Our Team

KiOR has assembled a world class team from leading companies and research institutions such as Akzo-Nobel, Exxon-Mobil, Chevron, Marathon, ConocoPhillips, Petrobras, PDVSA, PNNL, McKinsey & Co., with over 350 years of combined experience in FCC and catalyst development.

Board of Directors

Fred Cannon (President)

Executive and top management positions with Akzo Nobel and Albemarle. MBA education complemented by a strong engineering background, entrepreneur personality, and extensive Manufacturing, Technology, M&A, and P&L responsible experience. 

Samir Kaul

Before becoming a founding general partner at Khosla Ventures, Samir accumulated a strong scientific background, experience in running large project teams, an MBA degree from Harvard Business School, and experience in investing in early stage biotechnology companies at Flagship Ventures. In early 2006, he left Flagship to become a founding general partner at Khosla Ventures focusing primarily on renewable energy, clean technologies and life sciences firm investments and early stage science projects.

Paul O’Connor

Over 30 years of experience in fluid catalyst cracking process, including unit operation, technical services, FCC catalyst R&D, market development. Member of American Chemical Society (ACS), Program Committee of Petroleum Division of American Chemical Society, American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), Royal Dutch Chemical Society (KNCV), Society of Organizational Learning (SOL). Co-founder of BIOeCON.

Management Team (in addition to President)

Dan Strope (Vice President of Technology)

Over 35 years of experience in the oil industry, including leadership positions in advanced fuels. Functions included management positions in R&D, refining, technology development, project management and licensing for a major oil company.

Mike McCollum (Vice President of Supply)

Over 30 years experience in the Forest Products Industry including executive and top management positions with Georgia-Pacific, Temple-Inland, and Johns-Manville Corporation. He was responsible for all wood and fiber supply at Georgia-Pacific from 1996 until 2006. He was one of the early developers of systems to identify optimum forest management strategies using a combination of simulation and linear programming techniques. He also developed the first commercially successful internet auction site for purchasing timber and wood chips. He holds a BS in Forest Science with a minor in chemistry from the Univ. of Arkansas at Monticello, master studies in Wood Chemistry at Texas A&M, and Ph. D. in Forest Science with emphasis in System Analysis at Texas A&M.

Andre Ditsch (Strategy Director)

Andre is focused on financing, business development, risk management and process economics at KiOR. Andre joined KiOR after 3 years at McKinsey and company, where he was an engagement manager. There he led teams focused broadly on transformation and execution in the energy sector, including large capital project execution, risk management, lean manufacturing and organizational transformations. He authored over 30 internal publications on these topics. Prior to McKinsey, he received his PhD in chemical engineering at M.I.T. Before M.I.T. he was a process foreman and process engineer at Archer Daniels Midland, in their ethanol facility in Decatur Il.

Arnold Korenek (Manufacturing Director)

Over 13 years of progressive chemical plant operations experience. Strong managerial skills combined with deep expertise of FCC refining catalyst facility. Dominates from pre-commissioning & commissioning activities to complete chemical start-up and product qualification trials. Broad knowledge of equipment, unit operations, supply chain, external customers, and site-wide issues.

Edward J. Smith (Director of Engineering)

Ed has broad background in both engineering and manufacturing. He has overseen the design, construction and operation of plants in the US, Middle East and China. These plants included specialty chemicals such as UV cured resins, organic esters, anti-oxidants, bromine and bromine derivatives and FCC and HPC catalysts and their intermediate materials. Most recently Ed held the position as Director of Manufacturing China and General Manager Jordan Bromine. Ed holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Drexel University and a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Villanova University.

Gene Staggs (Treasurer and Controller)

Gene has broad administrative responsibility in KiOR leading the Finance, Treasury, Purchasing, Human Resources, and Information Technology functions. He has extensive management experience in leading manufacturing and corporate organizations with more than 36 years of experience at Albemarle Corporation primarily providing leadership in business finance functions. He provided manufacturing management financial support as Controller of multiple manufacturing sites in the US. He also provided corporate management support as Director of corporate finance functions such as business performance reporting and analysis, cost and general accounting, business financial planning, forecasting and budgeting, as well as business process improvement. Gene is a graduate of the University of Arkansas with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Industrial Engineering.