MICROCHEM LABORATORY - Key Persons
Ann Acuff is the Cosmetic and Challenge Testing Team Lead. Originally from Bay City, Texas, Ann holds a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology from The University of Texas at Austin and has 20+ years of experience in an FDA-regulated laboratory prior to coming to Microchem.
As the Cosmetics Team Lead, Ann manages routine and custom testing to ensure personal care products have strong preservative systems in place and are safe for end-use. With the extensive knowledge Ann has in her field, she contributes greatly to our lab and company culture.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- President
- Founder of Antimicrobial Test Laboratories, Acquires Most Assets of Microchem Laboratory Inc., Begins Operation As Microchem Laboratory, LLC
- Management Team
Benjamin Tanner is the President and CEO of Microchem Laboratory. He holds a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Arizona where he studied environmental infectious disease transmission under Dr. Charles Gerba. He is the author of the book, Legal Aspects of Infectious Diseases and has served as an expert microbiologist in dozens of infection-related lawsuits. He founded Antimicrobial Test Laboratories in 2006 and Cosmetic Test Labs in 2012, which were later combined with Microchem Laboratory. He served as CEO of Clinical Research Laboratories (including subsidiaries CRL Suncare and Vivo Clinical Testing) from 2016 until its recent acquisition by Eurofins. Dr. Tanner's current professional focus is the growth and development of Microchem Laboratory.
Job Titles:
- Director of Client Relations for the Disinfectants and Sanitizers Team
Karen Ramm joined the team at Microchem Laboratory in October as Director of Client Relations for the Disinfectants and Sanitizers team. Karen is a lifelong Minnesotan and lives near Minneapolis. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from St. Catherine University in St. Paul, MN.
Karen has worked in the antimicrobial industry for 23 years. She began her career at ViroMed Laboratories where she served as study director on hundreds of EPA and FDA regulated studies. She has held a variety of technical and business development positions since then, including a 15 year tenure overseeing the virology laboratory operations at a large contract testing lab.
She is an active member of ASTM and CSPA and has recently served as an industry expert panel member for the EPA's Disinfection Hierarchy Stakeholder Workshop.
Born and raised in Austin, Texas, Krystal Rodenbeck is a true Austinite. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Bioenvironmental Sciences with a minor in Genetics from Texas A&M University College Station. Before joining the Microchem team, Krystal worked in several diagnostic laboratories for animals, from animal necropsy at Texas A&M Vet Medical Diagnostic Lab to the rabies dept at DSHS. With her vast laboratory experience, Krystal is widely familiar with FDA, CLIA, and AATB (American Association of Tissue Banks) regulatory bodies.
Krystal continues to provide Microchem with insights on regulatory lab procedures and as the Quality Assurance Team Lead, she leads and supervises a team of quality assurance personnel, ensuring that the facilities, equipment, personnel, methods, practices, records, and controls are in conformance with the facility Quality Management System and the pertinent regulations
Madhuri Patil is our Custom Team Lead. She holds a master's degree in biotechnology and management studies from University of Mumbai, India. Known for her calm demeanor and technical proficiency, Madhuri not only contributes to the success of Microchem but she also plays a crucial role in steering various projects to completion. With her diverse skill set, she seamlessly transitioned to a team lead role during her tenure at the company.
In her current role as Custom Team Lead, Madhuri oversees novel testing for custom methods and devices. Her expertise in virology adds a unique dimension to her leadership, allowing her to navigate the complexities of custom testing with ease. Beyond her individual accomplishments, Madhuri plays an instrumental role in guiding her team towards excellence.
Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Taylor Rodriguez graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a B.S.A. in Biology and minors in Business and Sociology.
Taylor started her career with Microchem as an Intern on our Disinfectants and Sanitizers Team and due to her technical performance and positive attitude, Taylor was offered a position as a Marketing Associate. Since then, Taylor has started her new role as Project Manager & Marketing Specialist, specializing in Cosmetic Testing. Taylor also creates and implements various campaigns to promote our testing services, as well as managing and curating all of Microchem's digital media content. Taylor enjoys working in a family-run research facility and looks forward to contributing to Microchem's success.
Victoria Zarate received her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Texas State University. Victoria now serves as the Disinfectants/Sanitizers and Virology Team Lead for Microchem.
Victoria, a native of Austin, Texas, has played a pivotal role in Microchem's success since joining the team in 2017. Starting as an Associate Analyst on the Disinfectant and Sanitizer Team, Victoria quickly distinguished herself through her diligence and perseverance, earning a promotion to Study Director. In 2019, she was promoted again to Analyst II, and in 2020, she took on the additional role of Team Lead for Virology. Today, Victoria serves as the Team Lead for Disinfectants/Sanitizers and Virology Testing, bringing a wealth of technical expertise and an in-depth understanding of antimicrobial regulations to both teams. Known for her determination and commitment to quality, Victoria consistently goes above and beyond to ensure the success of each test study she oversees, and that is clear within each of the roles she has held at Microchem.
Job Titles:
- Accounting Manager
- Management Team
Yvonne Reinke is the Accounting Manager. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a MBA in Human Resources Management.
Yvonne was born and raised in Wisconsin and has lived in Texas since 2010. She joined Microchem in December 2020 and comes to us with a background in manufacturing and retail grocery, working in both an accounting and human resources capacity in her previous roles. Yvonne brings a wealth of general business knowledge and experience to Microchem and is a detail-oriented professional who enjoys being part of a team and going the extra mile to get the job done.