President & Owner of Silva Technologies Inc.:
Antonio Manuel Silva, based in Rockville, MD is a US citizen and resident since 1983. He came to the US for Aerospace Engineering, Univ. of Maryland (not completed, 1983). He has been the project manager and COO for the design, development and prototyping of all 4-Stroke Authentic Scale (AS) and Silva engines (Phase I & Phase II) from 2010 to present. He was the co-owner and manager of Benitez & Silva Ltd., diamond mining operation & sales from 1999 to 2009. He was also the co-owner and COO of J&D Ltd., a diamond mining company in Angola, West Africa, from 1995 to 1998. Finally, he was the owner of Importex Co., US imports and distribution from 1989 to 1995.
Vice President Marketing (VP-M):
He is currently a VP of Bombardier, BRP division, with close to 20 years’ experience in the marine power market. He has been credited for “resurrecting” the Evinrude engine brand from bankruptcy, restoring brand name and 65% of lost market in less than 2 years—a true marketing miracle. With Evinrude, he also planned engine production and all marketing strategies, and developed OEM relationships on the supply-side. He gave project management assistance in the launching of seven product platforms by spearheading the industry’s first infomercial, as well as keeping on top of market trends and giving annual presentations. All OEMs in the marine and power generator US markets know and trust him.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO):
James P. McAndrews III is a process-driven leader with more than 35 years of broad experience as a Finance office with two Fortune 1000 public companies, Freddie Mac and HealthSouth, six years at Arthur Andersen & Co. and also serving as the Tax Co-Lead for a large regional public accounting firm. While leading two different regional offices for Tatum, a Randstad Company (in New York Metro during 2013, and in the Baltimore-Washington Mid-Atlantic region in 2014), he worked with numerous private equity groups providing CFOs and other finance executives to supervise and deliver financial and management reports these owners required from various portfolio companies. He was the initial Tax executive hired in Freddie Mac’s Finance Division when that then $16 Billion company first become subject to federal income tax in 1985. He previously supported a waste-to-energy start-up firm negotiating to build an electrical energy generation plant in the Virgin Islands, as well as a start-up nonprofit that served 360 Catholic schools and over 120,000 students in the Mid-Atlantic region. Mr. McAndrews has a BSBA degree in Accounting from Georgetown University, and he is a licensed CPA in Virginia. He also has a law degree and a Masters of Law in Taxation degree from the Georgetown University Law Center, and he is admitted to the Bar in the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Senior Electronic Engineer:
Veronica Merryfield has 20 years’ experience in engine design. She began her career with high performance Formula 1 racing. Veronica has 20 years’ experience with diesel engine design and optimization with GMC, Cummins, although her interest stretches back further, and 30 years in embedded software. After a spell in engine control for F1 motor racing, she moved into diesel engine control, simulation and calibration, and then into diesel engine design and control. She has also worked in other areas such as parallel computing systems for film production, mobile OSes and devices, and solid state storage. She has a passion for trains, planes and automobiles, and is adding boats. Veronica also designs, builds and flies radio control gliders and builds musical instrument. She gained her BEng at Portsmouth University (UK) in electrical and electronic engineering.
Vice President Engineering (VP-E), Chief Engineer and Project Manager:
He is currently a VP of an important engine company in Michigan. He is the chief engineer responsible for developing three clean-sheet engines, designed from scratch. He will help with initial production decisions and help sort suppliers and required supplies for testing. He has over 26 years of exceptional experience with engine design.
Assistant Mechanical Engineer:
She is currently with Cummins Diesel and is responsible for product development, testing, controls and documentation. She has over 7 years of experience with engine design and optimization.
MLI System Engineer:
Vikas Sharma, Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and Bio-fuel. Research scholar Internal Combustion Engineering Division at Anna University Chennai-P.B.C.E
Previously Assistant Professor of Automobile Engineering IC Engines at Lakshmi Narain College of Technology, Indore
Three papers published; two international conference paper presentations; eight national conference paper presentations.
https://community.asme.org/members/vikassharma274
Total Senior Electrical and Electronic Engineers: 3
Electrical design, electronic design, software development
CAD Assistant:
Roger Forgues has 30 years’ experience with GM robotics, and engineer/industrial/manufacturing tooling. He is a Synergy Aircraft fly-by-wire engine/aircraft integration consultant. He also builds and tests full-size and RC scale airplanes and electronics.
