Talent & Leadership
Education
Tulane University, New Orleans, LA. B.S.M. in Finance from Tulane University. May 13, 1988
Experience
Richard Ticktin has 22 years of experience as the owner, creator, chief chemist, and Chief Executive Officer of SynergyLabs.
In 1995, Richard founded Flea Doctor with the single-minded desire to stand for excellence – in the products produced, people hired, partnerships forged, and distribution channels created.
Today, Flea Doctor has transitioned to SynergyLabs, a leading USA manufacturer of over 10 of its brands and private-label brands for pet and veterinary products distributed to over 60+ countries worldwide. Richard spends most of his time nurturing the company’s culture, expanding and innovating its top brands and formulations, and growing the business domestically and abroad. After two decades-worth of dedication to SynergyLabs, Richard’s original dream to become a vertically integrated global supplier of chemically-based products is today a reality.
Richard received NBC, Tribune, and pet industry trade media coverage and lectured worldwide on animal health and grooming. He has also been featured on HGTV for a Dental Fresh® educational segment. In 2012, to accommodate the company’s growth, Richard moved the company to a 45,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility with pharmaceutical-grade batching and packaging areas and professional offices for departmental staff. Richard also invested in digital label presses and expanded SynergyLab’s ever-growing collection of Aesus® pharmaceutical machinery lines, cappers, and labelers.
Today, SynergyLabs is experiencing extraordinary growth and innovation, including an all-new manufacturing facility in North Carolina with over 200,000 square feet. Richard is humbly excited for what’s to come – as he never wants to stop thinking, building, and innovating. As the company continually achieves more-than-expected sales numbers, Richard plans to ultimately purchase and re-engineer a plant to exact specifications and diversify the business into other categories of pet care beyond chemicals.
Education
Bachelors of Business Administration and Masters of Science in Finance from Florida International University
Experience
Ted joined SynergyLabs as controller in January 2018 and was promoted to CFO in January of 2021. Ted has a master’s degree in finance, is a CPA, passed all 3 levels of the Chartered Financial Analyst program, and has held senior financial positions at both private and public companies in a wide variety of Industries for nearly 20 years.
As CFO, Ted is in charge of all accounting functions, financial reporting, financing, and budgeting. In addition, Ted oversees the supply chain, IT, and inventory control for the company. Early in his career, Ted worked in the accounting department of a large, NYSE-listed company in the transportation industry.
Ted was then recruited for a controllership at a privately-owned pioneer in the telecommunications space, was promoted to CFO, and was admitted as a partner. After 10 years, the company was acquired and relocated and then he found his new home at SynergyLabs. Ted graduated magma cum laude from Florida International University with a bachelor’s of business administration and a master’s of science in finance.
Education
Bachelors of Business Administration, Management, and Entrepreneurship from Florida Atlantic University
Experience
Brent joined SynergyLabs in 2018 to lead the domestic sales division and was promoted to CCO in October 2022. By optimizing sales teams, identifying product development opportunities, and implementing effective marketing strategies, he has built a career in helping consumer goods companies reach their potential in personal care, tactical and safety, and now the pet industry.
At the intersection of trends, core competencies and manufacturing capability is an opportunity – as CCO, Brent has his team use this formula to grow SynergyLabs’ sales and portfolio of products aggressively. Brent takes great pride in developing relationships internally with team members and externally with customers who often rely on him as a key resource in identifying trends and opportunities.
Education
Bachelors of Business Administration from the University of Puerto Rico
Experience
Monica joined SynergyLabs in 2013. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Puerto Rico, where she attained a B.A. in Business Administration. Her field of study fueled her early professional projects, and remarkably she created multiunit educational facilities that were later endorsed by federal government contracts. After selling these facilities due to relocation, she became Sales Director for a triathlete’s gear manufacturer. During her tenure, she developed domestic and international business, driving the company to a 42% growth in the first year and ensuring continuous expansion.
At SynergyLabs, she travels the globe and navigates complex tasks to expand the company’s global presence. SynergyLabs is currently available in 63 countries – and counting. With her dynamic work style and strong ethics, she has garnered the respect of her team and clients around the world.
Education
Bachelors of Science in Business Administration, with majors in Human Resources and Finance from University of South Carolina
Experience
Elena Azzarita joined SynergyLabs in 2019 as the company’s Director of Human Resources. She holds a BS in Human Resources and in Finance from the University of South Carolina.
With an extensive background of 20+ years in HR, Elena is adept at developing and administering Human Resources programs ranging from compensation/benefits to staff development/performance; her passion is attracting and retaining a high-quality workforce with particular emphasis on employee engagement.
Having previously worked for companies that were nationally recognized for their employment practices, she was immediately attracted to SynergyLabs. The expansion of the company into her home state of North Carolina afforded Azzarita the ability to work with a forward-thinking company that places employees at the forefront of their business/operational strategies. Her objective is to continue developing HR programs to assure that SynergyLabs will always be an employer of choice within existing and expanding operations.
Education
Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Masters of Science in Engineering Science from Penn State University
Experience
Joe joined SynergyLabs in August 2021 to lead the expansion of the Engineering organization. His team is involved in delivering daily tactical services and long-term strategic projects in the areas of process development, facilities and equipment, and company-wide software systems.
Prior to joining SynergyLabs, Joe spent much of his career developing and directing high-precision plastic component manufacturing and metrology operations in the fiber-optic connector industry.
As a result, he brings considerable experience managing complex projects in the areas of facility construction/renovation, equipment selection, installation, and maintenance, and production system optimization. In addition, he is passionate about maintaining an engaged workforce by nurturing corporate culture and developing empowered employees.
Joe is a proud Nittany Lion receiving a Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Masters of Science in Engineering Science from Penn State University.