Susan Hagar, vice president of corporate communications and government, Qteros
Hagar
Susan Hagar has worked in health related communications jobs for companies including Bayer HealthCare, the global communications agency WCG and several pharmaceutical startups. Now, Marlborough biofuel company Qteros has hired her as part of its effort to "scale up" its staff as it grows. In this Q&A, she talks about energy security, weaning the country off fossil fuels and her history as a high school "science geek."
Vital Stats:
Age: 41
Residence: South Natick
Family: 7-year old daughter
Education: Bachelor's in biology and an MBA, Northeastern University
Previous job: Director of corporate communications and investor relations, WCG
Start date at new job: April 26
Q. How are you settling in at your new office?
A. I am delighted to join the Qteros team. This is a welcoming group of folks.
Q. What challenges do you see in your new position?
A. I see more opportunities ahead than challenges. President Barack Obama has gone on record stating that one of his mandates is to make substantive and tangible alternative energy progress within his administration's timeframe. Qteros is at the core of this mandate and is rapidly emerging as a leader in the development of next generation technology solutions for the biofuels industries. This is an exciting and opportunistic time for Qteros as we work to accelerate the commercial availability of advanced, low-cost biofuels from Qteros' unique, consolidated bio-processing platform.
Q. How close is this to what you imagined in high school you'd end up doing?
A. It's not too far afield from my high school ambitions. My favorite classes in high school were biology and chemistry, but I also loved creative writing. I see my role at Qteros as the intersection of science and communications-perfect for a self-proclaimed, high-school-science geek.
Q. How far is your commute to the office?
A. My commute is approximately 40 minutes.
Q. What could local and state governments do to make things better for your business?
A. We need state and local governments to send a strong message to the White House that the administration must reinforce the already established biofuels mandates, specifically the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2), which was enacted by the EPA. RFS2 calls for the production of 16 billion gallons per year of cellulosic biofuels by 2022. White House support for this mandate is critical for continued advancement and commercialization of cellulosic ethanol and the only way our nation can truly achieve any form of energy security and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
Q. Do you have any hobbies outside of work?
A. Some of my favorite activities include spending time with my family, reading, biking and sampling new and interesting restaurants around Massachusetts.
Q. What's on your to-do list for the next couple of days?
A. It's too long to describe. I'll be very busy.
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