News & Media

Nelson Leite – Board Member and Chief Technology Officer

Nelson Leite, Chief Technology Officer, is focused on the design, development and production of the FuelPositive prototype units and the future commercialized units. Nelson comes from an engineering and manufacturing background, with over 30 years in the high tech automation and robotics industries. His key transferrable experiences include inventing solutions for companies such as Toyota, Tesla, Kimberly Clark and many more. The size of systems ranged from smaller under $100,000 to large projects over $10 million. Many of the systems are currently in production today at the various facilities around the world. At FuelPositive, Nelson is taking an aggressive approach, driving the commercialization of our systems, along with evolving the technology further with our team of researchers and scientists.

Lenore Newman, BSc, MES, PhD –

Compensation Committee Chair and

Independent Board Member.

Global Food Security Advisor

Lenore Newman, is the Director of the Food and Agriculture Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley. A leading researcher and author, she is also past Canada Research Chair in Food Security. Lenore researches agricultural land use policy, agricultural technologies (including controlled environment agriculture), and bioengineering in the food system. Lenore is also an emeritus member of the Royal Society of Canada’s New College. Lenore researches agricultural land use policy, agricultural technology, and bioengineering in the food system. She is a scientific advisor with Creative Destruction Labs Rockies, and she sat on the BC Premier’s Food Security Task Force. She holds a BSc in Physics from the University of British Columbia, and a PhD in Environmental Studies from York University. Lenore will help guide our efforts to identify the best demonstration pilot project partners to showcase how our technology is ideally suited to support Controlled Environment Agriculture in real-world settings around the world.

Luna Charlebois Clifford –

Co-founder and Chief Impact Officer

An experienced business owner and advisor, Luna’s progressive spirit has shaped multiple start-ups. Her expertise in fostering partnerships, optimizing team dynamics, communication, healthcare, brand-building and permaculture guides her work.

In early 2019, Luna and her co-founder developed FuelPositive’s vision, creating the mission and values that fueled the Company’s business plan and rapid growth.

Luna, integral to the leadership team, has played a key role in guiding the company’s direction in collaboration with its agricultural and cultural advisors.

Luna champions ethical, inclusive, bold business models and advocates for a more compassionate, fair, and mindful food industry, prioritizing the environment, animal welfare and human health.

She has confidence that Canadians are capable of the necessary change to adapt to environmental imperatives and will be instrumental in creating the positive shift the world needs for global food security and a sustainable future.

Ibrahim Dincer, BSc, MSc, PhD, PEng

Co-Inventor, Technology Advisor

Dr. Ibrahim Dincer is recognized as a pioneer and international leader in the area of sustainable energy technologies. Along with his team, Dr. Dincer invented the modular green ammonia production technology that FuelPositive is commercializing. His area of specialty covers various topics including ammonia, hydrogen energy and fuel cells; renewable energy systems; energy storage systems and applications; carbon capturing technologies and integrated and hybrid energy systems.

Claudia Wagner-Riddle, BSc, MSc, PhD
Advisor, Agriculture

Dr. Claudia Wagner-Riddle is a Professor in the School of Environmental Sciences (SES), University of Guelph, Canada. Originally from Brazil, Claudia has degrees from the University of Sao Paulo and Guelph. Claudia leads an internationally-renowned research program utilizing the measurement of greenhouse gas emissions to determine the carbon footprint of food, feed and fuel produced by agriculture. She currently leads several projects focused on evaluating how soil health impacts ecosystem services, including a new $2 million infrastructure project using a large-scale soil weighing lysimeter. Claudia is a fellow of the Soil Science Society of America, the American Meteorological Society and the Canadian Society of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. She is the Editor-in-Chief of the international journal Agricultural and Forest Meteorology and leads a nationwide training program on climate-smart soils. Claudia was recently appointed Director of the North American regional chapter of the International Nitrogen Initiative and was awarded the 2020 IFA Borlaug Award of Excellence in Crop Nutrition. Dr. Wagner-Riddle has published more than 160 papers and has an h-index of 45 (Google Scholar).

More about Dr. Wagner-Riddle, including affiliations, partnerships, awards and honours can be found here. A full list of her publications can be found here.

Ian Clifford – Co-Founder, CEO and Board Chair

Ian Clifford brings a wealth of expertise in marketing innovative green technology, stakeholder and shareholder relations and brand-building to FuelPositive.

