Management TeamManagement Team

The WPC management team:

  • Are recognized experts in plasma technology
  • Has over 20 years experience in all aspects of high temperature chemical and material heating processes
  • Has won numerous awards for innovation
Shyam V. Dighe, Ph.D., P.E. MBA
President & Chief Technology Officer

Dr. Dighe has 28 years of experience in diversified areas of research in the fields of chemical and high-temperature plasma engineering. Previous to Westinghouse Plasma Corp. he was the Program Manager at Westinghouse Electric Corp for the development of the Plasma-Fired Cupola for use in melting foundry for scrap and processing excavated landfill materials. Besides working in the field of plasma technology, Dr. Dighe has worked in the areas of toxic and hazardous waste treatment, conventional coal gasification, fuel cells and ocean thermal energy conversion. Dr. Dighe is the recipient of the Westinghouse Engineering Award (1985), Corporate Special Award (1988), George Westinghouse Innovation Award (1994), Signature Award of Excellence (1994), and the American Foundrymen’s Society Howard Taylor Award (1986). In 1985, Dr. Dighe was deputed as an U.N. expert on plasma technology under the United Nations Development Program.

Daniel Lazzara
Vice President, Business Operations

Mr. Lazzara brings over 30 years of Westinghouse experience in positions of increasing responsibility to Westinghouse Plasma Corporation. His professional and management duties have included senior responsibility in technical, legal, commercial, regulatory, business development, strategic and projects areas. He has worked in a variety of businesses including nuclear and fossil electric power generation, environmental and waste-to-energy. He has been COO of WPC since its original incorporation in 1999.

Mr. Lazzara holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and a Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne University Law School.

Tom Gdaniec
Vice President, Marketing and Sales

Mr. Gdaniec has over 20 years in the marketing and sales of power and heating equipment extending from residential to the utility power plants applications. He has worked in a variety of engineered sales, marketing and management roles.

Mr. Gdaniec holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering specializing in thermal and fluid mechanics from Gannon University.

Hector Cruz
Vice President, Engineering

Hector brings a wide range of industrial experience including gasification and has more than 14 years of process engineering and design experience in various industries including mining, grain processing and refining, cooling towers, heat exchangers and architect engineering.  In the mid-1990s, he was project engineer at Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) in Decatur, IL.  In 1997, Hector became the Director of Operations & Engineering manager for GEA Integrated Cooling Technologies in Lakewood, CO.  During 2001-2007, Hector worked for Bechtel Power as their Technical Specialist for all Heat Sinks for Fossil and Nuclear Power, and was recognized as a leading international industry authority by the various technical committees including the American Nuclear Society.  Hector was recently working in Germany with the Uhde Corporation of America in a senior process engineering position in their Gas Technology Division and primarily on gasification projects worldwide.

Hector has published several articles and technical papers in magazines and at industry conferences.  He also has entrepreneurial experience in the water treatment industry wherein he has owned and operated two companies during 1981 through 1990.  Hector holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical & Petroleum engineering with an associate degrees in Environmental Engineering and a second in Public Affairs from the Colorado School of Mines (1994).