Professional Experience Product Design and Technical Feasibility Lead, Global Science and Technology, New Product Development Global Innovation Center, Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, Chicago IL May 11-Present

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•Build internal “start-up” team for lean innovation program and execute a balanced strategy for Desirability, Feasibility and Viability

•Translate market trend and user-focused demand into powerful prototyping to bring new business growth directions for Wrigley (gaininterest and buy-ins from Mars Family, Corporate Innovation and Wrigley C-level Senior Leadership within 2 week time-frame)•Frame business opportunity, deliver consumer insight research and technical feasibility assessment to maximize ROI•Successfully launch various high-class NPD projects across various regions and provide solutions for factory challenges•Hold multiple Product Design and Utility Patents.

•Design R&D on-boarding training program for global capability building•Mentor and recruiter for Wrigley intern and rotation associate program•Introduce Design Thinking and User-focused concept to Wrigley Science & Technology groups•Bridge connections between Design team and Global Science and Technology•Create and execute the welcome board design for Wrigley Corporate Innovation Center•Introduce novel design elements and incorporate Consumer Insights into gum and mint products•Create NPD formulation Standards/Best Practice/Training for cross-functional teams and perform scale up procedures•Pilot, implement, trouble-shoot new ingredient/processing technologies for global product enhancement with x-functional partners•Participate in cross-segment Science and Technology Committee within Mars to collaborate and share expertise and learning•Develop, test and evaluate new alternative formulations/products and participate in the development of new or modified manufacturing process•Communicate results and recommendations of research internally to CIO/CFO, x-functional teams and x-segment key stakeholders•Lead external collaboration projects with consultants, suppliers and researchers

Chief Product and Customer Officer, Aiknow ZD Energy, Chicago IL Aug 16-Present•Establish international product portfolio planning, design, business model strategy•Build potential client partnership, identify and secure funding from investors

•Drive PR and client awareness in US market

Education•Executive Master of Design Methods, Institute of Design, Chicago, IL Aug 15-May 17•M.S. in Food Chemistry University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL Aug 08-May 11

•B.S. in Food Science Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN Aug 06-May 08 •B.S. in Biological Science China Agricultural University, Beijing, China Aug 03-May 06

Teaching Assistant

• Department of Crop Science, UIUC. Advanced Statistics Aug 09- May11 • Department of FSHN, UIUC. Food Sci Introduction. Jan 09- May 11

Research Assistant (Collaboration with Flavor of North America Int’l, Geneva, IL) Dr. Shelly Schmidt, Department of FSHN, UIUC Aug 08-May11

• Design new encapsulation formula to improve the stability of flavor microcapsules• Provide technology consultations for company R&D, application and quality control• Lead general Engineering dept senior design project• Develop novel method for aw and moisture measurement

Flavor Chemist Internship Sensient-tech Flavor Inc, Indianapolis, IN May 08-Aug 08 • Flavor creation through critical flavor profile analysis• Conduct projects for high quality requirements in Europe• Collaborate with R&D, QA and Sales for business meeting and EU color division seminar• Troubleshoot instrumental problems and suggest low cost alternatives

Activities •Dept of Energy Innov Challenge Finalist-Team Lead•AIGA, IxDA (Action Design), Food Tech•Education Program Volunteer at MCA-Chicago•Coordination Chair at Wrigley Community•Wrigley Science and Technology Committee•Perfumer & Flavorist, Flavorcon, Weurman Flavor

•IFT Food Product Development Competition•Indiana Yearly Soybean Innovation Competition•Teaching Excellence College Training•Purdue Idea to Product Competition•Vice President, Art and Entertaining Committee

•Mars Flavor Technical Core Team (x-segment)•YOCA Technology Mentor

Awards •Wrigley/Mars Intellectual Patent 3 Awards•Discovery Park Research Scholarship•Graduate Student Symposium Excellence Award•Graduate Student Holmes Merit Award•Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society•Fred J. Babel Memorial•Phi Tau Sigma Honorary Society•University Student Award

•iOS App, Web Design•Adobe CC•Tableu Visualization Analysis•SAS,Minitab Statistical analysis•Advanced Microsoft office package•Visual Basic Programming

Discovery Park Undergraduate Scholarship Internship Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN Aug 07-May 08

Certificates

Aug 07-May 08

•Successfully deliver novel tool to detect adulteration of extra virgin olive oil

Research Assistant Whistler Center for Carbohydrate Research, Purdue University Jan 07-May 08

• Apply starch chemical/physical attributes into processing• Recommend ideal conditions for infant formula

•Project Management at Mars•Agile Project Development at Mars•Leading without Authority•Sensient Fundamentals of Food Color Tech•Flavor University-Flavor 101, 102

345 W Fullerton Pkwy, Unit 503 Chicago, IL 60614

reedweiziyang@gmail.com (765) 337-8231

YANG GAO Empathetic Leader | Ideator | Driver | Implementer

Objective:

A Design, Science and Technology fanatic pursuing a Design Strategy leadership position that makes sustainable impactful changes, through user-centered engaging design, strategic planning and technology innovation.

Computer Skills