Don McCormick, President
As founder and President of Carbon Harvest Energy, Don McCormick has a deep knowledge of business development combined with over 20 years of entrepreneurship, management and engineering expertise in the manufacturing, sales and financial fields. He has extensive knowledge of greenhouse systems, hydroponic and aquaponic systems, alternative energy and sustainable inputs, and in agricultural business development with a foundation gained from building, owning, operating, managing, and consulting for agriculture and manufacturing companies.
Don has expertise in planning and managing growth, financial planning, and acquiring financial support. He has designed manufacturing systems and equipment and engineered flow designs for manufacturing efficiency. Don recently served as Executive Director of the Intervale Center, Vermont’s prominent local food and agriculture system builder and then owner of the state’s largest organic waste composting facility. Don also designed and built a sustainable aquaponics business, Laughing Duck Farm, for producing year-round food (microgreens and Tilapia) in a cold climate. He designed the greenhouse to use all renewable energy inputs (solar hot water and hydropower electric and heat) and eliminated waste by using a closed-loop water system, incorporating fish byproduct into plant nutrient and high-value compost.
Don serves as lead designer and developer for Carbon Harvest projects, working with municipalities/landfill owners to plan all project elements and scopes of work, negotiate contracts, market carbon and other environmental attributes and work with key community stakeholders to engage them in a collaborative design process. Don also provides lead design and system engineering for integrations, greenhouse and hydroponic/aquaponic growing systems, as well as agricultural business planning and establishing the permanent facilities management team. Frequently invited to speak at industry and environmental forums, Don also presents the company’s projects and broader work in a wide variety of forums.
Tony Barbagallo, P.E., Senior Project Manager
Tony Barbagallo is a registered Professional Engineer in Vermont, New York and New Hampshire, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Clarkson University and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Vermont. Tony brings over 30 years of extensive project management and engineering experience to Carbon Harvest, including over 25 years of solid waste experience. Tony has expertise in all aspects of permitting, contractor supervision, and budget oversight, and brings knowledge of innovative waste management technologies including leachate recirculation, and organics diversion and management.
As Project Engineer and Facilities Manager for Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD) for the past 20 years, Tony spearheaded the development and implementation of Chittenden County’s award winning solid waste management system. This nationally recognized system utilizes a combination of public and private infrastructure and operations to provide a comprehensive system currently resulting in a 49% waste diversion rate. Tony played the lead role in planning, design, permitting, construction and operation of the region’s lined landfill, seven Drop-Off Centers, the Intervale Compost Project, Biosolids Processing Facility, Wood and Yard Waste Depot, Special Waste Processing Area, and Transfer Stations, as well as the first single-stream Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in the northeastern United States (this MRF currently processes over 50% of the post-consumer recyclables collected within the State of Vermont and was the recipient of the 2004 American Council of Engineering Companies’ Grand Award). Tony’s duties also included oversight of CSWD operations, direct and indirect supervision of up to 45 employees, development and administration of $9 million annual operating and $10 million annual capital budgets, development and administration of contracts, coordination of work with contractors and professional consultants, and life cycle cost and sensitivity analysis of new projects. He was also responsible for the design, permitting and construction components of a household hazardous waste collection program that was later nationally recognized as the most cost-effective HHW collection program in United States.
As Senior Project Engineer, Tony assumes overall management of Carbon Harvest projects including permitting, site engineering, design-build engineering and contractor management. Tony is responsible for keeping projects on schedule and within budget; he also oversees Carbon Harvest’s QA/QC program ensures site and employee safety and regulatory compliance.
Kim Locke, Vice President
As Vice President of Carbon Harvest Energy, Kim works on all business development efforts. With a Master’s Degree in Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and a BA in Geology from Oberlin College, Kim has over 25 years of experience in environmental business and project management in the areas of pollution prevention, toxics reduction, industrial ecology and water quality protection. As Environmental and Energy Outreach Representative for U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, Kim served as Vermont’s point-of-contact on these issues in support of the Senator’s roles on the Environment and Public Works and Energy and Natural Resources Committees. Prior work in the field of industrial ecology includes marketing and business development for waste recycling/reuse pioneer Living Technologies Inc., creator of the Living Machine, and waste minimization work for SAIC. Kim coordinated the development of EPA’s guidance on Pollution Prevention and Best Management Practices for Industrial Facilities, and helped develop recommendations for pollution prevention at DOD facilities. In the not-for-profit sector, Kim conducted science-based advocacy for the Natural Resources Defense Council and volunteered for zero-waste/pollution prevention advocacy group O2 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Kim has also coordinated successful proposals for multi-million dollar federal contracts and grants.
