SynSel has assembled a top-tier team of seasoned professionals and leading engineers and scientists to deploy the Transitional Biofuel Revolution. Our mission requires expertise in all phases from development to operations. Additionally, our external advisory team includes renowned subject matter experts and leading firms in the following sectors:

  • Synthetic Biofuel technology development & implementation

  • Industrial site & construction engineering

  • Enviro Industrial Park technology master planning

  • Plant operations & maintenance 

  • Law, risk mitigation, environmental remediation, accounting, finance, regulatory advice, fuel merchandising, biomass management and community outreach. 

Key members of the SynSel internal leadership team include:

 
 

Tim Tawoda

Chief Executive Officer

Tim is the founder and visionary of SynSel and serves as its Chief Executive Officer. He has held sales-engineer positions with Westinghouse and executive positions with Teledyne, where he provided mathematical reliability analysis of critical power systems. Tim was also the founder of Preon, Inc., which was the business incubator for SynSel. While Preon focuses on critical power systems for data centers and electrical energy from fossil fuels, SynSel evolved into producing liquid energy from renewable feedstock. Tim has a BSME from Bradley University, Caterpillar College of Engineering.

 

Walter Matthew Rogers

Chief Legal Officer

Walt, an IARDC-registered attorney practicing in Illinois, is SynSel’s Chief Legal Officer. For 12 years in the Netherlands, he was a business consultant and became fluent in Dutch. His legal career began at Mayer Brown in Chicago, representing  Fortune 100 clients like Mobil Oil and United Airlines. Prior to law, Walt was a business columnist for the Dallas Morning News. He has been published in the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Reuters International, among other media outlets. In 1992, Walt was Editor-in-Chief of the Notre Dame Law Review and graduated  cum laude from Notre Dame Law School. 

 
 
 

Craig Chynoweth

Chief Deployment Officer

Craig serves as Chief Deployment Officer after being a career engineering manager who formerly held executive positions with Westinghouse and Bechtel Corporation. Managed design and construction of numerous major construction projects for infrastructure systems and complex nuclear spent fuel processes for US Naval Reactors Idaho National Laboratory. Has a BS Electrical Engineering, Michigan Technological University and qualified as Engineer and Chief Test Engineer under United States Nuclear Navy Program.

 
 

Darrell Thornley

Director Project Mobilization

Darrell has over 40 years of experience in the industrial process and power industries. His technical experience includes engineering, construction and project management. His business experience includes project development, finance, joint venture formation, business development, and operations. Primary engineering consultancy client has been the US Military. Darrell holds a BSME and a BA – Environmental Studies from Western Michigan University.

 
 

Brian Buckta

Executive Administrator - Director

Brian serves SynSel as Executive Administrator / Director. He has played an integral role in establishing SynSel policies, procedures, platforms, and communications. Among his many duties, he currently leads strategic executive assignments, bringing a wealth of professional experience in communications and administration. Brian is the founder and principal of Written Impressions, a consulting firm focused on serving the renewable energy, environmental protection, and organic/sustainable agriculture sectors. Brian has an AA in Marketing from Gateway Technical College and additional education in communications, business administration and psychology from the University of Wisconsin – Parkside.