Board of Directors
J.C. "Jim" Rushing III
Chairman
Jim Rushing was elected to the Company’s Board of Directors in September 2003 and was elected as its Chairman in March 2008. Mr. Rushing previously served as Chairman from January 2004 until March 2005. From March 2005 until February 2008, he served as Chief Financial Officer of Ecosphere Technologies. Mr. Rushing founded Corporate Resources Consulting Group, Inc., a consultancy providing experienced financial and operational management leadership services. From 1998 to 2001, Mr. Rushing served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Isolyser Company, Inc., where he co-led a major financial turnaround. From 1997 to 1998, Mr. Rushing served as Chief Financial Officer and Director of New Life Corporation of
Vice Admiral George R. Sterner, United States Navy (Retired)
Director
George Sterner was elected to the Company’s Board of Directors in March of 2002 and served as Chairman of the Company from March 2005 until March 2008. Admiral Sterner joined Raytheon in 1999 as the company’s Naval Mission Area Executive. He retired in 2005 after three years as Vice President for Strategic Pursuits at Raytheon. From 1998 to 1999, he served as Vice President – System Integration for Walt Disney Imagineering and directed the technical aspects and delivery preparations for the MS Disney Wonder cruise ship. Admiral Sterner spent 36 distinguished years with the U.S. Navy including four years as Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command (1994 – 1998), until his retirement in 1998. Admiral Sterner is currently co-owner and managing director of Sea Systems Solutions, Inc., a consulting firm in
Joe M. Allbaugh
Director
Joe Allbaugh was elected to the Board of Directors in October 2005. Mr. Allbaugh served as the FEMA Director under President George W. Bush until March 2003. Prior to moving to
Michael R. "Mickey" Donn, Sr.
Chief Operating Officer and Director
Mickey Donn was elected to serve on the Board of Directors of Ecosphere Technologies in March 2005 and currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for the Company. Mr. Donn previously served as a consultant, Director of Communications, Managing Director, Senior Vice President of Operations, Executive Vice President, and Treasurer for the Company, as well as President and Chief Operating Officer of Ecosphere Systems, since 2000. Mr. Donn was Project Manager for the Ecosphere Technologies Environmental Protection Agency Verification testing. From 1994 to 2000, Mr. Donn served as President of the 1700-member Miami-Dade County Fire Fighters Association, for which he previously served as Vice President and Treasurer since 1982. Mr. Donn coordinated relief efforts for the Miami-Dade fire fighters following Hurricane Andrew. Additionally, he set up and coordinated the Ecosphere relief effort in
Barry Hechtman
Director
Barry Hechtman was elected to serve on the Board of Directors of Ecosphere Technologies in March 2005. Mr. Hechtman owns and manages an accounting firm in
Charles Vinick
Director
Charles Vinick was elected to serve on the Board of Directors in August 2006. Mr. Vinick is a consultant specializing in environmental policy, renewable ocean current energy and wind power. His more than two decades with Cousteau International environmental organizations included several leadership positions: Executive Vice President, Ocean Futures Society; Vice President, Jean-Michel Cousteau Institute; and Vice President of the Cousteau Society. His responsibilities included operations and management, fundraising, and financial and business development. His prior experience also includes President and CEO of the
Floyd R. Farleigh
Director
Mr. Farleigh was elected to serve on the Board of Directors in October 2007. He joined Ecosphere in 2004 with an extensive professional background in the financial services industries. Previously, he served as Director of Investor Relations with a company associated with Gastar Exploration Ltd., playing a key role in the effort to bring Gastar to the public market. Prior to that, Mr. Farleigh served as a partner with Conquest Energy Inc, a company developing and marketing investment opportunities; and as President of Arkoma Royalty, a company formed for the sole purpose of sponsoring direct (deeded) ownership of oil and gas minerals rights and leases. Since 1987, his concentration has been in the oil and gas industry, giving him extensive knowledge of the quality of opportunities available today. In 1969 he helped formulate one of the pioneer financial planning firms in the country. He began his career in 1964 as a life underwriter, which led to the desire to offer a wide array of financial services. Mr. Farleigh has served as a licensed securities broker, an investment adviser, a principal in syndicated offerings and a marketing consultant for companies desiring to enter the syndication field. Mr. Farleigh is certified as a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), and Charter Financial Consultant (ChFC). In the early 1960s, he served as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps and on Active Reserve.
*Admiral William Owens, United States Navy (Retired)
Chairman Emeritus
William Owens previously served as Chairman of Ecosphere Technologies, Inc. and was elected Chairman Emeritus upon completion of his service to the Company. Admiral Owens is Chairman and CEO of AEA Holdings, Inc. Previously, he served as Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nortel Networks. Prior to becoming CEO at Nortel, Admiral Owens was Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Teledesic LLC and President, Chief Operating Officer and Vice Chairman of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), the
*Admiral William Owens is no longer a Board member.
*Jean-Michel Cousteau
Director Emeritus
An explorer, environmentalist, educator and film producer for more than 40 years, Jean-Michel Cousteau is founder and president of the Ocean Futures Society, a non-profit marine conservation organization. the eldest son of undersea explorer Jacques Cousteau, Jean-Michel travels the globe as the "voice of the ocean," meeting with world leaders and policymakers, educating young people, documenting stories of change and hope, and lending his reputation and support to help energize alliances for positive change. At the 2001 Winter and 2004 Summer Olympic Games, he was chosen to represent the environment, literally carrying the torch for the Earth into the Opening Ceremonies. As a former member of the Ecosphere Technologies Board of Directors, Mr. Cousteau has played a leading role in helping the Company form eco-alliances with shipyards and ship operators to protect the ocean environment from industrial pollution. Going forward, Mr. Cousteau will work with Company executives and the world's oil exploration companies to help them with produced water issues for the protection of the world's oceans. Mr. Cousteau served on the Ecosphere Board of Directors from August 15, 1999 until April 2005.
*Jean-Michel Cousteau is no longer a Board member. He continues to serve on the Advisory Board.