Leadership Team
Nick Thomas, Bioenergy Devco CEO
Appointed in 2024, Nick Thomas serves as Chief Executive Officer at Bioenergy Devco.
Rooted in generational engineering and a chemical engineer by training, Thomas has over 25 years of transformative industry experience. He served as Chairman and CEO of Meritage Midstream Services ll, LLC, orchestrating a $885 million sale to Western Midstream, adding to his impressive track record of over a billion dollars of value creation for stakeholders.
Thomas co-founded Meritage Midstream Services III, LLC, where he led as President and COO. Thomas was instrumental in orchestrating the initial transaction with a large privately held producer that ultimately positioned the company to become a leading crude oil, natural gas, and water infrastructure solutions provider to the prolific northwest Alberta Montney. The company was sold to a joint venture of SemCams and KKR in February 2019 for CAD $600 million. Prior to that, Thomas was Executive Vice President at Meritage Midstream Services, LLC, which provided infrastructure solutions to customers in the South Texas Eagle Ford. Thomas was instrumental in the formation and funding of the company, establishing an initial partnership with a large privately held producer and negotiating crucial commercial agreements with several follow-on customers. The company was sold to Howard Energy Partners in April 2012.
Known for his transparent and integrity-driven leadership, Thomas is a respected industry figure who is dedicated to achieving excellence in every endeavor. Earlier in his career, he held various commercial, marketing, and engineering roles in the energy and petrochemical industries.
Nick's leadership ethos, grounded in transparency and integrity, firmly establishes him as a respected and influential figure in his industry. Beyond his professional achievements, Nick is deeply committed to his personal life, dedicating time to his family and engaging in outdoor adventures such as mountain biking, heli-skiing, and fly fishing.
Chip Hoagland, Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Hoagland has more than 25 years of experience in corporate financial leadership roles in the infrastructure sector.
His infrastructure experience began at an independent power producer that initially helped to transform the US electricity generation industry into its current competitive landscape and then later expanded to 39 countries globally. He supported the funding, management, development and acquisition of electricity assets around the world in his role as VP & Treasurer of the NYSE-traded company.
Mr. Hoagland switched industries and joined a startup as the CFO & Treasurer in the then-nascent industry of LNG liquefaction and exportation from the US. There he helped raise a substantial amount of initial capital to fund the development of a large LNG export facility in Louisiana while also building out the finance function.
He later joined a solar electric energy firm that focused on development, trading and investor fund management headquartered in Washington, DC. He served as their CFO & Treasurer.
Mr. Hoagland began his career at an international public accounting firm in Washington, DC where he was an Audit Manager. He has a B.S. in Finance from George Mason University and a CPA with inactive status.
Christine McKiernan, Chief Operating Officer
Ms. McKiernan has more than 30 years of experience in the renewable energy and waste recovery industry. Prior to joining BDC she led project development efforts for organics recovery projects in the US for SUEZ North America and served as vice president of technology and development for BIOFermTM Energy Systems, leading a multinational team in waste to energy process development. Christine’s experience includes the design, construction and operation of anaerobic, aerobic, waste and gas treatment projects serving clients in industrial and municipal markets handling wastes as varied as manures, biosolids, MSW, and a wide range of food processing residues. As Chief Operating Officer, Christine will deliver project solutions and execution incorporating BTS technology, design and operating expertise to the US.
Richard J. Gognat, Chief Legal Officer
Richard J. Gognat brings over 35 years of extensive legal and business experience to his role as Chief Legal Officer at Bioenergy Devco. With a deep background in finance, mergers and acquisitions, and energy, Mr. Gognat has been instrumental in managing strategic transactions, compliance, and regulatory matters. Most recently, Mr. Gognat served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary at Meritage Midstream Services II, LLC, where he played a crucial role in closing over $2 billion in M&A, private equity, and credit facility transactions. Mr. Gognat has also held senior positions at High Sierra Energy, LP, and SandRidge Energy, Inc., contributing over $5 billion in capital markets and M&A transactions.
Mr. Gognat holds a Juris Doctor with honors from the University of Tulsa College of Law and a B.S. in Business Administration from Regis University. His commitment to community service is reflected in his volunteer work as a mentor for the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business and his tenure as a board member of the American Heart Association of Oklahoma City.
R. McClain Porter, Chief Commercial Officer
As Chief Commercial Officer, R. McClain Porter leads one of the main pillars of Bioenergy Devco (BDC) in ensuring the commercial success of each project.
Before joining BDC, Mr. Porter was Founder and President of Catalyst RNG, where he and his team provided services in renewable energy project development such as securing funding, feedstock acquisition, and energy offtake for both internal and client projects. Prior to founding Catalyst, he worked in the renewable energy space with Freeman Applegate Partners, an energy efficiency auditing service provider, where he held responsibilities in client origination and project conception with commercial and industrial facilities. In prior years, he worked with a small governmental agency and local business owners to eradicate invasive species from populated areas in central Idaho, thus protecting the watershed and securing the future of related jobs in the region.
Mr. Porter holds degrees in Environmental Policy and Business Administration and looks to continue utilizing the effective pairing of his environmental experience and business acumen.