Expert Bios

Peter Teska is category manager for building care for Diversey, Inc. In this position, he is responsible for managing the company’s $200M portfolio of disinfectants, restroom cleaners, floor cleaners, skin care products and odor control products. Teska also leads many of Diversey’s efforts in the healthcare, education and building service contractor sectors.  Additionally, he has led various projects related to infection control including a research project at a state prison that investigated the link between surface sanitation and MRSA infections.

 

Prior to Diversey, Teska worked as a training specialist for US Chemical where he conducted 20-week long training classes regarding sanitation and institutional laundry. He also served as the primary technical writer authoring more than 20 technical brochures and literature on topics including health inspections, hand washing, on-premise laundry and dispensing equipment. Prior to US Chemical, Teska served as the manager of research and development for Stearns Packaging Corporation, a manufacturer of cleaning and sanitation products for the agricultural, industrial, institutional and retail markets.

 

Teska graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point (UW-SP) with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and minors in physics, mathematics, and microelectronic and microcomputer systems.  He earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Cardinal Stritch University.

Dr. Jose Ramirez is the vice president of product and application development for Diversey, Inc. He joined Diversey in 2002 to lead the antimicrobial technology development group. Dr. Ramirez holds numerous patents in the field of cleaning and disinfection and is published regularly in peer-reviewed journals. Most recently he authored the chapter &"New Technologies in Disinfection and Infection Control” in Disinfection and Decontamination by G. Mannivannan (ed.).

 

Before joining Diversey, Dr. Ramirez led the research and development team at Virox Technologies, Inc. in Oakville, Ontario where he helped develop accelerated hydrogen peroxide (AHP) as a broad disinfectant and sterilization platform with worldwide acceptance. Prior to Virox, he spent two years as a guest researcher at the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cryogenic Research Laboratories in Boulder, CO.

 

Dr. Ramirez holds a doctorate and a Master of Science degree in chemical engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He also received his Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Simon Bolivar University in Caracas, Venezuela.

Dr. Dale Grinstead is a food safety microbiologist with more than 14 years of industrial research and development experience with achievements in new product development, retail and food processor food safety, personal care, regulatory and academia. Dr. Grinstead has co-authored several publications, patents and books and has presented on various microbiology topics at conferences or symposia throughout the country.  He is also on the editorial review board for Letters in Applied Microbiology and Food Protection Trends. Dr. Grinstead is active in several professional associations, most notably The International Association for Food Protection, where he serves on the nominating committee and is active in the food safety and sanitation professional development group.   

 

Dr. Grinstead is currently a food safety technology fellow in the Diversey, Inc. research and development group.  His responsibilities include providing technical input and guidance regarding the company’s global food safety and pandemic planning programs. Further, he represents Diversey to food safety and infection control technical societies and trade associations and assists customers and sales force with infection control related issues and concerns.  Additional responsibilities include leading infection control product development, evaluating potential impacts of new products and innovations, and monitoring new food safety, infection control and microbiology technology trends. Dr. Grinstead also manages the registered product group and is responsible for developing products such as disinfectants, sanitizers, antimicrobial hand washes and preservative systems.   

 

After completing his doctorate degree in 1993, Dr. Grinstead began an 18-month post doctoral study at the University of Tennessee. In 1994 he joined Unilever Research where he served as a technology leader in the biochemistry and microbiology group focused on development and efficacy testing of antimicrobial personal wash products. In 1998 he transferred to DiverseyLever’s food and beverage research and development group where he served first as project leader and then as leader of the North American microbiology group. 

 

Dr. Grinstead received his bachelor’s degree in microbiology and master’s in food science from Iowa State University. He earned his doctorate degree in food technology from Clemson University.

Hein A. Timmerman is a director of sector support and business development for Diversey Europe Food & Beverage. He has 25 years of experience in food and beverage engineering, sales management, business development and technical management. He also has expertise in processed food technology and clean-in-place (CIP) technology.

 

Before joining Diversey, Timmerman worked for Alpha Laval in Food & Beverage. He has been a member of the European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group (EHEGD) for six years in the subgroups of training & education, and fish processing, meat hygiene and cleaning validation.

 

Timmerman holds a master's degree in food technology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a Master of Business Administration from EHSAL-European University College, Brussels, Belgium.