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About us

By transforming waste and energy sources into valuable resources through innovative upcycling technologies, Heartland is driving sustainability, protecting the environment, and creating lasting value for society.

What we do

Heartland is a complete end-to-end waste solutions provider, industry recognized since beginning operations in 2008. Enabled by unique, proprietary technologies and with a partnership approach rooted in decades of operational expertise, Heartland doesn’t just treat waste, we solve problems at the source. Our proven on-site technologies and unique build-own-operate business model are advancing sustainable waste solutions that create shared value for our customers, communities and the planet.

Mission & vision

Heartland’s broad wastewater and waste stream treatment experience encompasses executive management, operations, research and development, process and project engineering, business development, and project development. We offer a unique perspective, built upon a foundation of an experienced and dedicated industry-focused team. Our expertise is to help our clients meet today’s environmental requirements, identify new opportunities, and anticipate tomorrow’s biggest challenges.

Leadership team

Our leadership team drives innovation and strategic vision at Heartland, combining deep industry expertise and a commitment to sustainable, technology-driven solutions for environmental challenges.
  • Mauricio “Mo” Vargas
    Mauricio “Mo” Vargas
    Chief Executive Officer and President

    Mauricio “Mo” Vargas

    Chief Executive Officer and President

    Mo joins Heartland from BayoTech, a global leader in hydrogen production and distribution solutions, where he served as President and CEO for more than five years. Over the course of his tenure, he redefined the strategy of the company from a pre-revenue and technology focus to an infrastructure-focused company selling hydrogen equipment and molecules to industry leaders such as Shell, Linde, Air Liquide, PG&E, and more than 50 different customers. He raised over $180MM in growth equity capital; acquired and integrated a high-pressure transport and storage company; and built a strong development pipeline of over a dozen projects culminating in the construction of the St. Louis Hydrogen hub and successful CEQA permitting of the Port of Stockton, California Hydrogen hub. His Fortune 500 experience includes senior executive leadership roles at GE, Siemens, AES and Lockheed Martin. In addition, he has led four early-stage technology companies including BayoTech.

    Mo enjoys traveling with his wife and has visited over 42 countries. They have 3 adult children spread across the country who they enjoy spending time with cooking, listening to music and attending college and pro sporting events.

  • David Allworth
    David Allworth
    CFO

    David Allworth

    CFO

    David Allworth serves as Chief Financial Officer for Heartland, providing more than 35 years’ experience in corporate financial management & accounting.

    Prior to joining Heartland, Dave was CFO for TerraTherm, Inc., a thermal remediation services company where he drove finance and business process improvements and lead the company through a successful sale to private equity-backed Cascade Environmental.

    Prior to TerraTherm, Dave was CFO for a start-up waste-to-energy technology company, VP Finance for a semiconductor test equipment manufacturer, and served in a variety of financial management roles for a multi-national software company.

    Dave earned his CPA certificate while working at KPMG, and received a BS in Business Administration, with concentrations in Accounting and Finance, from Oregon State University.

  • David Howard Jr.
    David Howard Jr.
    EVP of Customer Operations

    David Howard Jr.

    EVP of Customer Operations

    David Howard Jr. serves as the EVP of Customer Operations. With over 25 years of solid waste industry experience, David brings deep financial and operational expertise to the team and our customers.

    Prior to joining Heartland, David held lead operational roles for Hanover County, VA and WM. As a Senior District Manager with WM, David managed all aspects of safe daily landfill site operations, leading a team which processed over 1.8M tons of waste annually.

    In his role leading Heartland’s customer operations, David focuses on supporting Heartland’s customers and helping to solve operational challenges. His broad landfill management experience including permitting, landfill gas capture, and public relations makes him suitable to lead Heartland’s delivery and operation of complete turnkey solutions.

    David earned a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science Business Administration from Strayer University where he graduated Summa Cum Laude.

     

  • Susan Portin
    Susan Portin
    Executive Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs

    Susan Portin

    Executive Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs

    Susan Portin is the EVP of Business and Legal Affairs for Heartland.  Susan has almost 40 years of diverse global experience as a corporate attorney, M&A specialist, senior business leader and strategic management consultant.

    Susan possesses a deep understanding of company operations, particularly in the many areas where business intersects with law, risk, compliance and governance. She has worked in a broad array of traditional large corporate and entrepreneurial business models across many industries and her experience spans a variety of key functional areas including business operations, legal, risk and compliance, M&A, financing, administration, corporate communications, human resources, board and investor relations and strategic planning.

