Officers, Directors and Key Personnel
John B. Kern, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer - The founder of Carolina-Pacific, Mr. Kern oversees all of the Carolina-Pacific group's activities, operations and the development of business relationships. He is an attorney who has practiced international business law, sports law and maritime law for 15 years from offices in Charleston, SC and in European offices in the Republic of San Marino. A frequent speaker on topics in international law, Mr. Kern is the current Chairman of the South Carolina Bar International Law Committee. He is a Member of the College of Fellows of the Austrian Center for International Legal Studies. Mr. Kern has been designated by the Swiss Government (Ministry of Economy) as a highly qualified legal advisor to Swiss businesses locating in the United States. BA in Political Science from Seattle Pacific University. JD/MBA from Willamette University. Editor, Willamette Journal of International Law and Policy, 1993. Prior to graduate school, Mr. Kern worked for five years in the US Senate as an aide to Sen. Mark O. Hatfield of Oregon and other members of the leadership of the Senate. Mr. speaks French and Italian, is married and resides in Charleston. Email: Kern@Carolina-Pacific.com
Jim Black, Non-Executive Director - Jim Black retired from Sappi Fine Paper North America in 2007 after a 42 year career in the Pulp and Paper industry in the US, Canada and Latin America. Most recently, Mr. Black was directly responsible for the purchase and sale of 5 million tonnes of market pulp and 4 million tonnes of biomass for Sappi in markets worldwide. Earlier in his career, Mr. Black worked as an engineer and major project manager in the pulp and paper industry, including managing the engineering, procurement, construction and the start-up of a $400 million paper plant in Maine. Also, in Mexico, he oversaw the acquisition of a large scale bagasse pulp mill and another paper company valued in excess of $125 million. Mr. Black acted as the sole US representative on the Board of Directors of the combined companies. He later became president of the Bronx Community Paper Company, sponsored by the City of New York for the purpose of operating a recycled paper plant in the Bronx. Educated at the US Naval Academy and the Wharton School of Business, Mr. Black resides in Manchester, Massachusetts, near Boston. Email: Black@Carolina-Pacific.com
Knox V. Grant, Chief Operating Officer, C-P Briquetting Co. - Knox Grant has twenty years experience in developing, financing and operating natural resource-based businesses ranging from initial conception, environmental permitting, start-up operations, management and the marketing of a final product. A native of New Zealand, he has worked in the United States, Latin America and Europe. Before joining Carolina-Pacific, Mr. Grant developed an integrated shellfish hatchery and nursery operation in South Carolina, supplying juvenile shellfish to commercial producers on the Eastern seaboard. Mr. Grant earned an LL.B. from Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand and is a Member of the Bar of the High Court of New Zealand. He has lived in the United States for many years and resides in Charleston. Email: KGrant@Carolina-Pacific.com.
E.T. "Ted" McNair, Jr., VP Procurement - Ted McNair is a native of Manning, South Carolina, in the heart of the Switchgrass Growing region in South Carolina. Having joined the firm in January 2008, McNair is responsible for procurement of agricultural resources for Carolina-Pacific. Carolina-Pacific's growers are strengthened by McNair's experience in maximizing financial performance of farm operations, coupled with his indepth knowledge of agriculture processes from seed to harvest. He is familiar with forestry operations and procurement practices. McNair comes to Carolina-Pacific from Syngenta Seeds, where he managed a growing soybean marketing plan for the Eastern United States. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Studies from Clemson University and a Masters in Agriculture and Applied Economics, also from Clemson University. During the start-up of Carolina-Pacific Briquetting Co.'s Georgetown operation, Mr. McNair has doubled as a production manager for the company. Email: McNair@Carolina-Pacific.com
Evgenia Grant, Controller, C-P Briquetting Co. - Evgenia Grant is the Controller for Carolina-Pacific Briquetting Co. LLC. She graduated from Moscow Open Social University in 2003 with a Masters in Financial Management and worked in Moscow for the Russian representative of an American manufacturer (SolamatrixTM). She was vice-president of Marketing & Sales and was extensively involved in negotiations with international suppliers. In 2007 she moved to the United States to continue her education. Two years later she graduated Summa Cum Lauda from Charleston Southern University's graduate school with an MBA. Evgenia is a member of Sigma Beta Delta, an international honor society for business, Charleston Women in International Trade (CWIT), and Charleston Young Professionals (CYP). Evgenia is married and lives in Charleston. Email: EGrant@Carolina-Pacific.com.
Jon O. Vicary, UK Market Representative - The United Kingdom represents one of Europe's leading markets for biomass combustion, with a political ethic which accepts responsibility for lowering CO2 emissions. The biomass market operates within a complex Parliamentary and Regulatory regime of subsidies and incentives for the burning of biomass to create electricity and a system of disincentives for the burning of Green House Gas emitting coal. Carolina-Pacific works primarily with Jon Vicary, a Managing Director of Aevas Ltd., with offices in Yorkshire and London. Mr. Vicary a graduate of the University of Wales, the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a Member of the City & Guilds of London. Jon has spent his whole career in the agriculture and forestry industries. He has over 4 years experience in the UK’s renewable fuel markets. He has structured purchase and sales agreements as well as joint ventures and significant infrastructure investments while working with power producers and biomass suppliers in the UK. E-mail: jon.vicary@ukgateway.net.
Jeff Powers, Procurement Director, C-P Briquetting Co. - Jeff Powers is Carolina-Pacific Briquetting's wood procurement director, working directly with our suppliers of mill residue and other vendors. Jeff is a native of South Carolina and a 1980 graduate of Clemson University with a B.S. in Forest Management. Jeff’s timber and forest products procurement experience includes two years with Grant Forest Products in Alcolu, SC, five years with Canal Wood, LLC in Orangeburg, eight years with Stone Container Corp in Orangeburg, SC as well as wood procurement positions with several smaller timber dealers and sawmill companies in South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. Jeff is active in the SC Forestry Association, the Forest Resources Association and is co-chairman for Log-A-Load for Kids in Columbia, SC. Jeff is a registered forester in SC and is also the owner and manager of Sand Hill Timber, LLC a logging and forestry company with two company owned logging crews operating in a 75 mile radius around Columbia, SC. Email: Powers@Carolina-Pacific.com
Nick Asimos, Production Manager - Nick Asimos is responsible for overseeing the company's briquette production operations in Georgetown, SC. Nick came to Carolina-Pacific from Denver, Colorado, where he managed 65 employees in a market leading building products wholesaling and distribution company. He attended the Universtiy of Northern Colorado in Greeley, CO. Email: Asimos@Carolina-Pacific.com
Camille Gray, Administrative Assistant - Camille Gray is the Administrative Assistant for Carolina-Pacific LLC and works directly with Mr. Kern. She worked at the Bank of America’s Corporate branch in Charleston, SC as Operations Manager for 5 years before joining the firm. A native of North Carolina and graduate of Trident Technical College, she is responsible for organizing the company’s day to day administrative activities. Camille is married and lives in Charleston. Email: CGray@Carolina-Pacific.com
