Corporate Bios

TOMAS BOWERS - CEO Colusa Biomass

As a professional manager with over twenty years experience in small cap public companies, Mr. Bowers has held positions as chief executive officer, chief operating officer and general manager. He has held senior management positions in organizations involved in information technology, renewable and sustainable energy, alternative energy production and manufacturing in the US, East and Southeast Asia, Africa and South America.

RICK NANEN - Vice President of Colusa Biomass/President of California Operations

Mr. Nannen has over 30 years of experience in rice farming and rice straw harvesting and removal. He has extensive experience with equipment management and was responsible for the development of PGG's rice straw harvesting process.

PAUL LORENZI,PSD - Senior Executive Consultant

Paul Lorenzini is a retired executive of PacifCorp, Portland and has made numerous contributions to the global electric power industry. He has served as president of Pacific Power & Light in the United States, chief executive officer of Powercor Australia, and chief executive officer of PacifiCorp, Turkey. His leadership roles in nuclear reactor development, radioactive waste management, engineering, regulatory affairs, information technology, legal affairs, environmental services, and marketing have been widely recognized. In addition to his doctoral degree from OSU, he also studied philosophy and holds a law degree. Paul was previously inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Engineers in 1998.

JIM LUCAS - Senior Executive Consultant

Mr. Lucas has spent over 20 years in the renewable energy field. His principal contribution to date is the development and testing of a process to convert biomass into fuel ethanol and other valuable chemical stocks. Mr. Lucas is coauthor of US Patent 5,735,916. This patent describes the process of conversion of biomass into fuel ethanol. Mr. Lucas holds BA and MA degrees in Biological Sciences and Biochemistry. Mr. Lucas has also done advanced studies in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering.

FRED MAARTIN,PSD - Senior Executive Consultant

Dr. Martin first specialized in membrane technology using cellulose acetate membranes for reverse osmosis for the purification of brackish water. Subsequently, he conducted studies into using reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration membranes for diverse purposes, from hemodialysis to the concentration of various food products such as tomato juice, orange juice and whole milk. With this background, Dr. Martin was able to develop a polysulfone membrane capable of processing caustic extracts of lignin and silica obtained from rice straw by which the sodium silicate passed through the membrane while the lignin was concentrated. This technology, combined with known technologies for the conversion of low molecular weight sugars and cellulose to ethyl alcohol led to the publication of U.S. Patent 5,735,916 with Mr. James Lucas. Dr. Martin received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Missouri at Columbia.