New Venture Consultant

Mr. Trewella is a research scientist and new venture development specialist with over 25 years of experience in petroleum products. He has a proven track record of creating, evaluating, developing, and commercializing new ventures, generating over $300 million in profits. During a 20+ year intrapreneurial career at Mobil, he developed a strong functional background in manufacturing, research, and product innovation as well as broad technical experience in refining, fuels, lubricants, additives, alternate fuels and alternative lubricants. Recent engagements including, evaluating 6+ technologies for producing renewable jet fuel for a Fortune-100 client, and helping a venture-backed biofuels company to advance their program to produce renewable, hydrocarbon, drop-in fuel blend stocks.

Job Experience

• PetroTech Consultants: Present

• Identified 3 potential specialty products for a commodity product engagement partner.  Crafted and led R&D program to prove out venture potential.
• Analyzed and issued report outlining market acceptance hurdles for four separate products.  Developed detailed technical and business paths forward.
• Identified and vetted 18 potential strategic partners to expand capabilities or reduce or expenditures.  Conducted due diligence leading to 3 contracts.
• Analyzed and issued report outlining information needed to build renewable energy refinery.
• Identified key properties and conducted competitive analysis to guide product manufacturing and positioning.
• Recommended an engagement partner alter their analysis program to avoid misleading results.
• Diagnosed the root cause of a diesel fuel performance problem.  Proposed actions that solved the problem and allowed refinery client to resume fuel shipments to their higher margin customers.
• Identified the alternate nature of a renewable distillation residue by proposing, facilitating and interpreting results from a multidisciplinary characterization program. 
• Illuminated the limited merits of producing lube basestocks and proposed valuable alternative products.
• Recommended LIMS enhancements to enable sample tracking, insure regulatory compliance, and decrease analytical turn around time. 
• Serve on client’s corporate analytical steering committee.
• Serve on client’s product stewardship committee.
• Evaluated 6+ technologies to produce renewable jet fuels.
• Proposed new processes and products to increase margin for a regional used oil processing plant.
• Evaluated patent landscape and acquisition candidate for a medical device client.
• Evaluated and recommend client not license a perceived platform patent nor embark on corresponding venture.
• Organized and led programs coaching over 100 CEOs and executives on raising venture capital.

• Mobil Corporation: 1979-2000 

• Led Mobil's worldwide strategic research program in refining.
• Identified, created, and forged four ventures with universities and companies.
• Developed ab initio program and led new team to conduct strategic research on lubricant basestocks and specialty products.
• Leveraged lubricant basestock research by 56% by initiating programs with two universities and three companies.
• Conceived & patented new, high-performance synthetic lube basestocks.
• Led hydroprocessing and chemicals research group to innovate, patent, and progress new technologies to development.
• Saved $30+ million by conceiving and deploying a lower capital cost clean diesel fuel manufacturing technology in CA.
• Increased lab productivity 13.5% ($30+ million/yr) by pioneering a quality culture.
• Supported executive decision-making by conducting strategic, technical, and economic analyses of all new ventures and projects for a $40 million specialty chemical division.
• Solicited and secured $50+ million in corporate funding for 10 capital projects.
• Provided Division leadership and focus by preparing annual 40-page investment strategy.
• Established and led group to evaluate new materials' potential.
• Generated $90+ million by identifying and championing a new clean gasoline catalyst technology.
• Turned around Mobil's gasoline additives group by conceiving, developing, and launching new gasoline products.
• Increased income by $60+ million and recaptured "detergent gasoline" market franchise by inventing and launching clean fuel injector gasoline worldwide.
• Solved manufacturing and product performance problems by pioneering multi-disciplinary analytical techniques.
• Increased department efficiency 13.4% by creating four, high-throughput analytical methods.

Education

• 1979: Ph.D. Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, Phi Kappa Phi Research Award
• 1975: B.S. Biology, Chemistry, Lock Haven University, SUMMA CUM LAUDE, Dean's List (4 yrs.)

Resume (PDF)