Our people
LEADERSHIP TEAM
SCOTT MELLER - CEO/BOARD MEMBER
Scott has spent most of his career growing start-up companies in a variety of different ways including bootstrap funding via leveraged government and commercial R&D, venture capital, strategic, and public market capital investment. With a technical background in Electrical Engineering, Scott has secured $100’s of millions in venture capital, government, and private investment as a C-suite leader in various technology rich organizations to fuel growth and subsequent introduction of industry leading products. His market experience includes satellite communications and sensors, 5G communications, optical communications and sensors, RF and millimeter wave wireless communications and sensors.
Previous to APS, Scott was COO at Isotropic Systems, a UK based start-up company developing the world’s first multi-beam flat panel phased array terminal for LEO, MEO, and GEO satellite communications. Previous to this, Scott served as President of Nuvotronics where he successfully grew and positioned the company for sale to Cubic Corp. in 2019. Nuvotronics develops unique microwave/millimeter wave components and subsystems for defense and commercial applications using additive manufacturing. Scott received in BSEE from Clemson University and MSEE from Virginia Tech.
PETER YANCEY - FOUNDER AND CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER/BOARD MEMBER
For the past 15 years, Pete has concentrated on developing the Atmospheric Plasma Coating Removal (APCR) process that is unique to APS.
He was involved for 10 years in the research of plasma deposition, etching and surface modification of materials at the Center for Advanced Manufacturing Processes and Materials at North Carolina State University. His projects included numerous vacuum plasma processes, such as reactive magnetron sputtering, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, vacuum ion plating and hollow cathode enhanced plasma sources.
Pete has also worked as a consultant for a number of companies designing atmospheric plasma based processes and power supplies. At APS, he has focused his research on atmospheric-pressure plasma discharges. He’s developed extensive expertise in creating stable and controllable atmospheric pressure plasma discharges, using air as well as mixed-gas environments.
Pete is responsible for the design of numerous customized atmospheric plasma applications for both commercial and Department of Defense customers. He received his B.S. and M.S. in Materials Science & Engineering at NC State University.
JOHN GATES - VP of Business Development and Sales
John serves as the Vice President of Business Development and Sales for APS. John has over 30 years’ experience leading business development and sales for large, small, and mid-sized organizations, with diverse teams comprising of OEM Sales, Inside Sales, Field Sales, Marketing, Product Development, Engineering, Customer Service, Dealer/Distributor Networks, and Field Service/Technical Support roles. He is a senior executive known for delivering consistent year over year profitable revenue growth and is valued for his ability to craft and communicate a clear strategic vision.
At APS, John is responsible for all Business Development & Sales activities, creating and executing the go to market strategy and tactics to grow both the Government / DoD sector and the Commercial Markets.
John’s diverse market experience in Industrial Manufacturing, Distribution, Federal, State, and international government sales leave him well suited to grow APS’s business. John was Director of Sales for filtration giant, Donaldson Co. Inc. where he delivered double digit growth in New Business Markets inclusive of Mining, Pharmaceutical, Grain, Food, and Cement markets. Most recently, he was at TSI, a global leader in high tech instrumentation, where he led his team to record growth for the company in the Health and Safety, HVAC, Industrial, and Fire Protection markets. John holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from the Missouri University of Science and Technology
PHIL JENSEN - Director of Government Business Development & Sales
Phil Jensen serves as Director of Government Business Development & Sales for APS. Phil brings with him over 15 years of experience in sales strategy development and execution, with a proven track record of driving corporate objectives and exceeding revenue growth expectations. He is a senior executive with cross-functional expertise in project and technical management, business growth initiatives, progressive sales measures, and marketing.
At APS, Phil is responsible for driving growth in the government sector by leveraging his extensive experience and relationships, using his skills in deal negotiation, customer service, and solution selling to expand the company’s presence and impact within the government market. Phil is a customer-centric and influential leader with acute business acumen and expertise in building and leading high-performance teams to stimulate transformational change, innovation, and value creation.
His professional experience includes serving as US Sales Director at Advanced Detection Technology, where he spearheaded the development of business opportunities with federal, state, and local government customers for under-vehicle inspection systems. Phil has also held key positions at SureID, Securewest International, and Lyon Workspace Products, consistently achieving impressive results in sales growth and customer satisfaction. A military veteran with extensive leadership training, Phil holds a Master of Business Administration from Keller Graduate School of Management.
VINCE PANNUCCI - Director of Commercial Business Development & Sales
Vince Pannucci serves as Director of Commercial Business Development & Sales for APS. Vince brings with him over 25 years of experience in direct sales, strategy development and execution, sales and business management with a proven track record of driving corporate objectives and exceeding revenue growth expectations. He is a senior executive with cross-functional expertise in project management, business growth initiatives, progressive sales measures, and marketing.
At APS, Vince is responsible for driving growth in the commercial sector by leveraging his extensive experience and relationships, using his skills in deal negotiation, customer service, and solution selling to expand the company’s presence and impact within the commercial market. Vince is a customer-centric and influential leader with acute business acumen. Vince has commercial expertise in building and leading high-performance teams.
