The Management - Consulting Team

John D. Ericsson.  has served as the founder and  Managing Director of Gulf Marine Institute of Technology, as a 501 (c) (3) publicly supported, nonprofit research institute since its creation in 1995. Mr. Ericsson has supervised marine research projects involving several Texas universities and participating foundations and acquired approximately $9.6 million in donations of offshore platforms, vessels, and sea farming equipment from US and international sponsors, plus bonds and grants for mariculture research and development.  Mr. Ericsson holds a B.S. degree in business management and marketing from the University of Tulsa and is listed in Who’s Who of American Inventors 1996-1998, holding U.S. Patent numbers 5,438,958, DES 362,508 for the Sea Trek Ocean Farming System and 5,628,280 for the Sea Star Oyster Relay System.  He has been a member of the World Aquaculture Society, the Aquacultural Engineering Society and has been honored by the Massachusetts House of Representatives for “his outstanding contributions to the fishing industry.” Mr. Ericsson and his mariculture systems were featured in the October 23, 1995 issue of Forbes Magazine in the Science and Technology section.

Georgine Burt, is the acting Secretary/Treasurer of GMIT. Mrs. Burt received a BS in Business Administration and Marketing from the San Diego State University in California in 1986 and is a notary public and official circuit court reporter.

Edwin W. Cake, Jr., PhD, has been a director and Chief Science Officer of GMIT since 1995.  Dr. Cake holds B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography from Florida State University   Dr. Cake previously served a Senior Research Scientist and Section Head of the Oyster Biology Section of the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, a marine research institute in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.  In addition, Dr. Cake was an Adjunct Professor of marine science and environmental science at the University of Southern Mississippi. and a Senior Environmental Consultant to various private and public institutions.  Dr. Cake has been a former member of the Executive Committee of the U.S. EPA’s Gulf of Mexico Program and previously served as president of the National Shellfisheries Association

Mr. Phillip G. Lee, PhD, Dr. Lee has recently become a Director of the Company on May 10, 2007 and has been working with GMIT for years through prior research agreements with his university, the University of Texas Medical Branch. Dr. Lee holds a B.S. in Zoology from the University of Oklahoma, and M.S. in Marine Science from the University of South Florida, and a Ph.D. in Nutrition from Texas A&M University, specializing in marine hatchery and nutrition requirements for growing marine organisms. Dr. Lee has over 20 years experience in collecting, transporting and rearing marine invertebrates, with particular emphasis on cephalopods and crustaceans. He has also designed, constructed, and patented recalculating aquaculture systems

Dr. S. Randall Hobgood, MD, Director,. Dr. Hobgood has been Vice President of Pensacola Radiology Consultants, P.A. since January 1975, where he has concentrated on diagnostic studies. Dr. Hobgood holds a B.E.E. in electrical engineering, an M.S. in Radiation Biophysics and an M.D., each from the University of Florida.

Mr. Luis Cabello, Offshore Systems Management Consultant.  Mr. Cabello received his education at the Business School of Economy Cordoba (Spain) receiving a PH degree “Master in Agriculture economy” in 1981 Mr. Cabello has served as a member of many international sea farming organizations as follows: 1985-1990 Tinamener SA of Spain. Hatching clams, oysters, prawns, sea bass, sea bream and turbot.  Project manager of turbot intensive growout.1990-1993. Culmarex of Spain, the first sea cages for fish farming in Spain. Project Manager: building cages, moorings and techniques reaching 1.800 tons per year production of sea bream and sea bass.1993-1996 Culmarex II. General manager.

Mr. Arie de Bondt, was previously appointed to the Board of Directors and continues as an advisor to the Board.  Mr. deBondt is the Managing Director of HESY Bergambacht BV, in the Netherlands. Mr. de Bondt has designed and installed recirculation equipment for aquaculture since 1981. Mr. de Bondt had a technical and economical education in the Netherlands. HESY and its principal, Mr. Arie de Bondt have designed and constructed approximately 60 intensive recirculating fish farming facilities in many countries like Holland, Belgium, Spain, Greece, England, Chile, Ireland, Israel, Morocco, China, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. At least 20 species are farmed in HESY systems.

Mr.Phillip Turk, Consultant pursuant to the Services Agreement with Aquatic Feeds and Filters, Inc. Mr. Philip Turk has been involved in aquaculture for more than 30 years, culturing some of the hardest to culture marine invertebrates- squid. He was the National Resource Center for Cephalopod (NRCC) Laboratory Manager and a Research Scientist for 23 years before retiring in 1999

Mr. Mike Hightower - Consultant. Mr. Hightower has over 27 years of experience in marine and estuarine research, regulatory affairs, environmental issues, land management and natural resource policy, and specializing in the coastal areas. Mr. Hightower holds a B.S. in Zoology and M.S. in Marine Biology from the Texas A&M University.