Management Team |
Brent Baker, Chief Executive Officer Brent is a pioneer of the biodiesel movement and has been a biodiesel educator and producer since the fuel emerged in the United States about 14 years ago. He is now a nationally known spokesman on biodiesel and related issues. Brent is an environmental advocate who has been focused on various sustainability issues for over 20 years. Prior to founding Tri-State Biodiesel in 2004, he was the Executive Director and founder of Biotour.org, a non-profit organization that specialized in global warming and sustainability education. Through his work at Biotour.org and Tri-State Biodiesel, Brent has educated hundreds of thousands of Americans about the dangers of global warming and the benefits of biodiesel fuel. Brent has been the subject of numerous print articles, radio and television programs including in the New York Times, National Public Radio, ABC's Business Week Weekend and PBS News Hour, which called him a "Johnny Appleseed of biodiesel." Baker is currently advising members of the New York State Assembly and the New York City Council on biodiesel policy. He also serves as a consultant to other biodiesel start-ups and is featured in the award-winning documentary "Fuel." Baker, who has met with Al Gore and biodiesel superstar Willie Nelson, is called upon regularly to be interviewed or speak at biodiesel industry and environmental forums. More recently, Brent was nominated for Social Venture Network's Innovators Award for his work at Tri-State Biodiesel. Email Brent |
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| Randy Yellow, Chief Technology Officer/Plant Manager — As CTO at Tri-State Biodiesel, Randy oversees the design, procurement, installation and implementation of all process equipment. Randy's 9 years of experience in the design, construction, and operation of chemical process facilities, (6 of which were in biodiesel specifically) provides another dimension to the depth of the Tri-State Biodiesel team. Before working with Tri-State Biodiesel Randy built, retrofitted, engineered and operated a 12mm gallon per year soy biodiesel, a 5mm gallon per year multi-feedstock facility and a solvent processing facility. Randy has also worked as a production and equipment consultant to about 6 other biodiesel businesses helping them to implement or upgrade various parts of their projects. Randy is an engineer, mechanic, welder, and heavy equipment operator who has a great understanding of the mass flow dynamics, chemistry, safety procedures and other processes involved in biodiesel manufacturing. Email Randy
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| Spiro Theofilatos, Director of Waste Oil Collection – Spiro joins the Tri-State team with an extensive background in restaurant and real estate management. As an administrative partner in Astoria Properties LLC, he influenced the company's real estate development agenda and led to their construction of Astoria's first prominent multi-family housing developments with gold and platinum certifications. Environmental advocate and biodiesel enthusiast for over 4 years, this Long Island native has launched our waste oil collections service, built relationships with some of the countries leading super markets, recycling, and waste management brokerage firms. He has also solidified relationships with hundreds of independent franchises and restaurants in Manhattan and expanded the waste oil collection operations throughout Brooklyn and Queens. Email Spiro
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| Jovena Natal, Accounting Department Manager –
Jovena manages the accounting needs of Tri-State Biodiesel. She brings over 14 years of accounting and human resources management experience to the team. Her background includes running her own consulting practice, facilitating business skills workshops for executives, and serving as a Principal / Director for a consulting firm, Atlas Accelerator. Jovena also has a year of public accounting experience and has managed several financial audits. In addition to her experience with over 100 small businesses, Jovena served on the founding board of a nonprofit, administered $1MM+ federal grants and contracts and organized an organic community garden. She holds a BSBA degree from American University, a two-year degree in Accounting and is SPHR certified. Email Jovena
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| Joshua Sabo, Chief Counsel – With his professional legal experience in energy and technology projects, Joshua brings a high level of legal expertise to the Tri-State Biodiesel team. As Tri-State's legal counsel, he writes business contracts and other documents, advises on strategy, and oversees our general activities to insure against for future litigation. Joshua's experience in Albany and Washington, D.C., leaves him well suited to advise Tri-State on lobbying and public partnership issues. He holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. from Wesleyan University. He is special counsel to the Green Island Power Authority and is experienced in litigation and appellate work in State and Federal Courts throughout New York State. Email Joshua
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| Henry Dotson,
Operations and Sales Manager — Email Henry
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| Miles Liebtag, Collections Manager and Fleet Dispatcher — Email Miles
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Nicholas B. Cowell, Plant Operations Technician Nickolai (as he prefers to be called) is a recent transplant to the Tri-State area from Telluride Colorado, where he co-founded one of Colorado's first biodiesel plants, Atlas Biodiesel Share (formerly Grassolean Solutions). As Program Director, Plant Manager, and Education Director at Atlas his duties included plant design and construction, biodiesel production, and overseeing waste oil collection and fuel distribution. He also supervised interns, hosted volunteers, taught at biodiesel workshops, and familiarized state tax officials with biodiesel. Prior to his biodiesel interest, Nickolai has 15 years in the non-profit sector. Nickolai's hands-on biodiesel experience, and environmental background, are an invaluable compliment to the Tri-State Biodiesel team. Nickolai holds a Bachelor of Arts, Social Anthropology from Harvard University. |
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| George Dimoulas, Depot and Operations Specialist — Email George
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| Robert Fludd, Fleet Personnel Manager
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| Mark Mills, Fleet Personnel Assistant Manager
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CORPORATE ADVISORS
| Christopher Frank, Technology
Advisor For the past 8 years, Christopher has been Senior Project Engineer within Advanced Concepts Group of EDO Marine and Aircraft Systems in North Amityville, New York. In this capacity, he worked to design, develop, fabricate, test, and present hi-tech mechanical systems for aircraft and marine applications. As a lifelong mechanic, engineer, and inventor who builds experimental aircraft in his spare time, Chris supplies invaluable technical know-how to the Tri-State team. Christopher, who has been interested in biodiesel for several years and will oversee the design, fabrication, and installation of our tank farm and process equipment. Upon the completion of our production plant, Christopher will become Plant Manager with a mandate to maximize efficiency and performance. Chris is a licensed pilot and FAA Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic. He has an "Active Secret" Security Clearance issued by the Department of Defense and holds B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from City College, City University of New York. Email Chris |
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Ethan Garber, Investor/Business Advisor Garber has more than 20 years experience analyzing, advising, and financing businesses in a wide range of industries. As a restructuring specialist, Garber frequently serves on creditor committees of major national and international companies and is currently consulting as a distressed debt and derivatives trader for the post-bankruptcy liquidation of the Lehman Brothers estate. Prior to joining Lehman, Garber was a proprietary trader for both Bear Stearns and Credit Suisse First Boston and was also a well-regarded distressed debt and restructuring expert at a number of firms including Lehman Brothers, where he was ranked by Institutional Investor magazine as an "All Star" analyst. Garber has also been a senior debt analyst at Jefferies & Co. and Chase Manhattan and was a founding investor in several successful green-tech ventures including ThermalHouse. Garber graduated from Wesleyan University in 1990 with a B.A in religious studies. |
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Dr. Alan B. Rubin, Regulation and Public Partnerships Advisor For 20 years Alan worked as leading U.S. EPA Staff Regulator and Policy Advisor for Bio-solids in the United States. He has a strong understanding of the bio-diesel and other recycled waste industries from both a science and policy perspective. His years at the E.P.A. provide him withgreat insight and connections with the regulatory structures governing the bio-solids industry. Alan received his B.A. in Chemistry from Cornell University and his Ph.D. in Physical Organic Chemistry from the University of Rochester. |
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