Meet Our Team
Masood Akhtar
President and Co-Founder
Biorenewable Deployment Consortium
masood.akhtar@biorenewabledc.com
masood.akhtar@biorenewabledc.com
Masood Akhtar, Ph.D., is a powerhouse in the field of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainability. With over 35 years of experience spanning research, development, commercialization, marketing, technology transfer, investment and management, Masood has left an indelible mark on the industry. As the President and Founder of CleanTech Partners (CTP), and the President and Co-Founder of Biorenewable Deployment Consortium, LLC (BDC), Masood has spearheaded numerous initiatives aimed at accelerating the adoption of energy-technologies by providing capital and other assistance critical for deployment, and advanced biofuels, biochemicals, and bioproducts technologies in an effort to transition forest products and chemical industries into integrated biorefineries.
One of Masood's notable achievements was securing a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. Department of Energy and Wisconsin, signaling a commitment to energy efficiency in the state's industrial sector. Masood also recruited the first 13 industry CEOs (9 from Wisconsin) who signed the DOE's Save Energy Now Leader's Pledge (now Better Building, Better Plants) to reduce energy intensity by 25% in 10 years (currently over 300 Leaders nationwide), secured nearly hundreds of millions in recovery money from DOE to deploy "shovel" ready industrial energy efficiency, advanced biofuels, biochemicals and bioproducts and sustainability projects, and was instrumental in getting Wisconsin Bipartisan Paper Caucus established where elected officials of both parties and various industry leaders serve to revitalize pulp and paper industry in Wisconsin (#1 in the country) - a Proactive approach than a Reactive Approach.
Masood's influence extends beyond business, as evidenced by his involvement in policy and advisory roles. On request of the U.S. Congress, Masood has also testified before a committee on energy related issues. Masood also served as the Chair of the Forest Research Advisory Committee that advises the USDA Agricultural Secretary on funding and policy issues. The U.S. Representative Mark Pocan also appointed Masood on his "Higher Education" Committee. Masood has credibility and strong working relationships with the DOE, USDA, the White House, and elected officials. Masood was appointed by the Governor of Wisconsin on a committee to help write "Grow Wisconsin plan", and on another committee that advised the Midwest Governors on "creating jobs in the new energy economy". Masood proposed an organized an "Energy Efficiency and Sustainability" meeting at the Wisconsin Public Service Commission with various industry leaders from energy-intensive industries, presidents of trade associations, and various state secretaries with focus on industry needs and how various state agencies can work together to help them achieve their energy efficiency and sustainability goals. The Governor of Wisconsin also appointed Masood on Governor's Task Force on Student Debt, as one of his commissioners to help establish a public private Green Fund, and on the Governor's Council on Workforce Investment. His credibility and relationships with key stakeholders, including government agencies and elected officials, have been instrumental in driving positive change in the energy sector.
Masood's relentless dedication to advancing energy efficiency, advanced biofuels, biochemicals and bioproducts and sustainability technologies has earned him numerous awards and accolades, including recognition from government agencies and industry organizations such as the USDA Honor Award for Environmental Protection from the USDA Secretary in Washington, D.C for developing energy saving technologies; Federal Laboratory Consortium Award; U.S. Forest Service Chief's Awards for Excellence in Technology Transfer; and Wisconsin Small Business Innovation Award for Outstanding Achievements. Masood was also elected as a Fellow by the International Academy of Wood Science, UK. Masood also serves as a reviewer of federal grants.
Masood's extensive publication record and patented technologies attest to his expertise and innovation. Masood was one of the 50 Indian students (out of 60,000) who was awarded the Government of India Fellowship for Higher Studies Abroad nearly 40 years ago.
Masood Akhtar
President and
Co-Founder
Ben Thorp
Board Chairman and Co-Founder
Biorenewable Deployment Consortium
ben.thorp@biorenewabledc.com
Mr. Thorp is one of the originators of the modern forest biorefinery concepts, co-founder of BDC, and owner of his consulting business. Through these activities he has developed an understanding of the commercial value and likely applications of most bioproducts technologies. He held executive and technical positions with Georgia Pacific, James River, Poyry and Huyck where he commercialized many innovative concepts with synthetic paper machine clothing and machine dewatering equipment. While at GP he led the design of the world’s widest tissue machine and one of the early Thru Air Dried (TAD) tissue machines. He holds 10 patents, most of which have been commercialized.
