Terra CO2, the scalable low-carbon alternative for cement production, has appointed Chance Allen as the new chief operating officer (COO), Anjy Salinas as chief financial officer (CFO), and Michele Blackburn as commercial director. These additions come at a crucial time as the company prepares to commercialize its first commercial plants for producing OPUS SCM, a materials solution for the cement industry that dramatically reduces cement’s greenhouse gas emissions and ultimately, decarbonizes concrete.
Chance Allen, stepping into the role of COO, is an accomplished executive bringing a solid track record of success in managing large-scale businesses, executing strategic growth initiatives, and facilitating acquisitions and mergers. Over a prosperous career with stints at industry giants such as Holcim and Martin Marietta, Allen has demonstrated his exceptional leadership and strategic planning capabilities. Allen’s expertise in lean manufacturing, sales management, contract negotiations, land acquisitions, and management, coupled with his talent for building robust, efficient teams, positions him to steer Terra CO2’s operational excellence as it gears up for large-scale commercialization.
As CFO, Anjy Salinas adds 20 years of financial acumen and construction industry experience to Terra’s executive team. Salinas will guide Terra’s financial strategy, ensuring fiscal responsibility and maximizing value for stakeholders. Her expertise in managing fiscal strategy in the construction industry will be instrumental as Terra transitions from a research and development-focused company to a full-scale commercial enterprise.
Michele Blackburn assumes the role of Commercial Director, bringing a deep understanding of the commercial aspects of the building materials industry. Her role will be critical in capitalizing on Terra’s innovative low-carbon technology and bringing it to the forefront of the construction industry. Blackburn’s commercial industry experience at both Saint-Gobain and Johns Manville, a Berkshire Hathaway Company, and ability to successfully drive business growth will be invaluable in steering Terra’s product suite to market.
“The addition of Chance, Anjy, and Michele is an important step for Terra CO2,” says Bill Yearsley, CEO of Terra CO2. “Their deep industry experience and unique insights will enhance our ability to deliver on our mission of decarbonizing concrete by replacing cement. As we transition to deployment of our first commercial plants, these strategic appointments will ensure our readiness to meet the growing demand for sustainable building materials.”
Terra’s core technology is a production process that converts inexpensive, abundant, and local feedstocks from existing aggregate mines to high-performing and cost-competitive cementitious materials.
Concrete, used for construction, is the world’s second most-used material after water. However, concrete relies on cement as a binder, which is a carbon-intensive material and is estimated to contribute up to 8 percent of global CO2 emissions annually. Terra’s proprietary solution produces 70% lower CO2 emissions than the Portland cement it replaces.
“The CO2 and NOx emissions associated with cement make finding an alternative to current solutions a climate imperative,” adds Yearsely. “From source to deployment, we are catalyzing full-system changes in concrete production, not just incremental improvements over existing processes and technologies.”
Terra’s continued growth comes on the heels of the promising results of its OPUS Supplementary Cementitious Material in the Minnesota Road Research Facility Project, where Terra’s materials were used at the highest substitution level of all the products tested as an SCM in the project.
Terra CO2 is setting the stage for the ground breaking for its first commercial plant in Q1 2024, capable of producing 250,000 tons of product annually.
