Fidelis adds 3 industry veterans to expand logistics, feedstock and commercial capabilities

Fidelis New Energy LLC announced in late March the addition of three industry veterans to lead its logistics, feedstock procurement, trading, and origination activities through the appointment of Greg Smith as senior vice president of commercial and logistics, John Reynolds as vice president of commercial and supply, and Claire Foster as lead originator.

“We are pleased to welcome Greg, John and Claire to the team to continue to execute on our strategy of securing strategic renewable feedstock relationships, partnerships and agreements,” said Dan Shapiro, CEO and co-founder of Fidelis.

This commercial, logistics and feedstock team will oversee the feedstock-supply security and slate optimization, as well as emerging feedstock identification and procurement, for Fidelis’ Grön Fuels project, a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel plant expected to have more than 1 billion gallons of annual production capacity located at the Port of Greater Baton Rouge.

Bengt Jarlsjo, chief operating officer and co-founder of Fidelis, added, “This best-in-class team is securing early wins to lock in low carbon-intensity feedstocks for the entire Grön Fuels ecosystem, comprised of Grön Fuels, Cyclus Steam & Power, a waste biomass power plant, and Capio Sequestration providing carbon capture and sequestration to the entire ecosystem.” In combination, these components are designed to enable the production of carbon-negative fuels and materials, utilizing only proven technologies.

Smith added, “The Grön Fuels integrated ecosystem, logistical advantages, and flexible pretreatment support a negative carbon-intensity score, positioning Fidelis for long-term success.”

Smith is an experienced commercial business development and sales management professional who most recently managed the renewable fuels and hydrocarbons logistics business for Phillips 66, developing new renewable infrastructure and driving down supply-chain cost. Smith leads the comprehensive supply, trading and logistics organization that actionably pursues advantaged-feedstock strategies, procurement, and logistics development.

Reynolds has served on the board of directors of the American Fats and Oils Association for many years and currently serves as its president. With almost 25 years of feedstock-related management, he is a respected industry leader in domestic and international trade within all facets of the industry from rendering to renewables. Reynolds will leverage this experience to lead the commercial and supply organization specifically tailored to optimize Grön’s superior processing capability, advantaged location, storage and logistics. His prior experience with renewable feedstocks includes time with JBS, Neste, and Agri Trading.

Foster, most recently at Phillips 66, is an experienced market analyst and business-development professional with a specialization in renewable products, feedstocks and environmental financial attributes and credits, previously holding a pivotal role in the development of a large renewable diesel refinery in western United States.