JAMES M. GARDNER

Jim is President of Oakridge Consulting, LLC, serving the renewable energy industry.  He has over 40 years of Technical and Management experience with the US Army, Procter and Gamble Manufacturing Company, and BRABMIJ, Inc.  Responsibilities included direct line management of manufacturing and quality assurance groups, engineering design and management of multimillion-dollar capital projects, technology leadership in environmental controls and chemical processing.  He is recognized for his expertise in Environmental Management, Analytical Chemistry, Innovative Chemical Engineering and Technology Leadership.

Jim graduated with Honors from the Colorado School of Mines with a Professional Degree (Masters) in Engineering Chemistry and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army Corps of Engineers.  Jim is a Viet Nam veteran decorated with a Bronze Star for achievement.

BACKGROUND SUMMARY:

Over 40 years of technical and management leadership in the areas of line management project management, quality assurance, environmental controls engineering/management and process prototype design/operation.

Management & Technical Leadership

· Consulting Associate with OMNI TECH INTERNATIONAL.  Performs process,   

      personnel and environmental safety audits for biodiesel producers.  Provides on-site

      technical assistance for product quality assurance, process reliability, process control

      and environmental compliance. 

· Consulting Associate with MARC IV Consulting LLC.  Developed comprehensive data searches on all biodiesel  manufacturing technologies available world wide. Provided technical assessments on process reliability, process safety, environmental compliance and product quality of each technology submitted. 

· President of Humansville Community Betterment Association, a not-for profit Corporation.  Established recycling center for Humansville, MO area residents and businesses.

· Designed the first commercial biodiesel manufacturing process for Ag Processing (AGP).  Produced training and safety programs for operationing and quality assurance technicians.  Assisted AGP personnel with process startup and certification.  

· Developed biodiesel product specifications and analytical testing protocols for the National Biodiesel Board, Jefferson City, MO.  Administered analytical testing, qualification and statistical validation program to provide commercially available QA testing facilities for biodiesel.

· Co-chaired P&G Chemical Division’s Alcohol Technology Team.  Coordinated activities of corporate engineering, manufacturing, and staff scientists with Stanford Research Institute.  Developed improvements in process chemistry and chemical engineering technology in the manufacturing of methyl esters and fatty alcohols.

· Designated as P&G Chemical Division’s Environmental Master of Technology.  Set environmental control design standards for P&G's chemical plants in Kansas City, Sacramento and Malaysia.

· Quality Assurance Manager for Kansas City methyl ester/fatty alcohol business during $20MM capacity increase project.  Developed a QA system to meet ISO 9000 certification and National Formulary documentation requirements.

· Leader of "grass roots" pro-active environmental improvement team at Procter and Gambles 's Kansas City Plant.  Justified $14MM in capital funding for wastewater and VOC emission controls.  P&G’s KC Plant used as the “industrial model to follow” in EPA Region VII.

· Managed Procter & Gamble’s liquid detergent making operation during $20MM capacity increase and Dawn dishwashing detergent product roll out.  Assisted with engineering design and programming of the first Honeywell TDC process control system in Procter & Gamble Soap Division.

· Designed, built and operated chemical process prototype for reformulation of a key dish care co-surfactant.  A $7MM process was installed at Procter & Gamble’s Kansas City plant based on this prototype design.

· Company Commander, US Army Corp of Engineers, South Vietnam.  Designed and built "Class A" highway in central highlands of South Viet Nam.

· Project Engineering Officer for the US Army Corps of Engineers.  Administered multiple contracts and supervised civilian contractors on North half of Oahu, HI.  Classified and public works projects totaled over $13MM.