokerage services (marketing and outreach) for multiple individual inventors * Expert witness services for patent litigation

* Directed technology strategy and innovation roadmap for a leading U.S. architectural lighting manufacturer. * Modernized product portfolio to integrate next-generation control systems. * Partnered with commercial leadership to align technology investments with revenue growth priorities, positioning Insight Lighting for scalable expansion. * Invented new optical technologies enabling best-in-class performance with optimized cost structure (patents pending)

* Defined and executed corporate strategy in Human Light Interaction (HLI), a new category at the intersection of lighting, health, and science. * Built and led multidisciplinary teams of researchers, color scientists, and engineers to translate research into commercially viable solutions. * Oversaw product development, IP creation, and technology roadmaps across multiple brands under the Korrus portfolio. * Drove executive-level alignment of R&D investments with business growth goals, ensuring strong ROI on technology development.

* Led Technology and Intellectual Property teams for a global architectural lighting manufacturer serving the specification market. * Directed development of Trov, the world’s best-selling cove and graze linear LED product family, achieving category leadership in specification lighting. * Oversaw launch of Rise, an LED spot and floodlight recognized with the Red Dot “Best of the Best” Award, establishing Ecosense as a design leader. * Expanded product portfolio through Lumium brand acquisitions, enabling architectural linear systems with unmatched customization flexibility. * Managed integration of Soraa, adding the highest-quality solid-state lamps available to the product line, strengthening Ecosense’s position in premium color rendering. * Drove patent strategy and IP development, securing Ecosense’s competitive moat in core product categories (zero to 570 assets over 10 years.) * Built high-performing teams across R&D and engineering, with strong relationships to supply chain and operations that supported 8+ years of double-digit growth.

* Led engineering development of the first LED A-lamp under $10, commercialized nationally through Home Depot — a pricing breakthrough that accelerated mainstream adoption of LED lighting. * Championed intellectual property strategy, contributing to multiple patents that secured Cree’s position as an innovation leader.

* Oversaw design and commercialization of the LR24 LED troffer, setting the industry benchmark for efficiency and performance in office and retail applications. * Spearheaded launch of the first mass-market LED troffer family (CR series), scaling into $50M+ annual sales and transforming the commercial lighting market. * Implemented structured stage-gate development processes, reducing time-to-market by 25% across multiple product lines.

* Led the engineering and developed the supply chain for the LR6 downlight module, kicking off two years of uncontested leadership for LLF/Cree in the LED lighting market. * US employee #7 at LLF (later acquired by Cree.)

"Acuity Brands Lighting has created the ABS Leaders Development Program, a unique program designed to provide opportunity for demonstrated leaders in our business to dedicate themselves fulltime to become experts in ABS, thereby accelerating ABS itself. The program is equally designed to develop future leaders for ABL that have broad multi functional exposure, have learned to think and work collaboratively across functions and have mastered the application of ABS tools. Immersion in ABS is expected to create leaders where ABS is second nature in much the same way as learning a foreign language in the foreign culture accelerates the learning and provides for a deeper and richer understanding."

Designed and implemented new org structure and hand selected staff for New Product Engineering group. Led development of Lithonia’s Aggregate Planning and LEAN Product Delivery System processes. Coordinated technology and human resources for major industry initiative to deliver 4X typical Lithonia Lighting products to launch by LightFair ’07. Managed 6 direct and 14 indirect reports, covering new product engineering for the commercial product groups at Lithonia Lighting (about $1.2B in revenue at that time.)

Managed a group of 6 direct/10 indirect reports, covering new product development, industrial design, sustaining engineering, and engineering services for a $130M revenue business unit focused on Emergency Lighting. Drove the redesign program for the business unit's #1 product family from concept through first production samples in 10 weeks (7 months start to finish for product launch) achieving a $2M annual cost reduction. Granted the "Chairman's Award" for two projects providing in excess of $350K/month contribution.

Co-op experience as Digital Equipment Corporation, and as a Network Administrator at The CORE Group, a government and heath care consultancy. Cum Laude, Mechanical Engineering Cum Laude, General Honors