High Energy People: The Solena Fuels Team

The creation of any renewable energy facility is a combination of vision and science. Of financial expertise and hard-hatted construction muscle. Of sophisticated project management and marketing finesse. Of the pragmatic needs of industrial society and the ideals of enlightened environmentalism.

The Solena management team have more than 20 years experience in plasma heating systems, the political and social context for green energy, international marketing and finance, and the large-scale conversion of waste, biomass, and coal products into the one thing everybody wants more of: energy.

Dr. Robert T. Do., M.S., M.D.
President and CEO
Dr. Do is the inventor of our proprietary technology. In 1995, Dr. Do partnered with Dr. Salvador Camacho, the NASA plasma scientist and "father of the plasma technology”, to found Global Plasma Systems for the commercialization of plasma processes. Dr. Do then put in place a well-structured organization with a balanced team of technical experts and business development executives in conjunction with venture capital investment to create Solena, Inc. for the development of green bioenergy plants using SPGV plasma gasification technology in 2001. Solena Fuels was subsequently created to focus on the commercialization of the core SPGV technology in the liquid fuels arena. Dr. Do, with graduate degrees in Physics and Medicine from Georgetown University, is the lead author and inventor of the current SPGV technology patent filed and issued worldwide under the PCT. Dr. Do has extensive experience as an entrepreneur, environmental scientist and in executive management positions. Dr. Do is a member of the Leadership Council of American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE), the Project Finance & Development Committee for the Biomass Coordinating Council, The Algae Biomass Counsel, Who's Who of America's Professionals and Executives, the American Medical Association, and a member of the National Council of Science and Environment.

Brian C. Miloski
Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Miloski has over 15 years of finance experience in the energy and technology sectors and has funded all levels from venture equity to senior secured debt. His energy experience includes biomass, exploration and production, downstream petroleum, natural gas vehicles, advanced lighting, wind and solar. Mr. Miloski’s prior employers includes BMO Capital Markets, a NYSE-listed universal bank with over $500 billion in assets. Mr. Miloski received his Masters of Science in Finance from the University of Baltimore and his Bachelor of Science in Economics from the State University of New York at Cortland. Mr. Miloski is an FAA-licensed private pilot, a LEED® Accredited Professional.

David Schwinger
General Counsel
Mr. Schwinger has 28 years of experience with private law firms and his representative clients include investors, start-ups, publicly and privately held companies, and venture capital firms, both in the U.S. and abroad. Mr. Schwinger has worked on a full range of complex commercial and financing documents, EPC and EPCM agreements, off-take, supply and power purchase agreements, O&M contracts, hedging arrangements, parallel debt structures, leasing structures, joint venture, shareholder and other equity ownership arrangements, public-private partnerships and debt and security documents. Mr. Schwinger’s tenure includes being the Managing Partner of the Washington, DC offices of Locke Lord LLP and Katten Muchin Rosenman. Mr. Schwinger received his JD in 1982 from The George Washington University National Law Center, where he graduated with high honors and was a member of the Order of the Coif and his BS in 1977 from The Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania), where he graduated summa cum laude. He is a member in good standing of the District of Columbia Bar.

Sylvain Motycka
Vice President, Technology
Mr. Motycka joined Solena in 2006, and has been instrumental in developing Solena’s waste‐to‐liquids capability. Sylvain manages the engineering around the finalization of the SPGR island and the systems integration around the Biomass to Liquids. Prior to Solena, Sylvain was a Scientific Researcher at the Institute of Plasma Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, researching hybrid gas‐water stabilized DC thermal plasma torches. He was also a Plasma Reactor Systems Engineer at Surfx Technologies, designing an innovative plasma torch system. Sylvain is a PhD candidate in Engineering Management and Systems Engineering at George Washington University, and received his Masters in Energetic and Environment from the University of Orleans, France, and Masters in Electronics, Optics and Plasma Physics from the Ecole Polytechnique de l’Universite d’Orleans, France.

