Daniel Simon is the president and chief executive officer of Heliae Technology Holdings Inc. He has a broad background as a founder and executive of both public and private energy, technology, and industrial manufacturing businesses. Prior to joining Heliae, Dan was president and CEO of Elevant Advisors, a privately held advisory firm offering capital-raising and management consulting services to energy and technology enterprises.

Prior to Elevant Advisors, Dan was a co-founder, director, executive vice president, and chief operating officer of BioFuel Energy Corp., a publicly traded company (Nasdaq: BIOF). Dan led the company from its inception to becoming the fifth-largest pure-play ethanol producer in the world, with over 230 million gallons of annual production capacity and revenue of over $500 million in 2011.

From 1994 to 1999, Dan served in various roles for NCH Corp. (at the time, a NYSE-listed company), where he founded and operated a portfolio of 14 manufacturing, distribution, and service businesses primarily targeting the energy and water management markets in the U.S. and Asia Pacific regions. Between 1999 and 2004, Dan served as the vice president of International Development for TIC/Kiewit, an industrial engineering and construction company, where he was successful in building TIC's international revenue from zero in 2000 to $170 million in 2004.

In 2004, Dan founded and served as president of Renewable Energy Development Co. (a TIC subsidiary), offering development and finance services to renewable-energy and infrastructure-related companies. Over the last 15 years, Dan has led and/or participated in the development, finance, construction, and/or operation of over $4.7 billion in energy, technology, and mining-related assets, and completed over $540 million in mergers and acquisitions.

From 2004 to 2007, Dan was also the majority owner and served as executive chairman of Calpac Lasers Inc., a laser and LED light manufacturing company, where, in 30 months, investors realized a 3x return on equity.

In 2005, Dan co-founded BioFuel Solutions LLC, a business which provided management, development, and capital raising services to biofuel-related enterprises. The business was sold in April of 2006, returning over a 10x return to the original investors. Since 2005, Dan has led the development and financing of over $700 million in debt and equity for renewable-energy projects.

Dan has been a board member of multiple energy, construction, and technology-related enterprises. Additionally, over the last 20 years, he has provided assistance to dozens of companies in the technology, healthcare, construction, engineering, and energy industries.

Dan received his Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Colorado and completed additional studies in Japanese language and economics at Keio University in Tokyo. Having lived in Japan (twice), Malaysia, and Thailand, Dan has acquired extensive international business experience and is proficient in both the Japanese and Spanish languages.