About USIPA

USIPA Board Chairman

President, Enviva

Thomas is a co-founder and President of Enviva.  Enviva is the world’s largest producer of wood pellets, with sales of more than 2.3 million metric tons in 2016. Thomas has led Enviva’s global sales and marketing team since the company’s inception, developing strategies and contracts for utility, industrial and commercial customers in the U.S., Asia, Europe and the Caribbean.  He also is responsible for Enviva’s sustainability and public affairs initiatives.

Enviva has seven wood pellet manufacturing facilities in Mississippi, North Carolina, Virginia and Florida, and two deep-water marine terminals with transatlantic export capabilities in Chesapeake, Virginia and Wilmington, North Carolina. Enviva Partners, LP (NYSE: EVA) completed its initial public in April, 2015, becoming the first publicly traded, master limited partnership that focuses on renewable energy production. The publication Environmental Financenamed Enviva’s IPO its “Bioenergy Deal of the Year.”

Thomas holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration in Austria, and a Masters in Business Administration from The Darden Graduate School of Business Administration at The University of Virginia.  He currently resides in Washington, D.C.

USIPA Board Member

President, Fram Renewable Fuels

Harold has been involved in the forest industry his entire working life. He spent more than 25 years in the Forest Resources Division of Hercules Inc. and held the position of Western Region Superintendent prior to his leaving Hercules in 1995. 

Since then, he has exported chips and other forest products through port facilities at Savannah, handled a variety of consulting projects for forest products industries in the South, and completed several international forestry related assignments as a consultant for the United States Agency for International Development. 

Harold joined Fram Renewable Fuels, LLC in October 2005. His industry knowledge led to the development of Fram's first wood pellet facility in Baxley, Georgia. 

Appling County Pellets was constructed and began producing in late 2007. Since then he has played a pivotal role in the development of the business and customer relationships that are so vitally necessary in this business. As the industry continues to grow Harold enhances the profile of Fram to further develop the wood pellet industry in the Southeast United States.

USIPA Board Member

Chairman, Highland Pellets

Tom has more than 20 years of experience as an investor and entrepreneur. He started his career with Bear, Stearns and as a Senior Managing Director was transferred to London in 2002 to establish the wealth management division and serve as its executive director and as a member of the International Executive Committee. He left in 2007 to found Kalan Capital, an investment vehicle and private equity fund that developed the geothermal company Orka Energy into a key holding. He exited his stake in 2012 and returned to the U.S. where he continues to be an active investor. 

Mr. Reilley holds a B.A. in International Relations and Economics (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA).

USIPA Board Member

Senior Vice President, Drax Biomass

Matt White is Senior Vice President of Drax Biomass joining the company from Rockwater Energy (now Select Energy Services), a chemicals and logistics provider to the oil industry where he was Director, Manufacturing & Engineering.

In his last role, he was responsible for leading the manufacturing effort for the chemical division at Rockwater’s plant sites, focused on increased production and establishing consistent work processes across the division. He managed and executed the capital envelope for the division and was responsible for driving capacity expansion for FR product line.

Most of Matt’s career has been in manufacturing management helping organizations, grow, adapt to change and increase safety and efficiency by developing high-performing teams. A mechanical engineer by background, Matt has worked in a number of sectors including air products and chemicals, and with Solvay’s guar/oxide manufacturing.

Matt holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.