About
Sustainable Oils

PROFILE | Scott L. Johnson is an experienced senior executive with extensive experience in management, marketing, sales and business development.  He has demonstrated success in the creation and execution of business and marketing strategies as well as leadership of high performance teams in the agricultural chemical, biotechnology, and seed markets for over 30 years. Scott has worked in, managed, or led businesses in all agricultural markets at all levels of the channel, including application, retail, wholesale, and manufacturers as well as actively participating in a family farming operation.

Academically trained as an entomologist (BS Entomology, University of California) and a marketer (MBA, California State University) Scott has kept his skills sharp through numerous executive education or company sponsored skill and leadership courses.

PROFILE | Michael Weitz serves as Chief Financial Officer for Sustainable Oils, overseeing financial operations of the growing company. He is also CFO for Targeted Growth, Sustainable Oils’ parent company.

He brings 25 years of experience in financial management, including several senior financial positions at venture capital financed companies including CFO of Free & Clear, a health services provider, CFO and Vice President of Operations at Sageport, Inc., an internet services company, and CFO and Vice President of Call Center Operations at CareWise, Inc., a health information services company. Prior to his work at CareWise, he was Vice President of Finance at Hillhaven Corporation, one of the nation's largest publicly traded senior care providers. Michael began his career with the predecessors of the CPA firms Deloitte & Touche and Ernst & Young. Michael is a CPA in the State of Washington, and a member of the American Institute of CPAs.

PROFILE | Production and Logistics Manager for Sustainable Oils, Steve Sandroni focuses on building relationships with foundation seed producers for camelina production. He develops camelina contracting opportunities for growers but also handles the logistics of processing and distributing camelina oil and meal.

With more than 20 years of experience in seed production and management, Steve has been national production manager for Stoneville Pedigree Seed Company, as well as regional production and plant manager at Delta & Pine Land Company.

PROFILE | Research Manager Jack Kiser develops camelina varieties that possess solid agronomic and yield traits, along with the favorable oil profile needed for biodiesel production. Kiser oversees the largest camelina research operation in North America, with more than 40 trials underway across 11 states.

Before joining Sustainable Oils, Jack led product and trait development efforts for several companies, including Pioneer Hi-Bred, Targeted Growth, Calgene, and Monsanto.

PROFILE | Dr. Fernando Guillen-Portal is a key member of the Sustainable Oils research team, leading on-the-ground research efforts to develop new camelina varieties for Montana and other parts of the country as well as Canada. He has been conducting research on camelina since 2006, focusing on the development of new varieties of camelina with superior end-use characteristics and enhanced adaptability to a broad range of environmental conditions.

Fernando has worked as a research scientist at Montana State University’s Northwestern Agricultural Research Center in Kalispell, Montana, where he coordinated research and plant breeding activities for spring wheat and camelina. He has experience in breeding conventional crops like corn and spring wheat as well as alternative crops like grain amaranth, quinoa, and camelina.

PROFILE | As a sales representative for Sustainable Oils, Mike brings more than 25 years experience in Montana agriculture. He has held sales, marketing and technical positions for crop input suppliers and also served as an agronomist and fertilizer plant manager at ag retail businesses in Fort Benton and Big Sandy, Montana.

Mike will be responsible for contracting camelina production acres and providing technical and agronomic assistance to growers.

PROFILE | Nick is a sales representative for Sustainable Oils focused on Saskatchewan. He is responsible for contracting camelina production acres and providing technical and agronomic assistance to growers.

Nick has managed his own agricultural consulting business, Living Sky Agronomy, since 2005. He works with Canadian growers to manage crop plans and agronomic needs, as well as develop professional nutrient management and crop protection strategies. He will continue managing Living Sky Agronomy in addition to his responsibilities with Sustainable Oils.

PROFILE | Robert Curry is responsible for strategic marketing and business development projects at Sustainable Oils. He has been involved with seed and camelina meal distribution, as well as marketing and searching for new opportunities for camelina meal and other co-products.

Robert brings a strong background in seed production and marketing to his Project Manager role at Sustainable Oils. Robert worked in a number of research and production roles at Curry Seed, his family’s South Dakota-based seed business. He also worked in business development at Athenix in Research Triangle Park, NC, where he conducted market analysis, pricing and licensing agreement projects for the biotech company.