PROVIDENCE – NanoSteel Co. Inc. has named Rhonda Landers as the chief financial officer to head its fiscal operations, as the advanced materials firm moves into a new stage of growth, the company announced April 5.
Landers, who most recently served as vice president of administration for the Americas at Transas, a global marine-communications technology company, will take over NanoSteel’s financial operations and help develop the company’s future corporate strategy.
“It’s an enormous opportunity to be joining NanoSteel at this stage in its trajectory,” said Landers in a statement. “The company is poised to achieve significant commercial milestones and with a business model based predominantly on IP licensing, is positioned to provide attractive returns for investors.”
Earlier this year, NanoSteel completed its Series D equity round, raising at least $15 million, according to a federal filing reported by PBN in February. GM Ventures, the venture-capital funding arm of General Motors Co., led the round, with Michigan-based Lear Corp., and Belgian automotive company SPDG also contributing as investors.
David Paratore, president and CEO of NanoSteel, has said that maintaining and developing relationships with Fortune 500-level partners will be key to the company’s success moving forward.
“Rhonda is an accomplished executive with expertise in financial operations and M&A within high growth innovation-led organizations,” said Paratore. “Her successful track record in value creation will be central to our strategy as we move to commercialization with our sheet steel products and expand our offerings in metal powders for 3-D printing.”
Landers’ track record includes similar high-tech CFO positions at companies such as Globe Wireless, Seawave LCC and Instrumentation Laboratory, where she played a leadership role in fundraising, due diligence, acquisitions and shareholder exits. She holds a B.A. from Babson College and an MBA from Instituto de Estudios Superiores de la Empresa in Spain.
Founded in 2002, NanoSteel specializes in the design and commercialization of nanostructured steel materials, with a current focus on lightweight sheet steel for the auto industry and metal powders for 3-D printing.
Kaylen Auer is a PBN contributing writer.
