Our People
Our People
Board Members
Mr Robert Michael Carey
Chairman
Mr Carey has a Bachelor of Business Degree, is a registered company auditor with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission, a fellow of the National Tax and Accountants Association, a fellow of the Taxation Institute of Australia and a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
He has over 42 years of experience in public practise and is the senior director of the north Queensland based public accountancy practice Carey Accountants Pty Ltd where he specialises in taxation, finance management and project development.
Mr Carey is Chief Executive Officer of the Carey Family Group of companies and a director of a number of other non-related companies. Mr Carey is Chairman and Secretary of Ethtec. Apart from providing company direction, he is responsible for the preparation and monitoring of budgets and cash flow statements, assists in the preparation of applications for government assistance, negotiation of agreements, marketing and discussions with shareholders and future potential equity participants.
Mr Carey is also Chairman of North Queensland Bio-Energy Corporation Limited (NQBE) and is the primary driving force behind NQBE’s renewable energy project in Ingham, north Queensland. This project has received Queensland State Government’s “Significant Project” declaration status.
Dr Russell Robert Reeves
Managing Director and Chief Scientist
Dr Reeves is a research scientist with over 38 years of experience and is the founder and Technical Director of the Ethtec Project.
Dr Reeves obtained his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Newcastle in 1978. In 1980 he joined Apace Research Limited (Apace), a not-for-profit company and Approved Research Institute that was incorporated in New South Wales in 1979 to research and develop renewable energy technologies. In 1981 Dr Reeves was appointed Managing Director and Chief Chemist of Apace. Ethtec is the exclusive worldwide technology licensee of Apace.
Since 1980 Dr Reeves has completed numerous research and development projects for the Australian Commonwealth Government, state governments, foreign governments and industry relating to the production and use of a wide range of alternative fuels. In the period since 1995 he has received several competitive grants from the Australian Commonwealth Government to develop the Ethtec Process.
Dr Reeves is the inventor of the Apace Diesohol Technology that in 2004 won a BHP-Billiton Health, Safety, Environment and Community Global Excellence Award. He is also the inventor of the Apace Combined Ethanol Recovery and Waste Treatment Process. Apace has been granted Australian and international patents for Dr Reeves’ inventions.
Mr Robert Lance Rodman
Director and Manager of General Operations
Mr Rodman has over 30 years of experience as a sugar cane farmer. He was a member of the Far North Queensland Regional Advisory Group for the sugar industry and was also a member of the Far North Queensland Area Consultative Committee. Mr Rodman is Chairman of the non-profit organisation Farming for The Future - Babinda. This organisation seeks out value-adding opportunities for the sugar cane industry as part of a sugar cluster under the Cairns Region Economic Development Corporation. The group has also been involved in developing the concept of energy or high fibre canes for their potential of high biomass production which could have various value-added products extracted through the use of emerging technology.
Mr Rodman manages the general operations of Ethtec including coordinating purchase orders, monitoring of cash flow, budgets and milestones, identifying and pursuing potential customers, assisting in the preparation of applications for government assistance, monitoring of the development of competing technologies and of potential patent breaches by competitors.
Mr Eric James Lollo
Director
Mr Lollo is a founder and the Managing Director of NQ Excavations Pty Ltd, a business specialising in the installation of pipelines and construction of sewerage pump stations. He has considerable experience in construction and installation gained through working in North Queensland, the Northern Territory and the Torres Straits.
Mr Lollo is also the Chief Executive Officer of the Lollo Group of companies and a director of a number of other non-related companies.
Senior Technical Team
Mr Andrew Reeves
Senior Research Engineer
Mr Reeves graduated from the University of Newcastle in 2008 under the University of Newcastle Industry Scholarship Scheme with Honours in Mechanical Engineering. He joined Ethtec in 2008 and has a combined 12 years of industry experience in areas of project management, composite materials of construction as well as equipment prototyping and design.
Mr Reeves played a pivotal role in the planning, procurement, construction and optimisation of Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Ethtec Pilot Plant. He is the Pilot Plant Site Manager and leads the engineering and operations team in all aspects of research and development.
Dr Tony Banks
Senior Research Chemist
Dr Banks obtained his PhD in Organic Chemistry in 2003 from the University of New England and joined Ethtec in 2007. He has over 16 years of experience as a researcher at several Australian research institutions. Dr Banks is involved in all aspects of Pilot Plant operations and leads the chemistry team.
Dr Geoff Doherty
Senior Research Microbiologist
Dr Doherty obtained his PhD in 2007 and has experience in both academic and industry research in the areas of gene expression control and central carbon metabolism. He joined Ethtec in 2013 and remains a conjoint Senior Lecturer at the University of Newcastle. He leads the Ethtec yeast and fermentation development programmes in conjunction with the University of Newcastle.
Dr Doherty also has a Graduate Certificate in Innovation and Commercialisation and has been involved in developing partnerships with third parties as well as raising the profile of Ethtec with various Local, State and Federal Government stakeholders.