The BRI Team has decades of combined experience in enzyme research and animal nutrition, as well as advanced degrees in science, business and accounting. With experience as business professionals in industries such as information technology and biotechnology, the BRI management team is ideally positioned to drive long-term growth and maximize value for shareholders and stakeholders.

Giles Shih, Ph.D., MBA

Chairman and CEO

Dr. Giles Shih has been managing BRI’s business development efforts since its inception in November 1999. Dr. Shih served as a consultant for venture capital firms with investments in the biotechnology industry prior to co-founding BRI with Dr. Jason Shih.

Under Giles’ leadership, BRI has achieved significant growth and profitability, resulting in accolades such as Inc. Magazine’s 500 Fastest Growing Companies Award, Triangle Business Journal’s Fast 50 Award and the Pinnacle Award from the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, as well as CED’s NC Companies to Watch. He has also been recognized for his achievements as a recipient of Triangle Business Journal’s 40 under 40 Leadership Award and Business Leader Top 50 Catalyst Entrepreneur Award.

Giles serves on the Board of Directors of the CED, an NC-based entrepreneur support organization, the Advisory Board of the NC State University Technology Incubator and the North Carolina Agricultural Biotechnology Advisory Council of the NC Biotechnology Center. In addition, Giles is a Board Associate with the Interfaith Food Shuttle, an NC-based non-profit group focused on fighting hunger in the local community.

Upon receiving his undergraduate degree at Cornell University, Giles went on to complete his graduate training at NC State University (MS – Microbiology) and Emory University (Ph.D. – Microbiology and Molecular Genetics), followed by an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.

Jeng-Jie Wang, Ph.D.

Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer

With 19 years of experience in molecular biology, enzymology, and fermentation technology, Dr. Jeng-Jie “JJ” Wang oversees BRI’s research, product development, fermentation production, and nutrition research programs. He also heads up BRI’s business development efforts in Asia.

JJ is active in the North Carolina Taiwanese Engineers Association and is an active member of the North Carolina chapter of the Tzu Chi Foundation, an international aid organization that provides community service, medical care, and education in areas of need around the world.

JJ has an undergraduate degree in Environmental Engineering from National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan and holds M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Microbiology from North Carolina State University, where he worked directly with the enzyme technology platform behind Versazyme and Valkerase.

Tom Livingston

Chief Financial Officer

Tom Livingston is an experienced financial executive, having served as a Chief Financial Officer for a variety of companies over the past 26 years.

He was part of the executive management team for a health care IT company during its formation, research and development, product development, and initial commercialization, helping secure investment capital in excess of $47 million.

Prior to that role, Tom was part of a team that specialized in the development and operation of cable TV systems and outdoor advertising companies. He successfully guided the company through an initial public offering of debt securities underwritten by Morgan Stanley. Tom started his career as a staff accountant at Price Waterhouse in Birmingham, Alabama and worked his way up to Senior Audit Manager in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Tom is a member of the American Institute of CPA’s (AICPA) and received his BS  in Accounting and Finance from Auburn University, where he graduated with “High Honors.”

Julian Young

Chief Operating Officer

Julian Young is an accomplished senior level executive with more than 25 years of experience in operations and manufacturing. At BRI, Julian is responsible for the company’s day-to-day operating activities related to achieving corporate and production targets, maximizing operational efficiency, and optimizing financial performance.

Before joining BRI, Julian served as President of Nomaco Inc., a manufacturer of high volume extruded profiles and converted products for the home furnishings, construction, recreational and insulation industries in North Carolina and Oklahoma. As President of Nomaco, Julian had full P&L responsibility of the largest business unit of NC-based Noel Group and in that role developed a new platform of product profiles for multiple segments of the home furnishing markets, restructured Nomaco’s operations and launched a re-branding and re-positioning campaign of Nomaco home furnishings

Julian earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Operations from North Carolina State University and a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from Duke University.

Brian Spencer

Director of Operations

Brian Spencer manages BRI’s 15,000 square foot warehouse and mixing facility in Apex, North Carolina.

As a research technician in Dr. Jason Shih’s laboratory, Brian helped build and maintain the 100 L pilot scale fermentation system at NC State University, and worked extensively in scaling up the enzyme technology platform from benchtop scale to pilot scale.

He also helped optimize processing conditions for using Valkerase in feather meal production, and conducted many of the early proof of concept poultry feeding trials at NC State University.

Brian is a graduate of NC State University.

ADVISORS

Jason Shih, Ph.D.

Senior Advisor to BRI
(Retired Professor of Poultry Science, North Carolina State University)

Dr. Shih discovered the enzyme that led to the development of Versazyme and Valkerase.

As a Professor at NCSU’s Department of Poultry Science from 1976-2009, Dr. Shih’s research has focused on keratinase technology, anaerobic biogas digestion, and waste management. He has been a visiting professor at leading universities throughout the world and has had research papers published in numerous scientific journals.

Dr. Shih is the recipient of the World’s Poultry Science Association Research Award and the Evonik Degussa Award for Achievement in Poultry Science.

Jim Garlich, Ph.D.

Scientific Advisor to BRI
(Retired Professor of Poultry Science, North Carolina State University)

Dr. Garlich taught courses in animal nutrition and conducted research in the Department of Poultry Science at NC State University from 1966-1999, and is now Professor Emeritus at the university.

His areas of expertise include the nutritional requirements and availability of amino acids and phosphorus for poultry.

Dr. Garlich received degrees from the University of Illinois and a Ph.D. from Cornell University.