Since the inception of trailblazing ZENN Motor Company, Ian has secured upwards of $80 million in equity and public sector financing to develop and commercialize new environmentally friendly technologies.

In early 2019, Ian and his co-founder developed FuelPositive’s vision, creating the mission and values that fueled the Company’s business plan and rapid growth.

As the primary spokesperson for the Company, Ian leads Fuelpositive investor relations and is responsible for the company’s global growth, guided by the company’s principles.

Ian is confident that FuelPositive can seamlessly blend business success with a commitment to a sustainable future for the next generations.

Gord Ellis – Independent Board Member

Gord is an experienced executive, serial entrepreneur and highly capable computer engineer with broad and deep experience focused on delivering innovative solutions to the Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional sectors that focus on energy conservation and demand management, energy informatics, and more recently smart grid enabled energy optimization. In total, Gord has over 30 years’ management and technology-based experience delivering robust, market-driven software and advanced computing solutions that leverage skills in the areas of real-time systems, software engineering, advanced model-based control, data communications, database design and human machine interfaces. Through this combination of domain expertise, deep technical skills, and strong business acumen Gord provides unique and valuable leadership and insight on strategic and technology-based initiatives.

Gord has co-founded several technology start-ups with successful exits. Presently Gord operates a management consulting firm providing “technology strategics” to energy sector stakeholders and owns and operates a prosperous manufacturing facility in the gourmet foods sector. Over the course of his career Gord has held C-level roles of CEO, CTO, CFO, and CPO at various technology firms in southwestern Ontario, and Board and Advisory positions in these and other enterprises. Gord has also volunteered with the MaRS Discovery District Cleantech Practice and the Wilfrid Laurier Launchpad providing coaching and mentorship to start-ups enrolled in these accelerator programs.

InvestorIntel Corp.

InvestorIntel is an independent source of capital market news known for its well-written coverage of the public markets by top-ranked analysts and business journalists. www.investorintel.com

Transcend Capital Advisors

Transcend Capital Advisors is an independent Registered Investment Advisor offering wealth management services, public and private investments, strategic advisory services, and access to banking, lending, and family office solutions. www.transcendcapital.com

Darrell Brown – Indigenous Clean Energy Advisor  

Darrell Brown is a Cree business owner based in Winnipeg, MB. Darrell is the President of Kisik Clean Energy. He is a 2004 founding member and current chair of the Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce in Manitoba. Darrell has extensive experience in International Business, Indigenous Leadership and Governance and has completed the ICE (Indigenous Clean Energy) 20/20 Catalyst program focusing on the Indigenous Renewable Energy Sector. Darrell is the past Chair of the Indigenous Clean Energy (ICE) Social Enterprise Board of Directors. ICE aims to accelerate First Nations, Inuit and Métis participation in clean energy projects and supports Indigenous communities to be clean energy change agents through capacity-building, skills development, career training and mentorship.

Mario Tenuta – Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Advisor

Dr. Mario Tenuta is the Senior Industrial Research Chair in 4R Nutrient Stewardship, and Professor of Applied Soil Ecology at the University of Manitoba. The 4Rs are comprised of right fertilizer, right rate, right time, right place. The 4R Industrial Research Chair Program is advancing research in 4R nitrogen management practices on the Canadian Prairies, to identify solutions to achieving reductions in N2O emissions, as well as improved soil health and crop productivity. It is a joint project of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) and Fertilizer Canada. For FuelPositive, Mario is leading a research project to showcase that by using 4R best practices, used in combination with anhydrous ammonia and a nitrification inhibitor, it is possible for farmers to reduce nitrate emissions well beyond 30%, and to better match fertilizer rate to crop needs, while achieving the same or higher yields.

Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility, University of Guelph

The Research Facility’s work is focused on “controlled environment agriculture”, which includes greenhouses and vertical farming, where plants are grown indoors. Because of damage caused by climate change and the precariousness of traditional farming, many sustainable farming experts believe controlled environment agriculture will play a key role in feeding the billions of people on the planet in the coming decades. This partnership will be led by Professor Mike Dixon who is the Director of the Facility, as well as with his colleague Assistant Professor Thomas Graham, who is the PhytoGro Research Chair in Controlled Environment Systems. Our plan is to conduct research to identify the optimal performance of our systems with various crops and growing environments.

