Robert A. Beard is president of Robert A. Beard & Associates, Inc. which was formed in 1984. Mr. Beard received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is also a registered professional engineer. He has been elected to the prestigious grade of Fellow and is a Honored Service Member in the Society of Plastics Engineers, and has served as the Chairman of the Fellows Selection Committee.
Mr. Beard has over 40 years experience in the plastics industry. He has been president of the Chicago and Philadelphia sections of the Society of Plastics Engineers, and has served as National Councilman for the Chicago Section. He presents seminars nationally and internationally entitled: "Purchasing & Quoting of Plastic Parts", and "Virtual Workshop On Trouble Shooting The Injection Molding Process".
He has taught thermodynamics, plastics, kinematics, engineering drawing and advanced machine design at such universities as the University of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania State University, and New York State University. He has also been a member of the New Jersey Governor's "Committee for Higher Education."
He has been a General Manager for a custom injection molding division, spent 10 years with Abbott Laboratories in engineering management, and has been R&D Manager for plastic coextrusion technology at National Can. He has also worked for a thermoset resin manufacturer and a custom thermoset molder. As President of Robert A. Beard & Associates Inc., he has been working with state-of-the-art plastic technology for the past 25 years. He has a patent on a Laboratory Assay Device #4,320,087.
