Monty’s Plant Food Company's renowned and dedicated research and development (R&D) team, along with industry leaders, are fiercely driven to make farmers more successful. The R&D department is essential for advancing innovation and improving products through plant testing, experimentation, and evaluation, as all products are researched in the lab and on the farm. Our touted team of experts further expounds on why Monty’s is a trusted advisor and innovator of product solutions for farmers.
Alexander Shulgin, PH.D.
Chief Science Officer, Chief Scientist, Chief Technology Officer
As Chief Technology Officer of Monty’s Plant Food Co., Dr. Shulgin provides analysis of scientific/technical data and information; the foundation and formulation of existing products and technologies; and the improvement and development of new technologies and materials.
He conducts research, development, and scientific guidance; lab testing; and product development, including process and technology development for material manufacturing. Dr. Shulgin’s background and experience in physics, applied chemistry, geology, mineral processing and chemical engineering, soil science, and a wide range of environmental disciplines resulted in the development and commercialization of new effective technologies and materials in industry, ecology, and agriculture.
Dr. Shulgin earned his doctorate in physics and applied chemistry from the Moscow Mining Institute. In addition to being a researcher and professor, he was the Deputy Department Chairman at the Moscow Mining Institute and senior executive of science research projects from 1984 to 1990. From 1991 to 1994, he was the Deputy General Director for Science and New Technology for Kubost, Co. Dr. Shulgin held positions as President, General Director and Chief Scientist for several science research and innovative companies, including Special Biological Technologies, Special Bio-physical Technologies, EPHAT, and New Ecology from 1994 to 2005. During this same period of time, Dr. Shulgin was invited by large oil and gas companies, industrial and domestic/municipal waste processing facilities, and environmental organizations to teach senior researchers and managers about advanced applied science and technology.
Dr. Alexander Shulgin is one of the professionals who has been called upon to address national and international problems due to his scientific and technical expertise. He was instrumental in the development of solutions to remediate contaminated soil after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, dangerous tailings dump after metal’s ores processing, restoration of degraded soil, detoxification of soil contaminated with heavy metals, salts, and harmful organic materials – crude oil and petrochemicals, including polycyclic and polychlorinated hydrocarbons. One of them was the site in Louisiana after Hurricane Catharina.
Also, he was a senior executive in the work conducted by the CRADA Treaty with Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee by order of the U.S. Department of Energy to remediate soil contaminated with heavy metals. Starting in 2005, Dr. Shulgin worked as a research professor at the University of Louisville. He led important projects, including R&D on remediation of degraded, contaminated, and damaged soils for small river areas remediation, brown field recovery, and on improvement of sewer system processes. He has worked for Monty’s Plant Food Co. and OrganoCat, Monty's sister company, since 2009.
Dr. Shulgin holds over 50 patents, copyrights, and inventions and has authored or co-authored over 140 scientific and technical works, publications, and reports. His education includes a PhD, Physics and applied chemistry, Moscow Mining Institute, Moscow, Russia; and Mining Engineer-Physicist, Moscow Mining Institute, Moscow, Russia
Fritzie Chen, PH.D.
R&D Scientist, Lab Manager
Dr. Fritzie Chen is currently serving as a Research and Development Scientist and Laboratory Manager at Monty’s Plant Food Co. and Organocat, Monty’s sister company. She specializes in the physico-chemical characterization of humic products. Her role involves planning and executing experiments to validate the effects of humic products in various agronomic and environmental settings. Working closely with Dr. Alexander Shulgin, one of the world’s leading experts in the science of humics, Dr. Chen’s expertise in humics science and ownership of that space in developing groundbreaking proprietary humics technology helped establish Monty’s as a humic leader in the agriculture field.
With a Ph.D. and M.S. in Soil Science (Soil Chemistry) from Iowa State and a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of the Philippines-Visayas, Dr. Chen has a strong academic background complemented by practical experience. During her postdoctoral research at Iowa State University, she led projects establishing shared instrumentation laboratories, performed analytical tests to compare soil health in biofuel cropping systems, and conducted research on dissolved organic matter characterization.
Dr. Chen’s expertise extends to teaching, as demonstrated during her time as a Visiting Lecturer at the State University of New York-Plattsburgh and as a teaching assistant at Iowa State University, where she taught various courses in environmental science, water quality modeling, environmental technology, water quality analysis, soil and environmental chemistry, and organic chemistry for Agronomy majors. At Monty’s and Organocat, she acts as an educator by providing training and technical support to Monty’s sales team.
Her earlier experiences also include a significant tenure as a Research and Teaching Assistant at Iowa State University, where she delved into projects such as assessing potential risks in the land application of biosolids to agricultural soil and researching carbon sequestration. Her work involved tasks such as extraction, fractionation, and characterization of biosolids-derived organic matter (BDOM) and utilizing advanced analytical techniques like HPLC-MS/MS.
Dr. Chen’s competences encompass management, professional development, review/editing, data analysis, and proficiency with various analytical instruments. Her research contributions are reflected in publications and presentations at conferences, demonstrating her commitment to advancing soil science and environmental research.
Anton Shulgin, PH.D.
R&D Scientist
Dr. Anton Shulgin is an accomplished scientist with over 20 years of experience in the fields of geotechnology, geoecology, and the environmental applications of humic substances. He holds a Ph.D. in Mining Physics and Chemistry from Moscow State Mining University, where he developed an innovative method for activating humic substances and bitumen from brown coal for detoxifying hazardous waste and remediating contaminated soils.
Dr. Shulgin has applied his scientific expertise across a range of international projects, including environmental restoration, soil fertility enhancement, and sustainable agriculture. His work has focused on integrating natural resources—such as brown coal derivatives—into practical, eco-friendly soil amendments and bio-stimulants that improve soil health, nutrient retention, and crop productivity.
In addition to holding multiple patents in humic-based technology, Dr. Shulgin has served as a senior researcher for environmental innovation companies in both Russia and the United States. His research has resulted in the development of proprietary methods for neutralizing toxic industrial byproducts and rehabilitating degraded or polluted land, with direct applications in agriculture, land reclamation, and green chemistry.
Dr. Shulgin’s leadership and consulting work has supported the transition of cutting-edge research into scalable commercial products. He is passionate about sustainable land use, the bioavailability of plant nutrients, and the role of humic materials in restoring ecological balance.
Jeff Sangalli
CEO
As the Chief Executive Officer of Monty’s Plant Food Co., Jeff is responsible for the overall vision, strategy, and direction of Monty’s; the P&L and cash management; management of the executive team; and executive oversight of the Research and Development, Product Development, and marketing teams; change agent.
Prior to joining Monty’s, Jeff spent over 13 years at Lexmark International. His various leadership roles included strategic planning and innovation in R&D, product planning and development, WW supply/demand planning and fulfillment, and manufacturing and operations management, resulting in over $1B in supplies revenue and multiple awards from key suppliers like Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Dell. Jeff holds five U.S. patents.
Jeff's education includes an M.B.A., Xavier University (Williams College of Business & Administration), Cincinnati, OH; M.Eng., Engineering, University of Louisville (Speed Scientific School), Louisville, KY; and B.S.E.S., University of Louisville (Speed Scientific School), Louisville, KY
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