    Susan earned a BA degree from Union College, a Masters degree in Public Relations from Boston University and a Law Degree from Emory University. She is licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia and an inactive member of the Pennsylvania Bar.

  • Ben Laurent
    Ben Laurent
    SVP - Software & Controls

    Ben Laurent

    SVP - Software & Controls

    Ben Laurent serves as the leader of Heartland’s Program Management Office and is also responsible for the company’s Software & Controls team. In these roles, Ben spearheads corporate process integration and controls initiatives at both the product and project level. Having been with Heartland since 2014, Ben has enjoyed serving in a variety of roles as the company has continued to grow and evolve.

    Ben has a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with an extensive background in process engineering and controls.

  • Matthew (Matt) Kuzma
    Matthew (Matt) Kuzma
    Managing Director, Water

    Matthew (Matt) Kuzma

    Managing Director, Water

    Matthew (Matt) Kuzma serves as Managing Director, Water for Heartland. Matt brings over 30 years of experience in the water space, primarily focused on advanced technologies such as membrane filtration & membrane bioreactors (applied for water reuse), nutrient recovery, anaerobic digestion (with energy recovery), advanced biological wastewater processes, and industrial water treatment. He is responsible for leading the growth and expansion of a well-established business into new markets, applications, and opportunities while continuing to foster Heartland’s well-established water management technologies.

    Prior to Heartland, Matt has worked at USFilter, Veolia, Siemens Water, Anaergia, Organica Water, Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies.
    Matt has a B.S. in Engineering from Miami University, and currently resides in Southern California.

  • Jeff Snyder
    Jeff Snyder
    Managing Director, Waste

    Jeff Snyder

    Managing Director, Waste

    Jeff Snyder serves as Managing Director, Waste with over 25 years of experience in Water and Wastewater Management to include conversion of biosolids and biomass.

    Jeff has held the roles of Chief Marketing Officer for MaxWest Environmental Systems and Senior Vice President of Business Development for Aries Clean Energy. Jeff has participated in raising Corporate and Project equity for gasification projects and is commissioned to deliver lectures internationally on thermal conversion technologies.

    In 2011, Jeff was instrumental in the design, development and installation of a Fluidized Bed Gasification System that processed Biosolids from Wastewater Treatment Plants as the sole feedstock in Sanford, FL. In addition, Jeff led the commissioning and operation of the gasifier which included sludge dewatering and drying as components of the gasification operations. As a result of Jeff’s vast knowledge in gasification, in December 2013, Jeff was directly responsible for securing a Determination for USEPA that a Gasifier Operating on sewage sludge was not an incinerator.

    Jeff is also a veteran of the United States Air Force where he was hand-picked to participate in the operational development of the F-117A Stealth Fighter.

     

  • Darren Johnson
    Darren Johnson
    Managing Director, Customer Delivery

    Darren Johnson

    Managing Director, Customer Delivery

    As Heartland’s Managing Director of Customer Delivery, Darren Johnson spearheads operational excellence and ensures the seamless execution of Heartland’s cutting-edge solutions. With over 20 years of experience in driving operational transformations and scaling delivery operations in high-growth, technology-driven environments across diverse industries, Darren leads Heartland’s supply chain & project management infrastructure and collaborates cross-functionally to deliver exceptional project outcomes.

    Prior to joining Heartland, Darren was Vice President of Operations at Gilmore Valve, leading the turnaround of Gilmore’s operations and was part of the executive team that led their organic pivot into surface fracking products to complement their extensive and trusted brand of subsea valve products which culminated in a successful sale of the business in 2024.  His extensive expertise in project management, commercial operations, and supply chain strategy positions him as a trusted leader in optimizing delivery frameworks and creating scalable operations to facilitate business growth.

    Darren earned his B.S. in Business Management from The University of Phoenix.

Careers

Embark on a career where your innovative contributions today lay the groundwork for overcoming the challenges of tomorrow.

As a rapidly expanding company with dynamic technology that has significant advantages over our competition, Heartland provides its employees with a stimulating, team-based, collaborative work environment where everyone can realize their full potential.

The future of waste is here

Join Heartland in transforming waste through sustainable solutions. Reach out today.