Management

David Aldous, Range Fuels’ President and CEO, brings 28 years of experience in the energy, oil and petrochemical industries. With Range Fuels, David is responsible for leading the company forward in its drive to commercialize and expand cellulosic ethanol production. Prior to Range Fuels, David was Executive Vice President Strategy and Portfolio for Royal Dutch Shell in London where he had responsibility for strategy, mergers, acquisitions, divestments, consulting, global systems, health, safety, security, environmental, and technology for Shell’s downstream business. David also served as President of Shell Canada Products where he led an $11 billion industry-leading integrated oil business, with responsibility for retailers, refineries, lubricants, commercial fuels, aviation, distribution, supply, pipelines, and brand management. David brings robust catalysis experience from his six years as President and CEO at CRI/Criterion where he led a global catalyst company, with focus on markets in refining, chemicals, petrochemicals, fuel cells, and natural gas applications. While at CRI/Criterion he was responsible for 26 companies and ventures, 16 manufacturing locations, and 1,600 employees. David started his career as a process engineer and project manager at Fluor Engineers and Constructors. He has a BS in fuels engineering from the University of Utah and an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

Kevin Biehle, Range Fuels’ Vice President of Production, has extensive experience in manufacturing platform development, cost management, and Lean Manufacturing techniques. With a unique balance of expertise in manufacturing, product development, and finance, Kevin most recently served as Vice President of Plant Operations at VeraSun Energy Corporation, a leading producer of renewable fuels. There, he was responsible for all aspects of operations for two 100 million gallon per year ethanol production facilities and operational guidance for three additional facilities in varying stages of construction. Before VeraSun, he served as a site manager and as an operations manager for nearly twenty years at BASF Corporation – a leading chemical company with annual sales of over $14 billion. During that time Kevin operated numerous plants ranging in size from $50 million to over $300 million in assets with several hundred employees at each site. Kevin’s expertise spans OSHA certification, ISO 9000 standards, Six Sigma techniques and Risk Management Planning. Kevin earned his BS magna cum laude in chemical engineering from the University of Missouri, Rolla, and his MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

Mike Cate, Range Fuels’ Vice President of Procurement and Fabrication, brings over 40 years of diverse experience in the engineering and construction industry – from oil, gas, and chemical process plants to industrial, manufacturing, and pharmaceutical plants. He is a business-focused engineer whose responsibilities have included engineering, purchasing, subcontracting, and project management in locations across the globe. Most recently, Mike was Corporate Functional Leader of Global Procurement at Washington Group International, a $4 billion company with over 25,000 employees. In this position, he supervised all purchasing of materials, fabricated capital equipment, and subcontracted services as well as materials management, including expediting, logistics planning and transportation worldwide. In addition, Mike has served as Executive Director of the Procurement Executives Group for the Engineering and Construction Industry and as a member of the Executive Committee of the Construction Industry Institute. He is also a recipient of the Center for Public Resources Institute’s Outstanding Achievement Award for excellence and innovation in the application of alternative dispute resolution, dispute prevention, and litigation management techniques. Mike received his BS summa cum laude in electrical engineering from the University of Tennessee.

Bob McDonald, Senior Vice President of Engineering, brings 21 years of experience in energy projects management, including more than eight years of experience in the renewable fuels sector. With Range Fuels, Bob is responsible for the company's Engineering and research and development functions, and manages the company's relationship with the Department of Energy's Golden, Colorado office. Prior to joining Range Fuels he served as Business Leader – Syngas and Biofuels at Stone & Webster, a subsidiary of The Shaw Group, a $6 billion company providing engineering, construction, technology, fabrication, environmental and industrial services with 27,000 employees worldwide. In this position Bob was responsible for establishing, developing and growing the company’s renewable fuels business line, plus served as the company’s technical champion in this area. Bob has also served as technical consultant on a variety of alternative fuels and green technology projects, including advising and completing technical due diligences on behalf of a green technologies investment fund. Bob holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering (with Honors) from the University of Bradford (United Kingdom). He is also a Chartered Engineer and Chartered Scientist in the U.K. and is a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers.

Bill Schafer, Senior Vice President of Business Development and Government Affairs, brings a wide range of energy industry experience to Range Fuels. Bill has headed energy company startups, building organizations focused on execution and meeting commercial goals. He has extensive energy industry experience in management, engineering, production, purchasing, and marketing. His team is focused on the critical issues involved in cellulosic biofuels production, such as: location optimization for feedstock and market access; feedstock sourcing options; competitive assessments; product marketing; and development of risk management strategies. Bill’s responsibilities in managing relationships with government agencies and monitoring legislative issues relevant to cellulosic biofuels as well as managing communications with key legislators provides critical funding and legislative support for the company’s growth. Bill holds a BS in mining engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and is a licensed Professional Engineer.