Team - Ion Power Group

Benjamin A. Balser – Chief Executive Officer

• Intellectual Property Attorney

• Electrical Engineer

Benjamin Balser is a seasoned veteran with over 15 years of experience in the intellectual property industry. He manages Ion Power Group’s intellectual property (domestic and international) and is personally responsible for authoring and obtaining patents in 33 countries, so far, for Ion Power Group. A degreed Electrical Engineer, his background in power management devices with Texas Instruments affords valuable insight applicable to current and future developments in Ion Harvesting Technology. Benjie’s patent experience include the following fields of technology: electrical, computer, mechanical, general engineering, physics, telecommunications, and optical; and more specifically, telecommunication systems, email systems, instant messaging systems, digital cable systems including encryption/decryption, modulation techniques, distribution techniques, wireless local area network systems and standards including IEEE 802.11, laser systems, optics and optical electronics, GPS systems, weapons systems, processor architecture, analog/digital circuits, power electronics, battery charging, broadband circuits, wireless modulation techniques, refrigeration systems, financial services, and business methods, among others.

Chief Executive Officer – Ion Power Group LLC (Present) ’16- Partner – NextIP Law Group – Intellectual Property Law Group (Present) ’16- Partner – Balser & Grell – Intellectual Property Law Group ’09-‘15 Patent Attorney – Thomas Kayden Horstemeyer & Risley – Intellectual Law Group ’03 – ‘09 Applications Engineer EE – Texas Instruments ’97 – ‘03 Senior Technical Analyst – Nokia Mobile Phones ’94 – ‘97 JD – Loyola New Orleans – ‘03 BSEE – Louisiana State University – ‘94

Benjie sits on the Clean Energy Business Network’s Innovation Technologies Advisory Committee, Washington DC.

Dr. Grace Bochenek PhD – Chairman of the Board

Previous Key Positions

• United States Secretary of Energy – Presidential Appointment

• Director, United States National Energy Technology Laboratory

• Chief Technology Officer, United States Army Materiel Command

• Director, United States Army Tank-Automotive Research, Development & Engineering Center

Dr. Grace Bochenek is a proven pioneer and leader in technology development. With over 30 years of technical and managerial experience, she is well-versed in science, technology investment strategies, technology maturation, integration and analyses. Most significantly she led large complex federal organizations delivering challenging and high impact missions for the Departments of Energy and Defense. Grace received a presidential appointment as the U.S. Secretary of Energy.

Dr. Bochenek served as the Director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Lab, leading a broad range of energy and environmental national research programs with $700 million-plus multi-year research investments managing 1400 personnel, creating commercially viable solutions to energy and environmental needs. Within the Department of Defense, as the Army Materiel Command’s Chief Technology Officer and Director of Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center, she led defense research, technology development and was responsible for the formation and transition of advanced technologies into military systems. As Laboratory Director, managing the Army’s nearly $670 million annual ground vehicle research program with over 1500 personnel. Pioneering as the first CTO, Dr. Bochenek had oversight for approximately $2.5 billion basic and applied research funding.

As an active member of the Spectrum Group since 2018, a D.C. based consulting firm, she provides advice to both businesses and individuals regarding growth opportunities, research, planning and commercialization. Grace is president of her own company specializing in innovation, management and technology regarding Energy, Environment and Defense.

Dr. Grace Bochenek has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Presidential Rank Award as Meritorious Executive, Department of Energy Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service and the Department of Army Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service. She is the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni and Hall of Fame Awards within the College of Engineering from the University of Central Florida, University of Michigan-Dearborn and Wayne State University. Numerous recognitions for organizational achievements and leadership rankings by local and industry media, including Detroit’s “Women to Watch”.

Ray Lugo

Present CEO – International Space Station National Laboratory

Previous Key Positions

• NASA DIRECTOR – Glenn Research Center

• Deputy Program Manager of the Launch Services Program at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

• Director Florida Space Institute – University of Central Florida

Ray serves as the Director of UCF’s Florida Space Institute. Prior to this appointment, he served as Director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s John H. Glenn Research Center from 2010 to 2013. There he was responsible for planning, organizing and directing the activities required in accomplishing the missions assigned to the Center. Prior to this appointment, he served as Glenn’s Deputy Director from 2007 to 2010.

Prior to his positions at Glenn, Lugo served as the Deputy Program Manager of the Launch Services Program at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and was principally responsible for managing, directing and evaluating the progress of all ongoing launch operations and activities including Expendable Launch Vehicles engineering and analysis, payload integration, launch site support and launch campaigns.

Lugo began his NASA career at Kennedy in 1975 as a cooperative education student. His first assignment was in the Construction and Modifications Branch as an engineer responsible for construction modifications to Launch Complex 39A in preparation for the first space shuttle launch.

Since becoming a member of the Senior Executive Service in 2001, he served as the executive director of the Cape Canaveral Spaceport Management Office. Other leadership positions include Director and Deputy Director of Expendable Launch Vehicle Services Program, Manager of Facilities and Support Equipment Division in the Space Station Project Office, and Chief of the Business Office of the Joint Performance Management Office.

Lugo has received numerous honors, including two NASA Exceptional Achievement Medals for contributions to the Galileo Mission and the Space Station Redesign, and three NASA Outstanding Leadership Medals for his instrumental role in the Expendable Launch Vehicle Program Transition.

Lugo earned a Bachelor of Science in engineering in 1979 from the University of Central Florida and a Master’s Degree in engineering management in 1982 from the Florida Institute of Technology.

Lt. General John Caldwell USA (R)

Previous Key Positions

• Military Deputy to the Army Acquisition Executive

• Commanding General, US Army Tank-automotive & Armaments Command

• Deputy Chief of Staff, Research, Development and Acquisition, US Army Materiel Command

• Director, Army Digitization Task Force

• Project Manager, Abrams Tank Systems

General Caldwell leads the Defense and Aerospace Center of Excellence at The Spectrum Group, a premier D.C based consulting firm. He provides strategic consulting advise to clients regarding Defense systems Research, Development and Acquisition; Defense information technology and logistics management; business development, capture and win strategies; corporate governance and executive leadership; and Foreign Military sales. He also is a key member of Spectrum’s Energy, Environment and Installations team.

Prior to joining The SPECTRUM Group, General Caldwell held senior executive positions in the defense IT services sector for QSS Corporation and Perot Government Services. General Caldwell served thirty-six years of military active duty after graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He served as Military Deputy to the Army Acquisition Executive, with oversight of the development and management of Army weapons and communications systems valued at more than $20 billion. He also had leadership responsibility for the 50,000-strong Army Acquisition Corps. He also served as Commanding General of the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command, where he was responsible for the technical, logistic and acquisition support of 70% of the Army’s ground systems.

General Caldwell earned numerous combat and service awards and decorations including the Silver Star and Distinguished Service Medals.

General Caldwell is serving or has served on boards of directors and/or advisory boards for TASER International (now Axon Enterprises), Puradyn Filter Technologies, Plasan US, ESP, Autoflug. BRTRC, Marlow Industries, and SYNEXXUS. He is also President of the Board of Comfort for America’s Uniformed Services (CAUSE), a 501(c)(3) non-profit supporting severely wounded troops and their families.

General Caldwell earned a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering (MSME) at The Georgia Institute of Technology.

Richard B. Adams, PE, BCEE – Chief Strategy Officer

• Executive Vice President: STE, Inc., Geotechnical Engineering Consultants

• Founder, President, Chief Engineer: G&E Engineering, Inc. Multi-State Environmental Consulting Company

• Founder/Manager: RB Adams, LLC

• Graduate and undergraduate level adjunct professor.

• Technical and Creative Writer

Rich Adams is a registered Professional Engineer (civil and environmental) and a Board-Certified Environmental Engineer (American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists).

With a master’s degree in engineering management, Adams has served as the chief executive officer and visionary agent for two engineering companies (STEI and G&E Engineering) and for his current company, RB Adams, LLC.

Adams was engaged by the United States Military Academy (USMA) and Southern Methodist University (SMU) to help shape their environmental engineering programs. At USMA he served as an adjunct assistant professor and founding member of the Environmental Engineering Board of Advisors. At SMU he served as an adjunct professor and created and taught the Capstone course and the Project Management course for the master’s degree environmental program in the School of Applied Science and Engineering.

Adams grew G&E Engineering from a sole proprietorship to a regional and international full-service engineering consulting company with ten offices (Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, New Orleans and Shreveport, LA; Titusville, FL; Houston, TX; Oklahoma City, OK; Nashville, TN; Monterrey, Mexico; Concepcion, Chile).

Brad A. Scott

• Founding Member

• Financial Adviser

Nathan David Lyons Sr.

• Founding Member

• Financial Counsel

Lisa Monique McCowen

• Founding Member

• Senior Organizer

Derek Brett Esq. Attorney – Barrister

• General Legal Counsel

Next IP Law Group

• Intellectual Property Law Group

Trenam Law

• Legal Counsel

Tom Risalvato

• CPA

Clean Energy Business Network

• An Initiative of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy

Dr. Philip Metzger PhD

• Planetary Scientist / Physicist

• Selected NASA Kennedy Space Center 2011 Scientist / Engineer of the Year

• Co-founder NASA Kennedy Space Center Swamp Works

• NASA Silver Medal for Technology Development 2014

• Aerospace Division Outstanding Technical Award 2016

• American Society of Civil Engineers Outstanding Technical Contribution Award 2018

• University of Central Florida Space Institute

Dr. Adrienne Dove PhD

• Planetary Scientist / Astrophysicist

• NASA’s Susan Mahan Niebur Early Career Award

• University of Central Florida Physics Department

• Planetary sciences and dusty plasmas in the solar system

• Microgravity and laboratory research on dusty plasmas, collisions, and planet formation

Dr. Andreas J. G. Baumgaertner PhD

• Atmospheric Physicist

• Senior Scientist – German Aerospace Center

Dr. Peter Allen PhD

• Analytical Chemistry

• Nanotechnology and Modeling Complex Chemical Systems

• Atmospheric Conductivity and Electricity

Dr. James Stanley PhD

• Nuclear Physicist – Stanford University

• Senior Technical Management – Collins Aerospace

• Extensive management history of R&D Projects and Advanced Systems Groups

• Disruptive Technologies Monitor

• Technical, Contract and Program Management Advisor

Prof. Perparim Alikaj PhD

• Professor of Geophysical Methods in the study of Earth at the Polytechnic University of Tirana, 1988 – 2019

• Chief Scientist at Quantec Geoscience Group Ltd., Toronto, Ontario 1998 – 2002

• Inventor of various Electrical Prospecting techniques in mineral exploration

• Consulting geophysicist in various mining exploration companies, 1991 to present

Dr. Hatcher Tynes PhD

• Atmospheric Physicist

• External Technical Resources Consultant

• Microfabrication

Dr. Hasmukh L. Gajera PhD

• Materials Science

• Masters of Science in Nano Science and Nano Technology

• Expertise includes Graphene, Graphite, Carbon Nanotubes

Dr. Sebastian Uppapalli PhD

• Mechanical Engineering

• CFD; Transport Phenomena; Electrohydrodynamics

• Multiphysics Modeling

Dr. Gautam Thor PhD

• Scientific Research – Diagnostics

• IP Development

Dr. Tathagata Acharya PhD

• Mechanical Engineering

• Expertise In Computational and Experimental Fluid Dynamics and Rarefied Gas Dynamics

Clint McCowen

• Chief Technologist

• Leading Researcher/Specialist in Ion Harvesting Technology, Nanomaterial Electrocoupling. Proficient in Prototype Design/Fabrication and experienced in Intellectual Property Development

• Awarded Patents by 33 Countries in Ion Harvesting. Patents also awarded in industries relating to Communications, Shape Memory Alloy, Materials Research, Automotive, Military, Aerospace

Charlie Steffen

• Aerostat Specialist

• Expertise in aerostat payload deployment systems, surveillance, communication systems

• Military, NASA, Commercial, University, Research and Development applications

• 15 year Veteran of the Aerostat Industry including Managing Director/Leading Aerostat Manufacturer/Vendor

Robert Moore

• Expert on high altitude tethered flight

• World Altitude Record Holder for tethered Kite flight

• Guinness World Record Certification

• Australian Book of Records Certification World Altitude Record

Steve Bolt

• Electronics Engineering

Lt. Colonel (rt) William I. McCowen

• Deceased. In tribute to this genuine American hero, a good and decent man, friend to all. Bill remains on our TEAM and in our hearts and minds as a sterling example of a life well-lived.