AppliColor’s core team has worked together for more than 12 years. We are highly skilled professionals, experts at working together to manage large, complex projects. Our experience includes the development of a visually based navigation system deployed by the Department of Defense and Office of Naval Research for the Marine Corps. The system is credited with saving lives.

Agriculture experts from Stanford University, Carnegie Biology Institute, UC Davis Post Harvest Research Center as well as other agriculture industry experts have reviewed our technology. Biologists immediately recognize that our approach is accepted science that is routinely used in laboratory research.

It took a rare collaboration of experts from three different industries

POMA is the result of a rare collaboration among Willem Schrage, a leading retired crop inspector for North Dakota; Alan Shulman, Ed.D., AppliColor Inc; and Chris Miles, Ph.D., a Computer Imaging Programmer. Alan took notes as Willem reviewed hundreds of images of healthy and infected plants and detailed the visual characteristics that enabled the identification of plant pathogens such as PVY. As a software developer, Chris authored POMA, our application that amplifies the subtle color relationships that Willem described. Many have tried and promised to deliver this kind of technology. Until now, none has been able to deliver.

Al Vangelos, Key Corporate Adviser

Al Vangelos has 35 years of experience in the fresh and processed food industries. He was the CEO and President of Calavo Growers of California, and during his 13-year tenure, Al overhauled the corporate culture and business practices of the 75-year-old agricultural packing and marketing co-op. He guided it through technological revolutions, centralized its packing facilities and expanded its product sourcing through strategic alliances with international growers. He has been the CEO and President of Sun World International, LLC since 2008, is an Advisor of Fresh Produce at Laguna Beach, CA, and served as the CEO of Premier Valley Foods, Inc.

Al was President of International Diversified Business and Fresh Marketing of the Dole Food Co. and is a partner in Novelle Consulting, an international firm specializing in perishables. At Castle & Cooke he was a VP and General Manager of Processed Products and President of International Diversified Business and Fresh Marketing. From 1980 to 1984, Al was CEO of food brokerage company Impact Corporate Group, and CEO of BC Hothouse Foods, Inc.

Al has served as Chairman of the BOD of the Agricultural Council of California since 1993 and Chairman of the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association. He has served as Chairman of BC Hothouse Foods, Inc., has been a Director of Calgene, Inc. since 1994 and a Director of the United Fresh Produce Association. He is a Member of the Advisory Board at Key & Company LLC and is a member of the Board of Directors of Nature Ripe Farms. Al is also a member of the PomaFresh Advisory Board. Al graduated from Washington University with a degree in Business.

Bob Spence, President

Bob Spence has a long track record of successfully managing complex fresh produce businesses and will be instrumental in the continuous expansion AppliColor. Bob made Del Monte Fresh Produce one of the most successful diversified producers and marketers of fresh fruit and vegetable products. He brings almost 35 years of experience to the position, having worked previously as Vice President of Business Development for Ready Pac, as well as Vice President of Western Division for Chiquita.

Sanjay K. Gupta, Ph.D., Chief Science Officer

Dr. Gupta, a highly regarded plant physiologist and biochemist at the University of Minnesota, is recognized for his work with potatoes. He provides expertise in an advisory capacity as AppliColor grows its capabilities and reach across the nation’s potato industry.

Dr. Gupta on the POMA app: “As a plant biochemist and potato postharvest physiologist, the ability to visualize photosynthesis is something I had never seen before. I admit I was skeptical. But comparing my understanding of biology to the images that POMA captures--this technology is a game-changer. I am joining the AppliColor team to provide the scientific basis for POMA; I will apply the field results to the laboratory.”

Dr. Gupta’s Research interest includes:

• Carbohydrate metabolism, cold-induced sweetening and other physiological changes during long term cold storage.
• Processing and nutritional quality changes in potatoes during cold storage.
• Development of tools for large-scale screening in potato breeding.
• Protein isolation and characterization.
• Structure-function relationship.
• Genetic transformation of crops.

Alan Shulman, Ed.D., Founder and CEO

Alan Shulman Ed.D. is a visionary who creatively applies scientific principles to visualization technologies. Video, education and engineering, science and strong executive management are areas of expertise that have enabled Alan to deliver advanced technologies for the Office of Naval Research and the US Army. He has developed navigation systems that have been deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has helped leading Silicon Valley technology companies develop new innovative products.

Chris Miles, Program Architect

With advanced programming skills, Chris’ experience includes coding Microsoft’s successful X BOX software. As a lead programmer for Amazon in San Francisco, he has developed commercial web-based applications and currently directs a game-development team for an international gaming company. Chris has taught programming at the University of Nevada and has a Ph.D. in computer sciences.

Miles Scott, CTO

Miles is a Lincoln Lab-trained optical engineer with exceptional product-development skills. His background includes optical instrumentation design for satellite reconnaissance for the US Air Force, management of multimillion-dollar implementation projects and a thorough knowledge of manufacturing requirements and procedures. He has also developed a number of optical and process patents. Work experiences include classified projects for the US Air Force; he was operations director for a leading equipment fabricator as well as VP of Engineering for a NASDAC-traded consumer large-screen television company. Miles Scott’s extensive optical, electronics and design expertise enables the development of novel approaches. He has worked with Alan Shulman for more than ten years.

Ilia Rosenberg, Ph.D., Adviser

Ilia Rosenberg has an extensive background in image analysis, computer science and advanced processing. He was the chief scientist for Boeing Corporation for more than ten years, oversaw the NASA space shuttle programs, Mexico Border Technology Initiative and worked on a number of classified military programs. Ilia is currently VP Programs at Cogniac Corporation, a market leader in specialized applications of Artificial Intelligence for Homeland Security, Geospatial Intelligence and Defense markets. Ilia is an executive with a track record of delivering strong results across a wide range of functions, geographies and business models. Prior to joining Cogniac in 2016 he served as Managing Director of ISR GeoSensing consulting group, where he was leading technical developments and commercial negotiations with a variety of government and private customers. Ilia is a member of the POMA Advisory Board.

Janet Peischel, Marketing Consultant

Janet Peischel is a writer and internet marketing expert. After a long  career working in large corporate marketing departments, including  Bank of America and Price Waterhouse, she started her own consulting business, Top of Mind Marketing, in 2009. She's skilled at developing online brands, building the online presences that help her clients show up in search engines. In addition to building websites and writing landing page content, blogs, newsletters and managing social media for her clients, Janet develops and implements comprehensive marketing programs.