About Us

Green Earth Fuels executives have managed energy portfolios valued at more than $2 billion. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, the Green Earth team of energy industry veterans remains focused on the development of an integrated, worldwide biodiesel infrastructure.

Management Team



Gregory L. Bafalis - President and Chief Executive Officer 

As a founding principal of Green Earth Fuels, Greg Bafalis brings more than 20 years of project development experience in the energy sector, initially with companies specializing in waste-to-energy technologies and later in large-scale power and pipeline projects.

Previously, Mr. Bafalis founded and was CEO of PointSouth Energy, a consulting group that focused on the development of energy-related projects. During this time he initiated the development of Cutuco Energy, an El Salvador-based LNG-fueled combined cycle power plant, and the successful development of a 30-million gallon per year biodiesel facility located in Houston, Texas, for Organic Fuels, LLC.

Prior to founding PointSouth Energy, Mr. Bafalis represented El Paso Corporation as Senior Managing Director, maintaining overall responsibility for 14 power plants and two pipelines in 11 countries with an investment value in excess of $2.3 billion. Before assuming the director role, Mr. Bafalis served as President, Southern Cone Region. Beginning in Brazil in 1997 with a staff of one, he established a successful, integrated energy company with a core business of gas pipelines, power generation, and oil and gas exploration properties, investments of $1.5 billion, and annual earnings (before interest and taxes) of $220 million. Over a period of five years, he drove the development of more than 2,000 MW of operating power plants and 1,500 miles of gas pipelines; completed more than $1 billion in project financings; and established El Paso as the premier integrated energy company in Brazil. Before relocating to South America, he served as Vice President of Business Development, European Region, where he successfully acquired an energy center complex in Central Europe.

Mr. Bafalis previously represented Mission Energy as Executive Director for Brooklyn Navy Yard Cogen, where he led the successful development and construction of a 380-MW gas-fired power generation facility in New York City. Mr. Bafalis spent the prior eight years developing waste-to-energy and wood-fired power projects for Waste Management, Inc. He currently resides in Houston with his wife and three children.

Jeffrey M. Trucksess - Executive Vice President, Government and Regulatory Affairs 

Jeff Trucksess brings a 10-year record of government relations, business development, and advocacy achievement to the Green Earth Fuels team. During his career, Mr. Trucksess has helped direct campaigns that led to the passage of Renewable Portfolio Standards in Colorado and Washington, the funding of a Production Incentive for Biofuels in Texas, and the creation of a rebate program for Energy Storage. Mr. Trucksess has registered and permitted several biodiesel production facilities in Texas and Louisiana, led numerous industry coalitions, and served as a consultant to the National Biodiesel Board.

Experienced in environmental permitting, fuels tax licensing, and grant/incentive program registration, Mr. Trucksess has a successful history working with federal institutions such as the EPA, IRS, and USDA, as well as with regional organizations such as the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Southwest Research Institute, and the Texas Comptrollers Office. He has also had significant success working with legislatures and regulatory agencies in numerous states including California, New York, New Jersey, Washington, Oregon, and Washington, D.C.

Prior to joining Green Earth Fuels, Mr. Trucksess served as the Clean Energy Program Manager for an Austin, Texas-based consulting and lobbying firm where he directed legislative, regulatory, and business development efforts for clients in a wide range of alternative energy and clean technology industries. He has also worked with communities throughout North America to help establish positive legislative and regulatory environments, including renewable portfolio standards and other incentives, either as part of deregulation legislation, or independently, to foster industry growth. In addition, Mr. Trucksess has worked with major utilities seeking to hedge fossil fuel power production costs and/or comply with environmental regulations.

Mr. Trucksess's earlier efforts generated more than $30 million in new contracts with the United States Agency for International Development for a leading consulting firm. His role as Business Operations Manager entailed extensive financial modeling and forecasting in addition to overall responsibility for day-to-day operations and annual planning.

Mr. Trucksess's industry experience also includes field assignments in Africa and Asia. He holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Michigan and an M.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin.

Sam Upchurch - Chief Operating Officer 

Sam Upchurch brings nearly a decade of commercial real estate, corporate finance, strategic planning, and risk management experience to the Green Earth Fuels team.

Previously, Mr. Upchurch headed the South American Risk Trading group and managed the North American Trading Risk Strategies group for El Paso Merchant Energy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of El Paso Corporation. There, he was responsible for developing hedging and contracting strategies for both domestic and international assets, and long-term marketing contracts. The commodity exposure included gas, power, and fuel oil. In addition, Mr. Upchurch was responsible for setting hedging strategies for the foreign exchange risk created by the group's international assets and operations.

