Hummingbird Energy LLCPhoenix AZ, USA |
David Butterfield
Chairman
David Butterfield formed Hummingbird Energy, LLC in October 2009, shortly after stepping down as Executive Chairman of International Composting Corporation (“ICC”), a company he helped found in 2002 and where he remains the largest investor. While Chairman of ICC, David realized the enormous potential of source separated organic waste as an energy resource, and saw the possibility of working in the United States with Arizona State University employing Canadian based source separated organic waste technology.
For the past forty years David has been actively involved in real estate development projects in Canada, the United States, and Mexico totalling in the billions of dollars. In 1989, with the assistance of several environmental activists, David formed the Trust for Sustainable Development (“TSD”) incorporated in 1995 as a Federally chartered not for profit corporation devoted to the principals of economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable development. In 2002, he was recognized by the BC government and received the “Building Better Futures Community Award” for his Commitment to Community.
In 1995–1996, as the Town Founder, David directed the planning and creation of a new sustainable community of 2,400 homes in Tucson, Arizona, called the Community of Civano; a community The New York Times referred to as one of the four most sustainable developments in North America. Civano is still recognized as one of the very best sustainable new towns in North America, and one of the few with annual energy and water conservation audits which prove the efficacy of the work done.
In 1997, David left Civano to undertake the Victoria inner city re-development of Shoal Point at Fisherman’s Wharf, where he currently resides. Shoal Point has received several local and national design awards, and was voted the “best building” in Canada in 2002 by the Canadian Home Builders Association. The project transformed the largely derelict and contaminated neighbourhood.
In 2003 at the invitation of the Federal Government of Mexico, David began work on North America’s largest sustainable development at Loreto Bay. The project’s unique commitments were to create more potable water then it used, produce more renewable energy then it consumed, and improve the ecosystem of which it is part. When David left in August 2007, before the recession’s impact, the project was the best selling development in Mexico.
In 2007, Wal-Mart Chair Rob Walton, philanthropist Julie Wrigley, and Arizona State University (ASU) President Michael Crow, asked David to join the board of the Global Institute of Sustainability (GIOS), headquartered at ASU, the largest university in the US and the country’s leader in sustainability. David remains an active board member with GIOS.
Kris Obrigewitsch
President
Kris Obrigewitsch is the former Vice President of ICC Group. He started with ICC during the build out of their first organic recycling facility in Nanaimo, British Columbia, in 2004. Kris played a critical role in the development and commercialization of the ICC technology.
In his role with ICC, Kris directed Investor Relations, helping raise over $3million in seed capital to help expand the company’s business into the UK, and develop the company’s first facility in Scotland.
Kris’ expertise in the field of organic waste management has lead to his inclusion on Working Groups with the BC Provincial Government dealing with waste and climate action initiatives, as well as his participation with the US Composting Council.
Kris graduated with distinction from the University of Victoria in 2004 with a BA in Political Science. Originally from Saskatchewan, Kris spent several years working in marketing and public relations in the UK and Ireland before arriving in Victoria in 2001.
John Benton
Development Co-Manager
John Benton has been a Tempe resident since 1966. He is a 1970 graduate of Arizona State University (ASU) with a degree in Construction Engineering. John was a partner in Benton Robb Development Associates with projects that included Hayden Square, Hayden Ferry Lakeside, Andre Building, Casa Loma, 5th & Mill, Chandler 54, and Ash Court. John’s civic activities include ten years as a board member and past-Chairman of the Arizona Sports & Tourism Authority, a board member of the Arizona Capital Facilities Funding Corporation, as well as numerous City of Tempe civic boards and commissions. John has been a bank director for over thirty years with both national publically traded banks and local community banks, he currently serves on the board of Heritage Bank in Phoenix. Along with Ted Ferris, John is responsible for all aspects of financing, designing, constructing and operating the “Arizona Organic Energy One” urban biomass facility located at ASU, and subsequent similar facilities for Hummingbird Energy.
Ted Ferris
Development Co-Manager
Ted Ferris is the Principal member and founder of QuadPro Consulting specializing in sports facility development, economic and financial analysis, public-private partnerships and government relations. Past President of the Arizona Sports & Tourism Authority, past Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Jane Hull, former Director of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee. Ted earned both a B.A. and M.A. in Economics from Western Michigan University. He currently resides in Cave Creek and has been a resident of Arizona since 1985. Ted shares Development Manager duties with John Benton as described above.
