Home Conference




Douglas B. "Doug" Horne, P.E.
As president of the CVEF, Doug draws on long experience in the NGV industry. When Doug began his career in the natural gas industry in the late 1960's one of his first assignments was to work with a utility fleet in developing an LNG fleet and later transitioning that fleet to CNG. As a member of the Advanced Technology Task Force of the AGA Technology Committee, Doug participated in founding the NGVC. Doug, as Director of R&D at Atlanta Gas Light, worked in a lead role, both nationally and internationally, on the development of NGV technology and codes and standards. Doug served as long time Chairman of NFPA 52 & 57, the NGVC Technology Committee, the RD&D Initiative, the Gas Utilization Research Forum and many other groups over the years.

In 2002 Doug took early retirement and formed DBHORNE LLC to provide technology management services. DBHORNE LLC has clients from the Philippines to Israel and primarily provides consulting services to various national laboratories and NGV industry companies in North America. The CVEF has contracted with DBHORNE LLC for Doug to serve as president of the foundation.

Email: dbhorne@cleanvehicle.org


John M. Lapetz Jr.
As Director of Technology, John provides a variety of technical and codes and standards support concerning natural gas vehicle and natural-gas-to-hydrogen technologies. John serves as staff executive to CVEF's Technology Committee and is an NGV industry liaison to numerous code and standards development organizations. He also coordinates and organizes the Transit Users Group meetings and communications. He also supports CVEF's national education and market outreach activities.

John recently retired from Ford Motor Company after 35 years, 28 spent in a variety of global leadership roles in area of Alternative Fuels and Vehicles. He lead the design, development, validation, launch and service support of vehicles powered by Hydrogen, natural gas, LPG. Ethanol, and methanol and has also represented Ford on the U. S. Department of Energy’s FreedomCAR program. His most recent position prior to leaving Ford was the Manager of Hydrogen Engine Vehicles Programs department. In this capacity he lead the team through a transition of taking research based technology to the demonstration of it’s commercial viability.

Mr. Lapetz is the author 8 SAE papers and has made numerous presentations on the subject of alternative fuels. In 2002 he was recognized by the Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition as a recipient of their 10th Annual Achievement Award. He has also served as the Vice President of OEM Representation to the IANGV. Mr. Lapetz holds 2 patents relating to novel alternative fuel control systems. He is also Research Associate at the Lawrence Institute of Technology. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Bridgeport in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Email: jlapetz@cleanvehicle.org


Stephen C. "Stephe" Yborra
As Director of Market Analysis, Education and Communications, Stephe serves as staff executive to CVEF's Market Advisory Committee, whose charge is to assess market opportunities and barriers for NGVs and develop programs to address them. Stephe takes the lead on many of CVEF's market outreach activities including liaison with various organizations representing the end-users and policy-makers that CVEF seeks to educate. He also coordinates NGV industry co-sponsored exhibits at national trade shows, organizes and presents educational seminars and sessions and serves as team leader for the National NGV Conference & Exhibition.

Prior to working on NGV issues, for seven years Stephe was President of Energystics, Inc., an energy technologies consulting firm that focused on commercialization of new and emerging natural gas-fired cooling, distributed generation and industrial technologies. From 1986-1996, he served in various communications and marketing positions at the American Gas Association including Advertising Manager and Commercial Marketing & National Accounts Director. Stephe holds Bachelor's degrees in Communications and Marketing.

Stephe and his wife of 20 years, Lee, reside in rural northern Maryland near their two children and two grandchildren.

Email: syborra@cleanvehicle.org