Our Team

A Family With a Shared Vision

Our goal is to help create a sustainable, circular plastics economy through our people, our market-leading technology, innovation, passion, and commitment to future generations. Together, we can and will solve plastic pollution.

Our Leadership

Significant Expertise in Sustainability

Our leadership team brings significant expertise in sustainability, renewable energy, petrochemicals, and structured finance to lead the energy transition through a plastic circularity revolution.

Fred Schmuck

Chief Executive Officer

Jeremy DeBenedictis

President

Gene Pringle

Chief Financial Officer

Kevin Dressler

Director of Business Development & Licensing

Katie Murphy

HR & Talent Manager

Elisa Reyes

Director of Accounting

Scott Sass

Director of Technology

Bobby VerBrugge

Director of Operations

James Horrox

Director of Recycling Development

Rich Simon

Director of Feedstock Development

Angela Sot

Marketing & Community Outreach Manager

Ian Brophy

Engineering Manager

Kelly Ng-Feng

Business Development Advisor, Feedstock

Camilo Riascos

Production Manager

Matt Sharkey

Technical Services Manager

Nick VanSuch

Principal Engineer

Stan Prybyla Ph.D.

Chief Scientist

Join The Solution

Be Part of Our Team

We have some of the brightest minds in engineering, operations, and strategy on our team. We are accelerating our partners’ sustainability capabilities using cutting edge technology that assists in achieving the global imperative of plastic reuse in order to clean the planet. That takes a multi-disciplinary team of innovators and thought leaders to tackle. If you want to be a part of our rapidly growing team, please get in touch.

See How you Can Be Part of the Solution

Frederic Schmuck

Chief Executive Officer

I am responsible for leading the globalization of Alterra’s innovative continuous plastic circularity technology. Most recently, I was a co-founder and general partner of Liberation Capital, an impact investment firm, overseeing portfolio companies in the low carbon sectors. Previously, I was a Senior Vice President of GE’s Capital Markets team, where I focused predominantly on global renewable energy and water projects. I have a BBA in Finance from Northeastern University and an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Jeremy DeBenedictis

President

In my final hour, I pray I can look back on a life of work that leaves the world a better place and has prepared future generations to carry on the responsibility of renewing this world we call home. My current mission is leading an incredible team that is passionate about solving plastic pollution. I am a hands-on servant leader, transparent mentor, and perseverance champion. My passion is utilizing my experiences and talents to maximize the team’s potential in the pursuit of achieving what others think is impossible.



Gene Pringle

Chief Financial Officer

With nearly 40 years of financial experience, I serve as the Chief Financial Officer of Alterra. I am responsible for accounting and finance operations and provide a key support role in new business development. Previously, I was CFO at Liberation Capital, Senior Vice President of GE Capital Markets, and a founder and managing partner at several investment and consulting firms. My energy experience includes senior management positions at Gas Energy, Inc. and EIS Energy. I also hold a BS in accounting from the University of Florida.

Kevin Dressler

Director of Business Development & Licensing

Currently, I am the Director of Business Development & Licensing at Alterra. I was previously employed in Engineering/Maintenance/Operations at three different U.S. refineries for Marathon Petroleum. I joined Alterra because I was seeking a company with a sustainable mission that would leverage and build upon my petrochemical background. Also, joining a small business was a great entrepreneurial opportunity that I have always had a desire for.



Katie Murphy

HR & Talent Leader

I am a certified HR professional and a proud graduate of the University of Akron with a Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources Management. With over 15 years of experience in HR, I've had the privilege of collaborating with exceptional organizations and teams. However, my decision to join Alterra was easy. Here, I not only have the opportunity to contribute to a mission I deeply believe in, but I also get to work alongside an incredibly talented and supportive team. Their dedication to their work and the well-being of others is truly inspiring. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to be part of this organization, contributing to our collective efforts in solving plastic pollution.



Elisa Reyes

Director of Accounting

Hi, my name is Elisa Reyes, Director of Accounting for Alterra. I have a BS in Accounting from The University of Akron and started my career auditing in the public sector. After working for several small businesses and owning my own accounting and bookkeeping business, I became the CFO at Western Reserve Public Media. My love for mission-driven businesses and seeing the growth from idea to reality is why I work for Alterra.



Scott Sass

Director of Technology

Joining Alterra 9 years ago gave me an opportunity to build and create. To create a technology that will solve one of humanity's greatest problems: the plastic pollution crisis. To help build a team and organization that has an unflinching spirit for accepting tough challenges and developing real solutions. Finally, to create a lasting impact on this world. I was with General Electric for 10 years prior to joining the Alterra team.



