Meet the Team
MEET THE Team
David Nash
CEO and Founder
David Nash, originally from everywhere (as an Air Force brat) but considering Central Florida home, obtained a B.S. and Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Central Florida (UCF). He helped develop IDEM Systems' drug identification technology as a part of his Ph.D. research that was funded by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and post doctoral research funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). He is a former NIJ Research Fellow (2015-2017) and cofounded IDEM Systems to contribute to the fight against the influx of dangerous illicit substances that kill tens of thousands of Americans each year. Coming from a family that has felt the negative effects of substance abuse, Nash finds great passion in this work to develop new field drug test kit solutions to combat a social issue that continues to devastate families in this country. When not working, he enjoys relaxing on a Florida beach in the Florida sun with a gin and diet tonic (with extra lime wedges) in his hand while reading a book about Florida history.
Terry Pierce
COO and Founder
Terry Pierce, from Central Florida, has spent over 30 years working in the electronics and communication technology industries in leadership roles including business development, product management, product marketing and program management. His experience spans commercial and government markets. Prior to IDEM Systems, he was a senior business development manager for Harris Corporation, and has also held positions with Intersil, Texas Instruments, and Occidental Chemical. He also consults with aspiring technology startups as a mentor for the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) I-Corps program and other local startup and venture mentoring programs. He holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Florida. When not in the office, Terry likes to take his boat out and cast a line in the ocean waters or in the river behind his home.
Richard Blair
CTO and Founder
Richard Blair grew up in Sterling Heights, Michigan and attended Hope College from 1990-1994 where he received a B.S. in Chemistry and Mathematics. He continued to UC-Berkeley to pursue an advanced degree in Physical Chemistry and received an M.S. in 1998. He then worked as a programmer for a company developing software for science education. After a brief stint as a thermal testing technician at Advanced Micro Devices, he resumed his education at UCLA where he received a Ph.D. in Materials Chemistry in 2004. He went on to work at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to work on the next generation of thermoelectrical power modules for spacecrafts. In 2007, he accepted a position as an assistant professor of Chemistry and Forensic Science at the University of Central Florida. In 2018, he moved to a research position in the Florida Space Institute at UCF. When he has the time off in the late summer, he and his wife vacation at their cabin in Northern Michigan for some much needed R&R.