About Us
Our History
For over a decade, Braven has been developing, testing and perfecting our waste plastics processing, and building the early support needed to prove our solution at commercial scale. Our model works and is ready today. It’s the result of applying an entrepreneurial mindset to solving a global problem. By delivering an effective solution to waste plastics, we are building a legacy company designed to create lasting change.
Our business model is as focused, efficient and sound as our solution to waste plastics. We studied the waste-to-energy companies that came before us, and we understand why they’ve struggled. As a result, we know what it will take to deliver strong financial returns that yield long-term, triple-bottom-line success for our partners, customers, investors and most importantly—for the generations that will inherit our earth.
Our Leadership
Nicholas Canosa
President, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder
Nicholas Canosa
President, Chief Executive Officer, and Co-Founder
Prior to founding Braven (formerly known as Golden Renewable Energy, LLC), Mr. Canosa founded Lion Fuels International, LLC (“LFI”). LFI manages a 2,500 acre jatropha farm in Honduras, Central America. Prior to forming LFI, Mr. Canosa founded and was Chief Executive Officer of Global Financial Credit, LLC (“Global”). Started in 2003, Global was one of the first companies to advance funds to people/plaintiffs involved in a lawsuit awaiting settlement. In late 2007, Mr. Canosa led the sale of the company to a family office. In 1999, before forming Global, Mr. Canosa acquired and ran USAG, Inc., an existing chain of daycare centers. In 1995 prior to USAG, Inc., Mr. Canosa founded and was Chief Executive Officer of Affordable Diagnostics, Inc. an operator of freestanding independent multi-diagnostic centers that include MRI, CT-Scan and X-Ray equipment. In 1998, Mr. Canosa sold this company to Fonar Corporation, a manufacturer of MRI machines. In 1991, prior to Affordable Diagnostic, Inc., Mr. Canosa founded and was Chief Executive Officer of Northeast Physical Therapy Centers (“Northeast”). In 1994, Mr. Canosa merged Northeast with ProSports Care, Inc., which he took public in 1994 (NASDAQ: PSCM) and in 1996, Mr. Canosa sold ProSports Care to Healthsouth Corporation (NYSE: HRC).
Mr. Canosa received a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Business Administration from New York University in 1984. Mr. Canosa also received a juris doctor degree from Yeshiva University Benjamin Cardozo School of Law in New York City in 1987. Mr. Canosa has been a member of the Westchester County and New York State Bar Association; however, he is not currently engaged in the practice of law.
Michael Moreno
Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder
Michael Moreno
Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder
Prior to co-founding Braven (formerly known as Golden Renewable Energy, LLC), in 2014, Mr. Moreno was a Principal and one of the four owners of Black Diamond Capital Management, LLC (“BDCM”), an approximately $9.0 billion alternative asset management firm specializing in amongst other things, the acquisition, stabilization, growth and sale of distressed companies in the U.S. and Europe. Prior to joining BDCM, Mr. Moreno was a Principal at Atlantic Pacific Capital, a placement agent specializing in raising institutional capital for alternative investment managers. Mr. Moreno began raising alternative investment capital in 1996 for ING Asset Management.
Mr. Moreno started his career at Chemical Bank, in the Loan Syndications, Structured Finance and Private Placements Group, and co-headed emerging markets loan syndications desks for both ING and BankBoston.
Mr. Moreno received his B.A. in Political Science from Tulane University.
Jeffrey D. Neumann
Chief Administrative Officer
Jeffrey D. Neumann
Chief Administrative Officer
Prior to joining Braven (formerly known as Golden Renewable Energy, LLC), Mr. Neumann was the founder and CEO of RMH Franchise Holdings, one of the largest independently owned restaurant franchise operators in the country. Previously, Mr. Neumann co-founded private equity firm Coda Capital Partners in 2002. Prior to joining Coda, he was the Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of FrontLine Capital Group, a publicly traded investment vehicle. At both Coda and FrontLine, Mr. Neumann held senior leadership positions at several portfolio companies across a range of industries. Before joining FrontLine in 1998, he was a Vice President in GE Capital's private equity investment subsidiary. Previously, Mr. Neumann was the President of CompuTower Technologies, a manufacturing company, and of Modern Healthcare Services, a healthcare company.
Mr. Neumann started his career with the investment banking firm of Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. in New York. Jeff holds an MBA in Finance from the New York University Stern School of Business and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Ithaca College.
Business Development
Ross Sloane
Director of Business Development
Ross Sloane
Director of Business Development
Mr. Sloane is responsible for leading Braven’s project development efforts, including identifying potential facility sites, sourcing waste plastic suppliers and offtake partners.
Prior to joining Braven, Mr. Sloane had over 10 years in the financial services industry as a Senior Vice President of commercial institutional wealth at PNC Bank, Senior City President for SunTrust and Vice President for Wachovia/Wells Fargo retail and business banking. His responsibilities included the management of personal and business financial portfolios for both private and public companies with annual revenues greater than $1 billion. Prior to banking, Mr. Sloane was the owner of several successful companies in the medical and communications industries.
Mr. Sloane’s entrepreneurial spirit started after college when he joined a family cable business and expanded its footprint to cover the southeast as acting President. He was instrumental in the negotiating the FEMA funding for the utility companies in the communications rebuild of Florida after the hurricane disaster season of the “Summer of Six”. The successful growth of that company led to an acquisition by then named Brighthouse Communications, now Charter.
Mr. Sloane was a student athlete at Penn State University where he received his B.A. in Business Administration with a minor in Marketing. Mr. Sloane continued his education at the Bryan School of Business at UNCG with a concentration in economics
Our Triple Bottom
Line Promise
With every new facility established by Braven, we create job growth and support local initiatives to better care for the communities. We are committed to using a localized workforce to fill positions across the spectrum, especially pulling from local trade schools, colleges and universities. We are further dedicated to create a fair, safe and prosperous work environment, driven by strong family ties within the company itself.
