I am an Industrial Chemist graduated from Industrial Chemistry School of Caracas, Venezuela, in 1973, and he is a Bachelor of Science in Food Science graduated from Louisiana State University, in 1979. He has worked in different Venezuelan industries and/or multinational corporations, and obtained a post-graduate level in an Agri-business Research Center (CIEPE) in Venezuela, in 1981/84, as the Head of Biochemistry Lab. The multinational corporations in which he worked, were: Mobil Oil Company (El Palito Refinery - Venezuela) – 1974/75 - , Merck, S.A., Caracas, Venezuela (Marketing Dept.) – 1984/85 -, Bayer de Venezuela, S.A. (Quality, R&D, and Environmental Dept.) – 1985/91 -, Purina de Venezuela, C.A. (subsidiary of Ralston-Purina, Mo, USA, Quality Dept.) – 1991 -, Royal – Delmonte, Venezuela (subsidiary of Nabisco International, R&D Dept.) – 1991/93. He is a naturalized American Citizen, fluently in Spanish and English languages.

In 1993, he founded VALFRAN, srl; an independent consulting business specialized in ISO 9000 and other areas of chemical and food industries. In 1994 he entered to the Maritime Industry contracted by Purina de Venezuela, C.A (Subsidiary of Ralston – Purina, Missouri, USA) to supervise and verify cargoes quality, and planning the logistic of land transportation of the cargoes and warehousing of all shipping for this corporation to the ports located in Venezuela (Puerto Cabello, Maracaibo, and Guanta).

Then, in 1995 he founded VF TEAM, C.A (Surveyors and Port Services), in which he had organized a group of professionals in Maritime Industry in order to give a solid service in the fields of: maritime cargo and naval surveying for dry bulk carriers, petroleum products (crude and refined oils), vegetable oils and fats, container inspections; warehousing logistics, logistic of land transportation and safety and security of the cargo, quality and quantity of the cargo, claim adjustment and legal affairs.

On September 2006 he moved to the State of Louisiana, U.S.A, and in 2007 started to work with Maritime and Commodities Services, LLC, at New Orleans, Louisiana, as a Marine Surveyor. This company merged to Marine Inspections, LLC in 2009. Then, on October 2010, he founded as a sole proprietorship: SHIP SURVEY TEAM, LLC., Surveyors and Port Services, to cover the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississipi River, but to be able to serve at any port worldwide in his field of action.

Experience

Claims and Loss Adjustment: Assistance, representing, and underwriting for:

• Maritime Lawyers

• P&I Correspondents

• Ship owners

• Insurance companies

• Ship agencies

• Other Maritime Surveyors

Loading and unloading vessels: (Bulk Carriers)

• Inspection of the vessel

• Sampling and analysis of cargo goods

• Verification and certification of cargo (weight and quality)

• Logistic of loading and unloading vessels

• Drought and bunker surveys

Oil tankers and Terminals:

• Measurements in vessel tanks and shore tanks

• Prevention and loss control

• Voyage analysis

• Sampling and analysis of cargo.

Containers:

• General Inspections: Empty and loaded

• Safety and security of cargo.

• Verification and certification of cargo.

• Handling claims and loss adjustment.

Miscellaneous:

Shore warehousing logistic

Land transportation logistic

Special investigations.

Teaching.