Elizabeth Schmalz Ferguson joins Applied DNA Sciences board of directors

17-May-2017 - Last updated on 18-May-2017 at 16:50 GMT

The supply chain tech company was apparently seeking a board member with significant cosmetics and personal care industry expertise. And Ferguson’s experience with companies like Revlon and Estée Lauder made her the top choice.

Applied DNA Sciences invited Elizabeth Schmalz Ferguson to join the board “based on her sterling track record of accomplishments as a strategist and product leader within the cosmetics industry,” according to the company press release announcing this news.

Ferguson is currently president of the full-service fragrance company American Flavors & Fragrances, headquartered in Marlboro, New Jersey. Additionally Ferguson heads up the consulting firm Betsy Schmalz Ferguson & Associates (which specializes in cosmetics product development and marketing) and is an active member of CEW.

From her perspective in the beauty industry Ferguson sees first-hand the need for reliable track-and-trace supply chain technology. “Increasingly, over the course of my career, consumers have been more vocal in demanding information on the origin of their personal care and cosmetic products, so they make empowered choices in the quality of products they use,” she says in a press release about her joining the Applied DNA board.

Ferguson goes on to say, “I am proud to join the Board of Directors of Applied DNA. I believe the Company offers a powerful tool for ensuring the authenticity and identity of ingredients that move through the supply chain and make it into consumers’ hands, and onto their skin. I believe I can apply my 30-plus years’ experience to assist in these initiatives and am enthusiastic about working with the rest of the Applied DNA team as they strive to bringing authenticated products to market.”

The business at hand

Ferguson will be the board’s eighth member when she takes her seat at the table on June 1st of this year. The other seven members of the Applied DNA board of directors are men with expertise in a variety of fields including biotech, pharma, applied sciences, and cell biology.

Applied DNA Sciences uses DNA-based tech to provide supply chain security products. The company specializes in anti-counterfeiting and anti-theft technologies. Personal care is just one of the many industries the company serves.

And that’s where Ferguson’s expertise comes into play. “The addition of Betsy Schmalz Ferguson to our Board is aligned with our strategy to expand the application of our technologies within the cosmetics market, and we expect we will benefit greatly from her expertise,” says James Hayward, president and CEO of Applied DNA. “We welcome her to the Board and look forward to working together as we increase our presence in the cosmetics and personal care industries.”