Ben has been involved in industry organizations including President of The Paper Industry Management Association (PIMA), Chairman of the Paper and Board Division of the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI). He has been an instructor at various TAPPI short courses including Tissue Runability, Wet End Operations, and Biorefinery Course. He has visited over half of the pulp and paper mills in the US and Canada and several key mills in Europe and has notes from most visits. Through BDC tours and special requests he has visited most of the “second generation” bioproducts facilities in North America. More importantly he has developed solid industry contacts maintained by adding value whenever appropriate,
Other contributions include over 200 articles and presentations. Awards include a TAPPI Fellow and Paper and Business Executive of the Year.
He is also involved in community activities and is currently Vice Chair of the Chesterfield Revitalization of our Communities Committee, Treasurer and past president of MECA, his neighborhood association. He is also treasurer and past president of the Retired Associates of Meadowbrook Country Club (RAMS).
Ben holds a BS in Physics from the University of Maryland with graduate studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University of Tennessee. He also attended Executive Management Development Programs at the University of Tennessee and Columbia University.
Ben Thorp
Board Chairman and
Co-Founder
Harry Seamans
Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder
Mr. Seamans, in his second career, helped found BDC, with Ben Thorp and Masood Akhtar, following his retirement from a career in the pulp and paperboard industry with Potlatch Corporation and its spinoff company, Clearwater Paper. He wanted to help the Forest Product Industry continue to evolve to get more and more value from the forest, where he had spent much of his younger days growing to appreciate what the forest has to offer.
He held several leadership positions throughout his 32-year career in the pulp and paper industry and was involved with the start-up of the Cypress Bend pulp and paperboard greenfield mill in Arkansas in 1977. He was the Mill Manager of the Cypress Bend mill from 1994 – 2002, and was Vice President of the Pulp and Paperboard Division from 2002 – 2009, before retiring. Through his leadership, the Division pursued and achieved top level product quality, reduced costs, and improved its market share of the high-end paperboard market.
Harry received a BS in Chemical Engineering from Louisiana Tech University, Summa Cum Laude, in 1975 and a Masters of Paper Science from the Institute of Paper Chemistry (IPC) in Appleton, WI in 1977. He focused on the forest products industry early, and held a co-op job with Continental Can Company (now WestRock) in Hodge, LA while attending college, and a summer job with Mead (now WestRock) in Stevenson, AL while attending IPC.
During his first career, he was involved with the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI) and held leadership roles with the Paper Industry Management Association (PIMA) serving on the boards at the local and national levels, including serving as president twice. He has been a member of the Couch Pit University since 2007. In 2007, he won PIMA’s highest honor, the Glen T. Renegar Award, and in 2009 won the PIMA/CPBIS Management Award.
Throughout, he has been involved with his church and currently serves as the Treasurer of his hometown church in McGehee, AR and spends significant time with his wife, three daughters, and eight grandchildren.
Harry Seamans
Chief Operating Officer and
Co-Founder
Eric Horn
Managing Director and Co-Founder
Biorenewable Deployment Consortium
Eric Horn is the Managing Director and Co-Founder of the Biorenewable Deployment Consortium, LLC (BDC). BDC is an international organization dedicated to assisting the Forest Products Industry in utilizing leading-edge bioprocesses to achieve the highest value from their biomass streams.
Graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and trained as a Microbiologist, Eric Horn started his career in a variety of research roles at the University of Wisconsin Enzyme Research Center, the Department of Forestry, and the USDA Forest Products Laboratory Institute of Microbial and Biochemical Technology. Over the last 25 years, Eric and his colleagues have established several companies spanning the fields of biotechnology, consulting, and education.
Eric also serves as the Operational Associate for WINStep Forward, Inc. where Eric places international students throughout the globe for WINSTep’s two major programs, Khorana and S.N. Bose Fellowships, where students can participate in 10–12-week summer research internship at outstanding Indian and U.S. Institutions.
Eric also serves as Secretary and Treasurer for Empowering Students for Success, Inc. (ESS). ESS is an organization that bridges the gap between students and the ever-increasing cost of higher education. ESS offers interest free loans to students from low-and medium-income families to help cover the costs of higher education, regardless of their ethnicity, color, religion, or political affiliation. ESS believes that investing in students is investing in the future of our economy and the country’s social health.
Eric also serves as Secretary and Treasurer for United Against Hate, Inc. (UAH). UAH is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that provides outreach and intervention in communities to promote and advocate policies creating greater economic security, promoting religious tolerance, celebrating differences and honoring America’s heritage of openness to foreigners.
Eric has been published over 30 times for his research in many scientific journals. He holds 8 patents on biotechnology applications and has been awarded the USDA Honor Award for Environmental Protection, the Federal Laboratory Consortium Award, and the U.S. Forest Service Chief’s Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer.
Eric Horn
Managing Director and
Co-Founder