Marek Warunkiewicz – Independent Board Member and Marketing Advisor

Marek Warunkiewicz brings 40-plus years of entrepreneurial expertise to the FuelPositive board and management. Marek’s experience spans the areas of marketing, branding, advertising, project management and graphic design and has held Creative Director and VP of Marketing positions at various companies. Marek has created successful business-to-business marketing and advertising campaigns for a diverse group of clients ranging from high-tech to agriculture. Marek, along with Ian Clifford, co-founded digIT Interactive and ZENN Motor Company.

Olushola (Shola) Ashiru – Independent Board Member and Audit Committee Chair

A Partner and Portfolio Manager at New Energy Fund (NEF) II, Shola Ashiru has worked in the field of clean technologies since 2007. She co-founded New Energy Fund II (an NEF Advisors company), which is a private equity yield fund set up to take equity positions in high yielding renewable energy projects ranging from fuel cells, solar and wind to efficiency and storage options. Based in New York City, Shola started her career in Cleantech Equity Research, then Equity Capital Markets at Ardour Capital Investments. Shola serves as judge in the annual New York Business Plan Competition, the annual Cleantech Open Northeast competition, and also the annual National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Industry Growth Forum.

Tracy and Curtis Hiebert, Demonstration Project Partners

Tracy and Curtis Hiebert have signed a Letter of Intent to be FuelPositive’s first demonstration project partners. The first, full-sized, green ammonia production system will be placed on the Hieberts’ 11,000-acre family-operated plant-crop farm near the town of Sperling, south of Winnipeg. The Hieberts take a modern approach to farming, want to be more sustainable, and are early adopters of new agricultural technologies and techniques to increase efficiency while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As well, they want to gain control of their supply of fertilizer after experiencing huge price increases and a lack of reliable supply over the past number of years.

Pollara Strategic Insights

Founded in 1980, Pollara Strategic Insights is one of Canada’s premier full-service research firms – a collaborative team of senior research veterans who are passionate about conducting research through hands-on creativity and customized solutions. Taking full advantage of their comprehensive toolbox of industry-leading quantitative and qualitative methodologies and analytical techniques, Pollara provides research-based strategic advice to a wide array of clients across all sectors on a local, national and global scale. For more information, please visit www.pollara.com.

Leith Deacon, BA, MSc, PhD – Advisor, Market Research

Leith Deacon is an Associate Professor in the Rural Planning and Development Program in the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development at the University of Guelph. He is a full member of the Canadian Institute of Planners and a Registered Professional Planner. Leith’s research focuses on rural and small communities and concepts around sustainability, governance and resiliency. A recent research project resulted in a data-based of 30,000 individuals living in rural Ontario.

Ghassan Chehade, BEng, MSc, EIT, PhD – Co-Inventor, Lead Project Engineer

Dr. Ghassan Chehade is a hydrogen/ammonia subject matter specialist, focused on the link between climate change and energy systems. He worked for more than half a decade at the Clean Energy Research Laboratory at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, performing research related to clean energy systems. His discoveries on ammonia and hydrogen production methods in the lab have translated to commercial solutions that can revolutionize the way to reduce carbon emissions.

Derek Boudreau, BEng, MBA – Strategic Advisor, Agricultural Implementation

Derek Boudreau has over 27 years of global experience working in sales, management, manufacturing and distribution with agricultural equipment and internal combustion engines, gained at John Deere Company. Originally from Canada, Derek’s experience spans the areas of sales, marketing, product engineering, product support and operations management. Derek developed a broad global perspective as he successfully led businesses for John Deere in Canada, the U.S., Russia and Finland. His knowledge will play a critical role as we determine and maximize the impact of our on-site green ammonia production systems on farms and in other applications as we grow. Derek has a passion for expanding product offerings to better serve customers through organic development and strategic partnerships. He holds a BEng (McGill University) and an MBA (University of Chicago).

Jeanne Milne, Advisor, Government Relations

Calgary-based business analyst Jeanne Milne leads FuelPositive’s efforts to secure government grants. Jeanne is a Principal at Milne Advisory Group, supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises to navigate shifting markets. She has helped technology companies commercialize their innovations and articulate their brands. She has founded, managed and grown two companies, has served as Director of Marketing for an international consumer goods company, and has worked extensively in the area of corporate finance, responsible for commercial loans and private placements in the energy sector in Western Canada.

