Leadership

Dave Nelson

President and Chief Executive Officer

Ducere LLC

Dave Nelson is the founding member of Ducere LLC in May 2011 and supports clients in the development and execution of downstream infrastructure transactions.

Mr. Nelson brings over 30 years of energy industry experience to this role, including the past twenty years with BP Products NA and its predecessor company Amoco. During that time, Mr. Nelson has led the delivery of downstream transactions with an aggregate value in excess of $5 billion US. Mr. Nelson also managed the strategy & performance delivery for the trading, supply, logistics and NGL businesses as part of the BP Amoco merger.

Prior to joining Amoco in 1991, Mr. Nelson worked in senior project management roles for Fluor Engineering & Construction. Mr. Nelson also was a consultant for Altair Ventures, and a treasury analyst for FMC Corporation.

Mr. Nelson holds an MBA from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Iowa State University.

Patrick Kelly

Chief Financial Officer

Ducere LLC

Board member, C-Suite and trusted advisor to executive teams

Patrick is known among top corporations – from private equity to global public companies – as a strategic collaborative executive who identifies and delivers growth and profitability that enhance stakeholder value. Of note:

PRIVATE EQUITY BOARD ADVISOR

Patrick has guided four private equity backed companies through growth, fund raises and/or exits:

 ROADSAFE TRAFFIC SYTEMS, a $240M revenue construction service business backed by ORIX CAPITAL and APERION MANAGEMENT, LLC; Opened new line of credit with one lender for product line expansion in steel barrier wall; Expanded an ABL with another lender for step out acquisition utilizing 100% debt financing; Spearheaded 450 vehicle fleet replacement program

 BRIDGER, LLC, a $5B revenue integrated crude oil midstream logistics operator backed by RIVERSTONE cited by INC Magazine as a top 500 high growth company; Doubled enterprise value and implemented path to liquidity event via auction sale to FERRELLGAS LLC (NYSE: FGP) generating a substantial return to owners

 GAVILON ENERGY, LLC, a $12B revenue energy distribution, merchandising, trading and risk management company backed by SOROS FUNDS, GENERAL ATLANTIC and OSPRAIE CAPITAL; Led successful spin-off, recapitalization and sale of the company through a $650M asset-backed loan facility followed by an auction sale to NGL ENERGY PARTNERS (NYSE: NGL) generating a substantial return to owners

 ELEVANCE RENEWABLE SCIENCES, a $25M revenue renewable chemical company backed by TPG, NAXOS CAPITAL and TOTAL ENERGY VENTURES; Led $110M fund raising effort at height of financial crisis to support start up technology

Patrick previously advised the board at CHINA AMERICAN PETROCHEMICAL COMPANY (CAPCO), a Taiwanese specialty chemical manufacturer owned by BP and CPC, during a period of significant expansion leading deployment of $500M in green field capital. Patrick also served on the board of the 7 company European ETHYLENE PIPELINE COMPANY (ARG) and at the EUROPEAN PIPELINE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, a 15 company consortium building pipelines across Europe.

CORPORATE FINANCIAL STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP

Patrick is Founder of Foundry Mountain Infrastructure Partners, an investment firm with a risk managed, long duration approach to infrastructure investing in traditional energy, construction services and transportation/logistics including opportunity identification and advisory services. Clients include private equity funds, insurance and pension funds, family wealth funds, boards and management using an investigative approach identifying unique opportunities.

His expertise was honed in CEO, CFO and COO roles with companies such as:

 NOLA Oil Terminal as CEO, leading the management team through commercial negotiations and contracting, permitting and construction, along with parallel fund raising to build a $750M crude oil and refined product terminal and related pipelines in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana

 RoadSafe Traffic Systems as CFO, designed and implemented first of their kind operating performance metrics while expanding credit availability and diligence that enabled the leveraged acquisition of a step out acquisition

 Bridger, LLC as EVP and CFO, re-engineered its Finance, Credit, and IT departments to encompass best in class GAAP accounting; shortened the close process from 90 to 3 days, and led the preparation of stand-alone 8K, 10Q, 3-05 and S-3 financial filings as part of his leadership in the Ferrellgas sale process

 Gavilon Energy, LLC as CFO, automated and streamlined financial reporting processes; led corporate business development efforts deploying over $300M in capital projects and M&A; led banking relationships in 13 member $650M asset backed loan syndication as part of his leadership role in the NGLEP sale process

 Elevance Renewable Sciences, LLC as CFO, built treasury, fund raising, reporting, accounting, IT, tax, risk, credit, corporate M&A, audit, insurance, investor and banking relationships and capabilities while leading $110M in fund raising

