Solidia Technologies said Aug. 16 that it named Russell Hill as its incoming chief technology officer.
Hill will replace outgoing CTO Nicholas DeCristofaro, who is retiring next month after more than a decade playing a vital role in Solidia’s growth and technology development.
“Russell Hill brings a rare wealth of expertise and experience, and we are thrilled to add him to Solidia’s roster of talent,” said Chief Executive Officer Bryan Kalbfleisch. “Russell’s leadership will be invaluable as we fulfill Solidia’s mission to deliver the next generation of sustainable construction materials and building products.”
“While we are excited for Nick as he moves into the next chapter of his life, we’ll miss his expertise and deep knowledge of material science, which have helped Solidia capture a significant lead in the race for carbon reduction through building materials,” said Kalbfleisch. “Russell will build on that solid foundation, incorporating his intimate understanding of the market and R&D as we take Solidia to the next level.”
Hill comes to the Piscataway-based company, which helps manufacturer and produce building and construction materials using low-carbon cement and concrete, after 25 years with Boral. There, he most recently served as group chief innovation officer where he established a comprehensive innovation strategy with a global vision for the future, with broad initiatives spanning R&D, new product development, venture investments, digital advancements, customer experience, and advanced manufacturing improvements.

Hill
“Having devoted my career to applying technology and science to advance construction materials and building products, I am excited to join Solidia, a tech leader pushing the envelope on innovation in cement and concrete,” said Hill. “My goal is to advance Solidia’s R&D roadmap quickly, not only to deliver immediate value to customers, but also to help shift manufacturing into the digital age and demonstrate the vital potential of the global construction industry to scale solutions that benefit society both economically and environmentally.”
With a doctorate in chemistry from the University of North Texas, Hill’s areas of expertise and interests include coal combustion products, cement and fly ash chemistry, concrete technology and durability, geopolymers, mineral fillers, activated carbon, chemical admixtures, and polyurethane composites.
He is named inventor on 56 patents, consisting of more than 20 distinct families and is a member of the American Concrete Institute, the American Chemical Society and Alpha Chi Sigma.