Wisconsin Engine Research Consultants (WERC), combustion simulation engineers:
Dr. Rolf Reitz and Dr. David Wickman, both PhDs in mechanical engineering, along with WERC’s team of 10 senior engineers. They are currently considered the most advanced team in the US for engine combustion optimization, combustion simulation, and SCFI system optimization.
www.w-erc.com
Super Critical Fuel Injection (SCFI) Scientists, Engineers and Consultants:
Dr. George Anitescu, PhD molecular chemistry, Syracuse Univ. /NIST
Supercritical fluid technology applied to the production and combustion of diesel and biodiesel fuels – Dissertation
Dr. Lawrence Tavlarides, PhD chemical engineering and materials science.
http://eng-cs.syr.edu/research-highlights/energy-saving-transportation-project-receives-nyserda-funding
Dr. Ben Akih-Kumgeh, Ph.D. combustion physics and chemistry, internal combustion.
http://eng-cs.syr.edu/about-the-college/faculty-and-staff/akih-kumgeh
Materials Development, Scientists and Consultants:
Dr. N. Birbilis, PhD materials science, head of Materials Science and Engineering Department of the Monash University Department of Materials Engineering.
Dr. James Withers, PhD, head of MER Corp. – Materials and Electrochemical Research.
Dr. Denis Bergoint, PhD, head of materials development of AMT – Advanced Materials Technology GmbH. He has over 20 years of high performance diesel engine design, Formula 1 engine racing design and is a major consultant of for VW Group diesel engine design.
AVL Powertrain Engineering Consultant: engine and systems simulations
Brian Walker is the Director of Development and Michael Weissbaeck is the chief engineer at AVL. They have experience with magnesium engine block design optimization and two years of road testing they did with a diesel all-magnesium alloy engine designed by AVL from scratch.
Aviation Consultants:
Dave Schwartz currently owns Contrails Aviation Consulting Inc. in Vero Beach, FL. He has 25 years of experience as an aerospace engineer, as a Piper Aircraft chief test pilot and in marketing.
Victor Aviation, in Palo Alto, CA has experience with cryogenic treatment processes for engine blocks and engine parts.
Marine Consultants:
ZF Marine Propulsion Systems (USA/Germany)
Gary Polson has a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering and owns Polson Enterprises. He has 22 years of engineering experience in product design, as well as technical and marketing research.
www.virtualpet.com
Legal consultants:
Patents: Kenneth M. Fagin, Esq., works for KMF Patent Services, PLLC, in Washington D.C.
He is a former partner at the law firm Rothwell, Figg, Ernst & Manbeck.
Ph: (202) 600-7767
General Corporate Consulting: Glenn E. Karta works for Karta Law Firm LLC in Gaithersburg, MD. He is also a former partner at the law firm Rothwell, Figg, Ernst & Manbeck.
Ph: (301) 706-3939
Investment advisors/consultants:
Tim Meyers is a Managing Director at Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP at the office in Tyson’s Corner, VA. He works in the private project financing department. He has 25 years of experience in project financing and funding. He is a former $120M venture capital fund manager.
www.bakertilly.com
Skip Colvin is a serial entrepreneur. He has over 80 patents and has raised over $500 million to start eight successful companies, working now on a $750 million project with Johns Hopkins Medical Research.
Stuart H. Sorkin, JD, LL.M, CPA, is a “negotiator”, investment advisor in the investment capital field since 1988 and investor. He has extensive experience in negotiating investment deals and exit strategies. He is responsible for all Pro-Form financials and STI investment “negotiator.”
www.stuartsorkin.com
Staffing Advisor & Head hunter:
Henry Lonski and Rollin Karol both work for Lonski & Associates, LLC; Lonski is the owner. Lonski is the former VP of Bombardier Aerospace and BRP divisions, and has over 20 years of experience in marine and aircraft markets. Lonski & Associates, LLC has been seeking all technical, marketing and engineering personnel for Gryphon Diesel Engines.
henrylonski.com
Main Suppliers & Systems Simulations:
These are the companies from which we will seek certain systems or parts, or to whom we may outsource some of the design.
- ZF Marine Propulsion Systems (Germany/USA):
- SmartCommand (digital throttle controls)
- JMS (Joy Maneuvering Stick)
- SteerCommand (integrated electric steering & tilt)
- transmissions – complete hybrid system integration
- lower drives (forward-facing propellers)
- single and dual counter-rotating propellers
- Mahle GmbH (Germany/USA):
- water pump
- starter
- alternator
- independent complete engine testing and endurance tests, to capture and certify the power, fuel consumption, torque performance, and the entire spectrum of emissions.
- AVL Powertrain Engineering (Austria/USA):
- computer simulations
- engine block design optimization
- magnesium alloy engine optimization
- optimization of engine internal friction and tribology
- WERC (USA): combustion simulation; combustion chamber design optimization
- Alfa Laval (Sweden/USA): coolers (heat exchangers)
- Bosch GmbH (Germany/USA): ECU cables, exhaust systems
- Denso Corporation (Japan/USA): Fuel Injection System components
- NGK Spark Plug Europe GmbH (Germany): engine sensors
- Federal-Mogul Powertrain (USA): piston rings
- AMT – Advanced Materials Technology GmbH (Germany): alloys, pistons, pins, piston sleeves
- REL, Inc. (USA): composite components
- Nonox, LTD (USA): development and delivery of Emulsion Fuel Device (EFD) system