Prior to joining the Trading Risk Strategies group, he served as Lead Analyst for more than $2 billion in project financings for the company's Structured Finance group. Mr. Upchurch also served as Managing Partner of a Texas-based real estate development firm that develops college housing communities throughout the state. He earned a B.S. in Finance from Texas State University and an M.B.A. from Southern Methodist University.

Mark G. Bauer - Senior Vice President, Technical 

Mark Bauer brings more than 20 years of engineering, construction, and project management experience to Green Earth Fuels. Responsible for the conceptual design, construction, and operations of the company's first 90 million gallons-per-year (mmgpy) plant, Mr. Bauer has a proven track record in developing, constructing, and operating diverse power and industrial projects throughout North and South America. He has implemented successful energy projects from the Arctic to the Amazon Basin, attaining keen insight into the various challenges inherent in operating within culturally diverse, environmentally extreme locations. Mr. Bauer has also pursued extensive studies in chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, and chemical engineering stoichiometry, providing an invaluable understanding of chemical processes related to biodiesel technology.

Prior to joining Green Earth, Mr. Bauer served as Managing Director of Engineering, Construction, and Operations for El Paso Corporation's International Power Group. His role included executive management oversight of the operation and maintenance of approximately 3,500 MW of power generation and 1,500 miles of pipelines in eight countries. Prior to assuming this position, he was responsible for the operation and maintenance of El Paso's Brazil-based Southern Cone Region, which consisted of seven power plants totaling 2,200 MW. In this capacity, he managed all aspects of engineering, contracting, construction, and technical development for more than $2 billion of assets.

Before joining El Paso, Mr. Bauer held various facility-based positions-from Plant Engineer to Plant Manager-at operations in Alaska, Peru, and Brazil. He earned a B.S. in Biology from Oregon State University and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alaska. He currently resides in Houston, Texas with his wife and three children.

Martin D. Beirne, III - Senior Vice President, Commercial 

Martin Beirne brings more than 10 years of strategic marketing and sales experience to the Green Earth Fuels team.

Prior to joining Green Earth, Mr. Beirne led the regional sales and business development efforts of a national biodiesel production and marketing company. In this role, he successfully implemented an aggressive growth strategy that focused on biodiesel adoption in a 13-state region, comprising bulk sales of B100 and blended biodiesel to leading commercial and government fleets, large petroleum distributors, and bulk distillate fuel aggregators.

Additionally, Mr. Beirne has extensive experience in the commercial, regulatory, and operational/technical aspects of biodiesel production and distribution. To advance the commercial opportunities for biodiesel fuel, he has testified and presented to diverse venues including the Texas Legislative Committee on Environmental Regulation, the San Diego Air and Waste Management Association, the Department of Energy Clean Cities annual meeting, and the Brazilian Technical Mission for Petroleum Logistics.

Prior to entering the biodiesel industry, Mr. Beirne brought a disciplined sales and marketing process to a number of start-up and early stage companies, enabling them to establish lucrative commercial relationships with larger and more established corporations. Mr. Beirne began his sales and marketing career with Stewart & Stevenson Services in Houston, Texas, where he successfully marketed diesel-powered ground support equipment packages to engineering groups from leading airline and aircraft service companies in the U.S. and Latin America.

Mr. Beirne earned a B.S. in Management from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama, and an M.B.A. in International Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Arizona. He currently resides in Houston, Texas with his wife and son.

Dan Hannon - Chief Financial Officer 

Dan Hannon brings more than 20 years of experience as a senior finance and development executive to Green Earth Fuels. With a proven track record in developing strategy, negotiating transactions, communicating with financial markets, and leading teams, his executive expertise ranges from project management and corporate strategy to investor relations, corporate refinancing, financial strategy, and initial public offerings.

Prior to joining Green Earth, Mr. Hannon was Chief Financial Officer for Colorado's Range Fuels, Inc., where he coordinated the capital raising process from multiple sources to fund the first commercial scale cellulosic ethanol plant.

Mr. Hannon previously served a nine-year tenure in a variety of senior level positions for Houston-based Reliant Energy, Inc., an $11 billion leading electric generation and retail electricity company. In his most recent position as SVP Finance and Corporate Development, he closed more than $4 billion in divestitures, led a $4 billion corporate refinancing and negotiated an unprecedented credit enhanced structure with Merrill Lynch which resulted in a $1.8 billion collateral posting reduction.

Mr. Hannon spent 10 years with Exxon Corporation with various responsibilities in finance, capital project analytics, financial reporting, and producing property acquisitions.

He holds an M.B.A. from the Owen School at Vanderbilt and a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Georgia. Mr. Hannon is actively involved in the Houston area's Boys and Girls Club, Periwinkle Foundation, and MS Society.