Founder’s Note

I envisioned Swinergy after seeing the terrible impacts animal waste has in both developed and developing countries. Working on farms growing up in the Midwest and, later, seeing mothers in Vietnam collect contaminated water for their children has fueled and drives my passion for a better solution. Since studying GIS and Environmental Engineering at West Point, I’ve been hunting for the right solution. As the world demand for food and energy grows unchecked, we cannot continue the unsustainable waste management practices putting our people and our world in jeopardy. At Swinergy, we believe the key to successfully tackling this problem is to combine an innovative solution with a deep understanding of all our stakeholders to ensure everyone in the value chain is better off. This starts with our farmers in their barns and ends with families getting water from their tap. We’re thrilled to be building the state-of-the-art solution to help our communities turn waste into wealth.

- Eugene Alvey, CEO

CEO

Team and Advisors

  • Shane Farnell

    Lab Director

    Shane is a Minnesota native and has had a deep passion for the environment since his childhood. Shane earned his B.S. in environmental science from UW River Falls where he focused on analyzing water and soil contamination. Following graduation, Shane spent three years in Australia working in various agricultural roles and on an environmental analysis team. Shane leads Swinergy’s laboratory efforts and oversees prototype testing.

  • Amy Crary

    Head of Engineering

    Amy grew up in Minnesota racing sailboats. She earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Vermont, where she competed in intercollegiate sailing and captained the team. After graduation, she founded a recreational equipment company, focused on manufacturing processes. She later joined an aerospace startup based in Austin, Texas, where she led the design and implementation of primary vehicle assembly work cells.

  • Jon Dencker

    I&C Engineer

    Following his graduation from West Point, Jon initially served as an Airborne Infantry Officer before pivoting to his role pioneering the data modernization effort in the Army. This journey led him to Carnegie Mellon University, where he immersed himself in cutting-edge AI concepts, earning dual Master's degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Driven by a passion for blending technical acumen with strategic vision, Jon champions innovation and efficiency in complex environments.

  • Eric Ihlenfeld

    Agricultural Operations

    Eric found his passion for agriculture growing up and working on his family hog and cash crop farm in southern Minnesota. He earned his degree in Ag Studies and Agricultural Engineering at UWRF. Upon graduation, Eric went on to manage grain elevators, fertilizer, and chemical operations. This culminated in him serving as the head of operations for one of Minnesota’s largest anaerobic digesters. Eric now assists many major food companies in making the transition to sustainability and environmentally conscious practices for their business.

  • Mick Doriani

    Scientific Advisor

    Michael (Mick) is a chemist and chemical engineer at Koch Industries with over 10 years of experience in the energy sector with both traditional fossil fuels and renewable biofuels. Prior to earning his M.S. in Chemical Engineering, Mick and a partner operated a part-time business creating diesel fuel from left-over fry oil. . His interests lie in the eclectic mixture of resources required to power our future.

  • Patrick Murphy

    Regulatory Advisor

    The Honorable Patrick Murphy was America's first Iraq War Veteran elected to congress. He served as the Representative for the Eighth Congressional District of Pennsylvania and the 32nd Undersecretary of the Army. Mr. Murphy served on the Appropriations Committee including service on the energy and water development subcommittee.

  • Darrell Hanks

    Project Financing

    Darrell learned financial modeling working on renewable infrastructure deals as an analyst on J.P. Morgan Chase's leveraged finance team. He has coordinated physical infrastructure deals similar to what Swinergy builds. After his time at J.P. Morgan Darrell worked as a Private Equity Associate at Sorenson Capital and as Chief of Staff at PDQ, a TA Associates Portfolio Company.