Marie-Ève Turgeon – Illustrator/ Illustratrice

Marie-Ève lives her passion surrounded by forest in the magnificent Laurentian region of Quebec. Simplicity, everyday life and the environment are these sources of inspiration. Represented by Miss Illustration https://www.marieeveturgeon.com

André Mech, BEng, MBA – Advisor, Carbon Credits and Emissions Reduction

André has worked in the emissions reduction space for more than 20 years, assessing the emission profiles of hundreds of transportation and renewable energy companies and technologies on two continents. His experience positions him as one of the most knowledgeable emissions reduction and carbon credit specialists in the sector.

Greg Gooch, BEng, MBA, Advisor

Greg Gooch’s multifaceted career in the fields of electronics and finance has positioned him as a key advisor and funding partner to start-ups and new technology companies for more than 40 years. Greg has been involved with FuelPositive since its early days and has remained a significant supporter and consultant to the company.

François Desloges, BEng – Senior Business and Technology Analyst

François has over 25 years of experience in high tech entrepreneurship. With a degree in electrical engineering from Polytechnique de Montréal, he has developed electronic systems software applications and material science at the heart of innovative processes for start-up companies. An out-of-the-box-thinker obsessed with quality, François has always preferred small teams and projects with the potential to disrupt the status quo.

In recent years, he has enjoyed contributing to ventures that resonate with his ethical values, whether in the area of privacy or the transition to carbon-free energy sources.

Jing Peng, CPA – Chief Financial Officer

Jing Peng is a Canadian Chartered Professional Accountant. He has worked in public accounting for the past 10 years, providing financial services primarily to junior exploration companies. Jing has been the CFO of Austin Resources Ltd., a TSXV-listed company, since September 2015 and the CFO of Captor Capital Inc., a CSE-listed company, since March 2014. In addition, since December 2010, he has been the senior financial analyst at Marrelli Support Services, a well-respected supplier of accounting and reporting services. Earlier in his career, Jing was a senior accountant at MSCM LLP and KPMG LLP. Jing holds a master’s degree in management and professional accounting from Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.

Rob Tocchio – Independent Board Member

Dr. Robert Tocchio operated a successful orthodontic practice for more than 25 years and brings extensive entrepreneurial experience to his role with FuelPositive. Dr. Tocchio has participated in a wide array of private and public start-ups, including participating as a Founder and Board Member of Medisystem Technologies through IPO and sale to Shoppers Drug Mart. Dr. Tocchio has been one of the most significant and consistent supporters of FuelPositive since the Company went public in 2006.

Marek Warunkiewicz – Independent Board Member

Marek Warunkiewicz brings 40-plus years of entrepreneurial expertise to the FuelPositive board and management. Marek’s experience spans the areas of marketing, branding, advertising, project management and graphic design and has held Creative Director and VP of Marketing positions at various companies. Marek has created successful business-to-business marketing and advertising campaigns for a diverse group of clients ranging from high-tech to agriculture.

Marek, along with Ian Clifford, co-founded digIT Interactive and ZENN Motor Company.

North Equities

North Equities Corp. specializes in various social media platforms and facilitates greater awareness and widespread dissemination of FuelPositive’s news.

Stockhouse.com

With over 10 million users each year, Stockhouse.com is an influential global hub for small-cap investors to find relevant financial news, access expert analysis and opinion, as well as share knowledge and information with other retail investors.

Sussex Strategy Group

One of Canada’s leading government relations and strategic communications firms, Sussex is helping FuelPositive to manage public opinion and advancing our interests with decision-makers at the federal, provincial and municipal levels of government with an aim to develop partnerships and secure funding for Canadian pilot projects.

RB Milestone Group

RBMG is O’Dwyer’s 2020 #1 investor relations firm in America. With a specialization in emerging companies, its advisory practice assists FuelPositive with market intelligence, as well as targeting and securing relationships with niche stakeholders and industry strategists globally. RBMG maximizes ROI by improving traditional investor relations using digital techniques, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

Dr. Robert Tocchio

Dr. Robert Tocchio has operated a successful orthodontic practice for more than 25 years and brings extensive entrepreneurial experience to his role with Fuel Positive. Dr. Tocchio has participated in a wide array of private and public start-ups, including participating as a Founder and Board Member of Medisystem Technologies through IPO and sale to Shoppers Drug Mart.

Dr. Tocchio has been one of the most significant and consistent supporters of FuelPositive since the Company went public in 2006.