Our Team

Wayne has spent the last 15+ years in the field of renewable energy focused on finding solutions for converting biomass and other problematic global waste streams into carbon-negative clean energy. His current focus is on how to deliver immediate solutions to some of the world’s most troubling energy, environmental, economic, social, and political problems. A successful attorney and serial entrepreneur, Wayne founded SynTech with a mission to become a leader in meeting the challenge of climate change head-on, developing sustainable, carbon-negative clean energy and end-of-waste solutions, and delivering advanced, game-changing sustainable fuels and waste mitigation technologies to the global marketplace. Wayne’s expertise in environmental law & policy, global manufacturing, renewable energy, and retail energy markets, coupled with his inner drive to better the environment, has been fundamental to his leadership of SynTech.

Prior to SynTech, he served as Managing Member, CEO, and Chairman of Admiral Energy, LLC, which explored energy management, energy conservation, and advanced renewable energy technologies during which time he led Admiral’s successful pursuit of a $1.6B (USD) sustainable airport project for the Republic of the Philippines. Simultaneously he served as Chairman, CEO, and Managing Member of Native American Tribal Energy Company, LLC, which focused on delivering a full range of energy-related products and services to tribal entities across North America. Wayne holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Lewis University and a J.D. degree with honors from the IIT/Chicago Kent College of Law. He has also served on various Continuing Legal Education faculties speaking on subjects related to energy and corporate finance, and in March 2023, he was the keynote speaker at the Energy Economics Conference in St. Louis, MO.

At SynTech, Doug has profit and loss responsibility for all design, engineering, manufacturing, field services, and related activities of the Company. Since joining SynTech at its inception, Doug’s 20+ years of expertise in project management, manufacturing, enterprise resource planning, efficiencies, supply chain management, and continuous improvement have proven invaluable. His leadership experience includes numerous manufacturing plant startups and revitalizations utilizing the principles of lean manufacturing, application of continuous improvement techniques, ERP implementation and improvement, enhanced Supply Chain Management, Quality Assurance System development and implementation, process improvement, and product development. Doug began his career in liquid fuels R&D, production, and planning at Amoco (BP) and continued to advance his leadership both as General Manager of Community Power Corporation at the operational level and as VP of Manufacturing at Landmark Industries of Illinois, a business founded by Wayne which Doug shepherded through growth to public offering. He received his BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois.

Spearheading the creation of a working environment that is healthy and motivating is a top objective for Kevin in his role leading the administration of our expanding enterprise. Kevin also plays a strategic role in business development, holding responsibility for all customer project sales and marketing as well as international and special projects. He joined the company on its founding, inspired by SynTech’s innovative end-of-waste solutions.

Kevin identified and has spearheaded our foothold into the production of Graphene from biochar produced by our technologies and is responsible for our evolving Graphene production technologies. Previously, Kevin was a Manager of Retail Operations for Admiral Energy, where he was responsible for power provider and customer contract management, sales force coordination, administration, HR, public information, information systems and technologies. Kevin is a versatile individual with experience in identifying new markets and suppliers, project management, working in business development alongside billion-dollar companies, and managing talent. He has a BA in Biology and English from Augustana College.

A former Managing Partner with KPMG, Saurabh is an accomplished financial leader with extensive experience as a CFO, providing strategic financial oversight and operational guidance to organizations across a variety of industries. Over his career, he has demonstrated a strong ability to optimize financial performance, implement effective budgeting processes, and enhance decision-making through meticulous financial modeling and data analysis. Saurabh excels in aligning financial strategies with business goals, driving profitability, and ensuring sustainable growth for companies ranging from startups to established enterprises. His leadership in managing financial complexities has earned him a reputation for delivering results in dynamic and high-growth environments.

With a deep understanding of operations and cross-functional collaboration, Saurabh specializes in customer and operational transformation, business strategy, and performance improvement. He has a proven track record of effectively leading and integrating diverse functional and business units to achieve enterprise-wide goals. With over two decades of experience in operations, IT, project management, and Lean Six Sigma methodologies, Saurabh has successfully spearheaded numerous large-scale initiatives. These projects have delivered transformative capabilities, enabling organizations to remain competitive, enhance shareholder value, and exceed customer expectations.

