Montgomery W. Childs
Chairman & Founder
Montgomery Childs is the chairman and founder of Aureon Energy and its predecessor company, Aurtas International, Inc, where he is the creator, chief scientist, and program leader of the SAFIRE Project. A lifelong entrepreneur, Monty most notably founded and served as CEO of Genesis Design Engineering, Inc., a product and production design engineering firm that counted as its customers General Motors and Westinghouse, Saturn, and Ford, leading him to earn Profit magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year award. Monty subsequently founded Linear Transfer Systems, Ltd, where as CEO he brought annual revenue to $15 million within four years and won a Toyota 5-Star Award for best-managed companies. While at Linear he managed a team of 200 in the launch of the Toyota Tacoma frame, with a program value of $4 billion, twice earning him a place in Profit magazine’s Top 100 Canadian Companies for Growth category. Monty has developed 11 issued patents in the fields of machine control, solar energy, and plasma physics. At the request of the Canadian National Research Council, he designed a meteorological rocket to measure for atomic oxygen in the earth’s upper atmosphere. Monty is a former instructor in AI and CAD at Georgian College and holds certifications in statistical process control and design of experiments, among other areas of expertise. He is also a certified licensed machinist and toolmaker. Monty is an accomplished event speaker with approximately one dozen conference presentations to his name.
Benjamin Dowell - BSEE, MS, MBA
President
Ben Dowell is an engineering and business leader with expertise spanning military operations, finance, human capital, and hard technology. He served as a U.S. Army engineer officer for 10 years, leading teams in combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan while developing deep skills in leadership, strategy, logistics, and training. After leaving active duty in 2013, Ben earned an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, focusing on finance and marketing. He then joined Robert W. Baird as an investment banking associate in the consumer industry group, advising on M&A transactions totaling $750 million for clients such as 5.11 Tactical and OGIO. In 2017, Ben transitioned to Korn Ferry’s human capital consulting practice, specializing in executive assessment, leadership development, and private equity advisory. He later became President of Chamberlain Advisors, where he built a successful executive search practice for CFOs, controllers, and veterans in finance roles. Seeking to return to his engineering roots, Ben joined Aureon Energy as President in May 2024, leading strategy, business development, capital raising, and government relations to commercialize Aureon's groundbreaking energy technology. Ben holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, an M.S. in Engineering Management from Missouri S&T, and an MBA from Kellogg.
Dr. Michael Clarage - BS, PhD Physics
Chief Science Officer
Dr. Michael Clarage is a physicist, educator, and lecturer whose research has spanned multiple academic specialties, from the study of binary pulsars at the Arecibo radio telescope to the exploration of connections between fractional calculus and chaotic systems, with discoveries in this field to his credit. For two decades he led product development and business development efforts for large-scale international technology providers. As Aureon’s Chief Science Officer on the SAFIRE Project, Dr. Clarage focuses on optimizing the design of experiments for electric plasma discharges and correlating the scientific results with insights from solar and planetary physics. He holds a Ph.D. in physics from Brandeis University.
Paul Childs
VP, Operations
Paul Childs is a senior operations and business development executive with over 20 years of leadership experience across multiple industries. He has a proven track record of driving business growth, streamlining operations, and improving efficiency. As Vice President of Operations and Development at Bydem, Paul managed six businesses generating $150 million in revenue, leading key restructuring efforts and optimizing operations. As General Manager at Canadian Tire, he oversaw two stores with $40 million in revenue, revitalized underperforming locations through out his career, and played a key role in launching a 130,000 sq. ft. flagship store. At Linear Transfer Systems, he expanded the company's U.S. market presence as Regional Sales Manager, establishing a distributor network and strengthening customer relationships. He later transitioned to Project Management, where he streamlined procurement, optimized costs, and improved operational efficiency. Paul’s expertise lies in business operations, process optimization, and strategic growth initiatives. His ability to lead high performance teams and implement efficiency driven solutions has contributed to the success of multiple organizations.
Dr. Paul Anderson - PhD, Chemistry
VP, Experiments
Dr. Paul Anderson is a senior physical chemist working for the United States Department of Defense, serving as a lead scientist overseeing and researching the synthesis, formulation, and characterization of next-generation explosive and propellant systems. Dr. Anderson’s pioneering use of statistical design of experiments (DOE) in all aspects of munitions development and testing led to his leveraging DOE in other R&D endeavors, including the SAFIRE Project. His extensive experience in DOE laid the foundation for his expertise in commercial product development. Dr. Anderson holds 4 patents and has authored 18 peer-reviewed publications and over 40 government technical reports and proceedings. He is a member of the IEEE and NDIA and holds a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Northeastern University.
Jason Lickver - CET
VP, Engineering
With nearly 30 years of experience in mechanical design, energy management, and automation, Jason Lickver is a seasoned engineering professional with a track record of driving efficiency and innovation. As Engineering Manager at Linear Transfer Systems, Jason spent a decade overseeing mechanical design for advanced automation systems in the automotive stamping industry. Transitioning into energy management, he helped commercial and industrial clients implement retrofits, manage government incentives, and optimize ROI. He later served as Onsite Energy Manager at Nemak, a $30 billion global company, leading large-scale energy audits and project execution. For the past seven years, Jason has been Automation Manager at Auxly, where he played a key role in infrastructure due diligence, regulatory compliance, and automation implementation in the cannabis sector. He oversaw the startup and commissioning of a fully automated 1-million-square-foot facility, ensuring efficient operations for a $100 million-a-year business. In addition to his expertise in automation and energy management, Jason has been a driving force behind the SAFIRE Team since 2014, serving as the Senior Design Engineer on SAFIRE II and III while spearheading advancements in design engineering for the project.
Jan Onderco - MSc.
VP, Data Acquisition
Jan Onderco is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience in business analysis, programming, and project management. His expertise spans across database system design, testing, and documentation, with a significant focus on project management for the last 15 years. Jan has specialized in developing web-based database applications for 11 years and has extensive knowledge in areas such as CRM, ERP, and logistics. His technical skills include proficiency in Magic Software, various SQL databases, and web technologies like ASP, PHP, and JavaScript. Since 2014, Jan has been contributing to the SAFIRE project at Aurtas International in Mississauga, where he designed and developed SCADA systems and data transformation engines for physics research. His career also includes relativity research and roles at Hathaway Consulting Services, focusing on embedded systems for physics experiments. Jan holds certifications as a Magic and SQL trainer and has worked in diverse environments, from local government solutions in Canada to international projects in the UK and Slovakia. His educational background includes a Master's degree in Technical Cybernetics and Controlling from Slovak Technical University.