 BP Corporation as Director Group Wide Financial Process Optimization, identified and implemented financial process standardization while strengthening SOX compliance and controls; Generated over $100M in cost savings while improving balance sheet integrity and the close process

 BP Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) as Commercial Vice President accountable for strategy and performance management across a $6B revenue, $300M net income business unit. Oversaw both the commercial and financial functions within the business unit. Deputy CEO and Member of the Business Unit’s Senior Leadership Team, leading 100 professionals

 BP Commodity Chemicals Manufacturing, Europe as COO for a $5B revenue chemical company, held profit & loss responsibility and led commercial, operating, capital and sales decisions across three facilities in Europe

 Amoco Chemicals, Asia leading business development and was single point accountable for two greenfield investments totaling $1B in China and Taiwan, utilizing Italian engineering firm Technip and local construction teams

PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTOR

Since 2008, Patrick has been a Mentor within the Menttium Corporation working with and coaching professionals as they navigate their careers; Since 2015, Patrick has been a member of the St. Isaac Jogues Parish Council, and recently joined the Board of Advisors at Catholic Charities of Chicago. Since 2017, Patrick has been a member of the Advisory Board at Current Capital Partners.

Patrick holds an MBA with majors in finance and strategy from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, a Master of Science degree in geology and geophysics from Wright State University and a Bachelor of Science degree with honors in geology from Saint Lawrence University

Ron Newell

Chief Operating Officer

Ducere LLC

Senior Manager, Terminal Operations

Ron Newell’s career encompasses 26 years in the liquid terminal business. Ron has wide-ranging experience and proven ability in multiple terminal operations management, project design and management, OPEX and CAPEX budgeting and cost controls, tank, pipeline, dock and rail construction, pipeline operations, EHS and operating procedures and customer service.

Prior to joining Ducere, Ron lead the design, construction of the Willow Glen Terminal, a conversion of a power plant to crude oil storage.

At Howard Energy Ron was project manager supporting business development opportunities.

Prior to joining Howard, Ron was responsible for the design, construction and operations of Cogent Energy Solutions’ crude loading facilities. Ron also managed the operations and inventory tracking of transload facilities, the tracking of Cogent’s 300+ rail car fleet and the scheduling of Cogent’s truck loading crude oil business in North Dakota.

Prior to Cogent, Ron led operations for numerous liquid bulk terminals utilizing all modes of transportation and safely handling a wide range of products including crude oil, feedstocks, refined products and various chemicals. As Manager, Terminal Operations for Magellan Midstream Partners, Ron managed 8 marine terminals with 178 employees and was responsible for the completion of over 100 maintenance, efficiency and expansion capital projects valued at over $200 million. His M&A work includes successfully participating in 9 acquisition due diligence teams.

Ron’s career in the terminal business began in the US Navy as a Lt Commander serving as Fuels Director for the Continent of Antarctica.

Ron holds both a BS in Chemical Engineering and a MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.

George Ott
Consultant
Ducere LLC

George Ott joined Ducere LLC in January 2013 and supports clients in the development of energy supply and transportation strategy and associated commercial transactions.

George brings 34 years of energy industry experience in petroleum refining, pipeline strategy and commercial development with BP and its predecessor company Amoco Oil. During that time, he supervised process research and commercialization of major new refining processes, managed the technical division of a large refinery, led strategic planning for a pipeline business unit and managed pipeline and storage development for a major Midwest refinery expansion.

George holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Purdue and received in-service business training from Harvard.

Leo Cattoni

Consultant

Ducere LLC

Leo Cattoni brings a lifetime of Inland and Great Lakes marine experience to our team.

After working onboard Great Lakes tugboats and river towboats Leo spent ten years as a Marine Surveyor prior to founding Illinois Marine Towing. Under his guidance, Illinois Marine grew to become the largest barge towing, fleeting and shipyard operator in Chicagoland. Leo proudly maintains his Western Rivers Captain’s license today.

After selling Illinois Marine to its largest customer, Leo consulted with and later became the Chicago Area Vice President at American Commercial Barge Lines, one of the largest barge companies in the country. While at American Commercial he was instrumental in leasing MWRD properties to enable the Ducere Terminal development.

Leo stays deeply involved in the Inland Marine industry as owner of Seaways, Inc., leasing marine equipment (barges) to the industry as well as providing consulting services. For the past two years, Leo has been a valued adviser to Ducere regarding all marine related aspects of our terminal project.

Leo has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Southern Illinois University.