Mani Erfan

Mani Erfan is a chemical engineer, industrial executive, and international entrepreneur with over 33 years of experience in the global catalyst industry. Based in Houston, Texas, he has led businesses in catalyst manufacturing, purification technologies, and recycling. He founded a catalyst company from the ground up and developed it into a global enterprise, generating over $700 million in product sales before its sale in 2020. He currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of an international catalyst-recycling company with annual revenue of approximately $8 million. Born in Iran in 1966, Erfan is the son of a commercial pilot who flew with Iran Air and logged around 38,000 flight hours during his career. In 1983, at 17, he immigrated to the United States and adapted to a new culture, language, and educational system. He began his studies at the University of Florida in 1984, completing 157 credit hours in under four years. He graduated in August 1988 with high honors and a 3.88 GPA. Erfan began his engineering career in Texas as a Process Engineer, focusing on process evaluations and operational improvements. In 1990, he joined a Danish catalyst company as a Sales Engineer, managing a 26-state region. He significantly increased annual sales from $1.4 million to over $6 million, eventually becoming the youngest Sales Manager in the company. In 1993, he took on the role of International Sales Manager at a Houston-based catalyst recycling company. Under his leadership, international revenue grew from $1 million to $11 million annually, with operations expanding into several regions across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. In 2000, he launched a new catalyst venture with $50,000 in startup capital and no initial revenue. Over 21 years, it grew into a recognized name in the industry with annual sales reaching $40 million.