ROGER SAILLANT

Author/Consultant

Roger Saillant was formerly an Adjunct Professor and the Executive Director of the Fowler Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit, Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University. Prior to that appointment, he was an adjunct professor at Marlboro College where he taught systems thinking.

He was the CEO of Plug Power, a publicly traded fuel cell company, for seven years; while there he helped to raise over $500 million dollars from private investors and led three acquisitions. Dr. Saillant was recognized as a leader in fuel cells at the state, national, and international levels, being accorded the inaugural lifetime achievement award by the United States Fuel Cell Council.

Prior to Plug Power, he served 30 years at The Ford Motor Company and Visteon Corporation, a spinoff of Ford. He began his career as a research scientist and rose to various management positions including but not limited to plant manager, Vice President and General Manager of the Energy Transformation Division, Vice President and General Manager of the Plastics Division, and General Manager of the Electronics and Fuel Handling Division. In these positions he was responsible for global profit and losses, acquisitions, manufacturing, and sales and service operations. The divisions ranged in size from $3.5 – 5.5 billion in sales and employed up to 11,000 people in 19 countries. He was noted for his ability to turn operations around and improve profits and morale.

He earned his AB degree from Bowdoin College, a PhD from Indiana University in inorganic chemistry, a post doctorate at UCLA in organometallic chemistry, and an honorary Doctor of Science degree from SUNY Cobleskill. He has co-authored and authored over 25 papers in refereed journals and three books: a nonfiction book Flourishing Enterprise – The New Spirit of Business, an environmental thriller entitled Vapor Trails, and most recently a memoir covering his years in foster care - The Power of Being Seen.  

Roger Saillant lives in Saratoga Springs, New York where he oversees private business interests, writes, raises wildflowers, and enjoys life with his wife, Mary Lou Pinckney.