FutureMetrics

The Leading Full Service Consultancy in the Pellet Sector

FutureMetrics

Pellet plant operations and safety optimization services

FutureMetrics

Due diligence for potential investors and lenders

FutureMetrics

FutureMetrics provides due diligence services, information and analysis,
operations guidance, and strategic advice.

FutureMetrics provides due diligence services, information and analysis, operations guidance, and strategic advice.

About Us

Download a more detailed summary of FutureMetrics including a listing of recent clients.

William Strauss, MBA, PhD

William Strauss, MBA, PhD

President and Founder

William Strauss is the President and founder of FutureMetrics, LLC. .  Bill is globally recognized as a leading expert in the wood pellet sector.  Bill continues to be a leader in the sector and has published numerous papers on a variety of subjects relevant to the wood pellet sector.  He is also a co-founder and a Director of Maine Energy Systems www.MaineEnergySystems.com , the largest manufacturer of European style automatic pellet fueled central heating systems in North America.  Bill has been named as one of the most influential leaders in the biomass sector in 2016 and again in 2017 by Argus Media, and is the 2012 recipient of the International Excellence in Bioenergy award.  He has more than forty years of strategic and policy planning, project management, data analysis, operations, and modeling experience in the renewable energy sector.  He has an MBA (specializing in finance) and a PhD (economics, earth systems science).

Dr. Strauss has a book on our economic system. Get it HERE.

John Swaan

John Swaan

Operations and Project Development Expert

John, often called “the grandfather of North American wood pellets,” is widely recognized as one of the leading experts in the wood pellet sector. John’s experience, wisdom, and history in pellet manufacturing is legendary. In 1994, John founded Pacific BioEnergy Corporation located in Prince George, British Columbia, where he successfully established one of Canada’s leading wood pellet exporters. In 1996, John was instrumental in establishing the Wood Pellet Association of Canada and served as its executive director from 2005-2009. He manufactured and shipped the first ever transatlantic shipment of pellets from North America (to Sweden) in 1997. John brings a broad range of wisdom and skills key to the sector from forest management, to pellet manufacturing, to logistics optimization, to negotiating shipping contracts. John is the recipient of the 2014 Founders Award at the International Biomass Conference.  John was honored with the “Lifetime Achievement Award” at the 2023 Argus Biomass conference in London.

Kayleigh Rayner Brown

Kayleigh Rayner Brown

Process Safety Specialist

Kayleigh is a process safety specialist with expertise in hazard analysis, combustible dust, and inherently safer design. She helps enhance industrial safety and reduce risk by identifying key opportunities for improvement and supporting the implementation of strategic action plans. She is a Lead Engineer at Jensen Hughes (Halifax), a global safety consulting firm. Kayleigh is a Professional Engineer and holds a Bachelor of Science (Chemistry, Honours), Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical), and Master of Applied Science (Chemical Engineering, Process Safety).

Laurenz Schmidt, MBA

Laurenz Schmidt, MBA

Chief Technologist

Laurenz was the Chief of Global Operations and the Chief Technology Officer for Fairchild Semiconductor before his planned retirement in 2008. Laurenz has broad and deep knowledge in the renewable energy sector and provides our team with business sensitive and rigorous material and energy balance analytical skills that complement his chemical engineering background. Laurenz has extensive global contacts in the renewable energy sector. Laurenz holds a Diploma Degree Dipl.-Ing (FH) from the Technische Universität Mannheim in Chemical Engineering and an MBA in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix.
Yoshinobo Kusano, Bachelor of Law (LLB)

Yoshinobo Kusano, Bachelor of Law (LLB)

Asian Policy Advisor

Mr. Yoshinobu “Yoshi” Kusano is an advisor to FutureMetrics about the Asian wood pellet markets with a focus on South Korea and Japan. Yoshi has extensive experience in the wood pellet sector. He is currently the Executive Advisor and the head of the Fuel Procurement Group for Biomass Energy at Renova, a Japanese developer and operator of renewable power projects. Prior to Renova, Yoshi spent several decades with Sumitomo Corporation leading their woodchip and wood pellet group. He was named one of the most influential leaders in the biomass Industry by Argus Media in 2016.  He received a Bachelor of Laws (international law and legal study) from Waseda University.