< back to Green Gold: Wood Residuals Summit 2025

SPEAKERS

May 7, 2025

9:30 AM - Framing the residuals challenge

Brian Craig, FAIA, MIFBI Board Chair Emeritus

Building on a career that spans from the Peace Corps in Afghanistan to Senior Vice President and architect at Progressive AE to founding (now Emeritus) Director of the Master of Architecture Program at Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University, Brian Craig, FAIA, is immediate past Board Chair of the Michigan Forest Biomaterials Institute – mifbi. In that role, Brian led the mifbi Board in the Institute’s growing role as convener and educator in the collaborative work of developing and promoting the possibilities of the Michigan forest bioeconomy. Brian holds Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Master of Architecture degrees from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He is an avid sailor, musician and traveler.

Brenda Haskill, Manager of Timber Sales and Wood Utilization, Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Brenda Haskill is the statewide manager for the timber sale program of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. She has been a forester in Michigan since 1993 and is a graduate of Michigan Technological University. Her experiences range from log procurement, lumber sales, basic forest management and forestry non-profit operation.

John Kettle, Director, Customer Solutions and International Relations, Natural Resources Institute of Finland (Luke)

Dr. John Kettle is the Director of Customer Solutions and International Relations at the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), where he leads the development and implementation of research developments for natural resources and primary production for both domestic and international clients. With a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Plymouth, Dr. Kettle has extensive experience in applied research, having previously held positions at VTT, KCL, SCA Graphic Research, and English China Clays. In his current role, he focuses on promoting bioeconomy and circular economy initiatives to companies and other stakeholders, aiming to provide sustainable solutions that enhance both environmental and economic outcomes.

Rich Kobe, Ph.D., Professor and Chairperson, Department of Forestry, Michigan State University

10:15 AM - Producers' Pitch

Mike Cook, Owner, Cook's Forest Products, LLC

Mike Cook is the owner of Cook's Forest Products, LLC located in Harrison MI. They have been a wood producer for the last 45 years, starting out with log, pulpwood and firewood production. In 1985, the company added chipping for Biomass Energy and since then have transitioned into clean chips utilizing in-woods Flail Chipharvestors for the last 31 years. Their current annual production of clean chips is 100,000 tons.

Tony Fox, Forestry Consultant, Fox Forestry, LLC (partnering with Maple Hardwoods, Inc.)

Tony Fox has 25 years of experience in procurement within the private forest products industry. After graduating from Michigan State University, Tony began his career with a red pine utility pole manufacturer, moving to a paper mill, logging company, particleboard plant and he is currently self-employed, partnering with multiple companies.

Jim Malloy, Raw Material Manager, Weyerhaeuser

Jim is a 2005 graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in professional forest management.  He began his career with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources working out of the Cadillac area managing state forest land for 12 years.  For the past 7 1/2 years, Jim has worked for Weyerhaeuser in Grayling Michigan, with the last 4 1/2 years as the Raw Material Manager for the Grayling OSB mill.  In his current role, Jim is responsible for procuring the round wood for the production of OSB, as well as, managing the residuals from the entire process and finding suitable end users for those residuals.

11:15 AM - Building a wood products innovation ecosystem

Katariina Kemppainen, SVP, Group R&D, Metsä Spring

Katariina Kemppainen is working as a SVP, Group R&D, in Metsä Spring, the innovation company of Metsä Group. She has a research background and PhD in biomass refining, focusing on piloting and scale-up of novel biorefinery and bioproduct concepts. Since 2020 she has worked for Metsä Spring, doing corporate venturing, coordinating Metsä Group’s innovation ecosystems and leading the Group R&D function that is coordinating and facilitating internal and external R&D cooperation in Metsä Group.

11:45 AM - Realizing lignin's potential

Mojgan Nejad, Associate Professor, Michigan State University

Mojgan Nejad is an Associate Professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Forestry and the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at Michigan State University. She holds a bachelor’s degree in applied chemistry and a PhD. in Wood Science. Her current research focuses on developing lignin-based coatings, adhesives, foams, and composites, primarily in collaboration with industry partners. Dr. Nejad's work on lignin valorization aims to fully replace phenol, polyol, and bisphenol A in phenolic, polyurethane, and epoxy resins using technical lignins. She has received several awards, including the Adhesive and Sealant Council Innovation Award in 2018, the Polyurethane Foam Association (PFA) Herman Stone Technical Excellence Award in 2023, and the CARES Automotive Sustainability Innovation Award in 2024.