Bobby VerBrugge

Director of Operations

As the Director of Operations, I’m responsible for ensuring all the functions supporting operating plants are working together toward a common goal efficiently and effectively. Prior to joining the team, I worked in the petroleum/chemical industry during the first 10 years of my career in different operations, engineering, and supervision roles. I wanted to join Alterra to be part of the journey toward a solution that will outlast me.



James Horrox

Director of Recycling Development

James “Jim” Horrox joined Alterra Energy in April, 2024 as the Director of Recycling Development. Jim’s prior experience includes serving as a Vice President of Recycling for Green Dot N.A., a new player in the U.S. seeking to develop and construct plants for the purpose of converting scrap waste plastic into hydrocarbons using pyrolysis. Before Green Dot, he served in the same role for Freepoint EcoSystems, locating and establishing their flagship advanced recycling site in Hebron, OH. Prior to that, Jim was the Regional Manager of Recycling for Rumpke Waste and Recycling, with responsibility for a number of single-stream and transfer facilities throughout Ohio. Jim’s earlier assignments included senior leadership positions with Waste Management (WM) in collections, landfill, transfer operations, and mechanical recycling.

Jim holds a B.S. in Business Logistics from the Pennsylvania State University, a Certification in the University Americas Program from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina and is a licensed U.S. customs broker. He was born in the Philadelphia, PA area and currently resides near Columbus, OH with his wife and two daughters.

Rich Simon

Director of Feedstock Development

I have spent over 25 years in the recycling industry, many of those years spent around the collection, sortation, and marketing of plastic recyclables. These experiences have provided me with a keen understanding of both the challenges and opportunities in this space. I actively sought to join the Alterra team to be a part of the industry leading technology and solutions based approach to those challenges. I previously worked in materials focused roles for GreenDot NA, AMP Robotics (Sortation), The Recycling Partnership, and Rumpke Waste & Recycling. I am a graduate of The Ohio State University.

Angela Sot

Marketing & Community Outreach Manager

I have been a part of the Alterra team since 2022 as the Office Coordinator. I primarily support operations, marketing, human resources, and hospitality. I worked in human resources at FedEx for over 20 years and before joining the Alterra team, I worked for Boys & Girls Clubs as the Marketing and Events Coordinator. After meeting the team and learning about the mission, I knew Alterra would be a great fit for me.



Ian Brophy

Engineering Manager

Ian is the Engineering Leader at Alterra and licensed professional engineer in the state of Ohio. He joined Alterra in May 2022 because of the sustainable mission and the opportunity to apply his design experience to an innovative process. Prior to Alterra, Ian worked as process engineer for multiple engineering firms in the Northeast Ohio area, working on process and utility system design in the tire, power generation, aluminum, and specialty chemical industries.



Kelly Ng-Feng

Business Development Advisor, Feedstock

As the Business Development Advisor, I identify and secure long-term strategic feedstock partnerships for our Akron facility and beyond, as well as manage client relations from a feedstock and product quality perspective. I graduated with a chemistry degree from Michigan State University (go green!) and started my career as an analytical chemist in the environmental science industry. I joined Alterra to challenge myself in a fast-paced environment and to work alongside highly intelligent and passionate individuals with a common mission: Solving Plastic Pollution®.



Camilo Riascos

Production Manager

Born and raised in Cali, Columbia, I serve as the Production Manager at Alterra. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech, I worked for over 3 years as an Instrumentation, Electrical, and Controls Engineer at Marathon Petroleum Corporation. I decided to join Alterra in March 2021 to help create a cleaner planet for future generations while successfully developing my professional career in many different aspects.



Matt Sharkey

Technical Services Manager

As the Technical Services Manager at Alterra, I’m proud to lead a talented team supporting engineering, logistics, and laboratory operations at our Akron plant. I came to Alterra in 2023 for the opportunity to join a passionate team working towards the common goal of Solving Plastic Pollution Through Infinitely Renewed Plastics™. I was born and raised in New Jersey and earned a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Purdue University (Boiler Up!). Prior to Alterra, I’ve held various roles in engineering and operations technical leadership at publicly traded and privately held manufacturing companies.

