Chris Swensen
With more than three decades of leadership in chemical manufacturing, quality assurance, and product development, Chris Swensen is a seasoned manufacturing executive known for driving innovation, operational excellence, and regulatory compliance. Since 1990, he has served as the Technical Director/Chief Chemist at New Dawn Manufacturing Co./Daycon Products/BradyPlus, where he oversees production operations, quality control, research and development, and the company’s ISO 9001 Quality Management System.
His work spans product formulation, regulatory affairs, staff leadership, and cross functional collaboration with sales, marketing, and customer teams. He has played a central role in developing new product lines — including a certified “green” product portfolio — and holds a patent for an environmentally responsible pressroom cleaner. His contributions have earned him multiple Employee of the Year awards and recognition for spearheading the company’s ISO 9001:2008 certification.
Before joining New Dawn, he served as Quality Control Manager at Belzona Molecular Company, where he helped establish U.S. manufacturing operations, set QC standards, supervised production, and collaborated on advanced formulations in epoxies, polyurethanes, and acrylics. His work contributed to multiple patents and supported the company in achieving Nuclear Regulatory Commission quality approvals. His international experience includes quality system standardization efforts in the UK, technical travel to China, system standardization efforts in the UK, and technical travel to China.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, along with graduate coursework in polymer science, management, and quality assurance. He has remained active in professional development through ongoing regulatory, safety, and quality management seminars.
Across his career, he has built a reputation for strong technical expertise, practical problem-solving, and the ability to lead teams through complex manufacturing challenges while advancing product innovation and organizational efficiency. His work reflects a longstanding commitment to environmental responsibility, demonstrated through the development of certified “green” product lines, patented sustainable formulations, and a consistent focus on improving manufacturing practices with reduced environmental impact. He brings a forward-looking mindset to every project, driven by the belief that high-performance products and sustainable solutions can — and should — go hand in hand.