1:15 PM - Opening new markets and applications through extraction methods 

Petri Kilpeläinen, Senior Researcher, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)

Dr. Petri Kilpeläinen is a senior researcher at the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke). He has conducted research on biomass fractionation using green solvents. In his studies, Petri has extracted bioactive compounds with antioxidant, antibacterial, and antiviral properties from forest industry side-streams, such as bark and sawdust.

Francesco Meneguzzo, Senior Researcher, Institute of Bioeconomy of the National Research Council of Italy

Dr. Francesco Meneguzzo is a physicist and senior researcher at the Institute of Bioeconomy of the National Research Council of Italy. Following research in atmospheric sciences and energy technologies, his current research interests cover innovative ecosystem services provided by forests for human health, both immaterial such as forest therapy, and related to the efficient and economically sustainable exploitation of forest by-products - in addition to food by-products - mainly using the emerging technique of hydrodynamic cavitation, focusing on industrial-scale applications.

1:45 PM - Exploring new market potential

William Daloz, Calcination Process Engineer, BASF 

Will Daloz is a Sr. Engineer in the Process Research group at BASF, specializing in high-temperature processes for solids across North America. With a decade of experience at BASF and prior background in Materials Science including the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, he has prioritized advancing industrially relevant, environmentally responsible practices. Within BASF, Will is involved in efforts including pyrolysis, biochar and carbon, and exploring opportunities for alternative feedstocks in the chemical industry.

Jeff Herron, Research Scientist, Dow

Jeff Herron is a research scientist in Dow Chemical's Core R&D - Engineering & Process Sciences organization with expertise in reaction engineering.

3:15 PM - Innovators' pitch session

Khorcheska Batyrova, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder, OzoneBio

As a Biochemist with dual Ph.D.s, I bring over 15 years of hands-on experience to the field of biotech academic research. My
educational background, coupled with a robust portfolio featuring more than 20 peer-reviewed publications, underscores my deep knowledge and proficiency in biochemistry. Throughout my six-year postdoctoral tenure at the University of Toronto, I specialized in enzyme screening and engineering, with a specific focus on industrial applications. This expertise reflects my commitment to bridging the gap between academic knowledge and practical innovations in biotechnology. In 2021, I successfully graduated from IndieBio, marking a pivotal step in my journey to apply my extensive knowledge in catalyzing green chemistry solutions.

Tony Burger, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, PJ Woodlands LLC

Tony Burger is the Founder and CEO of PJ Woodlands LLC headquartered in Albuquerque, NM with manufacturing in Harrington, DE. As a seasoned entrepreneur with a Wall Street financial background, Tony has the insight and expertise required to execute on high-potential investment strategies. He began his career as a Federal Bank Examiner and transitioned from auditing to structuring and managing highly complex securities. After a successful career in Investment Management, Tony transitioned to management consulting advising stakeholders on optimization strategies and capital structuring. He has a cross industry experience including banking, financial services, precious metals and most recently, sustainable manufacturing that led to the creation of PJ Woodlands. Tony is actively seeking to build relationships within Building Materials professionals and those with a focus on environmental sustainability and conservation.

Joshua Henry, Co-founder and Chief of Product Development and Environmental Sustainability, TimberHP

Dr. Joshua Henry is the co-founder and Chief Product Development Officer of TimberHP, a startup wood products manufacturer based in Madison, Maine. Dr. Henry earned a BA in chemistry from Carleton College in 2000 and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry and materials science from Cornell University in 2005. In 2017, Dr. Henry left academia and, with business partner Matt O’Malia, formed GO Lab, Inc., TimberHP’s parent company. Serving as CEO through 2024, Dr. Henry successfully helped to build TimberHP’s leadership team and raise the $150 MM of investment required to plan, renovate and startup the first wood fiber insulating composites manufacturing plant in North America. TimberHP entered the commercial market in 2024 with its TimberFill and TimberBatt products and will have its TimberBoard product available in late 2025. Dr. Henry resides in Belfast, Maine with his wife, Cheryl, and their 5- and 6-year-old daughters, Minerva and Pearl.

