Tom Todaro is the Founder and CEO of AltAir Fuels, LLC, which grew out of his vision to create a new model for renewable jet fuel production and consumption. Todaro has co-founded two other companies in the renewable energy space – bioscience firm Targeted Growth and renewable fuels company Sustainable Oils, and has seen first hand the importance of aligning the interests of all parts of the biofuels value chain.
Targeted Growth developed the elite camelina seed whose oils powered airline test flights, including Japan Airlines, KLM and which will be put to the test in U.S. military fighter jets in 2010. The company also is developing algae strains for use as dedicated biofuel feedstock.
Todaro has worked in agribusiness since 1992 directing investments in dairy processing and timber plantations. He is the former General Manager of Alamar Farms Ltd., a Canadian dairy processor located in Vancouver, B.C., and sits on the Board of Directors of BonLac Dairies in Panama City, Panama. Prior to rejoining TGI, Todaro served as Senior Vice President of Mergers & Acquisitions at PayPal, where he was responsible for all aspects of M&A, both national and International. He was also involved in raising over $200 Million in equity capital and the IPO of PayPal (PYPL) for $1.2 Billion in 2002. He holds a Bachelor's degree from The Colorado College and a Master's in Economics from Stanford University.
Bryan Sherbacow brings over 15 years of senior executive experience in corporate development of both industrial process and financial services businesses with expertise in organizational development, project development, financial structuring, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, government relations and environmental matters.
Over the past six years Mr. Sherbacow has been an active participant in the U.S. renewable energy sector as a principal investor, corporate advisor as well as an officer and director of a publicly traded biofuels company. He has provided corporate finance, restructuring and merger and acquisition advisory services to owners, buyers and sellers of alternative energy assets.
From 2005 to 2008, Mr. Sherbacow served as Director and Chief Operating Officer of Ethanex Energy, Inc., a publicly traded biofuels company. As Co-Founder he developed the corporate business model, recruited the senior management team and led strategic operations. Mr. Sherbacow was responsible for raising the company’s initial equity funding.
Bud Bell is responsible for process engineering in addition to refinery project management. He has more than 40 years experience in the refining industry, including executive positions in strategic planning, operations and management and project development. In addition, he has served in numerous consulting roles, including owner's engineer for a 15,000 ton per day coal gasification project in Alaska and president of an energy development company.
Bell's experience in the refining business includes Head of Refining for Black & Veatch's Process Division, Product Line Manager for Brown and Root Braun in addition to several management positions at ConocoPhillips. As Process Manager at Conoco/Phillips, he was involved in design basis, technology selection and plant layout, and also advised his team on ways to maximize project returns and meet stringent air emission standards. During his tenure, Bell created a new low-pressure hydrocracking technology and installed the industry's most effective SO2 removal system.
Prior to his positions above, he served as General Manager for Refining for Champlin Petroleum. Under his leadership, the refinery established the best refinery environmental record in the Los Angeles basin and one of the best safety records in the refining industry.
Bell holds a Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering from Clemson University, a Master's Degree in Chemical Engineering from Georgia Tech and an MBA from Claremont Graduate School.