Meet Our Coating Experts

David Smith

As our Research and Development Manager at SilcoTek, Dr. David Smith is essential to SilcoTek’s past and future successes. He holds a Ph. D. in Chemistry from the Pennsylvania State University where he focused on functionalization, modification, and characterization of silicon-based materials. David began his career in 1992 at Restek Corporation as a R&D Chemist where he was instrumental in developing early game-changing CVD coatings. In his 31 years at Restek and SilcoTek, he has developed several different CVD surfaces. Now, David works with customers in the Oil & Natural Gas, Analytical and Surface Energy markets, helping to solve issues with inertness and surface functionalization. For any questions about how David helps our customers take their part surfaces to the next level of performance, please reach out to our team!

Min Yuan

Dr. Min Yuan is a member of SilcoTek’s Research and Development team. Min has a Ph. D. from Cornell University where she focused on materials chemistry. Min also spent some time studying as a post-doctoral researcher. She is our go-to person with any corrosion application questions. Min was and is a valuable asset in working to improve our Dursan coating. Currently, Min is working on some exciting experimental coatings, as well as new to improve coating Aluminum parts. Contact to our team for more information on how Min can help you solve your corrosion problems!

Jesse Bischof

Dr. Jesse Bischof spent some time as a high school Chemistry teacher before joining the SilcoTek Research and Development team. After teaching, he attended The Pennsylvania State University where he earned his Ph. D. in Chemistry. Jesse’s expertise has helped customers in the medical and analytical markets to improve part performance. His ongoing project of improving material characterization and instrumentation is keeping him busy! He’s working on bio-inert coatings as well as anti-fogging coatings. Lately, he has been dedicated toward understanding how our coatings can block metal ion contamination for the medical, food and beverage, and pharmaceutical world with a focus in HPLC applications. He has also been investigating new metal oxide coatings for harder, more robust coatings. 

Jim Mattzela

Jim earned his master's degree in Applied Physics from DePaul University.  He went on to earn a PhD ABD in Materials Science and Engineering at the Pennsylvania State University.  He has completed extensive post-graduate work on growth and characterization of lattice mismatched materials, growth and characterization of silicon nanowires, and characterization of thin film coatings.  

Jim joined the Restek's Performance Coatings Division (RPC) in 2006.  He specialized in optimizing and improving our silicon deposition processes.  After RPC spun off from Restek, to form SilcoTek, Jim focused his efforts and expertise on working with customers within the semiconductor market to improve customer products and performance. 

Geoff White

Geoff White is General Counsel and Chief IP Counsel at SilcoTek Corporation, a chemical vapor deposition coating services company that applies coatings for companies in the semiconductor industry, medical device industry, analytical instrumentation industry, as well as a wide variety of manufacturers and processing facilities. Geoff has guest-lectured on intellectual property strategy at a variety of conferences as well as at Penn State University, the University of Pittsburgh, La Roche College, Lebanon Valley College, and Duquesne University.

At SilcoTek, he works closely with the R&D team and the Sales and Marketing team to guide the strategy on creating and monetizing intellectual property in the US and abroad. He also is heavily involved in all non-core business relationships using IP to create win-win relationships with external entities. With his assistance, SilcoTek has well over 100 patents and patent applications, has enforced against multiple external entities, and has monetized some of its patents.

Prior to joining SilcoTek, Geoff was at McNees Wallace & Nurick, where he focused on patent strategy and obtaining patents. While there, he worked with some of the world’s largest companies as well as start-ups. Geoff has a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh, a J.D. from Widener University, and an LL.M. in Intellectual Property from George Washington University. He is admitted to the Bar in Pennsylvania and is registered with the USPTO.

Gary Barone

Gary began his involvement with Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) processes in 1994 as a researcher at Restek Corporation.  It was at this point that the direction of his career started to crystalize on his path through Marketing, Management, Business Development and eventually Business Unit Manager with SilcoTek Corporation.

Gary started his career after graduating from The Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. Degree in Chemical Engineering with a Polymer Science Focus.  Restek Corporation hired Gary as a Research Chemist focused on investigating, synthesizing and developing new siloxane based stationary phases used in gas chromatographs.  Early in ’94 Gary got involved in a project involving the scale-up and optimization of Restek’s SilcoSteel, silicon CVD process into a standard air sampling canister.  From this point forward much of his research focus shifted to the SilcoSteel process and helping customers solve material problems with these coatings.

Gary’s involvement with customers eventually led to an increase in customer support and development of technical publications to grow the customer base of the coatings.  Early in 1997 Gary was made Product Marketing Manager for the CVD group, a job which involved not only continuing research but also supporting marketing, managing personnel and managing profit and loss of the coating business.

Eventually the CVD coating group developed a large customer base and potential customer base outside of the scope of the parent life sciences company, Restek.  In 2002 a team, including Gary, proposed a business plan to the Leadership Team of Restek to create a business unit completely focused on growing the business for the CVD coating services.  As a result, Restek’s Performance Coatings (RPC) business unit was founded with Gary as the Business Unit Manager.

