Ira Levine, Ph.D., CEO
Dr. Levine has twenty-five years of senior, corporate management in algal aquaculture systems, natural product discovery, and new product registration. Dr. Ira A. Levine, Ph.D. is a tenured Professor of Natural and Applied Sciences at the University of Southern Maine, Director of the USM, LAC Aquatic Research Lab (algal genetic engineering, physiological ecology, and new product development) 2001-Present, and a 2009-2010 U.S. State Department, Fulbright New Century Scholar. Levine’s Fulbright Fellowship focused on assisting India’s emerging algal-based farming efforts. Previously, Dr. Levine was a 2007/2008 visiting professor of biology at Duke University.
Dr. Levine combines 25 years of applied and basic research in the molecular, physiological ecology and cultivation of algae, aquatic farming management, and aquaculture engineering. Dr. Levine’s farming experience includes open-ocean and pond cultivation in Canada, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, and USA (Hawaii, Florida, and Maine). Current efforts include algal cultivar enhancement for aquaculture and agriculture feed supplementation, human nutraceuticals and cosmaceuticals, fine chemicals and plant-based biofuels.
Dr. Levine is presently a board member of the Algal Biomass Organization and has been appointed to the U.S.D.A’s NAREEE Advisory Board as the nation’s aquaculture representative.
1986-Present, Biological Services, Inc. CEO, and CSO: Aquaculture, microbiology, and environmental testing lab and consulting firm. Aquaculture engagements include: algal farm design, cultivar enhancement, due diligence and technology review and permitting. Microbiological investigations include algal, fungal, bacteriological, and viral studies. Additional efforts include; environmental contamination investigations, laboratory design, QA/QC, FDA new product certification and listing.
2009-Present, PhycoBiosciences, Inc. Chief Science Officer. Collection, isolation and cultivation of algae and cyanobacteria for the development of new products including aquaculture/agriculture feeds, biofuels, anti-cancer and viral compounds, and fine chemicals Design corporate lab facilities in Arizona and China.
1990-2000, PhycoGen, Inc. President & CEO algal farming, marine biotechnology & natural products development company. Developed, constructed, & operated the nation’s largest corporate algal farm. Responsibilities included: permitting, design, construction, and management of a 118 acre algae farm. Additional duties included capital acquisition, corporate administration, technology transfer, laboratory design and oversight, lab and field testing, and market research.
Office: 207.753.6588 |
Mobile: 207.754.6969 |
Lab: 207.753.6529 |
Ronald H. Henson, COO
Ronald Henson has more than 30 years of practical experience in the business of commercial microalgae mass production with specific experience in the development and marketing of algal products for aquaculture and agriculture feeds (poultry, cattle, fish and swine) and human dietary supplements. His farming experience includes: Spirulina, Chlorella, Nannochloropsis, and Haematococcus.
1970’s, Facilities Manager for the commercial development of Chlorella as a source of the amino acid proline and the commercial production of Spirulina (Arthrospira). Experience includes: collection and isolation of wild strains, growth medium optimization, culture scale-up, outdoor high-rate pond design and operation, harvest methods.
1981-2009, Technician, Operations Manager, Vice President, Earthrise Nutritionals/Earthrise Farms. Developed the first successful US-based microalgae with responsibilities including: process development, operations, staff supervision, regulatory compliance, permitting, PR, marketing & sales, business management and planning. Annual production reached one hundred metric tons of dry algae. Additional efforts included algal cultivar enhancement and cultivation (production of Nannochloropsis as animal feed as well as Chlamydomonas for agricultural soil amendment applications) new product and market development.
2009-Present, Algal Consultant, engagements include: algal supply chain manager, farm design and construction, cultivar collection and enhancement, new product development, site selection, algal farming business plan and feasibility study authorship, due diligence reviews.
Mobile: 559.360.6188 |
FAX: 559.855.6335 |
Juan F. Chavez, Director of Operations
Juan Chavez has 28 years practical experience in construction and operational management of research facilities and commercial-scale algal production systems for the food, feed and biofuel industries.
1982-2009, Construction Manager, Operations Manager, Production Division Manager, Vice President, and General Plant Manager for the world’s largest commercial, algal production facility (Earthrise Nutritionals, former Earthrise Farms). Responsibilities included: facility design and construction, expansion construction, operational oversight for the facility’s entire process stream including; staffing management, cultivar scale-up, cultivation, harvesting, processing, QA/QC, Regulatory compliance, and safety programs.
2009-2011, Aurora Algae (formerly Aurora Biofuels). Operations Manager. Responsible for the Mexican pilot plant site selection process and the construction and operations of Mexican research facilities. Additionally, operations management of their Australian facility.
Mobile: 760.886.2212 |
Mexico: 011.52.1.686.509.1947 |
A. Cesar Flores, CTO
Cesar Flores has more than 24 years of experience in Algae Biotechnology, Large Scale Mass Production, and algal commercial-industrial applications. A classically trained agricultural engineer with engineering experience in industrial level biological systems including: automation, raceway and tubular bioreactors design, algae harvesting, fresh and marine water treatment, algal scale-up from desk top to acre ponds, commercial-scale media and feeding design and delivery systems.
1987-1999, Microbio Resources, Inc - Algatech - Nutrilite-Amway, efforts included:
- 1987, axenic algal cultures for fermenter system
- 1988, Development Scientist, working on the outdoor production of Dunaliella salina for β-carotene and Haematococcus pluvialis for astaxanthin production; additional efforts with diatoms, e.g. Phaeodactilum, Chaetoceros and Thallassiosira. Mr. Flores developed the world’s first commercial level Haematococcus culture, (one acre pond).
- 1989, Hydrodynamic modeling of large production pond resulting in a new generation of high efficiency aquaculture ponds.
- 1990, Installed Kona, Hawaii micro ponds for the evaluation of Dunaliella salina and Haematococcus summer and winter productivities.
- 1995, Microbio/Algatech acquired by Nutrilite-Amway, Promoted to Biology and Culturing Manager for β-carotene production.
- 1997, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel intensive training with Spirulina including: morphology, taxonomy, photosynthesis, electron transport, physiology, biochemistry, genetics, outdoor mass cultivation in raceways and tubular bioreactors.
1999-2009, CaLEnergy, Environmental Coordinator, managing regulatory and permitting acquisition and oversight, facility environmental emissions monitoring. Developed the first H2S bioreactor abatement system utilizing Thiobacillus thioxidanr.
2009-2011, Biology and Culturing Manager, Aurora-Biofuels, Inc. responsible for: wild algae collection, isolation and cultivar evaluation, algal biomass production and the recovery of CO2 flue-gas. Focused on Nannochloropsis mass production, analytical lab, sterile culture room, commercial media design and feed delivery systems.
Mobile: 760.886.4608 |
USA: 760.353.0172 |
Mexico: 886.554.4280 |