Saurabh's robust academic foundation and certifications reinforce his executive expertise. He holds an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin, an MS in Management Information Systems from Texas A&M University, and a Bachelor of Engineering from India. He is certified as a Six Sigma Black Belt and a Project Management Professional (PMP), reflecting his commitment to operational excellence and project success. Combining his extensive educational background with his professional acumen, Saurabh consistently devises and executes innovative solutions to complex business challenges, ensuring impactful results.

Long joined SynTech in 2014 and became a member of Sr. Management and Member in 2016 serving as Chief Technology Officer. He holds both a Ph.D. in Solar Cell Physics from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Graduate Energy Certificate from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and CU-Boulder.  He also holds an MBA from Wharton and has served as a special consultant to the Colorado Governor's Energy Office to study biomass energy policies.   

Long is experienced in innovative renewable energy technologies, finance and global markets and has spearheaded our initial investigation into the potential for producing Graphene from biochar generated by our Advanced Thermal Conversion technology.  He has also led our international efforts to extend our technology reach to China and now serves as the Senior Technology Advisor to the CEO on all matters related to the further development of our technologies, technology strategies and competitive and target technology evaluation.  

With a passion for learning new things and solving problems, Haime is the quintessential engineer. While others shy away from complex issues, he strives for it. Born and raised in Recife, Brazil, Haime came to the USA at 16 years old for a one-year exchange student program. Quickly falling in love with the American way of life the one-year program became a lifetime commitment.

For the first part of his career, Haime worked in the banking and avionics software industry. However, his true passion lay in the energy sector, and for the next eight years, Haime worked for ABB High Voltage Services overseeing some of the most intricate energy projects around the world. He also worked for Valmont Industries in various positions of leadership overseeing global service, quality, manufacturing, and a newly created agriculture solar division.

Concerned about the clean energy problems of the 21st century, Haime saw SynTech as a viable solution to help the world. Haime attended the University of Nebraska Lincoln for his undergraduate studies in Computer and Electronics Engineering and is finishing his MBA in Contracts and Acquisitions from Bellevue University.

Born and raised in Hawaii, Chris has over 15 years of experience in the field of renewable energy resources and serves as the Hawaii Region Representative for SynTech. Chris received a B.S. degree in Chemistry from the University of California, Davis, and M.S. and Ph.D. degree in Chemical Oceanography from the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University.

With a passion for developing economically viable, sustainable, biomass-derived fuels, his specialties include biomass-based energy resources (biofuels, gasification, etc.), integrated systems for sustainable food, fuel, and energy production, ocean renewable energy resources (wave, tidal, OTEC, etc.), marine chemistry, polar oceanography and climate change, trace metals chemistry, and river, and estuary biogeochemistry.

Prior to his role at SynTech, Chris served as the Director of Research and Development for Community Fuels, a biodiesel producer that operated a 20 million-gallon-per-year production facility and fuel terminal in California. In addition, he has worked as an independent consultant on several projects related to biomass energy, energy, and water efficiency in agriculture, as well as sustainable systems for local production of food and energy. When he is not sharing with his SynTech team colorful stories from his time studying in the Pacific (including in a submarine under the polar ice cap), he serves as a part-time lecturer at local universities and colleges.

Drew Manica is a results-driven leader with extensive experience in driving material science innovations, operational excellence, and quality systems across diverse industries. With a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from Pennsylvania State University, Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Kansas, and a Six Sigma Black Belt certification, Drew has built a distinguished career with industry leaders like GE, SABIC, and DSM Engineering Materials. He has a proven track record in R&D, quality management, and commercializing cutting-edge technologies. Currently, Drew is instrumental in establishing the pathway for converting biochar to graphene, leveraging his expertise to align technical innovation with commercial strategies.

In addition to his work in advanced materials, Drew contributes to the development of process flow diagrams (PFDs) and carbon intensity score (CIS) calculations, ensuring scalable and efficient system designs. His multidisciplinary approach combines a deep understanding of material science, process engineering, and sustainability metrics to deliver transformative solutions. Drew’s ability to lead cross-functional teams, manage complex projects, and drive innovation positions him as a pivotal force in advancing sustainable technologies and operational excellence.