His professional experience includes the development of business opportunities with industrial, medical, distribution, federal, state, and local governments. Vince has also held the positions of Owner, General manager, Regional Manager, Direct Sales and Regional Account manager consistently overachieving with impressive results in sales growth and customer satisfaction. Vince and his teams have consistently won numerous awards for sales growth.
JEFF PIASCIK, PHD - DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Jeff Piascik, PhD, serves as the Director of Research and Development at APS. Jeff received his B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from North Carolina State University and his PhD in Applied and Materials Science from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has over 25 years of experience spanning manufacturing, corporate R&D, and academia in the areas of concept development, product management, commercialization, and fostering funding from federal, foundation and corporate partnerships worth over $50M. Jeff has been involved in multiple government and commercially funded projects that have investigated plasma technologies in the fields of microelectronics, biomedical applications, surface functionalization, and the mitigation of biofilms. In addition, he has co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications and holds 5 patents in the fields of plasma science, microelectronics, and organic waste treatment
BOARD MEMBERS
WILLIAM (BILL) CARTER - BOARD MEMBER
Bill is an experienced strategy, operations and transformation executive with significant experience in both strategy consulting and operating roles. He began his career as a Surface Warfare Officer in the US Navy, serving onboard the USS LABOON (DDG-58). After business school, Bill joined Bain & Company, Inc, and spent 12 years in strategy consulting as a Consultant, Manager and Partner. During his career, Bill spent the majority of his time focused on industrial manufacturing and services, wholesale distribution, and retail. Additionally, he led several major corporate and business unit growth strategy programs, business model transformations, and merger integrations.
Bill left Bain and joined Advance Auto Parts where he served in various operational and strategy roles. During his tenure at Advance, he played a significant role in the rapid growth of the Professional Business, the development of a new operating and real estate model, and the acquisition and integration of General Parts International. Most recently, Bill served as Chief Administrative Officer at Victra, one of the largest independent operators of Verizon Wireless stores in the US. Currently, Bill is an independent consultant, adjunct professor, and board member.
Bill holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Duke University and a Master’s in Business Administration from the Darden School at the University of Virginia. He and his wife Erica live in the Raleigh area with their three daughters.
ANTHONY W. LENGERICH - BOARD MEMBER
Rear Admiral, US Navy (Retired)
RADM Lengerich retired from the US Navy in 2005, after 34 years of active duty service as a Surface Warfare Officer, Engineering Duty Officer and Acquisition Professional. He served in a variety of leadership positions afloat and ashore, including naval combat operations in Vietnam, program management, naval engineering centers, and on the Navy Staff in Washington DC. His final duty was a Vice Commander of the Naval Sea Systems Command.
Since 2005, RADM Lengerich has had a successful career as business development executive for Cypress International, Inc., Oracle America, Inc., and CACI International, Inc. He is currently Vice President for Naval Programs at Thales Defense and Security, Inc.
RADM Lengerich holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Colorado and a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. He is also an alumnus of the Executive Management Program of the Johnson School of Business at Cornell University.
He is a member of the American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE), where he served as President from 2015-2019, and is the 2020 recipient of the ASNE Law Award. He is a member of the Surface Navy Association and serves on the Board of Directors for the National Capital Council of the Navy League of the United States. He was also the founding President of the Low Country Chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA).
He was a member of the Defense Science Board’s 2009 Task Force on Acquisition of Information Technology, the senior member of the 2012 Solid State Laser Study commissioned by the Office of Naval Research, and a member of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development & Acquisition) 2019 Senior Review Team.
RICHARD (RICK) MCNEEL - BOARD MEMBER
Rick is an experienced international executive who began his career with Amoco Chemical as a chemical process engineer. Toward the end of his 30 years with Amoco, he rose to Group Vice President for all of Amoco Chemical’s Intermediate businesses.
Rick’s career highlights included turning around their Engineering Polymer and Carbon Fiber businesses as President, and an assignment in Hong Kong that included starting their first two joint ventures in China and starting new ventures in Indonesia and Singapore. He also represented Amoco on the Boards of joint ventures in Taiwan, Korea and Japan.
Following BP’s purchase of Amoco, Rick went to London as Group Vice President for six of BP Amoco Chemical global businesses, in addition to heading Human Resources, Information Technology, Environment, Health & Safety and Legal for the Chemical Company. After three years in London, Rick retired and was recruited 11 months later to serve as President & CEO of LORD Corporation, a private Company in Cary, North Carolina.
LORD was a manufacturing Company that sold chemical, mechanical and electro-mechanical products to the automotive, aerospace, and general industrial markets. LORD’s focus was development of new technologies to solve customers’ problems, selling only when they had a clear value proposition. Rick ran the Company for ten years and served as Chairman of the Board for four years. LORD was sold to Parker Hanifin in October of 2019 for $3.7 Billion.
Rick has served on other company Boards in England and North Carolina, the Board of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He currently serves on the Boards of the North Carolina Museum of Art, The University of Nebraska Engineering College and his daughter’s non-profit “Alive Center” for teens in the Chicago suburbs. He holds a B.S in Chemical Engineering from the University of Nebraska and an MBA from the University of Chicago. He and his wife Carol have a combined five children and 10 grandchildren.