1993 Hall of Fame Marc A. Chavan

							1993

Hall of Fame

Marc A. Chavannes and Alfred W. Fielding
Sealed Air Corporation, Saddle Brook

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M arc A. Chavannes and Alfred W. Fielding developed AirCap air cellular packaging material -
air bubbles encapsulated between two layers of plastic film, each containing a barrier layer to
retard air loss. Bubble cushioning was clean, cost-effective packaging material providing
superior protection from shock and vibration throughout a product's shipping and storage cycle.
The development of AirCap packaging material, U.S. patent #3,416,984, was formalized in 1960
when Chavannes and Fielding founded Sealed Air Corporation as a public corporation. Sealed
Air specialized in developing the market for "protective packaging" and other uses for the
product, including padded shipping envelopes and solar pool covers. Fielding is a 1939 graduate
of Stevens Institute of Technology. He has been executive vice president (1960-1985) and served
on the Board of Directors (1960-1987) of Sealed Air Corporation. Retired, he currently resides in
Kirkland, Wash. Chavannes is a native of Switzerland and spent part of his professional life in
the diplomatic service as a judge on the World Court and at the League of Nations before
entering business. In the 1930s, he studied physics and chemistry before starting a latex business.
Today, Chavannes is retired and lives in Florida.


Charles J. Fletcher
Technology General Corporation, Franklin

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W hile serving as a pilot in the U.S. Navy in Norfolk, Va., Charles J. Fletcher sketched the
design for a vehicle envisioned to rise above the water or terrain (approximately 10 inches to two
feet) depending on available horsepower. The vehicle would generate an airflow trapped against
a uniform surface such as the ground or water, freeing it from the surface and eliminating
friction. Positive control and movement would be attained using aircraft control techniques and
the release of air. What Fletcher called the "Glidemobile" is known today ad the hovercraft. The
hovercraft has proven to be a major advance in military land assault vehicles and modern inter-
waterway travel. Hovercrafts are manufactured in the U.S. today and by Bell Aerosystems and
sell for between $800,00 and $1.5 million each. Fletcher's claim as an inventor of the hovercraft,
undocumented because the U.S. military suppressed the patent to keep the idea a secret, was
recently validated during resolution of a lawsuit brought by British Hovercraft Ltd. against the
United States, seeking royalties of $104 million. Attorneys for the U.S. Department of Justice
found a 1960 edition of Design News which featured an article on Fletcher's hovercraft. Fletcher
was tracked down and his records on the project which included 16 mm films of the
"Glidemobile," documentation regarding his conceptual drawings, subsequent work, model flight
trials, and various news articles proved easy to destroy the Hovercraft Ltd. case. Fletcher earned
a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering from the academy of Aeronautics at New York
University in 1950. He holds 17 aeronautical patents on vertical lift and rocket engines plus five
additional patents for industrial products.


Erwin Klingsberg, Ph.D.
American Cyanamid Company, Bound Brook

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W ild oats is a weed which infests crops worldwide such as wheat and barley, contributing to the
global food crisis. A chemist-inventor with mores than 40 patents, Erwin Klingsberg developed
the selective herbicide "Avenge," which effectively controls the wild oat weed, benefitting the
economies of countries around the world because it increases both the yields and quality of
wheat and barley harvests. In addition to Avenge and dyestuffs, he also developed a cost-
effective procedure for analyzing vat dyes. His multi-volume treatise on pyradine chemistry,
published in 1960 has remained the standard in the field. Klingsberg was a chemist at American
Cyanamid's research laboratories in Bound Brook from 1946 to 1981. He has lectured on his
work in many parts of the world and held a number of visiting professorships here and abroad.
He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. from the
University of Rochester. Retired, he currently resides in Washington, D.C.

