Our Purpose

Co-founder Lou Elwell manages and directs the company toward its primary objectives, based on profit and return of capital, through establishing current and long-range objectives.  

Lou has extensive experience in managing and building new companies.  He has been an officer and director of several public companies.  He has been named Entrepreneur of the Month by Entrepreneur Magazine.

Lou received his Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, where he majored in both Finance and Entrepreneurial Management, and was also a Teaching Fellow in the Entrepreneurial Center.

Co-founder Wayne Wade grew up on a small farm in south Mississippi.  His understanding of conventional farming and plant needs and his experience in microbial remediation for waste management bolstered his desire to experiment with natural alternatives to promote healthy plants and soil.

Wayne currently operates the production facilities in Hattiesburg, MS.  Additionally, he oversees the technical and marketing support.  His passion for agriculture continues as he travels the world, introducing producers to the benefits of products containing SumaGrow.

Wayne received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in Marketing.

Erin Reynolds joined the team in 2009 and has served in a myriad of positions.  Erin currently serves as Executive Assistant, the Orders and Shipping Coordinator, and assists with Registration and Compliance; all positions within Innovative Industries Group where her education and experience help her navigate through the legalities of contracts, import permits, registrations, and compliance.

Erin received her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University San Marcos) in 1999 and obtained her Master of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2003.  In 2006 she completed work on her Ph.D. in Administration of Justice at the University of Southern Mississippi and is only lacking completion of her dissertation. 

Eric is a current livestock producer with roots in the agricultural industry and was brought on staff at Innovative Industries Group in early 2024 serving a range of functions in operations. After finishing college, Eric went on to develop a research and development division for Naco then moved into consulting work for both the government and private industry. He has served as production, operations, and business development manager for several multinational companies including Nasco and The Consolidated Companies (CON/CO) acquiring an extensive background in international business and product management/development as well as having strong ties to large chain retailers both domestic and internationally.

Eric received his Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the University of Georgia in 1993.

Scott joined us in July 2024 to serve as our Director of Marketing and Business Development.  He has over 30 years of sales and business experience working for major retail sellers, where he managed over 55 stores.   After Scott received a degree in Drafting from Pearl River Junior College in 1979, he worked for AAMCO Oil Company in New Orleans and for the City of Hattiesburg as a Draftsman and Subdivision Inspector. While working in the Wireless Industries, he kept his Wireless regions as one of the top producers in the country.  Scott has owned multiple companies over the years. He started SDHC Services, a trucking company to work with FEMA and Southern MS Prepaid Wireless, a multiple store wireless provider.  He has extensive knowledge in sales management, employee development, and customer loyalty.  His primary focus for the company will be to help drive company revenue.

Ms. McWilliams has worked extensively with compliance testing and wastewater testing and treatment. Ms. McWilliams worked for Bio-Solutions Corporation, a microbial bioremediation company, from 2004 until 2007. In 2007, she joined BSEI’s research and development team where she helped oversee the SumaGrow double blind field trials. Ms. McWilliams now teaches high school science, but remains with Innovative Industries Group as a consultant, where the company continues to utilize her unique skills.

Janiece received her Bachelor of Science in Biology and Master of Science in Microbiology, both with environmental science emphasis, from the University of Southern Mississippi.  Her graduate research involved plant-microbe interactions during water stress.

Russ Smith is a seasoned entrepreneur known for his expertise in the plastics and manufacturing industries. As the co-founder of Flexcraft, he transformed the company from a modest operation with just two employees and one machine into an industry leader through innovative customer solutions and strategic acquisitions. Notably, Russ achieved industry recognition by converting a chocolate extruder into a blow molding machine, becoming the first to process an extremely difficult engineering resin.

After successfully selling Flexcraft in 2015 and transitioning to a Board position, Russ founded Spectrum, a packaging and filling company dedicated to helping product-based businesses scale efficiently. Spectrum specializes in sourcing, packaging, decorating, filling, and providing comprehensive dock-to-stock services to customers worldwide. Russ's ventures have grossed over $500 million in sales, and he has extensive experience selling to major retailers such as Walmart and Home Depot. With a strong background in team building, company building, and scaling manufacturing operations to tens of millions of units per year, Russ Smith continues to drive innovation and success in the industry.

Jerry joined the Innovative Industries Group team in 2011 as the Production Manager.  He oversees and assists with the blending, bottling, and packaging of Bio Soil’s products, the loading and unloading of freight trucks, as well as the maintenance of the warehouse and equipment.  Jerry has kept the warehouse running smoothly and in good working shape for over a decade.