Team

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Jerome Peloquin - President

Jerome Peloquin is an experienced operations manager. He has specific experience in Operations Analysis, Industrial Controls, and Supervisory Management. He has also worked in all sectors of the economy; public, private, andgovernmental organizations. Jerome has specific skills as a systems analyst, maintenance engineer, technical andtraining manager. Jerome has worked in many phases of the manufacturing processes including discrete, batch, andprocess in the food, automotive, and chemical process industries. In 1995 he sold his consulting company to SylvanLearning Systems, where he assumed leadership of their industrial consulting practice serving clients as diverse as Honda America Manufacturing, Nabisco, and Frito Lay. In the public sector, Jerome held the position of HumanPerformance Consultant to Ann Peterson, Assistant Director of US AID and as consultant to their Global Health Bureau where he helped redesign the key position of Cognitive Technical Officer. He has international experience, and haslived and worked in Africa and India. Jerome learned about biogenic growing systems during his time in Africa. He is an expert in both hydroponics and aquaculture models, and runs a 2K+ Linkedin Group called: Commercial Aquaponics.In this capacity, he has travelled internationally, lecturing on urban food production. Jerome is an Organizational Psychologist by training and holds a Master of Social Psychology from The University of Chicago and served 2 yearsas a graduate fellow of The Praxis Company under the imminent behaviorist Thomas F. Gilbert, Ph.D.

Jonathan Smolowe – Chief Operating Officer

Jonathan is an Award-winning Business Executive who understands the balance between entrepreneurship (building from the ground up with tight resources and budgets) and corporate governance (developing structure and methodologies that are repeatable and scalable). He is a decisive leader and operational strategist who builds and motivates high performing talent that achieves stellar results. A respected “player/coach”, he thrives on people interaction and communication. And he possesses a natural talent for fostering collaboration while influencing and building consensus among internal and external stakeholders. Jonathan is a graduate of Princeton University with a major in Economics.

Gustavo Salazar - Chief Growing Officer

Gustavo Salazar is an engineer with 15 years in the aquaculture and aquaponics sectors. He has specific expertise and experience in production, technology, and logistics. Gustavo has designed RAS projects in Chile, Colombia, Tahiti, Ethiopia, the Middle East, and the US. He has a comprehensive knowledge of the global aquaculture and hydroponics industries. Mr. Salazar has built an extensive contact network in the European and the South American aquaculture sectors, having successfully represented many important aquaculture and oxygenation technology companies in South America. He also has expertise in Nanobubble technology, designing and developing new applications for many industries, such as aquaculture, irrigation, water treatment, water remediation, construction, and disinfection, in between others.

Alphonso Coles - VP, Community & Government Relations

Alphonso Coles is an experienced manager, administrator, and public official. His years of experience navigating the space between the urban political and civil landscape has uniquely qualified him for this key position. He has served in a variety of responsible positions within the complex socio-political environment of the District of Columbia. He has held positions of executive leadership within the D. C. Administration. He has supervision experience with direct reports for two community level health centers. Alphonso has lobbied the U.S. Congress on behalf of the District of Columbia. He served as liaison officer between the community and The D.C. Police Department. In that position he also provided guidance and support for the City’s Environmental Committee. This combination of Executive, Managerial, and Supervisory experience, combined with significant community and neighborhood interaction uniquely qualifies him to serve in this key position. Alphonso is a graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA.

David Roeser - VP, Chief Financial Officer

Dave began his professional journey at Hewlett Packard, where he rose to the position of controller for the midwestern region, in charge of finance, accounting, IT, MBA recruiting, sales force PIP proposals, real estate, 3rd party services, minority MBA recruiting and hiring, fleet and general operations. He then created a business, manufacturing for the retail and promotional industry for 12 years, and sold it in a business consolidation. He acquired knowledge of the real estate and business sales industry through the founding of a commercial real estate holding company. His fascination with indoor food growing led to the invention and design of patented hydroponic growing equipment. He put it to the test by creating Garden Fresh Farms in 2010, producing herbs, produce and sprouts. In 2015, he expanded his operation into medicinal plants and herbs for the wellness industry through MNPharm SBC. He is an industry thought leader, and frequently makes lecture and convention appearances. Dave’s broad background, and executive level knowledge of indoor food growing, real estate, and corporate finance make him an indispensable part of the Urban SEA team.

Dexter Cummings - General Counsel & Strategist

Dexter Cummings is an experienced New York licensed corporate attorney. Mr. Cummings’ vision and life is committed to leveraging his legal skills and network skills to positively impact communities, with a focus on Africa and its diaspora. He has over 29 years of advising complex cross-border research and program development with commercial transactions and projects. This work has involved government agencies, commercial companies, African Union Mission to U.S., World Bank, UNDP and other NGOs across Latin America, the United States and Africa. Mr. Cummings routinely provides advice and counsel focused on innovation that utilizes new technology for social impact. These include an award-winning Red Herring Global Top 100 disruptive voice technology firm. Internationally, he has participated in World Bank’s Lighting Africa efforts to structure solar energy financing, tariff programs, market supports, infrastructure projects, and consultation with international developers and trade transactions, including the debt restructuring and re-financing of $1.3B real estate. Mr. Cummings earned Juris Doctorate from Howard University School of Law and is a New York licensed attorney with corporate, healthcare, international and legal experience. He served as Managing Director, Legal Affairs & Deputy General Counsel of the American Diabetes Association during critical periods in its transformation.

Lehr Jackson - Developer Partner

Lehr Jackson is a city planner, an insightful developer with an eye for the esthetic and a keen sense of “place". He is a consultant to public and private real estate development and construction companies world wide. His company founded in 2006 is currently engaged in a number of significant projects of note and merit, including a million square ft. of commercial, mixed-use venue on the Philadelphia Delaware River Waterfront, and across the Delaware in Camden, NJ, a total rethinking of the urban space as a food, energy, and water secure community. An “Urbaneer”, Lehr Jackson is driven by his re imagined vision of urban life by creating a seamless sense of arrival, place, and purpose and energy for areas that have been long abandoned by the conventional “wisdom". For example Lehr was frontline contributor in the radical retail redevelopment of Times Square in NY, City. Once believed impossible, Times Square is now recognized world-wide as remarkable resurgence and a center for urban revitalization by government and real estate experts everywhere. Take a look at some of these projects »

Bob Andron - VP, Chief Design Officer

Bob Andron is no ordinary architect! After a stint with the USAF in Viet Nam, he studied architecture at Pratt Institute. He married Suzy, a fellow Pratt graduate, and settled in NC, where he opened a solo architectural firm in 1978. He designed several solar houses in the late 70s and then joined the USDA as a Federal architect assigned to NC, to oversee the construction of affordable houses and apartments. He was awarded a National Commendation for affordable solar house plans, he designed on his own and contributed to the Agency. They were built over 2000 times across the USA for low income rural families. He started his own firm, Andron Architects and Associates in 1986. AAA has designed over 60 affordable housing communities from Virginia to South Florida – mostly in the Carolinas. His astonishing variety of clients and projects includes housing for students, seniors, families, people with different abilities – always seeking the next best way to provide shelter for people who need special help.