Team
Management Team:
Our formula for growth has always been; start with the best, learn from the best, expand slowly and solidify our position.
Frank Thorwald - CEO. Mr. Thorwald has over 35 years of experience in business and politics, including many varied roles in government, asset development, sales and marketing, and commodity trading. He is a superbly experienced commodity trader who has lent his substantial skills in emerging markets to the emissions and allowance markets of today. Mr. Thorwald has worked extensively in various commercial and operational management positions in start-up, development, going concerns, turnaround, and restructuring contexts. He has represented the United States on diplomatic assignments to more than 67 nations, working with senior corporate and government officials worldwide. Mr. Thorwald currently serves on the business development and Oil and Gas Advisory Committees and has played a key role in developing bipartisan working groups for mutual benefit and growth within both regional and federal government. Mr. Thorwald is a former senior United States Department of Justice Adviser to two U.S. Attorney Generals and has served as acting National Security Affairs Adviser and senior adviser on Domestic Task Force initiatives.
Edward Lieber - CFO. Mr. Lieber has managed the accounting, risk management, transaction structuring and strategic planning for Payback from its inception. He led the design and implementation of the Company’s finance and risk infrastructure as well as the processes to evaluate, execute, book and report transactions and projects. Additionally, Mr. Lieber maintains many of the relationships with lenders and investment firms related to direct investment and project finance for Payback. Prior to Payback, Mr. Lieber had a full career with several leading Wall Street Investment Banking Firms including Bear Stearns, and Sartorius & Company, where he helped to structure a broad range of financing transactions and business acquisitions. Mr. Lieber is a CPA and earned an B.S. in Accounting from NYU in 1970 he also completed a Long Island University C.W. Post Professional School of Accounting where he earned his MBA in taxation.
Steven Studdard - Special Projects. Mr. Studdard is a unique veteran of Special Projects and has helped the Development and creation of the Carbon Advisory Group. Mr. Studdert is a corporate executive and has sat on numerous corporate boards and has been senior White House Adviser to three U.S. Presidents and has over three decades of experience in business. Prior to joining Payback, Mr. Studdard helped create the FORTUNE 500 for senior executives and participated in TIME Magazine’s leaders’ elite world news-tour. He has represented the U.S. in diplomatic assignments to over one hundred nations including the Export Advisory Council, the Foreign Trade Practices and Negotiations Subcommittee and as a United States Delegate to the United Nations Energy panel. He has continued to provide counsel and strategy to developing democracies and is engaged in humanitarian efforts worldwide. He presently serves as advisor to the Under Secretary General of the United Nations and is Chairman of the George Washington Center for Freedom and Understanding. Mr. Studdert is a graduate of BYU.
Talbot Clifton - Research and Development. Mr. Clifton is an innovative leader in the development of environmental credit markets and opportunities. Leveraging his project management and emissions experience, Mr. Clifton currently serves as Director of Research an Development. His focus is on structured compliance solutions for our partners and clients who require assistance in managing their emissions and greenhouse gas exposures, including alternative energy development and methodologies. Since working with Payback, Mr. Clifton has helped manage the development of a variety of Payback’s roles; alternative energy and greenhouse gas reduction projects through, Forestry, Reforestation, Land Management and Algal projects. In addition to the research and development business, Mr. Clifton’s emissions experience spans several different trading regions and instruments used today in both North America and overseas. Mr. Clifton is a graduate of The University of Plymouth.
Bradford Blake - Chief Arborist. Mr. Blake has over two decades of experience as an expert Arborist. Mr. Blake has worked on many varied projects including the restoration of private lands impacted by the Rodeo-Chediski fire, in Show Low Arizona and the private lands impacted by the Aspen fire, in Summerhaven Arizona, producing trees, shrubs, and grass plugs for the reforestation of the sites. Through Grant supported research he has Propagated many thousands of cottonwoods for restoration on the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, in Yuma Arizona. Mr. Blake has helped organize and cooperate in projects between Northern Arizona University and Arizona State Parks. He has been the technical advisor for the development of the Colorado River Restoration project and ongoing bridge between the Hopi tribal community and outside agencies. Mr. Blake earned his B.F.S and M.F.S from the Northern Arizona University in 1978 and 1980 respectively and is a current member of the Arizona Tree Council.
Kelvin Scott - Project Development. Mr. Scott brings a wide variety of project management experience. A former investigator for the U.S. Air Force, Mr. Scott is well versed in logistics, utilities systems engineering, site development, environmental science, and alternative energy. Prior to joining Payback, Mr. Scott played a key role in project development and logistics on Langley A.F.B, VA. In his role on Langley A.F.B, Mr. Scott served as the first fighter wing coordinator responsible for the development of many new military construction projects along with the rejuvenation of existing base facilities. Mr. Scott holds a B.S from the University of San Diego in California.
Donald Hudspeth - Chief Counsel. Mr. Hudspeth brings over 20 years extensive deal-making and contract negotiation experience in corporate and business law with an early successful career as a business and real estate owner. Mr. Hudspeth believes that owning and growing a business is a lot like raising a child in that you can learn much from books but you learn the most by doing. Mr. Hudspeth was admitted to practice law in 1988. He graduated from ASU and has taken post-graduate classes for lawyers at Harvard. He served as a Professor of Business Law at Arizona State University for many years and has conducted classes and seminars for Phoenix College, Maricopa Community Colleges, Small Business Development Centers, as well as many others. Mr. Hudspeth was founder of the radio programs “LawTalk” and “Law on the Edge” and has published several peer reviewed articles.
Philip Patterson - Arboriculturalist. Mr. Patterson is a new addition to the management team and is an experienced Arboriculturalist, forestry developer, and environmentalist. Mr. Patterson also serves as Director for Flagstaff’s Arboretum. Mr. Patterson holds a B.S in Forestry from NAU and a Masters of Science in Forest Genetics and Tree Improvement from Mississippi State University.
If you’d like to know more about how our team can help you meet your environmental business goals, please feel free to Contact us.
