Norma Byron, Founder and CEO, The Ashlawn Group, LLC. and Principal, Pemery Corp., will describe Ashlawn/Pemery’s innovative and unique fuel cell product for providing power for gun-launched munitions and missile systems, with an estimated annual market of $200 million. She will describe near-term efforts to provide power for artillery fuzes, as well as their longer-term efforts to provide sustainable fuel cell power for stand-by power applications and for the fuel cell car. On December 1, 2005, the company celebrated the November production kickoff of 120 fuel cells, the largest single production run of fuel cells in the history of the fuel cell industry, they believe. Pemery is manufacturing these fuel cells in Painesville, Ohio, as the power source for the Army’s Multi-Option Fuze Artillery (MOFA) under contract to the U.S. Army’s Research, Development and Engineering Center at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ.

The Ashlawn Group is a woman-owned small business, based in Virginia, providing management and technical consulting services, sales representations, product development, design and manufacturing process-engineering solutions for industrial applications for the Department of Defense and energy-related industries. Since Ashlawn’s founding in 2001, the company has received seven contracts; six in warhead development and fabrication from the Army related to optimizing warhead performance and affordability through improvements in warhead designs, fabrication techniques, and material science. Ashlawn’s largest contract to date is to produce a fuel cell (the P-100) for testing in Army artillery gun systems. Pemery Corp. was founded in 2004 to organize, manage and grow the fuel cell activities of Ashlawn/Pemery, and to manufacture all fuel cells.

Norma, will talk about the need to improve power sources for munitions and how Ashlawn/Pemery is working to meet this need with their patented fuel cell technology. Near-term focus is to provide fuel cells for “smart” artillery fuzes, with an estimated $70 million annual market. Norma will also describe longer-term efforts in potential automotive applications.

Sector Expert: Kenneth R. Alfred is Executive Director, the Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition (OFCC), a non-profit, member-based organization of industry, academic, and government leaders working collectively to strengthen Ohio’s fuel cell industry and to accelerate the transformation of the industry in Ohio to global leadership in fuel cell technology and applications. He will describe Ohio’s and the coalition’s support for Ashlawn/Pemery. Ashlawn’s inventor lives in Ohio, and the company has its contract manufacturer there as well as several suppliers, including the Edison Materials Technology Center and the Edison Welding Institute. 

International Sponsor:  Sumitomo Corporation      
                                     
Hosting Sponsor:Andrews Kurth LLP

National Co-Hosts:Cleantech Venture Network LLC/Investors Circle 

To Register OnLine:  (click here) DC Funders - OR - go to CEEPInc.org’s Events Calendar – January 6th 

Date:Friday, January 6, 2006

Time:8:00 – 10:00 am

Place:Andrews Kurth LLP

1350 I Street, NW, Suite 1100

Washington, DC 20006

202-662-2700

Security: You will need to sign in, show a picture ID and tell the security personnel that you are attending CEEP’s DC Energy & Environmental Funders meeting at Andrews Kurth LLP in Suite 300. If you have not pre-registered, ask them to call Denise Johnson, at 202-662-3078.

Nearest Metro stop:     The building is between 13th and 14th Street. You can exit at McPherson Square and cross the street to the building or exit Metro Center on 13th Street (and G Street) and walk up to 13th and I, where you make a left and cross the street. 

Cost:    $50 if you pre-register. Cash, checks (payable to CEEP), or credit card accepted. Must register or cancel by 4pm the previous day. No shows will be invoiced.  

           $60 if you pay at the door. 

           See below for Annual Registration opportunities and other important conditions.  

Agenda:8:00 to 8:30   – Networking with Members

           8:30 to 9:00   –Norma Byron, Founder and CEO, The Ashlawn Group, LLC and Principal, Pemery Corp.

           9:00 to 9:30   –Kenneth R. Alfred, Executive Director, Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition

           9:30 to 10:00 – Discussion and Networking  

To reserve your seat, please register online. 

1. Visit www.ceepinc.org.

2. Click on the link to Calendar

3. Click on this event and complete the registration form.

If you have any questions about registration, please contact Robyn Stewart at robyn@ceepinc.org .  

If you need more information about the program, please contact Gelvin Stevenson at gelvin@optonline.net .

Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you at the next DC Funders meeting.

Advisory Board

Zachary Alexander, ebT Design, LLC

Bob Lawrence, Bob Lawrence & Associates

Keith Raab, Cleantech Venture Network LLC

Mark Riedy, Andrews Kurth LLC

Ira Rubenstein, Environmental Business Association of New York State, Inc.

Gelvin Stevenson, Ph.D., Center for Economic and Environmental Partnership, Inc. 

Michael Ware, Advance Capital Markets, Inc.

 DCE&EF Pricing Policy

1.      Cost, with pre-registration up to 4pm the day before the meeting: $50.

2.      No-shows will be invoiced. 

3.      Cancellations allowed until 4pm the day before the meeting. 

4.      Cost, with registration at the door the day of the meeting: $60.

5.      All paid registrants will be emailed any information made available electronically for that meeting.

6.      An Annual Registration for DCE&EF can be purchased for $400. It will provide admittance to all 10 regularly scheduled meetings held during a 12-month period.  

7.      Annual registrants will be emailed any information made available electronically for any of the 10 regularly scheduled meetings covered by their annual registration.

8.      Sponsorship opportunities are available.  For information please contact Ed Parker at (518) 432-6400 x227 or Email to edpceep@yahoo.com.

Formed in February 2004, DC Energy & Environmental Funders (DCE&EF) is a joint service of Investors Circle, the Environmental Business Association of New York State, Inc. (EBA/NYS), Investors Circle and Cleantech Venture Network LLC (Cleantech). DCE&EF provides networking, information, and other services to investors interested in energy and environmental companies.  DCE&EF activities are produced by the Center for Economic and Environmental Partnership, Inc. (CEEP) in furtherance of its educational mission.
 

BIOS:

Norma Byron is the President and founder of The Ashlawn Group, LLC. Norma provides strong leadership to Ashlawn through her 20+ years of experience in marketing and business development in the defense sector.  Formerly with Primex Technologies (a spin-off of Olin Corporation), Norma successfully led key marketing efforts for tank ammunition in both the domestic and international sectors.  While President of Women In Defense, A National Security Organization, for two consecutive terms (2001-2003), Norma oversaw membership growth of 100% and the formation of four new chapters.  Norma currently serves on the Executive Steering Committee of the Small Business Division of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) and NDIA's Washington Chapter Board of Directors.  She is a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO).  Norma holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maryland and a Master's degree in Business Administration from Marymount University, Arlington, VA.   

Ken Alfred has been Executive Director of the Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition since its formation in 2003.  In this capacity, he is responsible for directing the programs and activities of this growing membership organization with industry, academic, and government partners that aims to develop a robust and leading fuel cell industry in this state.  

Ken has a wide range of experience from almost 20 years to the energy industry in a variety of marketing, business development, strategic planning and regulatory/advocacy roles while working for British Petroleum, primarily in the oil industry's refining and marketing sectors.  Immediately prior to joining the OFCC, Alfred worked in the new venture development world as a consultant.

A Los Angeles native but long time Cleveland resident, Alfred possesses a bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of California at Los Angeles and an MBA in Finance and Business Economics/Public Policy from the University of Michigan.