Rocio M. Velez, Esq
Assistant General Counsel & Business Development Latin America
Ms. Velez joined Solena in 2001 and is an attorney holding a Juris Doctor degree from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. Ms. Velez is as an active member of the Bar in the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Ms. Velez's experience includes over eleven years of sales, marketing, and administrative positions, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean. From 1993 to 1995, Ms Velez was a corporate sales executive at American Express, Inc, where she established individual and commercial accounts that represented over $3 million dollars in annual sales for the Company with multinational client corporations including, Playtex Corporation, Wendy's, Inc., and Keebler Company. From 1999 to 2001, Ms. Velez was the Associate Director at the Grants Division of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration in Washington D.C, where she provided extensive training in areas of procurement and federal compliance, grant writing and economic development and served as a lead legislative liaison to more than 58 municipalities in Puerto Rico and over 200 non-profit organizations and Hispanic-based community organizations in the northeastern region.

Adriana L. Branch
Manager, Business Operations
Ms. Branch joined Solena in 2001 and is responsible for preparing financial statements, maintaining cash controls, managing the payroll and personnel administration, purchasing, maintaining accounts payable and managing office operations, and human resources. Ms. Branch also is responsible for assisting the VP of Finance in corporate finance and assisting the CEO in various activities. Ms. Branch has been instrumental in organizing and coordinating the company's administrative and financial matters in all of Solena's office as well as its representative offices worldwide. From 1998 to 2001, Ms. Branch acted in the same capacity for Global Plasma Systems. From 1996 to 1998, Ms. Branch acted as a supervisor at Georgetown University Medical Center and as business manager for a medical practice. Ms. Branch has a BS in Finance and an MS in Financial Management and Accounting from the University of Maryland.

Dennis F. Miller
Senior Science Advisor to the President
Mr. Miller joined Solena in 2001 and is responsible for business development in North America and Solena's government liaison activities, and is based in Washington DC. Mr. Miller has more than 25 years of experience in waste management, energy, and environmental systems, including the University of Chicago's Center for Urban Studies, US Department of Energy's Waste Management Secretariat, EG&G and Lockheed Martin at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory; Energy Advisor, Government Operations Committee, U.S. House of Representatives; and the National Academy of Sciences, where he directed the Energy Engineering Board. Mr. Miller holds an A.M. Degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Chicago, where he was a Doctoral Fellow at the Center for Urban Studies. He has B.A. and M.A. degrees from Ohio State University in General Science Studies and Mathematics. Mr. Miller has authored and co-authored more than 100 published papers and reports.

Pernille Hager
Vice President, Strategy & Business Development
Ms. Hager joined Solena in 2011 after advising the firm on several strategic initiatives. Ms. Hager brings with her over 18 years of senior management experience in strategic planning and marketing in Europe and the U.S., including 7+ years of renewable energy sector specialization. She has founded and managed a successful international strategic consulting firm specializing in trans-Atlantic marketing and business development in the renewable energy sector, assisting numerous firms with strategic expansion across the Atlantic. Prior to that, Ms. Hager served as the Commercial Liaison at the Royal Danish Embassy in Washington DC, representing Danish commercial interests in the U.S. acting as a facilitator to the international development community. She has held senior management roles in Europe with a division of the Anglo American group and with a renowned German consultancy, where she led multiple project teams in the retail and consumer goods sectors. Ms. Hager graduated with a Master’s of Science degree in business administration & economics from Copenhagen Business School.

Angel Prado
Engineering & Procurement
Mr. Prado joined Solena in 2006 and is responsible for project management and logistics of European projects. From 2003 to 2006, Mr. Prado was employed as project manager by Watlow, an electric heater and control systems manufacturer in Europe. From 2000 to 2003, Mr. Prado was employed as an energy trader by Conectiv Energy, an asset-backed merchant energy company owned by Pepco Holdings, Inc. As an energy trader, Mr. Prado was responsible for trading in electricity in the hourly and daily markets in the NYISO, New England ISO and PJM Interconnection and finding new and lucrative trading opportunities with other major RTOs in North America including MISO, SPP and Ontario Independent Electricity System Operator. Mr. Prado holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland at College Park and a B.S. in Physics from Washington College in Maryland.