Founder And Board Member
Current• Founded Great American Aquaculture in 2013, a successful, land-based aquaculture company sustainably producing antibiotic-free European Seabass (aka Branzino)• Directed project development team (Pentair Aquatic Eco-systems / PR Aqua) to design state-of-the-art recirculating aquaculture system specifically to raise European Seabass.• Pioneered innovative business model to reduce risk and increase economic viability of RAS operations:o Created Ideal Fish® branding / corporate identity – a premier brand in RAS seafood industryo Developed value-added product line (made in-house), including ready to eat and smoked fish preparations. Smoked Branzino is one of 7 finalists for innovative product competition in 2018 Seafood Expo North America conventiono Broadened product offering with seafood products raised at 3rd party RAS facilties, including salmon, trout and caviar• Built-out seafood processing, procurement and logistics operations to handle internal RAS production as well as 3rd party RAS produced seafood • Implemented game changing technologies to dewater and recover solid waste for composting into fertilizero Grey water is conditioned for re-entrainment into culture system, significantly reducing discharge rates• Awarded Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification five years in a row – one of only eleven aquaculture producers (farms) in the United States with BAP cerification• Navigated company through turbulent seafood markets and supply chain disruption caused by COVID 19 pandemic – pivoted to develop direct-to-consumer (e-commerce) business channel • Raised over $30 million to fund Ideal Fish facility construction and operations during the ramp-up