Hummingbird Urban Biomass Ltd.Victoria BC, Canada |
Aristides Cota
Chief Engineer
Aristides (Ari) Cota was formerly the Director of Engineering & Land Development, for Loreto Bay Company, a $500 million mixed use sustainable resort project located in Loreto, Baja California Sur. In such position, Ari was responsible for handling and managing the master development team’s activities, including the development of public utility infrastructure and services, land preparation, interfacing with appropriate government agencies and implementing development cost controls for the project. Prior to joining Loreto Bay, Ari was a partner and the Chief Executive Officer of Asesoria y Financiamiento Int., S.A. De C.V., a professional land development consulting firm specializing in architecture, engineering, and construction management master planned developments. At Asesoria, Ari oversaw large scale development projects including the gated vacation community “Campo Viejo San Miguel,” a 110 acre site on which 800 houses were constructed and “Residential Reforma Santa Fe,” a luxury apartments complex consisting of 216 high-end apartments.
Prior to his position with Asesoria y Financiamiento, Ari was a partner and the Chief Operating Officer of Precoi S.A. de C.V., a Mexican civil engineering and construction firm. While at Precoi, Ari supervised a staff of approximately 450 people, and oversaw major development projects throughout Mexico, including the construction of six subway stations in Mexico City for the Metropolitan Transport System and the construction of various power supply projects for CFE (Federal Commission of Electricity) including the construction of transmission lines, substations, and warehouse construction for the thermoelectric “Rosarito” station, in Baja California.
Brian R.D. Smith
Director
In addition to being a Director at Hummingbird, Brian Smith is also a public policy advisor for Gowlings LLP, working in the area of energy and regulatory affairs. Brian has served as a federal chief treaty negotiator in British Columbia since 2001.
From 1996 to 2001, Brian served as Executive Chair of BC Hydro where he helped guide the organization towards a strong customer focus in readiness for market competition. He helped secure U.S. FERC regulatory approval in Washington, D.C. in 1997 to permit direct power sales within the U.S.
In late 1994, Brian completed a five-year term as Chairman of Canadian National Railways. While with CN, he helped prepare the railway for privatization, which occurred in 1995. He supported the construction of a new rail tunnel linking Ontario and Michigan and helped secure the necessary U.S. regulatory and presidential approvals in Washington. Brian also established a rail executive office in Vancouver to promote growing Asian container freight traffic through the Port of Vancouver.
Brian’s corporate experience is complemented by more than 20 years in public service. He served as a member of Legislature of British Columbia from 1979 to 1989. During that time, he served as Minister of Education and Minister of Energy & Mines and was Attorney General. Through the 1980s, Brian was a representative of the Government of British Columbia in most of the First Ministers’ meetings involving constitutional and aboriginal issues. He has also served for 10 years as an elected official at the municipal level, both as mayor (Oak Bay) and councillor, and as a national executive member of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
Murray Rankin
Director
Murray Rankin is a Director of the Company, and is also currently a partner with Heenan Blaikie LLP. Murray studied Environmental Law at the Harvard Law School, where he graduated summa cum laude with a Masters of Law degree in 1977. He then taught the subject at the Faculty of Law, University of Victoria and left with the rank of Professor of Law in 1992 to found a law firm where he continued to practice in this field. Among his responsibilities was to represent the Province of British Columbia on the Commission of Resources and Environment land-use negotiation process, which led to strategic land use plans for two large regions of the province of British Columbia, Canada.
Murray has been a Treaty Negotiator and negotiated with several first nations in British Columbia, Canada. He successfully negotiated the adhesion of the McLeod Lake Indian Band to the historic Treaty 8, and also achieved an agreement with the Sechelt Indian Band, the first negotiations successfully completed under the BC Treaty Commission process. He continues to act for governments, corporations and indigenous peoples, most recently negotiating on behalf of the Blueberry River First Nations the first oil and gas “Economic Benefits Agreement” in 2006.
Murray is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, National Environmental Law Section, and the Canadian Bar Association (British Columbia Branch) Environmental Law Section.