Duncan Mayes, Founder, Lignutech Oy & Lead Developer, Fiberdom Oy

Duncan is the founder of the consulting and technology advocacy firm, Lignutech Oy, based in Helsinki, Finland. In his current role he supports local and International commercial and institutional clients in the field of renewable materials technologies, markets, and circular economy solutions. Clients include MDF Recovery Ltd, UK, a technology company with a unique process to recycle MDF, Fiberdom Oy, a Finnish green-tech start up where he has been the lead developer of a new super material based on wood-based pulp targeted at replacing plastics and other non-renewable materials. He also works with some large Engineered wood product clients, Global Timber Investment Fund Management companies and some Universities. He has held senior positions during his long career in the forest industry including SVP of Strategy, R&D & Innovation at Stora Enso, overseeing significant R&D and innovation programs and investment cases. He has led several large R&D programs in the areas of bio composites, wood modification and new bio-based materials and polymers from wood. He has held positions in Australia on two occasions, firstly as CEO of Stora Enso Wood Products Australia and more recently he worked together with Australian Wood Products company Timberlink Australia, a NewForests Real Assets Fund Company, supporting them in several major investment opportunities including a Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and Glulam production in South Australia and a Bio Composites investment in Tasmania. Duncan is the serial inventor being named in 15 Internationally granted patents. He chairs the Council of Experts Group at the EU funded research Institute InnoRenew Centre of Excellence, Slovenia, and sits on several advisory boards and previously standard committees. He has an educational background in Wood Technology in the UK and a master’s degree in business administration and strategy from Aalto University in Finland, and specialized in innovation management at IMD, Switzerland.

Duncan Mayes is also the lead developer of the core technology of Fiberdom Oy, he joined the company on a consultancy basis and become an owner in August 2020. He has led the material and process development of the company from lab scale to the current commercial demonstration level production in Vantaa, Finland seeing the commercial launch of its single use, home compostable pulp-based cutlery range He has been the inventor of 3 of the 4 current patents held by the company and continues to develop the next generation materials and products for the company. Duncan has built a wealth of experience from almost 30 years working in the Forest Products Industry globally and continues to push the boundaries of development of sustainable, renewable and circular biomaterials from forest based raw materials.

Riina Muilu-Makela, Research Manager, National Resources Institute Finland (Luke)

Riina Muilu-Mäkelä, PhD, Research Manager and Senior Researcher, Natural Resources Institute Finland. I work in the Circular Bioeconomy program and lead the focus area Value Added and New Products from Main and Side Streams. My scientific background is in botany, and I have studied plant stress metabolism in tree seedlings. Plant chemistry and metabolism are a good background to understand the potential of plant-based biomass for various industrial applications. As a research manager at Luke, I focus on projects aimed at understanding the value chains from primary biomass production to end products and the different processing steps in between. This includes the environmental and ecological impacts of the production chain and the development of new innovations from biomass cascade processing fractions.

Ross Simpson, Company Director, Eden Lakes

Ross Simpson, originally from New Zealand, has been conducting business in the USA since the mid-90s and relocated permanently in 2005. A lifelong entrepreneur, Ross started his first company at the age of 23. His current venture was born out of a sense of injustice upon learning about the PFAS scandal in Rockford, MI, prompting him to delay retirement in order to make a meaningful environmental impact. In partnership with his original business partner, Ross co-developed the TimberChar™ range of BioChar, which has proven highly beneficial in various applications, including lake restoration and improving animal health.

Ludovic Sinet, Chief Executive Officer, Linium Biochemicals

Biography coming soon!

Rae Tamblyn, Director of Business Development + Partnerships, Cambium

Rae Tamblyn is the Director of Business Development & Partnerships at Cambium, where she works to expand the impact of fallen and salvaged wood reuse—from forest to finished product. Rae works to connect all parts of the wood supply chain, helping to build both supply and demand in a sustainable and regenerative cycle. She is passionate about building partnerships that bridge sustainability, design, and responsible resource use, helping turn urban and rural wood waste into high-value materials. Before joining Cambium, she was instrumental in developing the #forestproud brand, a platform that elevates forest-based solutions and the people driving them forward.

