About the company

Innovation Business Development (IBD) is an R&D Management consulting firm. Dr. Thota created the firm in 2001 when he retired from a successful position as a senior executive. The firm’s POD (point of difference) is its ability to integrate development into a single, unified and effective whole. The firm has technology to help a firm generate groundbreaking ideas. Employees can be integrated into effective teams. Revenue and cost balancing maximizes profit. Cycle time, rework and other manufacturing processes are tuned to minimize capital investment. All of these concerns can be fit within a strategy positioning the product to function synergistically within a portfolio of goods offered. IBD offers any or all of these capacities to clients depending on their needs.

Profile

Prior to starting his own firm, Dr. Thota occupied the position as Vice President-Development for Rich-Sea Pak Corporation $300 million firm. The firm’s product line includes seafood, cheese, toast and other specialty products under the Trade Names Sea Pak and Farm Rich brands. The firm is an industry leader in all of the product areas in which it participates.

Sea Pak's success is based on product innovation that "that fit consumers' ever changing lifestyle." Dr. Thota was instrumental in helping the firm achieve that mission. During his 20-year tenure with the firm, Dr. Thota earned 9 process patents and 1 packaging patent. In addition, he has lead or participated in the creation of over 200 new products or line extensions, collaborated with institutional food service operators (e.g., Burger King) and contributed to multiple joint ventures on both a domestic and international arenas.

Dr. Thota holds a Ph.D. in Food Science and Dairy Manufacturing, a Masters in Food Technology and a Bachelors in Math, Physics and Chemistry. He participates in various professional associations including holding a leadership position in the National Product Development and Management Association, a thought leading organization. He also contributes to various civic and academic institutions such as the University of Georgia.