Tom Kuriscak

Class of 2026-2027

Saint John's University (MN)
Biochemistry

Capstone Project Abstract

Coast Southwest, Inc. is a full-service regional chemical manufacturing and distribution company serving manufacturers and formulators of consumer and industrial products throughout the United States. Over three decades it has built a broad functional ingredient portfolio for consumer and industrial formulators. The company is evaluating how to expand its preservative offering alongside the partner products it distributes. Preservation is a demanding category, shaped by regulatory scrutiny, consumer pressure toward naturally derived systems, and a narrowing set of viable actives. This capstone assesses Coast Southwest's right to win in that market. The student will map the competitive and regulatory landscape, evaluate the technical and commercial fit of the company's preservative offering, and build an end-to-end strategy spanning ideation and discovery, product design and development, research and business analysis, and go-to-market execution. The deliverable will give leadership a recommendation on where to compete, how to position the branded line, and what capabilities the project requires.

Why did you choose ESTEEM?

I came to ESTEEM to learn how to apply my technical skills in biochemistry to create novel solutions which constitute financial value. My undergraduate work was at the bench, studying biochemical orthopedic therapies, and alongside it I was building things, most recently a mobile contrast therapy company. What I didn't have was a framework for the space between the two: how a finding becomes a product, and how creative instinct becomes a repeatable process. That gap is what I came here for. My capstone with Coast Southwest, a distributor moving into manufacturing and marketing its own preservative brand, has been exactly that lesson in practice. I have the scientific background, but look to develop my positioning, right to win, and route to market.

What do you hope to do after ESTEEM?

After ESTEEM I want to work in commercialization, taking technical products from a lab or a portfolio and figuring out how they reach the people who need them. I'm drawn to specialty chemicals, consumer health, and preventative wellness, where the science is often further along than the delivery. I plan to help bring positive change by bringing new products and services to meet the unmet needs of our community.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I enjoy staying active by playing sports, if you can name it I will play it. I also enjoy reading, coffee, and puzzles.