Robert MacArthur – Mr. MacArthur has founded and run multiple businesses, demonstrating extensive creativity, managerial and leadership qualities. He was Division Manager of Polaroid camera-products, President & CEO of Stocker & Yale, Inc. (which he took public), and CEO of Multi-Channel Industries, LLC. He founded Antilles Yachting Corp. (a business based on his innovative yacht sale-lease-back plan which has since become standard in the chartering industry). As Managing Partner of MacArthur Associates (a consulting firm specializing in new ventures and in Chapter 11 Bankruptcy reorganizations), he served as a federal bankruptcy trustee and as US Bankruptcy Court-appointed receiver for corporations in Chapter 11. He founded and subsequently sold North Country Corp. a company that promotes and supports family farms. He established three catalog/web direct marketing enterprises, some winning Catalog of the Year awards, and co-founded Nano Surfaces, Inc., a company engaged in anti-fouling coatings. He is on the faculty of Boston University, where he has taught courses in management of new enterprises; strategies for electronic commerce; E-commerce and database marketing. As Administrative Coordinator for Boston University’s Business Incubator program, he mentors faculty/staff/students with entrepreneurial internships. Academic background: St. Lawrence University (BS) and the Harvard Business School.

Alexander Koukoulas – Technology Director, and Responsible for assessing biomass-to-energy conversion technologies and biomass availability. He is acting Technology Officer for Confluent Energies, Inc. He has over 23 years experience in the pulp and paper industry, and is an expert on biomass selection and utilization and process integration technologies. He has held senior technology positions at Albany International (Executive VP for R&D) and International Paper (Chief Scientist and Director of Research). Alex is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at North Carolina State University. He has an extensive publication record and is the holder of numerous patents. He also serves on the Technology Advisory Board of Flambeau River BioFuels, LLC.

Joe Gatto – Technical Advisor & co-founder. He is responsible for assessing greenhouse technologies related to ATG operations, and in horticultural plant selection. Mr. Gatto has extensive academic experience as a plant biochemist and as a molecular biologist, being employed as such in the Department of Molecular Biology and the Cutaneous Biology Research Center at the Massachusetts General Hospital. He also performed as a protein chemist at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (Boston) and as a molecular biologist at Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. At the University of Wisconsin at Madison, he was involved in modifying and operating plant-growth rooms at the Biotron (the first controlled environmental facility). He also has extensive experience in plant cell culture, and the design and use of sensors in plant cell fermentors. He was the principal cofounder and biochemist at Ideophase, Inc., a company propagating ginseng (Panax americana) plants using tissue culture. He founded Nano Surfaces, Inc., a developer of antifouling and antimicrobial coatings. Academic background: A.B., Geology, Boston University, BS, Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin at Madison, doctorial candidate in plant biochemistry, UW, and graduate work in the Department of Applied Sciences, MIT.

Douglas Marlow – Consultant to Confluent Energies, LLC and Project Manager. Mr. Marlow is a horticultural professional with significant experience managing key technical, commercial and distributor sales accounts in the United States, Canada and Mexico. He is a team-builder, facilitator and sales manager who is focused on sales, profit and improved distributor and client-support effectiveness through the development and implementation of on-site consultative services and sales programs. Mr. Marlow specializes in project management, water management, climate management, crop management and labor management. Mr. Marlow is owner of DHM Horticultural Consulting, and has worked for large growers and technology providers including: Priva North America, Gordon A/S and Partek O/Y.


Advisory Team

The team will have access to the combined expertise of the Confluent Energies Inc. technology advisory board, which includes:

• Dr. Lou Albright, Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, developer of CEA, and advisor to CEA, Systems.
• Dr. Merle H. Jensen, Professor Emeritus, University of Arizona, Plant Sciences, CEA College of Agriculture & Life Sciences.
• Dr. Thomas E. Amidon, Professor Dept. Paper & Bioprocess Engineering, Director of Empire Sate Paper Research Institute.
• Sarah R. Bogdanovitch, Professor of Forestry, Paul Smith’s College. Board Member ESFPA.
• John R. MacArthur, PE Senior Engineer, Project Manager, Beardsley Design Associates.
• Herbert Boyce, ACF, CF President Nothwoods Forest Consultants, LLC.
• Patrick Curran, President Seaway Timber Harvesting, Inc. & founder/President Curran Renewable Energy, Inc.
• Legal counsel: William W. Erickson, PC. Cambridge, MA.