Robert W. Lucky, Ph.D.
Bellcore, Morristown

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R obert W. Lucky developed the adaptive equalizer which corrects signal distortion found in the
transmission of data over telephone lines. The device was a quantum leap forward in data
transmission technology, quadrupling the speed of transmission from 2400 bits to 9600 bits per
second. The adaptive equalizer led to more efficient transmission of voice and data as well as
lower cost because of the significant reduction of transmission of time. The device uses a
transversal filter which resets automatically during the period preceding the actual transmission.
The novel solution to a vexing problem was truly adaptive in that the equalizer changed its own
characteristics according to the nature of the pulses in the lines. Lucky also has researched thee
methods and technologies for future communication systems, including optical fiber technology,
data networks, mobile communication, image processing, and broadband communications
technologies and services. The textbook he co-authored on data communications became the
most cited reference in the communications field over a 10-year period. His popular book,
"Silicon Dreams," is a semi-technical and philosophical discussion of the ways in which both
humans and computers deal with information. His latest book is titled "Lucky Strikes Again."
Robert Lucky was named Vice President of Applied Research at Bellcore in October 1992 after a
30year career at AT&T Bell Laboratories. He earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in
electrical engineering at Perdue University and was the recipient of the prestigious Marconi Prize
for his contributions to data communications in 1987.


Keith D. Millis (1915-1992)
International Nickel Company, Bayonne
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During World War II, when many primary metals were in short supply, Keith D. Millis made a
discovery that revolutionized the metalworking industry. While searching for a replacement for
chromium, a key alloying element is stainless steel, high strength steels, and abrasion resistant
irons such as Ni-Hard, he discovered the process for making ductile cast iron. Millis' discovery
occurred when he added magnesium to a liquid bath of iron, with dramatic results. After
sweeping much of the metal off the floor, he checked the microstructure and found the graphite
in a round shape rather than a corn flake shape. Millis hadn't achieved his objective, but rather
discovered something more revolutionary. Ductile cast iron is twice as strong as its gray iron
parent, and much easier to cast than steel. Millis' discovery changed the world. Because of
ductile iron, automobiles have been made better, tractors and bulldozers have increased
performance, machine tools are more accurate, and water enters homes more efficiently. It has
been said that his discovery may be the one invention in this century which has had the most
influence on the metal-working industry. Ductile iron is used world wide and is a multi-billion
dollar per year industry. The Ductile Iron Society has sponsored a perpetual scholarship in the
name of Keith Dwight Millis for the education of men and women throughout the world. Millis
was a graduate of Rensselar Polytechnic Institute.

Sidney Pestka, M.D.
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey / Robert Wood Johnson Medical School,
Piscataway

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Dr. Sidney Pestka has made seminal contributions in diverse areas molecular biology including
furthering our understanding of how antibiotics work, development of the first biotheraputic -
interferon, and development of antisense RNA technology used in genetic engineering to block a
single gene. During comprehensive and far-reaching work on antibiotics, he began to research on
the anti-viral protein known as interferon. In the process, Dr. Pestka developed not only new
technology but fundamental new insights into the field. Interferon therapy helps patients with
hairy cell leukemia maintain remission and enjoy a normal life without enduring radiation
therapy, bone marrow transplants, chemotherapy, splenectomy, or blood transfusions. Interferon
therapy also has made significant inroads for treatment of many other malignant tumors and viral
diseases. Significant remissions have been observed in chronic myelogenous leukemia, T-cell
leukemia, malignant melanoma, renal cell cancer, bladder cell cancer, multiple myeloma, a non-
Hodgkin's lymphomas, and AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma. It is the only current treatment for
chronic Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. Leukocyte Interferon, a rare natural protein estimated to
cost $50 million per gram 12 years ago, is now available as practical treatment for various
cancers in sufficient amounts to supply all needs. Many patients are alive and well today because
of Dr. Pestka's direct contributions. Thousands more will be alive and thriving in the future
because of his achievements. Dr. Pestka also revolutionized the purification of proteins through
the development of reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), a process
now employed by laboratories around the world involved in the isolation and purification of
proteins. In 1983, he developed a bold new technique for blocking the expression of single genes
in prokaryotic cells with the use of antisense RNA. The discovery has become a commonplace
consideration in planning experiments within molecular genetics and developing strategies for
the treatment of many diseases. Currently professor and chairman of the Department of
Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at UMDNJ's Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in
Piscataway, N.J., he spent some 16 years working at The Roche Institute of Hoffman-La Roche
in Nutley. Dr. Pestka earned a bachelor's degree from Princeton University and a doctorate in
medicine from the University of Pennsylvania.