The RPC group achieved annual double digit growth demonstrating the success of the business team along with the viability of the process to stand-alone.  Throughout 2008, Restek pursued the path of 100% employee ownership.  To accomplish this the majority owner, Paul Silvis, had to sell the controlling shares of Restek and hand over ownership to the ESOP trust.  As part of the sale, Paul still hungered to develop this innovative RPC group and develop them onto a path that laid outside of the destiny for Restek.  As a result, SilcoTek was spun off and all rights purchased by Paul Silvis and a group of minority shareholders with Paul transitioning to SilcoTek as the Head Coach and Founder.

Gary transitioned his role from Restek to SilcoTek as Director of Engineering and Business Development, serves on the Board of Directors, and is an officer of SilcoTek Corporation.

During this time Gary continued to grow professionally and has earned an MBA from The Pennsylvania State University and a Leadership Certificate in Strategy and Organizational Performance from the Smeal College Executive program.

Paul Silvis

Paul founded Restek in 1985 to manufacture innovative, high quality chromatography products for the analytical industry. Paul sold the company to its 350 employees in 2009, making them a 100% ESOP employee owned company. Paul is the former Chairman of Restek’s Board, where he mentored leaders and employees to achieve success. Since the formation of the ESOP, Restek has flourished exceeding 130 million in sales and achieving Paul’s vision that “every leader must replace themselves.”  Restek continues to be a key member of the community that gives back both financially and professionally.  Many of Restek’s employees serve on important boards in the community.

In 1995, Paul dropped the President/CEO title and continues to call himself the “Head Coach” to more closely describe the role he sees for himself as a Servant leader.  “The Head Coach puts the right players in the right positions; provides training, tools, and opportunities for them to become star players; encourages an atmosphere of support and honesty; helps to define the team's strategy for winning — all for the sake of creating a championship team in which each member can be proud of!” Paul passed on the President/Head Coach title on October 15, 2005 after 20 years serving in this role believing it is important for every leader to replace themselves.

Paul received a B.S. in Chemistry/Life Science from the University of Pittsburgh in 1977 and graduated from the Penn State SMEAL executive MBA program from the Penn State in June 2006.  Paul has completed numerous entrepreneurial leadership courses such as Birthing of Giants, Masters of Business Dynamics, Inc. 500 and Entrepreneur of the Year education sessions, Young Presidents Organization (YPO) University, and Penn State Continuing Ed classes in Management and Leadership, making continuous learning an important part of his personal philosophy. 

Paul served for six years on Penn State’s Board of Trustees as a Vice Chair, Compensation Committee Chair, HR Committee Chair, and Vice Chair of Finance. Paul serves on the Patton Township Planning Commission, serves on Kish Bank’s Board.  Paul was previously President of the Central PA July 4^th Inc, Chairman of the Board CBICC, past Chairman of the Incubator program, Past Advisory Board member for Penn State’s Outreach program, Past Advisory Board member for Schreyer Institute for Innovation and Learning and Schreyer Honors College, past member of the Advisory Board For the Future “The Campaign for Penn State Students”, was a member of the Young Presidents Organization, and served on the State College YMCA Fundraising Committee.  In addition Paul has chaired political races for Judges and Pennsylvania legislators

Paul has been the guest speaker for numerous leadership programs including Penn State entrepreneurial programs, and a panelist for the Covey-Peters-Blanchard Lessons in Leadership series, ESOP meetings, Leadership Centre County, Young Life, PSU Student Government Day, the ATT Center for Service Leadership, Make a Difference Program, and the Association of Township Supervisors, CBICC Chamber University, and a guest speaker for many local businesses.

Paul's accomplishments include winning the 1992 Central/Eastern Pennsylvania’s Manufacturing Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Inc. Magazine's list of 500 fastest growing companies (1992 & 1993), 1992 National Business Incubator Graduate of the Year, 1995 Governors Waste Minimization Award, 1996 Business and Professional Women’s Employer of the Year, and his most coveted award-making the top 50 list of Pennsylvania’s Best Companies to work for (winning the award numerous times), CBICC Outstanding Technology Company of the year – 2001, PA Business Central large business Entrepreneur of the year for 2002, and Leadership Centre County’s Outstanding Service Award in 2006.   In 2007 Restek was recognized as one of the top 15 workplaces in the United States by the Wall Street Journal and Winning workplaces and was also recognized as an Outstanding Incubator of the year ESOP Company.   SilcoTek was recognized in March 2014 by the CBICC as the outstanding Tech Company for the region and in 2018 & 2019 as a top 100 “Best Company to work” for in PA.

Corey Robinson has spent over 10 years providing Plus 1 Service to SilcoTek’s customers in a variety of roles. Coming to SilcoTek he brought an extensive manufacturing background and an education in Supply Chain Management from The Pennsylvania State University. Since then, he has hands-on expertise with virtually every aspect of our coating service operation, from processing customer parts to coordinating our production plans. He also has experience in quality, custom pricing and quoting, customer and technical support, and project management.

As SilcoTek’s Technical Project Coordinator, Corey plays a key role in ensuring our customers’ coating projects are a success, especially those in new applications or with large production demands. No matter how big or small, we are confident our team can deliver to meet your needs.