Nick VanSuch

Principal Engineer

I joined Alterra 9 years ago as an electrical engineer specializing in technology development. Plastic is integral to the quality of life we enjoy in the modern world, and it will never be eliminated from our society. Burying in landfills or incineration is not a sustainable way to dispose of hard to recycle plastics. I joined Alterra to help develop a technology and solution to this problem. Prior to joining Alterra I was with General Electric



Stan Prybyla, Ph.D.

Chief Scientist

I originally joined the predecessor to Alterra (Vadxx Energy) as a professional consultant in 2009 and became an employee of the company in 2011. I was intrigued by the plastics pyrolysis concept and the high level of challenge associated with implementation. My 38-year professional career includes 20 years with Goodrich Corporation, approximately 12,000 hours of professional consulting, and participation in multiple technology-based start-ups. My expertise is in aerospace materials, aerospace composites, nanocomposites, nanotechnology, thermoplastics, pyrolysis, statistical optimization, and accelerated commercialization.



Geoff Bair

Operations & Maintenance Technician

As an Operations & Maintenance Technician at Alterra, I am responsible for maintaining process equipment and keeping things running smoothly. Prior to joining Alterra, I was a pipefitter, a mechanic, and owner of my own construction and remodeling company. The best part of working for Alterra is the people - they are great. There’s no better place to work!

Maria Belicak

Process Engineer

My name is Maria Belicak. I graduated from Ohio State with a chemical engineering degree. I previously worked at Marathon Petroleum as a refining engineer intern. However, I found my true passion for sustainability and innovation here at Alterra. My favorite thing about coming to work is that all the employees are inclusive and supportive, helping me learn as I assist the team in operations and capital projects as a process engineer.



Sheldon Cotts Ph.D.

Senior Engineer

I’m currently a Senior Engineer at Alterra. Previously, I was a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I joined Alterra to spearhead the minimization of waste plastics' impact on the environment while being at the forefront of molecular recycling. This collaborative mission will reduce our footprint as consumers and instill environmental stewardship to secure the future for the next generations. We at Alterra realize and accept our conservational duties, and we are striving to create new technologies to achieve our objectives.



Logan Crowell

Operations & Maintenance Technician

My name is Logan Crowell and I am an Operations & Maintenance Technician. I’m a grateful husband to my wife, Hannah, and father to my two children, Micah and Lily. We enjoy spending time with our church family and being outdoors. Previously, I was a military policeman in the Army and then a plumber. The company’s passion for people and drive to be the best in the industry are what intrigued me to want to be a part of the team at Alterra.

Jesse Groff

Operations & Maintenance Technician

I made the decision to join Alterra as a means of practicing the scientific method I used to teach as an educator. This company provided an opportunity to take part in an ever-changing, world-changing experiment.



Kouame Kouakou

Process Engineer

Hello! I am Kouame. In my role as a process engineer, I am responsible for designing and developing machinery and equipment to optimize our process' safety and performance while also ensuring compliance with state regulations. My career at Alterra began following the completion of my BSc in Petroleum Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin (Hookem Horn!). Major reasons I joined Alterra were to work with and learn from chemical recycling experts and to contribute to reducing plastic pollution.



Walker Lee

Operations & Maintenance Technician

Hi, my name is Walker and I am an Operations & Maintenance Technician at Alterra. Prior to joining the Alterra team, I was a Cavalry Scout in the US Army. After the Army, I worked for Mitchell Piping as a welder and actually did some contract work for Alterra. I loved the mission and the people and decided to join the team. The true camaraderie and teamwork here is unmatched.



Michael Lind

Process Engineer

Michael Lind is a process engineer on the Alterra licensing team. He graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. He previously worked as a process engineer in the refining industry and in automotive coatings manufacturing. He has experience in PSM (PHA/HAZOP), project management, and various continuous improvement methodologies. He joined Alterra to bring his skillset to a highly motivated team, developing sustainable engineering solutions to a global issue.



Nick May

Operations & Maintenance Technician

My name is Nick May and I am an Operations & Maintenance Technician at Alterra. I previously worked in the trades and also served in the U.S. Army. My wife, daughter, and son are the most important things in my life, and spending time together and enjoying every day is very important to me. I am proud to be part of the Alterra team because of the people that work here, the emphasis on safety, and the great team cohesion that we have.

Ryan Nash

Chemist

Hello, I am Ryan, a chemist at Alterra. I focus on running bench scale experiments, evaluating feedstock quality, and providing lab assistance for various projects. I have a degree in Chemistry from the University of Akron. I spent time doing hazardous waste collection before joining the Alterra team. I joined to work toward a better world with a dedicated and hardworking team.



