Kona Blue’s Management Team

Garrett Gruener, Chairman/CEO

Garrett Gruener is a co-founder of Alta Partners, a leading venture capital firm in life sciences which has raised seven funds, and currently manages nearly $1.5 billion in capital.

Gruener has more than two decades of experience in the fields of software development, systems engineering and corporate development. In 1982, he founded Virtual Microsystems, a successful communications software company that was later merged with a larger corporation. Gruener was also founder and CEO of Ask Jeeves, a leading Internet search engine. He specializes in information technology and is on the board of directors of Nanomix.

Gruener earned a Masters Degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a Bachelor of Science from the University of California, San Diego, both in Political Science with a focus on technology policy.

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Neil Anthony Sims, Co-Founder/Vice-President of Research

Neil Anthony Sims is a marine biologist who has dedicated his professional and educational life to the sea. Sims is the co-founder and VP of Research for Kona Blue. Since moving to Kona in 1990, Sims has led research into hatchery production and mariculture for a broad range of overfished species. Sims co-founded a pearl oyster hatchery company - Black Pearls, Inc. - that worked to restore native stocks and foster pearl farming in remote islands and regions. These cutting edge hatchery technologies were then applied to 'difficult-to-rear' marine fish, and Kona Blue was founded and spun off as a separate entity.

Sims has also served in research and consulting roles to companies, governments and international agencies around the globe, focusing on feasibility, development and environmental impacts of mariculture in the South Pacific, Middle East and Australia.

In addition, Sims is the founding President of the Ocean Stewards Institute which is the open ocean mariculture trade association that advocates for the balancing of rational, responsible development of the open oceans with protection of marine resources and habitats.

Sims is a frequent speaker on marine conservation and responsible mariculture issues. He has published dozens of papers and reports on offshore net pen culture and pearl oysters.

He earned his B.S. degree in Marine Biology from James Cook University of North Queensland, Townsville, Australia and an M.S. in Zoology from the University of New South Wales.

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Scott Schroeder, Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Schroeder has more than 15 years experience providing financial and administrative support to both private and public companies across a broad range of hardware and software products. In addition to Kona Blue, he is also the Vice President, Finance & Chief Financial Officer of Nanomix. Prior to joining Kona Blue he was Vice President Finance at Luminous Networks, a privately held communications equipment company. He was Vice President Finance and Corporate Secretary at Brokat Technologies, which resulted from the acquisition of Blaze Software where he supported a successful NASDAQ Initial Public Offering. He also served in roles of increasing responsibility at Accugraph Corp., Coopers and Lybrand L.L.P., and Dreyfus Corp.

A licensed C.P.A. in California and several other states, Mr. Schroeder earned a B.B.A. in banking and finance and an M.B.A. with a focus in accounting from Hofstra University.

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Michael Ryan Bullock, Chief Operating Officer

Michael Bullock is an aquaculture professional who has spent his career launching and running commercial mariculture operations. Michael joined the Kona Blue Team in 2009, bringing with him over 20 years experience in commercial-scale finfish production, both in small start-up companies and large corporate organizations. From 1988 to 2009 he worked in surface net pen operations in the salmon farming industries of Oregon and Chile. Michael pioneered the expansion of farming operations into the logistically-challenging 11th and 12th regions of the Chilean Patagonia, producing up to 20,000 tons annually from these remote, pristine waters. During that time he applied many innovative materials and management tools to lead the industry's drive for sustainable growth. He is responsible for overall operations at Kona Blue, with the goal of guiding the company towards greater efficiency, and developing expansion opportunities around the globe for Kona Kampachi®.

Bullock graduated with a B.S. in Fisheries Management from California State University at Humboldt in 1988.

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Sylvia Dow, Senior Sales Representative

Sylvia - known to all as the Queen of Kona Kampachi® - is our Senior Sales Representative and has been with the company since early 2006 - almost from the moment that we sold our first fish. She manages sales and customer relations with our valued seafood distributors, chefs, restaurateurs and retailers throughout North America. As Queen, Sylvia conveys a deep-felt passion for our fish and our mission.

Sylvia has over 15 years experience in sales, finance, hospitality and education, working for companies such as Hartford Insurance and Commonfund Finance Corporation, in New York, Connecticut and Los Angeles.

Dow has a Bachelor of Science degree from Syracuse University, in New York.

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Jennica Lowell, Research and Fish Health Manager

Jennica Lowell joined Kona Blue in 2006 specifically to lead the expansion of the research program within the company. Research under her direction has enabled Kona Blue to further improve the sustainability quotient of fish feeds, to improve operational efficiencies offshore, and to continually innovate hatchery techniques.

In 2007, Lowell assumed the dual role of Research and Fish Health Manager. She also oversees the company's environmental monitoring and compliance program.

Prior to joining Kona Blue, Lowell served Florida's Co-operative Extension Service as a biologist at the Fish Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Florida. Additionally she spent several years working in private industry, working with several food fish species (such as Florida pompano (Trachinotus carolinus), cobia (Rachycentron canadum), and tripletail (Lobotes surinamensis)), as well as rearing over 20 species of marine ornamental fish in Florida and Puerto Rico.

Lowell has a B.S. in Marine Biology from Florida Atlantic University, and an M.S. from the University of Florida.

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Maiken Cope, Sales Operation and Fulfillment Manager

Maiken has been the 'Big Kahuna' Sales Operation and Fulfullment Manager for Kona Blue since 2006 and is based out of Honolulu. She is responsible for making the sales calls, compiling orders and coordinating the harvests. She works hand-in-hand with the packer and processor, airlines, freight forwarders and distributors, and makes it all appear to be seamless!

Maiken's background is in bookkeeping and office management and working in the hospitality and entertainment industries in Honolulu. In her spare time, she still manages her hula halau (hula dance troupe). If you're at the right resort, on the right night, you may even be privileged to see her dance!

Cope is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools in Honolulu, and has an Associate's degree in Accounting from Kapiolani Community College.

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Jackie Zimmerman, Hatchery Manager

After joining Kona Blue Water Farms in 2009, Jackie began overseeing hatchery operations monitoring all life stages for the production of Kona Kampachi®. Jackie brings to Kona Blue 11 years of experience in various areas of aquaculture, from research to commercial production, having cultured a variety of marine species such as moi (Polydactulus sexifilis), Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus), Cobia (Rachycentron canadum), Sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria), Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis), and Kona Kampachi (Seriola rivoliana).

Prior to joining Kona Blue, Jackie has played a key role in a variety of commercial start-up and research projects in hatchery operations, permitting and environmental monitoring for offshore operations, training and extension work with other farms, as well as grant writing and research.

Jackie has a B.S. in marine biology from Hawaii Pacific University and a M.S. from the University of Southern Mississippi in Marine Sciences.

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