Jeff Vanderpool is the Executive Vice President of Manufacturing and Operations at Graphyte, where he leads the company’s manufacturing strategy, operational execution, and commercialization of durable carbon removal technology.
With more than 40 years as a manufacturing executive, Jeff has built and optimized operations across the high carbon steel wire, industrial wood pellet, and carbon removal industries. He spent 29 years with ArcelorMittal and Kiswire, two of the world’s largest producers of high carbon steel wire, where he led the startup of a new manufacturing facility in Hungary and directed operational optimization initiatives in Austria and South Korea. Prior to joining Graphyte, Jeff served as a senior executive at Highland Pellets, where he led strategic growth initiatives, including the development of a greenfield manufacturing project in Mississippi and the acquisition and integration of Highland’s second manufacturing facility in Arkansas.
Throughout his career, Jeff has led international facility startups, acquisitions, capital projects, and operational transformations while developing high-performing teams. He also serves as Chairman of the Jefferson County Port Authority Board and is a member of the Jefferson County Economic Development Board. His global manufacturing experience and commitment to operational excellence help advance Graphyte’s mission to make durable carbon removal affordable, dependable, and scalable.