Inventors of the Year

Michael J. Flowers
Electric Mobility Corporation, Sewell

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M ichael J. Flowers, president of the Electric Mobility Corp., developed the "Rascal
ConvertAble," a combination three-wheel electric scooter and four-wheel power wheel chair for
the physically challenged. Flowers designed an add-on two-wheel front section that could be
easily attached (without tools) to a two-wheel take-apart rear section. The result: the " two
scooters-in-one" Rascal ConvertAble, offering both a sturdy outdoor three wheel scooter and
precision four wheel version allowing the user to drive up to a table to work or eat without
needing to swivel the chair or move anything out of the way. The combination achieved the
maximum degree of mobility and eliminated the need to buy two separate units. More than 5,000
units of the Rascal ConvertAble have been sold by Electric Mobility Corporation various
configurations. Flowers is a graduate of Rutgers University.

Louis L. Grube
GAF Building Material Corporation, Wayne

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L ouis Grube developed the flame-retardant bitumen, a polyester-based roofing product that uses
environmentally safe minerals to achieve flame retardance without sacrificing the integrity of the
roofing membrane. The flame-retardant formula is not only safer, but, also cost effective to
produce and install, saving both the company and the public considerable funds. Prior to the
invention, modified bitumen rolled roofing used a polyester substrate to enhance the tensile
strength, elongation, and puncture and tear resistance. Unfortunately, the asphalt, polymer and
polyester substrates were flammable. As a result a coating was developed for application upon
installation. This added extra materials and labor costs to every roofing project and resulted in
the use of bromine-based chemicals which release toxic bromine gas when ignited. Grube
developed a formula that featured the mineral colemanite, which is available at a substantially
lower cost than competitive formulas and emits mainly environmentally neutral calcium oxide
and borate when burned. In addition, the roofing product can be applied without the need for
expensive external coatings. The GAF Rubberoid FR product line is now an integral part of the
GAF Rubberoid family and is being widely used on commercial buildings that require an
Underwriter's Laboratory (UL) or a Factory Mutual (FM) Class A roof. Grube holds five U.S.
patents and earned a bachelors degree in chemistry from Pfieffer College in North Carolina.

Sue Wilson, Ed.D.
Colgate-Palmolive, Piscataway
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S ue Wilson developed and patented radically new formulations of liquid and powdered
detergents that completely remove oily soil from synthetic fabrics. These formulations resulted
in the national launch of both Fresh Start and Dynamo brand products. As a research chemist,
Wilson was responsible for product formulation of Fresh Start, FAB, Super Suds, Punch and
Axion brand products. She has demonstrated expertise in the study of soil release and
antiredeposition agents. Wilson has implemented product improvements for FAB Softergent
powder and liquid, FAB OneShot, Dynamo and Ajax powder and liquid, and helped achieve
more than $25 million in increased profitability for her company. Wilson is a recipient of the
N.J. National Council of Negro Women Industry Award, the Tribute to Women in Industry
(TWIN) Award and the Harlem YMCA Black Acheivers in Industry Award. She earned a
bachelor's degree from North Carolina Central College and master's degree and doctorate from
Rutgers University. She is currently manager of Colgate Palmolive's household products division
and is involved with strategic planning and the administration of a $20 million research budget

Special Citations

Spirit of Innovation
Bonnie L. James
Cherica Inc., Tuckerton
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While feeding 2-month-old Jessica Lee in 1989, Bonnie L. James conceived the idea for "Bottle
Pals," baby bottle holders that are amusing, educational and appealing to both mothers and
children, and more importantly, which makes feeding baby easy and fun. "Bottle Pals," brightly
colored stuffed animas with holes in their middles to hold a baby bottle, supports the bottle while
amusing the infant at the same time. In addition, they help promote hand-eye coordination and
are said to promote relaxation and better digestion for the baby. Currently, "Bottle Pals" are sold
at J.C. Penney, Toys-R-Us, and Child World, among other retailers. "Bottle Pals" are available in
four designs (bear, duck, dog and bunny). The plush is currently manufactured in China and the
bottle in Hong Kong and has been selling on both national and international markets.

