Our unique
Bioadaptive ingredients
make the difference
Gantec began in 2005 when our founding scientists discovered how unique plants thriving in extreme environments around the world can be used to benefit global food production, sustainable agriculture, and community development. they began a journey that we continue today.
Our Core Values
Environmental
Sustainability
Our products are
plant-based that utilize renewable resources. Our harvesting practices do not harm trees
or the surrounding environment. We strive to help growers develop increasingly earth-friendly practices.
Economic
Opportunity
We believe that each person involved in the process should be fairly compensated for their contributions to the whole. Gantec’s desire is to create sustainable value wherever we are working, which will help raise the standard of living and economic opportunity for families and individuals.
Continuous
Improvement
We seek to improve our products and our processes, to continually deliver
the best possible value for our customers, partners, and suppliers.
Scientific
Innovation
Our award-winning team of scientists, biochemists, and others ensures that our final products are thoroughly tested for consistency, efficacy, purity and ease-of-use. Gantec products are validated by growers, universities, and independent researchers across agricultural sectors.
Founders
Ric
Olson
Richard A. Olson is a co-founder of GANTEC Inc., serves as President of Gantec and is on the Board of Directors. He is a (Cum Laude) graduate of Augustana College with a B.A. in Chemistry. He earned his M.S. in Environmental Health from the University of Minnesota.
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After 24 years working at The Dow Chemical Company, Ric left Dow to pursue economic development projects in Fiji, Tonga, Nepal, Mauritania and Senegal. GANTEC Inc. grew from the economic development projects in Mauritania and Senegal and was incorporated in 2005.
Ric worked for The Dow Chemical Company in the environmental health and safety area. He was a Dow representative on President Clinton’s Council on Sustainable Development, and the World Business Council on Sustainable Development. Ric is member of the National Sustainable Ag Standards Committee facilitated by the Leonardo Academy. He has served successfully on both state and federal level environmental and hazardous Advisory Boards, and has served on the boards of directors for several non-profit organizations.
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He and his wife Laura have five grown children and reside in Siloam Springs, Arkansas.
Dr. Joseph
Affholter
Dr. Joe Affholter is a co-founder of Gantec, a Consulting Scientist, and serves on the board of directors for Gantec Inc. He earned his B.S. degree at Michigan Technology University in chemistry and biology, and his PhD in molecular pharmacology from Stanford University.
Joe worked for The Dow Chemical company helping to establish the biotechnology research organization focusing on extremophylic organisms. While on sabbatical at Cal Tech, Joe was an inventor of a molecular breeding technology that became the platform technology for a start-up biotechnology company. Joe was involved in licensing the technology to companies in pharma, agriculture and specialty chemical spaces, which ultimately lead to a successful IPO for the company. Joe is also an inventor on over a dozen patents.
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Joe’s academic, research, intellectual property, biotechnology and business experience have been critical to the development of Gantec and the platform technology of bioadaptive supplementation, which involves identifying the plant based materials that are sourced into Gantec’s current and future products.
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Joe has four adult children and resides in Coleman, MI.
Dr. Lanny
Robbins
Dr. Lanny A. Robbins is a co-founder of Gantec Inc. and a Consulting Engineer. Robbins received his BS, MS, and PhD degrees in chemical engineering from Iowa State University. In 2006 Dr. Robbins was elected to the National Academy of Engineering.
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Lanny retired as a Research Fellow after 37 years at The Dow Chemical Company. His expertise is in fundamental chemical engineering research and pilot plant process development, especially for separation and purification processes, as well as scale-up and production scale engineering. Lanny is the author of the liquid-liquid extraction chapters in Perry’s Chemical Engineers’ Handbook, 6th and 7th ed, and Schweitzer’s Handbook of Separation Techniques for Chemical Engineers, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd ed. He is also the author of more than 185 technical reports in Dow, 19 outside publications, and 18 US patents. Lanny received the prestigious H. H. Dow Gold Medal from the Board of Directors of The Dow Chemical Company in 1993.
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Lanny’s extractions expertise has been critical to developing Gantec’s proprietary extraction and formulation technology and processes.
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Lanny has two grown children and resides in Edenville, MI.
Brian
Molitor
Brian D. Molitor is a co-founder of Gantec Inc. and has served Gantec with his expertise in strategic planning and human resource development since its creation. Brian graduated from Michigan State University with a BS degree in Natural Resource Development. He earned his Master’s Degree in Administration from Central Michigan University.
Brian has served organizations throughout the world as Senior Advisor and Counselor, including those in Africa, Australia, the United Kingdom, the Caribbean, Canada, and many others. His work with transformational leadership has won awards from Fortune 500 companies and tens of thousands of employees have been trained using his unique Power of Agreement Process.
As an author, Brian has written ten books on organizational development, business success and raising the next generation. Many have been translated in multiple languages and published throughout the world.
He and his wife have four grown children and five grandchildren. They reside in Midland, Michigan.