May 8, 2025

8:45 AM - Reimagining the value chain

Eric Singsaas, Materials and Bioeconomy Research Leader, Natural Resources Research Institute

Dr. Eric Singsaas is the Materials and Bioeconomy Research Group Leader at the University of Minnesota’s Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI). He guides the group’s R&D strategy around bio-based materials and chemicals for applications from construction to chemicals. He holds a BA in biology and chemistry from Concordia College in Minnesota and a Ph.D. in plant physiology and biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to the University of Minnesota, he was a professor of biology and forestry at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, where he co-founded the Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology. His research programs promote decarbonization and economic development through agricultural and forest product innovation. In addition to applied technology development, Dr. Singsaas has academic publications in biological hydrocarbon production, plant-environment interactions, and forest responses to climate change.

9:15 AM - Accelerating technology transfer - Perspectives from Finland and Michigan

Katariina Torvinen, Research Manager, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd.

Ms. Katariina Torvinen, D.Sc. (Tech.), has over 20 years of experience at Valmet Corporation and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd. She has been involved in developing fibre-based manufacturing technologies for novel materials and products. Her main research background includes foam forming technology, nanocellulose applications, composites, and hybrid electronics for bio-based materials. In 2017, she completed her Doctoral Thesis on manufacturing nanocellulose-based composite films for printed electronics applications. Currently, she is a Research Manager at VTT in the bio-based material processing and products research area. Her responsibilities include developing research and technology transfer strategies, roadmaps, and portfolios, focusing on circular bio-economy and resource efficiency. She also serves as Vice President Innovation in EPNOE (European Polysaccharides Network of Excellence). Katariina is an active member of various relevant EU, worldwide, and Finnish bioeconomy networks and partnerships, including the Circular Biobased Europe Partnership, Processes for Planet Partnership, Textiles for the Future, OECD Bio-Nano-and Converting Working Party, ExpandFibre Ecosystem, FinnCERES Bioeconomy Materials Flagship, and CLIC’s Innovation Bioeconomy working group.

Matt Fletcher, Recycling Market Development Specialist, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy 

Biography coming soon!

10:30 AM - Exploring the feasibility of wood-based Synthetic (Sustainable) Aviation Fuel (SAF)

Nathalie Ionesco, Chief Operating Officer, Haffner Energy, Inc.

Nathalie Ionesco has a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering with 35 years of Management, Innovation, Strategy and engineering experience as formerly a Veolia executive, dedicated to water and waste business activities. She is supporting Technology and Strategy roadmap of several US based entities as well as leads the North America roadmap of Haffner Energy as COO of Haffner Energy subsidiary in US.

David Winsness, President, Comstock Fuels

Biography coming soon!

11:15 AM - Financing wood residual innovation

Katariina Kemppainen, SVP, Group R&DN, Metsä Spring

Katariina Kemppainen is working as a SVP, Group R&D, in Metsä Spring, the innovation company of Metsä Group. She has a research background and PhD in biomass refining, focusing on piloting and scale-up of novel biorefinery and bioproduct concepts. Since 2020 she has worked for Metsä Spring, doing corporate venturing, coordinating Metsä Group’s innovation ecosystems and leading the Group R&D function that is coordinating and facilitating internal and external R&D cooperation in Metsä Group.

Jordan Solomon, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ecostrat

Jordan is Chairman of the Biofuel Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone Initiative and CEO of Ecostrat where he has overseen the Biomass Advisory Group and Biomass Supply Group for over 20 years. Jordan led the 6-year effort to develop the Standards for Biomass Supply Chain Risk (BSCR) and co-chaired CSA’s Technical Committee to develop Canada’s national BSCR Standards (CSA W209:21). He led the team that put together the $1B BDO Zone Investment Coalition and negotiated the agreement with Invest-In-Canada to promote BDO Zones worldwide. He is currently leading the BDO Zone Initiative to its goal of catalyzing and accelerating new bio-based plant development across North America with “1000 BDO Zones in 4 years”. Jordan has overseen development, operation and due diligence of biomass supply chains for over 5,000,000 tons of biomass feedstock over three decades for more than 250 biofuel, renewable chemical, biogas, and clean heat and power projects. His areas of expertise include biomass supply chain risk-assessment and feedstock risk rating, project finance, feedstock origination, contracting, and risk mitigation.