Enduring Popularity
Italo Marchiony (1868-1954)
Hoboken


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I talo Marchiony arrived in Hoboken from Italy in 1895 and sold ice cream and lemon ice from a
pushcart on New York's Wall Street. He used liquor glasses to serve his confections to
stockbrokers and Wall Street runners. But the glasses proved and encumbrance - many broke or
were taken and had to be washed after each serving. Marchiony devised a better way to serve ice
cream - an edible cup known today as the ice cream cone. Marchiony baked waffles and while
still warm, folded them into the shape of a cup. The customers relished the cups which proved
convenient, sanitary and tasty. The waffle cup made Marchiony the most popular vendor on Wall
Street and soon afterward, he had a chain of 45 carts operated by men he hired. Ice cream in a
cup became known as a "toot," which many have been derived from the Italian word "tutti" or
"all," as customers were urged to "Eat it all," ice cream and waffle cup. Unfortunately, or
unfortunately for Marchiony, the hand-made cups couldn't keep up with the demand. Marchiony
needed a device for mass production. So he had adapted the design of the waffle iron to accept
batter and bake it in the shape of the waffle cups. At first, it was difficult to make the fragile cups
out of the mold without breaking them. He solved the problem by dividing the bottom half of the
mold, to separate it from the baked cups. Instead of one mold for each cup, he arranged two rows
of five in each mold to produce 10 cups at a time. Marchiony applied for a patent in 1902 and it
was awarded in 1903, U.S. Patent No. 746,971. In 1904, Marchiony took his confection to the
Louisiana Exposition in St. Louis. While there, he ran out of his patented cups and asked a
waffle maker in the next booth to roll the waffles in to the shape of a cone. Because of the
success at the Exposition, the idea of an edible ice cream container spread throughout the
country. Marchiony's company thrived at 219 Grand Street in Hoboken, turning out ice cream
cones and wafers until his plant was destroyed by fire in 1934. He retired from his business in
1938 and died in 1954 at the age of 86.


Corporate Inductee

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Princeton

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C reated in 1989 by the merger of New Jersey -based Squibb Corporation and New York-based
Bristol-Myers, the company was selected for sustained development of quality health care
products. Bristol Myers Squibb has developed major products for the treatment of cardiovascular
problems, cancer, infectious diseases, central nervous system disorders, and is dermatological
maladies, diagnostic agents, and women's health care products. Bristol-Myers Squibb researchers
were pioneers in the area of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, a novel class
antihypertensive agents. The synthesis of Captopril, the first orally active ACE inhibitor,
established the key role of angiotensin in the mechanisms of hypertension and opened a fresh
new field of research - ACE inhibition. Captopril has been sold as Capoten since 1981 and is one
of the most successful drugs ever marketed. The company added a second ACE inhibitor,
Monopril, in 1991. Azactam, an antibacterial agent first marketed in 1987, represents a novel
class of antibiotics known as monobactams. The invention of monobactams followed the design
and implementation of a unique screen that isolated the bacteria's nucleus. In the 1950s and
1960s, the company made important contributions to the field of dermatology from its New
Jersey laboratories. Taxol, a promising anti-cancer drug effective against refractory ovarian
cancer as well as breast and lung cancers, recently won approval by the FDA. Another drug in
the field of infectious diseases is Videx, used in the treatment of AIDS. Princeton is home to
Bristol-Myers Squibb's U.S. Pharmaceutical Group and the company's research institute. For the
past 15 years, the company has sponsored an Unrestricted Grants program which has provided
more than 100 scientists with no-strings attached grants for biomedical research.