Our Team
Benjamin Slager, MBA
CEO / Chairman
Anthony Santelli, Ph.D.
CFO / Board Member
Kevin Hissem
Engineering Director
Eric Libra, Ph.D.
Vice President of Technology
George D Bolton
Board Member
Charles F Sills
Board Member
Peter Zimeri
Board Member
Ned Burke
Board Member
Chris Kneppers
Board Member
CEO / Chairman
Benjamin Slager, MBA
An expert in developing and commercializing new technologies, Mr. Slager joined Blue Biofuels in the summer of 2016.
Prior to assuming his current role, Mr. Slager spent more than 25 years concepting, developing and selling innovative technical companies, including in the green energy, pharmaceutical, and financial security industries. Through this experience, he gained the understanding and knowledge required by commercial processes on a global scale. With more than 100 patents worldwide, he brings creative solutions to the role of CEO and Chairman of the Board. Originally from the Netherlands, Mr. Slager speaks fluent Dutch, English and German.
CFO / Board Member
Anthony Santelli, Ph.D.
Dr. Santelli joined the Board on May 4, 2018, began to restructure the company immediately and became the Chief Operating Officer in October 2018.
Prior to working for Alliance, Dr. Santelli has managed money for 18 years and is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AES Capital, a hybrid venture capital-hedge fund management company. Dr. Santelli is an entrepreneur who has started or helped finance various private companies and micro-cap publicly traded companies concentrating in the mining and energy fields. He started his career working for Andersen Consulting, now called Accenture, leaving as a Senior Management Systems Consultant.
Engineering Director
Kevin Hissem
Kevin began working for Blue Biofuels on May 1, 2021, and became its Engineering Director on December 14, 2021. Prior to joining Blue Biofuels, he worked as the President of Specialty Fabrication, the largest fabrication and machining facility in the Southeastern United States specializing in large weldments and high tolerance machining primarily for power generation, aerospace, nuclear, DOE and DOD.
Kevin has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Florida, and holds 11 certifications/licenses, as well as three patents.
Vice President of Technology
Eric Libra, Ph.D.
Dr. Libra has spent his career in process and scale-up technologies in the Pharmaceutical and Specialty Chemical Fields, where he has successfully scaled new products from laboratory and pilot to large scale production. With a focus on the implementation of new technical methodologies and optimizations, he has impacted dozens of manufacturing processes for chemicals commonly used in the consumer product industry. Eric has a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Florida and a BS in Chemistry from Boston College. Eric joined the team in January 2021.
Board Member
George D Bolton
Mr. Bolton is a seasoned business professional with deep experience in production agriculture. From the management of fertilizer and chemical plants, to the development and integration of a precision farming system for a national fertilizer and chemical distribution company, George has worked to develop and integrate new technologies for agriculture. He was one of the founders of AgCert International, and co-author of the first agricultural baseline methodology approved by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. He’s also provided guidance on agricultural carbon intensity issues in Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Columbia and the USA.
Board Member
Charles F Sills
Charles Sills has extensive experience planning and directing international industrial, infrastructure, environmental and energy initiatives, having served as a member of the Danube Task Force, the governing council that ran the Danube Basin Environmental Restoration Program. In his more than four decades in the renewable energy sector, he’s led the Martin Marietta Aerospace (now Lockheed Martin) team that won the contract for and installed the world’s largest (at that time) solar photovoltaic energy installation, under a pilot program co-funded by the U.S. and Saudi Arabian Governments; researched and wrote a worldwide survey of renewable energy technologies and commercialization opportunities; and testified before Congress on the need for pro-active U.S. Government support for advanced renewable energy R&D and demonstration programs.
Board Member
Peter Zimeri
Mr. Zimeri is a successful businessman having been the single largest private producer of electricity in Central America through his ownership and operation of five power plants producing 120 MW of electricity. He has also been the owner of a textile plat with a workforce of over 3000. He has degrees in Electromechanical Engineering and Aeronautical Engineering from Georgia Tech and has been a board member of the International Civil Aviation Organization. He is a member of the Aviation Hall of Fame.
Board Member
Ned Burke
Ned Burke has been in the financial services industry for the last 36 years. Prior to joining Blue Biofuels, he retired as CEO of ALPS Holdings Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of SS&C Technologies Inc. Ned joined ALPS in 1992 as National Sales Manager, was named President in 2000 and became CEO in 2005 with the acquisition of ALPS by private equity firm Lovell Minnick Partners. Ned has a BA in Economics from the University of New Hampshire, has been married for 32 years and has six children.
Board Member
Chris Kneppers
Chris was educated in South Africa as a Mechanical Engineer. He has 45 years of experience in the Construction industry in several engineering disciplines with an emphasis in Cost Estimating. His experience includes involvement in a wide range of projects, including large civil works, diesel generation in power stations, and solar electric installations.
Chris Kneppers was one of the Principals of MKA International, Inc. (formerly Madsen, Kneppers & Associates) and has been involved in its running and development since 1989. MKA is a multi-disciplined Construction and Engineering Consulting firm. Chris recently stepped down from his position as Vice President and still serves as a Board Member. His role in the 33 years with the firm included establishing and developing offices, attracting and growing a client base, along with facilitating various technical disciplines within the company to address the needs of clients.