Ron has over 25 years of new product development and international business development experience including strong global marketing, purchasing and operations management skills. Prior to joining Virginia Tech full time in August 2019, Ron served as Industry Director and Director of Global Marketing for Mar-Bal, Inc., the leading integrated compounder and molder of thermoset composites. Based in Blacksburg at Mar-Bal’s Global Marketing Office, Ron was responsible for corporate marketing activities including communications, brand development and product management. In addition, Ron lead the global sales, new business development and strategic acquisitions within Mar-Bal’s proprietary product lines and key OEM accounts in electrical, construction, industrial and rail markets.
Prior to joining Mar-Bal in 2008, Ron led global sourcing activities in support of new product development and innovation at Pfizer, Spectrum Brands and Newell-Rubbermaid. Serving as an entrepreneur and small business owner, Ron is the Co-Founder and Advising Partner for The PRIME Factory, a marketing and public relations agency, based in Blacksburg at The Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center. Over the past 5 years, Ron has served as a Professional Vice-President and Secretary on the National Council for Pi Sigma Epsilon (PSE), the only national co-ed professional fraternity in the fields of sales, marketing and management; since 2019, he has served on the Advisory Board for the Business Leadership Center at the Pamplin School of Business. He is also member of Rotary International, Sales Marketing Executives International (SMEI) and the Academy of Management.
In February 2017, Mr. Poff was recognized as a Distinguished Marketing Sales Award (DMSA) honoree by the Sales and Marketing Executives (SME) organization in Cleveland.
From August 2017 until July 2019, Ron served as an Adjunct Instructor at Virginia Tech in the Department of Management where he taught an introductory business course in management and courses in entrepreneurship in the Pamplin School of Business. He was recognized in April 2018, by the Division of Student Affairs, as a ‘Favorite Faculty’ nominee.
Ron holds an M.S. in Marketing from Southern New Hampshire University, a Graduate Certificate in eMarketing from The University of Virginia and a B.S. in Business Management from University of Phoenix. Ron is a veteran of the US Navy and Reserves (1989-1999).
Awards
2018 – Favorite Faculty (nominated), Division of Student Affairs – Virginia Tech
2017 - Distinguished Marketing and Sales Award (DMSA) – Sales and Marketing Executives International (SMEI), Cleveland
2014 - Best Technical Paper Presentation – Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE), Thermoset Division
2013 - SoMe Impact Award - Social Media Best PracticesA Roanoke native, Ron resides in Christiansburg.
Other Professional Development – Licenses and Certifications
2019 - Design Thinking for Innovation, University of Virginia
2019 – Positional Recruiting for Organizations, Carew International
2019 – Excellence in Sales Leadership, Carew International
2000 – Institute for Supply Chain Management (ISM), Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM)
