Principals and founding members

Wayne R. Dorband, Ph.D.

Wayne Dorband is Chairman of International Risk Group, LLC, and co-founder and former Chief Operating Officer of Cherokee Environmental Risk Management. Dr. Dorband is considered by the industry as a leader in the area of environmental risk management and insurance. He has owned laboratories, consulting firms and contracting businesses as well as directed thousands of projects for private and public entities. He is known for his role in the development of the original scientific modeling used by the insurance industry to create underwriting guidelines for environmental risk and real assets. As a well-respected educator and author, Dr. Dorband is consistently sought for his broad technical expertise in a wide variety of disciplines, including air quality, soil chemistry and aquatic ecology. He is an active board member of a variety of community service organizations, and holds a BS in Biology from the University of California, Irvine, an MS in Biology from San Diego State University and a PhD in Fisheries Resources from the University of Idaho.

John R. Jackson

John Jackson, Chief Financial Officer of International Risk Group, LLC, has over 14 years experience providing investment banking and M&A services for complex corporate transactions. Prior to joining International Risk Group, Mr. Jackson was Chief Operating Officer of Advanced Broadband System Services, Inc., a $40 million broadband construction and engineering firm. His operating expertise includes extensive knowledge of project management, process controls and mission critical management information systems. Mr. Jackson founded Jackson Financial Corporation in 1990 and worked as an independent investment banker and M&A adviser for 8 years. He was also a Vice President for Daniels & Associates, a Denver based cable television investment banking firm. He received an MBA in Finance and a BS in Accounting/Finance from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Brent C. Anderson, Esq.

Brent Anderson serves as Chief Executive Officer of International Risk Group, LLC, and is former President and Corporate Counsel for Cherokee Environmental Risk Management. With over 15 years of experience as an engineer, attorney and entrepreneur in the impaired asset industry, Mr. Anderson has negotiated and successfully resolved complex impaired asset transactions involving Superfund, hazardous and solid waste, underground storage tanks and mining liabilities. His wide range of knowledge in obtaining relief from regulatory agencies and in negotiating complex transactions has earned him a solid reputation. He has started and managed environmental consulting and remediation construction companies and has completed over $50 million worth of emergency response, hazardous waste remediation and mine reclamation projects. Mr. Anderson is published in numerous technical and legal journals and is an adjunct professor at Colorado School of Mines and the University of Denver. He received a JD (Order of the Coif) from the University of Denver, an ME in Geological Engineering from Colorado School of Mines and a BS in Geology from Montana State University.

Patrick H. Riddell, CPCU, CIC

Patrick Riddell, CEO of IRG Environmental, LLC, an International Risk Group company, has over 30 years of experience in loss control, safety construction, and oil field and environmental insurance. He has developed and successfully implemented owner control programs for entire states, Fortune 500 Companies and construction projects in the United States, Australia and China. He has served on various association boards and as a faculty member for the Minnesota Institute for Legal Education, the Texas Environmental Conference, the National Association of Industrial Office Parks, Colorado Real Estate Coalition, PIA, IIA and CLE International. While with Cherokee Environmental Risk Management, Mr. Riddell was Senior Vice President of Insurance Operations. He has also served as Vice President and Director of Environmental Risk Insurance Company (ERIC) and was a Senior Underwriter for the SAFECO Insurance Company. As a past principal in two independent brokerage firms, and with experience as a Loss Control Consultant for Hartford Insurance Company, Mr. Riddell is well equipped in the field. He earned a BA from Texas A & M University and is a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and a Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC).

Mikkel R. Anderson, P.E.

Mikk Anderson, President of IRG Assumptions, LLC, an International Risk Group company, has over 25 years of experience managing impaired assets, including significant involvement in strategy development, operations and project management, client relationships and litigation support activities. He is a recognized expert in the management of hazardous construction waste, demolition and industrial property redevelopment. Mr. Anderson's credentials include support for private corporations and local, state and Federal governmental agencies. His clients included ARCO, Shell, UNOCAL, AlliedSignal, General Dynamics, General Motors, Lockheed, Rockwell, Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach, the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Defense. Prior to joining IRG, Mr. Anderson served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Perix Industries. He holds a BS in Civil Engineering and an MS in Civil Engineering from the University of Washington. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the states of California and Washington.

Connie Riddell, CPCU, CIC

Connie Riddell is President of IRG Environmental, LLC, an International Risk Group company. She has over 20 years of experience in commercial environmental insurance management, underwriting and product development. She has served as Director and Officer for the ERIC Group, Vice President and Regional Manager for Crum & Forster Insurance Company, and Director and Manager of Columbine Captive Insurance Company. Ms. Riddell was instrumental in designing the first insurance industry protection policy for the "occurrence" form of asbestos abatement, property transfer liability and asbestos in place. She has been published in Asbestos Management Source Book, The Risk Report, the Construction Risk Management Newsletter, Econ and Asbestos Issues. Ms. Riddell holds a BA from the University of Denver and is a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC).

Scott E. State, P.E.

Mr. State is a senior executive with management experience in mergers and acquisitions, operations, marketing, and corporate finance. He manages or controls a number of entities organized to structure and finance development activities in major residential, commercial, and infrastructure projects in addition to providing consultation for dealing with environmentally impaired assets and mergers/acquisitions.

Mr. State has been engaged in financing and developing a very successful 400 unit residential housing project in Southern California. An entity structured by Mr. State has also raised over $10 million for the development of Yard House Restaurants for a national roll out of the business. Yard House is one of the fastest growing casual dining restaurant companies in America and was recently selected as a “Hot Concept” by the Nation’s Restaurant News.

Mr. State is engaged in several financial advisory projects with clients seeking to buy or sell major assets or to recapitalize their businesses. Two recent engagements involve structuring surety, capital, and collateral for transportation equipment manufacturing companies allowing the firms to rapidly expand into profitable growth markets. He is also providing advisory services that include structuring and financing advice for dealing with environmentally impaired real estate. These services are typically provided in concert with International Risk Group, an expert in risk management and liability assumption.

Mr. State served as Chairman and CEO of MACTEC until September of 2002 where he directed the growth in annual revenue from $45 million in 1996 to over $480 million in 2002. In 1999 Mr. State executed a leveraged buyout of MACTEC from the company’s ESOP, bringing in two private equity investors, and completed a second recapitalization bringing in $86.5 million in new equity in early 2002. In total, the company raised over $475 million of debt and equity capital during this period. MACTEC successfully integrated nine acquisitions and the company established itself as an industry leader with over 4000 employees providing services to over 7,000 customers. During the five-year period from 1997 to 2002, MACTEC grew gross revenues and EBITDA (cash flow) at annual rates of over 40% and 50% respectively.

Mr. State has Bachelors and Masters degrees in Nuclear Engineering and a Masters degree in Engineering Management.

Richard A. Crooker, Esq.

Mr. Crooker serves as General Counsel for International Risk Group, LLC. Before joining International Risk Group, LLC, Mr. Crooker was a partner with The Cuyler Burk law firm for over 10 years. His area of practice focused on risk management/insurance coverage as well as commercial real estate and general litigation. He was also head of the firms' practice groups focusing on entrepreneurs and environmental opportunities. Mr. Crooker is a frequent speaker on legal topics including Brownfields redevelopment law and other environmentally- impacted transactions.

Mr. Crooker has an A.B. in Government from the University of Notre Dame (1981) and a law degree from Rutgers University (1985).