Socati is proud to welcome Dr. Frances Gilman to the family after the company acquired the Missoula manufacturing facility, Blue Marble.
Dr. Gilman was a part of Missoula for some time. She serves as one of the most important microbiologists in the company and helped produce sustainable compounds that were distributed to help the world produce more food. Her work also aided other industries, such as the cosmetic and fragrance industry, and more recently incorporating water soluble products, including water soluble CBD, and the broad spectrum of cannabinoid class of hemp-derived products like CBG, CBC, CBN.
Dr. Gilman is now entering a new world of possibilities, and the following interview will provide a clearer understanding of Dr. Gilman and all she brings to the table.
How Would You Describe Your Career Path?
When this question was posed to Dr. Gilman, she mostly discussed how her education lead her to where she is now. Her career actually began during college while she was studying to earn her PhD in Microbiology. It was during her studies that she was given an opportunity to do some hands-on work with a company called Greenland. Most of her work focused on microorganisms, which greatly contributed to her level of passion toward her work projects. Prior to pursuing her graduate degree, Dr. Gilman earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Montana, and worked with a company called Blue Marble.
Dr. Gilman believed her career path would lead her to a teaching position, helping others about microorganisms. She hadn’t considered having a career that involved business operations or manufacturing. It was her time with Blue Marble that opened her eyes to the possibilities for her career path. Because she had found a sustainably focused company that was interested in finding effective ways to help the world in an eco-conscious manner, she was drawn to consider how she could make perhaps an even larger, positive, impact as well.
What Has Changed Now That You Are Part of Socati?
The acquisition has certainly changed things for Dr. Frances Gilman. She said the acquisition results in her being able to focus on creating an even stronger and more functional team.
Socati has provided Dr. Gilman with customizable resources for her team so that she can boost efficient and quality manufacturing. Dr. Gilman shared that the entire staff of Blue Marble was retained after the acquisition, which provided both her and colleagues with confidence and optimism to refocus energy and resources under the new leadership and vision.
Dr. Gilman pointed out that the new company’s hyper focus on the hemp industry is a step in the right direction. Dr. Gilman is excited to see what she and her team at Socati can do with their focus on hemp extraction, including THC-free and non-detectable THC, and other broad-spectrum implications for health and wellness.
What Do You Want People to Know About This New Company?
Dr. Gilman was excited to talk about a lot of aspects of the new company, stating for example that the R&D process is top-notch, always producing high-quality products. She joined the company with the highest of expectations for its future, and her own. She is also impressed to see how effective methodology like Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Safe Quality Food or SQF program are followed and their results.
How Will This New Work Continue to Focus on Sustainability?
Sustainability has motivated Dr. Gilman for a long time. In fact, it was sustainability that first drew her to the field of microbiology and her career path. She notes that she is very pleased that the new company does not want to change the focus on sustainability whatsoever. Her job remains to produce the right and best results with sustainably at the core foundation wherever possible.
One thing Dr. Gilman seeks for in her work teams is a genuine love for the planet. This means that these individuals who serve on teams are focused on finding ways to continue improving their manufacturing practices, like using more water-soluble processes and resulted products. Her teams have performed well with using bio-based solvents as opposed to the petroleum-based ones, however they want to discover and implement additional ways to be even better, and she is pleased to have her leadership’s support in this intention.
Do You Think More Women Should Work in This Field?
While it may be true that Dr. Gilman is a leader in a male-dominated industry, this does not mean she wants that trend to continue. She definitely wants more women to take an active interest in an industry that is hungry for female voices. The R&D industry and the hemp industry will both greatly benefit from having more dedicated women involved. Besides, most of the people who purchase the items Dr. Gilman helped create are women, so why not have more women’s voices and actions involved?
Dr. Gilman’s intelligence, passion, and heart for a better world are invaluable assets to this industry. Keep an eye on her because she is going places, high and mighty, and wants more women to join her in her sort of work and industry