Expertise

• Thirty plus years experience as a chemical engineer in the petrochemical industry.
• Ammonium nitrate manufacturing for fertilizer and explosive applications.
• Nitric acid plants and ammonium plant construction and expansion.
• Production and chemical engineering of fertilizer products.
• Marketing and sales of ammonium nitrate fertilizers.
• Hydrogen sulfide recovery plants.
• Extensive background in engineering, plant operations, chemical engineering consulting and positions in senior management.
• Spearheaded plant expansions and product diversifications to increase revenue.
• Improved plant efficiencies and product quality to increase profitability.
• Highly skilled executive with proven ability to expand business and improve profitability.
• Expert witness on plant operations, efficiency and operation procedures.

Experience

Independent Consultant, 2006 - Present

Undisclosed Firm, Tampa, FL, CEO, 2002 - 2006

• Responsible for implementing the privatization of the largest ammonium nitrate manufacturing plant in Florida, producing and selling $50 million annually of fertilizers and explosives to the agricultural and mining industry.
• Reduced manufacturing costs by improving on stream performance, improving maintenance, and reducing productions costs.
• Increased sales, market share and profit margin by improving product quality and diversifying products marketed.
• Restructured privatized company from a non-competitive cooperative into a streamlined organization with emphasis on marketing, sales and distribution.

Independent Consultant, Billings, MT, Consultant, 1988 - 2002

Major Projects and Activity

Black & Veatch Pritchard, Overland Park, KS, Manager - Director

• Directed engineering disciplines to prepare the design and budget to expand and modernize a large ammonia plant.
• $20 million expansion increased plant capacity 50% and reduced energy consumption significantly; project completed on schedule and on budget.

Clausen Miller, Chicago, IL; Mayer Brown, Chicago, IL; Zelle & Larson, Dallas, TX, Consultant

• Expert witness consulting services to prepare for litigation of a $400 million explosion at Terra Chemicals plant in Sioux City, IA.
• Consulted with attorneys and technical experts, interviewed numerous personnel and conducted a complete critique of the plant's operation.
• Reviewed plant and engineering calculations to prepare for litigation.

Other Engineering Consulting Clients and Projects

• Projects for LaRoche Industries, Crystal City, MO, The Pritchard Corporation, Kansas City, KS; James Chemical Engineering, Groton, CT; MSI, Salt Lake City, UT; and Geneva Steel, Provo, UT.
• For Simplot Fertilizer, Brandon, Manitoba, managed the engineering and construction of the first ammonium nitrate prill fattener granulation plant.
• Coordinated engineering with a French designer, completed on schedule, on budget with facilities producing the best quality ammonium nitrate in North America.
• Provided engineering consulting services to improve ammonium nitrate product quality, overseas engineering sales, nitric acid plant expansion, explosives product development and steel mill pollution control.

Kerley Enterprises/Conoco, Phoenix, AZ, General Manager, 1989 - 1990

• Managed the hydrogen sulfide recovery plants at Conoco's refinery in Lake Charles, LA and Ponca City, OK.
• The plants converted refinery waste into saleable sulfur by products.
• Successfully managed Kerley/Conoco joint venture and restructured organization to improve performance.

Coastal Corporation/El Paso, Cheyenne, WY, Vice President of Manufacturing

• Manufacturing leadership of a major chemical manufacturing facility producing ammonia, nitric acid, ammonium nitrate, urea carbon dioxide and ammonium thiosulfate.
• Planned and implemented a $100 million plant expansion, increasing annual sales from 300,000 T/yr 500,000 T/yr, and reduced raw material consumption by 20%.
• Developed a new product of explosive grade ammonium nitrate with superior quality, permitting a market penetration of 50% in two years.
• Constructed a plant to convert waste product carbon dioxide into a saleable product.
• Patented and built a facility to convert waste sulfur dioxide into saleable ammonium thiosulfate fertilizer.

Terra Chemicals International, Inc. Sioux City, IA, Senior Process Engineer

• Responsible for process and efficiency improvements, optimization and engineering in large ammonia fertilizer complex.
• Implemented computer control in Terra's ammonia plant, reducing energy consumption by 7%.
• Reduced operating costs and improved catalyst performance.
• Reduced maintenance costs through effective planning and management and improved urea product quality.

Vulcan Materials Company, Baton Rouge, LA, Production Supervisor

• Total responsibility for the initial startup and operation of a new $40 million trichloroethane and vinylidene chloride chemicals plant.
• Successfully managed startup of both chloro-solvent plants and achieved 90% of rated production capacity in one year.

Utilities Supervisor, Wichita, KS

• Total responsibility for steam boilers and distribution, natural gas distribution, electrical distribution, plant and instrument air, cooling towers, water distribution, waste collection and deep well disposal.
• Successfully controlled the utilities supply to a large chlorine chemicals complex and under run budget.

Honors & Publications

Academic and Professional Affiliations

• American Institute of Chemical Engineers
• American Management Association
• Ammonium Nitrate Producers
• Florida Fertilizer Association
• Nitric Acid Producers (Chairman)
• The Fertilizer Institute (Board of Directors)

Education

• B.S. Chemical Engineer, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT