Saint Paul – Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced his appointments to the Governor’s Clean Energy Technology Collaborative. The Governor created this 15-member collaborative by executive order (Executive Order 08-04) to identify the most promising research and development relating to clean energy technology that may be beneficial to Minnesota and identify the primary issues related to effective current or future implementation of the technologies.

The Governor’s appointees are Dr. Ulrich Bonne, Ph.D., Louis Christan, Dr. Jane H. Davidson, Ph.D., John Drown, Dr. Donald R. Fosnacht, Ph.D., Dr. Camille M. George, Ph.D., Duane A. Goetsch, John Goodman, Dan S. Henry, Ralph D. Imholte, Paul Plahn, Dr. Lanny D. Schmidt, Ph.D., Dr. Claudia Schmidt-Dannert, Ph.D., Dr. Vincent J. Winstead, Ph.D., and Dr. Luca Zullo, Ph.D. In addition, the director of the Office of Energy Security, and the commissioners of the Departments of Agriculture, Employment and Economic Development, and the Pollution Control Agency are ex-officio members of the collaborative.

Bonne, of Hopkins, is the chief technology officer and consultant with MinneFuel, LLC, in Hopkins, a biomass conversion-to-fuel or -fertilizer start-up. Previously, he had a 42-year career with Honeywell Labs, Inc., in Plymouth, where he was a group leader, principal scientist and senior fellow. Bonne holds doctorate and master of science degrees in chemical physics from the University of Göttingen, Germany, and a bachelor of science degree in physics from the University of Freiburg, Germany.

Cristan, of Grant, is the business director with 3M’s Energy and Advanced Materials Division, where he has global responsibilities for 3M’s energy businesses, which includes the newly-formed renewable business, and 3M’s oil and gas business. He previously oversaw 3M’s composite conductor program from commercialization to global launch. Cristan holds a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Michigan Technological University.

Davidson, of Edina, is a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Minnesota and the director of the Solar Energy Laboratory, where her areas of research include solar systems for residential buildings, efficiency in building envelopes, and solar thermo-chemical cycles to produce fuels. She currently serves on the National Research Council’s America’s Energy Future Renewable Electricity Panel. Davidson holds a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and a bachelors, as well as her masters degrees in engineering science and mechanics from the University of Tennessee.

Drown, of Marshall, is a partner and owner of Solar Skies, LLC, a solar thermal collectors and mounting hardware business. He previously was an executive-in-residence at Southwest State University in Marshall after a 30-year career with the Schwan Food Company in Marshall, culminating as president and chief operating officer of Schwan’s Food Service.

Fosnacht, of Hermantown, is the director of the Center for Applied Research and Technology Development at the University of Minnesota, Duluth Natural Resources Research Institute. He is also president of Steel Profitability Consulting, Inc. Fosnacht holds a Ph.D. in metallurgical engineering from the University of Missouri – Rolla, a bachelors, as well as his masters degrees in mineral engineering from Columbia University in New York City, and a bachelor of science degree in chemistry and pre-engineering from MacMurray College in Jacksonville Illinois.

George, of St. Paul, is an associate professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Engineering in St. Paul, where she teaches undergraduate thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, senior design, Energy and the Environment – an engineering course for non-majors, and developed a new course on fuel cell technology. George holds a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Minnesota, a masters, as well as her bachelors degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Goetsch, of Elk River, is president and CEO of Gradient Technology, and is the principal investigator for the development of its high-pressure gasification systems for biomass. He has 30 years of experience in industrial energy-related research experience, including 13 years of industrial applied research and development in petroleum and chemical processing. Goetsch holds a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. His Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota is pending completing of his dissertation.

Goodman, of Chaska, is senior vice president and chief technology and innovation officer with Entegris, and previously was president of its Fuel Cells division. He is a past president of the U.S. Fuel Cell Council, was the first chairman of the National Science Foundation’s Fuel Cell Research and Development Center Industrial Advisory Board at the University of South Carolina, and served on the University of Minnesota’s Institute for Renewable Energy and the Environment External Advisory Board. Goodman holds an MBA and a bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering and mechanics from the University of Minnesota.

Henry, of Lakeville, is chief technical officer with Hearth and Home Technologies, and previously held positions as vice president of advanced technologies and vice president of research and development with the company’s Colville, Washington facility. He chairs the Pellet Fuel Institute’s Fuel Standards Committee, and the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association’s Government Affairs Committee.

Imholte, of Minneapolis, is president and CEO of Bepex International, LLC, a solids processing technology company. He began his career at Bepex Corporation in 1973 as a laboratory technician. Imholte holds a law degree from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, and a bachelor of science degree in business administration from the University of Minnesota.

Plahn, of Lino Lakes, is the director of advanced product development with Cummins Power Generation Inc. in Fridley, where his current activities include managing the development of fuel cell systems. He has 40 years of professional engineering experience in the development engines, alternators and electrical power generation systems. Plahn holds a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Minnesota.

Schmidt, of Minneapolis, is a regents professor in the University of Minnesota Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science. Applications of his research have included direct conversion of alkanes and renewable fuels into chemicals, the production of hydrogen and syngas, and biomass reforming for fuel cells and for chemicals and fuels production. He has been a professor at the U of M for over 43 years, and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering. Schmidt holds a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of Chicago, and a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois.

Schmidt-Dannert, of Shoreview, is an associate professor in the University of Minnesota Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, where her research interests are in metabolic engineering of microorganisms for bioenergy and biomedical applications. Schmidt-Dannert earned her doctorate as well as her and master of science degrees in biochemistry and biotechnology from the Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany, and has done post-doctoral work in molecular biotechnology at the University of Stuttgart, Germany, and the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena. She also earned her bachelor of science degree in biology from the Technical University of Braunschweig.

Winstead, of Elysian, is an assistant professor in the Minnesota State University, Mankato Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Technology. Previously, he was a controls engineer in the scientific research laboratory at Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan, where he worked in hybrid vehicle development, fuel cell development, and camless valvetrain development. Winstead holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, a master of science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Minnesota, and a bachelor of science degree in electrical and computer engineering from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Zullo, of Tonka Bay, is principal chemical engineer at Cargill Incorporated, and the technical director with Cargill Environmental Finance, where he has led the technical development of renewable energy and emission reduction projects in the agricultural sector. His areas of interest since joining Cargill have been in the use of renewable fuels, the optimization of corn to ethanol plants, and the investigation of second generation biofuels which do not involve the use of food feedstock for their production. Zullo holds a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Imperial College of Science Technology and Medicine in London, England.

Ex-officio members of the Collaborative are Office of Energy Security Director William Glahn, Department of Agriculture Commissioner Gene Hugoson, Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Dan McElroy, and Pollution Control Agency Commissioner Brad Moore.