As Co-Director of Carbon Harvest’s algae R&D work, Kim provides ongoing coordination of algae biofuels research funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund’s Vermont Biofuels Initiative.
Michael Durski, Acting CFO
Michael Durski, Carbon Harvest’s Acting CFO, has 20+ years of senior financial management expertise, mostly as VP of Finance and Administration/CFO. With a strong background in financing (both equity and debt), SEC compliance and reporting and investor relations, Michael also brings hands on experience with administrative and executive responsibilities, including finance/accounting, cost and job accounting, HR, IT, contracts, inventory management, purchasing and facilities. As CFO/ VP of Finance for a leading environmental laboratory and consulting service, Michael raised private investment funds to expand the company nationally. He revamped the company’s accounting systems and reduced A/R by over 60% pm average. In the biotechnology industry, he developed and negotiated licensing agreements and joint venture contracts, as well as supporting process budgeting and financial software conversion.
Josh Wilkenfeld, Senior Algae Culture Biologist
Josh Wilkenfeld is Carbon Harvest Energy’s Senior Algae Culture Biologist and Co-Director of Carbon Harvest Algae. Josh has conducted research on the production of algae for biofuel and other high value bio-products as part of the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts (NAABB), and the Texas AgriLife Bioenergy Initiative Program. He also brings thirty years of domestic and international experience in the aquaculture industry, including commercial shrimp operations, from hatchery design and facility start-up and operation, to production improvements. He has successfully cultured algae in production settings as feed for large-scale aquaculture operations, and understands the nutritional considerations of different strains. Josh has also designed, built and operated an inland shrimp and Tilapia farm, and has successfully turned around struggling aquaculture facilities in Mexico to create productive, cohesive operations. In 2009, the Texas Aquaculture Association voted Josh Scientist of the Year.
Andy Klaski, CHP Plant Manager
Andy Klaski is Carbon Harvest’s Combined Heat and Power Plant Manager. Andy has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and brings a diverse range of skills to Carbon Harvest. He has worked in the paper industry for over a decade gaining expertise in the design, construction and commissioning of mechanical systems that integrate energy production, conversion and conservation effectively. Andy has a broad knowledge base of fluid flow, heat exchange, and process control technologies and the ability to apply these in an operational environment. Andy also has extensive experience in project management and design/build construction within the industrial, commercial and residential sectors including the design and construction of steel, reinforced concrete, structural insulated panel and timber framed structures.
Keith Wilda, Aquaculture Manager
Keith Wilda, Aquaculture Manager for Carbon Harvest Energy, is one of the country’s leading experts in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), with 20 years of expertise in design, construction, management and operations. Keith has a B.S. in Resource Economics from UMASS Amherst, and an Associate of Science Degree in Farm Management from Stockbridge School of Agriculture, Amherst. As general manager of the largest RAS in the U.S. (Australis Aquaculture), Keith managed all aspects of facility operations, design, construction, maintenance, including water chemistry, fish pathology, and staff development. His roles included budgeting, production forecasting and scheduling, as well as managing sub-contractors for general physical plant maintenance and construction projects. Keith served as aquaculture manager for Bioshelters, Inc., producing 1.2 million pounds of tilapia per year, and as greenhouse manager for Cabbage Hill Farm, one of the country’s first large-scale aquaponic systems. Keith is also an accomplished educator in the field of aquaculture, and served as director of the Western Massachusetts Center for Sustainable Aquaculture at the University of Massachusetts. He also worked on collaborative projects with both state and federal agencies, including operating a 230-acre federal research trout hatchery. Keith also created and manged UMASS Extension’s aquaculture program, developing and implementing new energy efficient technologies and systems for aquaculture and other farms in Massachusetts.