Board of Directors and Advisors
Gene Humphrey – Director and President
After receiving a BS in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wyoming, Gene worked with several government agencies and teams to find alternative sources for energy or technologies that would reduce consumption. He ended his government career with the Department of Energy’s Fossil Energy division where he was worked on coal gasification as the senior Project Engineer for the construction and operation of the field demonstration projects for in-situ coal gasification.
After leaving the DOE Gene started World Energy, Inc. which was dedicated to the construction of a commercial coal gasification facility. The main partners in the project were Union Carbide, Dravo Constructors and General Electric. He worked with Union Carbide and Merrill Lynch to raise $ 275 million in debt and $75 million in equity for the project. The project was never built, however, because the government’s Synthetic Fuels program never granted any loan or price guarantees for synthetic fuels projects.
Gene then started AmWest International, Inc. for exploration and development of oil and gas properties in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. They also acquired and did initial exploration work on property in Colombia. This company was sold to Clark Energy.
In 1997 Gene formed International Test Solutions, Inc. to manufacture a specialty polymer for the semiconductor industry. When it looked like the company was going to be successful Gene moved from California to Nevada for the better tax climate. As an S corporation it worked out to about 11-12% net difference from being a California corporation. While they have offices in Singapore, Taiwan and Japan, Gene is in the process of forming the South Korean company and plans on forming a Chinese company in late 2011. The annual growth rate for the company should exceed 20% a year for the next two to three years.
John Dunn – Director
John Dunn is a native Californian who retired to Nevada in 2006 after spending over 32 years in the semiconductor process equipment and machine automation fields. He has held senior vp-level positions with domestic and international companies, being directly responsible in design, product marketing and business unit international operations, leveraging degrees in electronics and business.
He selected Northern Nevada for both lifestyle and having a personal and business-friendly low tax environment – essential drivers for business, jobs and economic growth. Upon review of the Yucca Mountain situation mired in controversy and politics, realized Nevada was missing a major and sustainable economic revenue and jobs opportunity by not considering a more comprehensive “Energy Park” operations concept. In talking about the concept, found common interest with other Nevada businessmen in developing an Energy Park and Permanent Trust Plan, and formed an organization [NV4CFE] to bring the Plan with factual and current knowledge to the people of Nevada, who, with new knowledge, would then work to pressure politicians to take action.
In post-retirement, he pursues investment opportunities in selected Nevada start-up businesses planning to manufacture here, continues to be active (> 20 years) as an instructor for a graduate-level product marketing training program focused on the semiconductor industry.
William McCraley – Director
William G. McCraley, CFP, is Sr. Portfolio Manager, Sr. Vice President with Major Investment Bank. He has been in investment 43 years.
Michael Nusbaum – Director
Mike holds an M. S. degree in Physics from Michigan State University and a
B. A. degree from Kalamazoo College. He joined Westinghouse Electric Corp as a reactor applications engineer and he holds a Reactor Control System patent used by Westinghouse for extending nuclear fuel life and for faster reactor startup near end of fuel life.
He left the nuclear power industry in 1972 to help found Statek Corp, a southern California frequency control products company that manufactures quartz crystals for digital watches, crystal oscillators and filters.
Continuing in this industry he joined Hughes Aircraft Co, in 1982 as business unit manager for Advanced Frequency Products. He managed the sale of this Business Unit as part of Hughes’ restructuring program in 1991. While at Hughes he was the Technical Chairman of the Piezoelectric Device Conference for 3 years.
He then joined SaRonix, a bay area company in 1992 and became President and CEO in 1998. At SaRonix he was responsible for reorganizing SaRonix subsidiaries Avance Technology, Inc. in Utah and SaRonix Kony Ireland, Ltd., and he led the acquisition of SaRonix B. V. from Philips in the Netherlands. He sold SaRonix to Pericom Semiconductor Inc. in 2003 and continued to run SaRonix until 2005.
In October 2005, Mike acquired ILSI America LLC, a Frequency Control Products Company based in Reno with offices in Beijing, Korea and Hong Kong. As President, he is still active in daily operations of the company. Mike and his wife Heather moved to Reno in April 2006 from Atherton, Ca. and thoroughly enjoy the northern Nevada lifestyle.
Randy York – Director
Randy has a BS in Public Administration from California State University, Long Beach. He managed Goodyear Tire Centers while in college, and was Sales Manager, Arnco Inc. He served as Vice President of Marketing for Synair Corporation from 1974-78.
He founded FallLine Corporation in 1979, manufacturing urethane products for the ski, snow removal, construction, and sports recreation markets. The focus was on manufacturing custom molded urethane products to meet the specific needs of diverse customers from array of other industries. He was CEO of FallLine until 2000 when he retired from the day to day business and sold the company to his sons.
He has served on numerous boards, including: Poly International 1972-73, Campview Inc. 1986, National Ski Areas Association 1989 -1999, Acts 2:42 Retreat Ministries Inc, 1990 – 2000, California Ski Areas Association 1992 – 1999, Galena Homeowners Association 1992–1996, 2002-2005 (President 2x), Nevada Manufacturers Association 1996 – 2010 (currently President), Sparks Christian Fellowship 2000 – 2006 (Elder), Business and Industry Political Action Committee 2005 – 2006
Tom Motherway – Advisor
Tom received his JD and BS from St. Louis University. He was licensed to practice law in Missouri and California. Before starting a business career he was engaged in the trial and appellate practice of law in St. Louis Missouri at Hullverson, Richardson, Hullverson. While living in the St. Louis area he was elected Municipal Judge in Bridgeton, Missouri. He was president of Boeing Capital Corporation, president of McDonnell Douglas Realty and, prior yet, he was executive vice president of Saffell & McAdam, Inc He retired as general partner of Montrose & Co. in Reno Nevada.
Tom has served on his HOA board, as NVJIC chairman, on ArrowCreek club committees and as chairman of the Reno Hayek Symposium. He’s active in DXV Water Technologies, LLC and Techway One, LLC and serves on the board of directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada
Randi Thompson – Advisor
Randi has been active with the Yucca Mt. issue since 1993 when she was hired by the American Nuclear Energy Council (now NEI) to lobby the Nevada Legislature on legislation that would force the state to negotiate for benefits related to the project.
She spent seven years in Washington DC as a political appointee under President Reagan working at the Department of Energy and the Department of Interior. She spent two years as a private sector lobbyist before moving back to Nevada in 1992. She served as the public affairs liaison for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in Reno for several years before venturing back to the private sectors. Since 2004 she has owned “As You Wish…” a political and public relations consulting firm in Reno. She helps small businesses with their public relations, raises money for non profits, manages associations, and lobbies the state legislature for a variety of clients. She is the Nevada state director of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s largest grass-roots organization fighting for small business.
Randi is chair of the Reno -Tahoe Airport Authority Board, past president of the Nevada Opera, and co-hosts Nevada Newsmakers with Sam Shad. She has served on many boards including the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Food Bank of Northern Nevada, and PACK PAWS: Promoting and Advancing Women in Sports at UNR.
She has a BS in Journalism from the University of Oregon and is a graduate of Reno High.
