Board of Directors

F. Phillip Abrary (BSc, CA)

Mr. Abrary is a founder of Ostara with more than 20 years of financial management and executive experience. His experience includes president and founder of RTM Norden Inc., an international business and technology consulting firm working with the manufacturing sector throughout North America and Europe, and manager of audit practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers working with private, public and multinational corporations.

Chris Coyne

Respected businessman and philanthropist, Chris Coyne has founded or co-founded over a dozen companies, charities, and partnerships and currently serves on the board of several firms and foundations, including Ostara's board. With degrees in chemistry and business, he spent nearly thirty years in the hospital and facility services industry, co-founding and serving as senior executive at two successful international companies, both later acquired by large multinationals. In 2005, Chris formed Coyne Group (www.coynegroup.org), a network of angel capital, investment, property development, and consulting firms, all focused on socially and ecologically responsible projects, and serves as its Chairman and CEO. In 2006, Chris formed Coyne Foundation (www.coynegroup.org) as an outreach to needy children, their families, and the environments in which they live, and now sponsors projects in the US, Canada, Africa, and Latin America. He is a Trustee of Hope to Haiti, which initiates and supports economic cooperatives in Haiti and is founder of Heart+Passion, which promotes philanthropic tourism.

Robert F. Kennedy (AB, JD, LLM)

Mr. Kennedy is a venture partner at VantagePoint Venture Partners and also a Clinical Professor and Supervising Attorney at Pace University School of Law's Environmental Litigation Clinic. He serves as President of Waterkeeper Alliance, Chief Prosecuting Attorney for the Hudson Riverkeeper, and Senior Attorney for the Natural Resources Defence Council. Mr Kennedy was named one of Time magazine's "Heroes for the Planet". He is a graduate of Harvard University, University of Virginia Law School, as well as Pace University School of Law, where he received a Masters Degree in Environmental Law. (www.robertfkennedyjr.com)

Joseph E. McHugh (BA, MA, LLB)

Mr. McHugh is a founder of Ostara. He is a former attorney licensed in the State of Illinois specializing in corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions. His business experience includes the acquisition of financially distressed companies, their successful turnaround and sale.

Dr. Rafael Simon (BA, MEng., Ph.D.)

Dr. Simon is a venture partner at VantagePoint Venture Partners. VantagePoint provides creative growth strategies and capital to companies transforming global markets. Prior to joining VantagePoint, Dr. Simon was the Chief Operating Officer of ZENON Environmental (acquired by GE), a leading water treatment company, where he was responsible for all aspect of sales, operations, research and development and manufacturing of membrane-based water treatment technology. Prior to ZENON, he was a consultant with McKinsey & Company focusing on the environment and energy sectors.