Michael Nolte

Electrical & Controls Engineer

Hi, I’m Michael – Electrical & Controls Engineer for Alterra! I support operations and capital projects to promote safety, product quality, and process innovation through automation and system design. With a degree in Electrical Engineering Technology from Purdue University, I developed my skills as an integrator, consultant, and project manager. At Alterra, I develop engineering solutions with an incredible team that is dedicated to the mission of Solving Plastic Pollution®.



Josh Reeder

Operations & Maintenance Technician

Hi, my name is Josh Reeder and I am an Operations & Maintenance Technician for Alterra. Prior to joining the Alterra team, I worked for a mineral company in a similar role. My former company was also focused on sustainability and actually partnered with Alterra on a project. As I built relationships with the Alterra team, I knew it’s where I wanted to be. This is a great place to work—I love the people and the mission.



Dominic Rosace

Senior Process Engineer

Dominic Rosace is a senior process engineer working on the licensing team at Alterra. He started with the company in 2014, having previously worked in the automotive coatings industry. Dominic joined Alterra to be able to help develop the technology that will be integral to reducing the environmental impact of the plastics industry.



Gary Rzeszotarski

Console Supervisor/Electrical Maintenance Technician

Hello, I’m Gary. My job here at Alterra is Console Supervisor/Electrical Maintenance Technician. My main tasks here at our Akron, Ohio facility are to control and monitor the process from the control room when we are in operation as well as any electrical maintenance tasks that need done. I started with Alterra in 2014 as a contractor, working as the site general foreman for the electrical contractor. I am also an IBEW Journeyman Wireman and completed my apprenticeship in 2010. I became a full-time employee here in 2020 largely because I believe in what we are trying to accomplish here, which is Solving Plastic Pollution® for many generations to come.

Ron Simpson

Process Engineer

Hi, I’m Ron, a process engineer for Alterra. My role includes developing, supporting, and driving CAPEX projects, production, and maintenance. After graduating from the University of Akron with a Chemical Engineering degree and experience in environmental and startup companies, my career began in small batch chemical production. I was drawn to Alterra by the innovative technology, amazing team, and opportunity to be a part of a great mission!



Jace Hale

Engineering Intern

Jace Hale is an engineering intern at Alterra and a second-year student at The Ohio State University studying chemical engineering. He is interested in utilizing his degree for sustainable applications in the energy and environmental sectors, completing research on the use of kelp as a viable biofuel feedstock through his university. Jace is eager to apply classroom knowledge and contribute to exciting projects at Alterra this spring.

Chelsea Thompson

Environmental, Health, and Safety Intern

Hi, my name is Chelsea Thompson and I’m an Environmental, Health, and Safety Intern at Alterra. I’m currently pursuing my BS/MS in EH&S at Rochester Institute of Technology. I’ve always been interested in environmental stewardship, which eventually expanded to include occupational health and safety. Alterra immediately struck me as the perfect company to work for because of its safety-conscious work environment and focus on sustainable solutions.

Our Team

A Family With a Shared Vision

Our Leadership

Significant Expertise in Sustainability

Fred Schmuck

Jeremy DeBenedictis

Gene Pringle

Kevin Dressler

Katie Murphy

Elisa Reyes

Scott Sass

Bobby VerBrugge

James Horrox

Rich Simon

Angela Sot

Ian Brophy

Kelly Ng-Feng

Camilo Riascos

Matt Sharkey

Nick VanSuch

Stan Prybyla Ph.D.

Join The Solution

Be Part of Our Team

Frederic Schmuck

Jeremy DeBenedictis

Gene Pringle

Kevin Dressler

Katie Murphy

Elisa Reyes

Scott Sass

Bobby VerBrugge

James Horrox

Rich Simon

Angela Sot

Ian Brophy

Kelly Ng-Feng

Camilo Riascos

Matt Sharkey

Nick VanSuch

Stan Prybyla, Ph.D.

Geoff Bair

Maria Belicak

Sheldon Cotts Ph.D.

Logan Crowell

Jesse Groff

Kouame Kouakou

Walker Lee

Michael Lind

Nick May

Ryan Nash

Michael Nolte

Josh Reeder

Dominic Rosace

Gary Rzeszotarski

Ron Simpson

Jace Hale

Chelsea Thompson

How We Do It

Watch How

Differentiators

Our Plant

Join the Movement

Our Purpose

The Three I's

Creating a Cleaner Planet

Join The Solution

Why Work with Us

Apply to the Team

Our Team

In The Media

Contact Us