Travis Brock Email and Phone Number

Ethos Ventures is an independent advisory firm that embeds with clients and partners to provide hands-on assistance in solving specific challenges. We invest our own time up front to get to know a client's people and culture, ensuring our professionals can blend seamlessly into their team. Our passion is to help clients meet their goals while providing maximum flexibility in how engagements are structured. CURRENT/PAST CLIENTSFoxtail Renewables - Commercial Advisor, Renewable fuels… Show more Ethos Ventures is an independent advisory firm that embeds with clients and partners to provide hands-on assistance in solving specific challenges. We invest our own time up front to get to know a client's people and culture, ensuring our professionals can blend seamlessly into their team. Our passion is to help clients meet their goals while providing maximum flexibility in how engagements are structured. CURRENT/PAST CLIENTSFoxtail Renewables - Commercial Advisor, Renewable fuels feedstock plant developerHampel Enterprises - Strategic Advisor, Fuels and lubricants distributorP&E Contractors - Board Member, Energy infrastructure general contractorLange Family Office - Commercial Advisor, Innovative provider of real estate financing solutionsPrairieFood - Strategic Advisor, Startup ag-tech product manufacturerUnified - Fractional CFO, Startup promoter of Esports eventsPrairie Catalytic - Interim President, Renewable chemical manufacturerSolaris Oilfield Infrastructure - Project Advisor, Publicly traded oilfield equipment services & logisticsAmerican Silica - Commercial Advisor, Private frac sand mining companySERVICE OFFERINGSEthos Ventures provides a range of advisory services that can be leveraged by companies to fill critical gaps in their organizations on a short-term or long-term basis. Ethos specializes in embedded engagements with unique flexibility around term and compensation.FRACTIONAL EXECUTIVEAdd capacity and capability on a fractional or interim basis to early-stage startups, private companies in transition and distressed situationsPROJECT DEVELOPMENT CONSULTINGDirect all facets of large-scale projects, from idea conception through executionINVESTMENT CAPITAL ORIGINATION & PLACEMENTMatch capital with opportunities through a relationship-based approach with both investors and entrepreneurs FOCUS INDUSTRIES:Energy Transition, Renewable Chemicals, Sustainable Agriculture, Commercial Real Estate, Early-Stage Startups Show less

Developer of New Boston Crossing, a 177-acre mixed use property in Lawrence, Kansas.

Led corporate wide commercial strategy and business development for two related companies engaged in the design, construction, and operation of large-scale energy logistics facilities, primarily focused on rail-related terminals. Led the acquisition of a Canadian transloading company to solidify the company’s position as the leading crude-by-rail service provider in North America. Closed construction projects worth over $225 million. While incubating more than twenty early stage greenfield… Show more Led corporate wide commercial strategy and business development for two related companies engaged in the design, construction, and operation of large-scale energy logistics facilities, primarily focused on rail-related terminals. Led the acquisition of a Canadian transloading company to solidify the company’s position as the leading crude-by-rail service provider in North America. Closed construction projects worth over $225 million. While incubating more than twenty early stage greenfield projects, consulted clients and prospects on commercial and operational aspects of designing efficient and cost-effective rail terminals. Provided value-added services to clients including advising on commercial contracts and in raising capital through private equity sources for their early-stage projects. Show less

Earned profit/loss responsibility for a crude-by-rail startup business after successfully leading a deal team to originate and underwrite the $100 million venture investment. Led commercial operations while partnering with a broad array of capabilities, including construction management, feedstock supply, downstream customer marketing, scheduling, rail and barge logistics, terminal operations, measurement, and compliance. Assets included the build out of a proprietary rail loading terminal… Show more Earned profit/loss responsibility for a crude-by-rail startup business after successfully leading a deal team to originate and underwrite the $100 million venture investment. Led commercial operations while partnering with a broad array of capabilities, including construction management, feedstock supply, downstream customer marketing, scheduling, rail and barge logistics, terminal operations, measurement, and compliance. Assets included the build out of a proprietary rail loading terminal, multiple contracted third-party terminals, and a fleet of railcars moved as unit trains. Directly negotiated advantaged long-term railroad freight contracts and built strong relationships with Class I railroads. Show less

Responsible for identifying opportunities, valuing key commercial drivers and risks, coordinating analysis between multiple commercial teams, supervising the development of valuation models and underlying assumptions, preparing board packages, and presenting recommendations to senior management. Gained capital approval for projects up to $320 million. Developed background knowledge of targeted industries for new step-out acquisitions and completed valuation screens of potential target… Show more Responsible for identifying opportunities, valuing key commercial drivers and risks, coordinating analysis between multiple commercial teams, supervising the development of valuation models and underlying assumptions, preparing board packages, and presenting recommendations to senior management. Gained capital approval for projects up to $320 million. Developed background knowledge of targeted industries for new step-out acquisitions and completed valuation screens of potential target companies. Participated in commercial due diligence and negotiated agreements. Facilitated hold valuations of portfolio businesses to identify opportunities for divestiture or incremental capital investments. Show less

Reported to Chief Risk Officer and assisted in developing and implementing Williams’ enterprise-wide risk management function. Earned leadership of the quantitative analysis team as its activities were refocused to create a more robust value-at-risk (VaR) capability. Served on team charged with implementing Economic Value Added (EVA) across the firm to improve capital allocation, transaction structuring, deal valuation, risk analysis, and liquidity management. Supervised ten quantitative… Show more Reported to Chief Risk Officer and assisted in developing and implementing Williams’ enterprise-wide risk management function. Earned leadership of the quantitative analysis team as its activities were refocused to create a more robust value-at-risk (VaR) capability. Served on team charged with implementing Economic Value Added (EVA) across the firm to improve capital allocation, transaction structuring, deal valuation, risk analysis, and liquidity management. Supervised ten quantitative analysts. Partnered with the business development group to provide robust valuation tools for use in management decisions regarding restructuring and divestiture of the company’s complex and long-dated power portfolio, including Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) and comprehensive municipal supply agreements. Show less

Generated proprietary analytics to identify profitable market opportunities, project profiles, and deal structures, using market price data, fundamental supply/demand stacks, and the valuation of assets as trading options. Key member of a five person deal team which originated a short trading position on massive power to fuel spreads during the California power crisis, hedging the position by constructing a 154-megawatt power plant in seven months, and producing stakeholder value exceeding $90… Show more Generated proprietary analytics to identify profitable market opportunities, project profiles, and deal structures, using market price data, fundamental supply/demand stacks, and the valuation of assets as trading options. Key member of a five person deal team which originated a short trading position on massive power to fuel spreads during the California power crisis, hedging the position by constructing a 154-megawatt power plant in seven months, and producing stakeholder value exceeding $90 million. Originated initial value proposition, co-executed a sophisticated hedging strategy, negotiated a complex power plant outage insurance contract, and advised on power purchase agreement with a large utility. Show less

Managed all credit risk functions for a top ten natural gas and power trading company, covering physical commodities, derivatives (paper) trades, and long-dated structured transactions. Spoke at multiple industry conferences on the topics of quantifying and mitigating credit risk in the growing energy derivatives marketplace.