Mani Erfan

Mani Erfan is a chemical engineer, international entrepreneur, and industrial executive with over 33 years of leadership in the global catalyst industry. Based in Houston, Texas, he has founded and managed companies focused on catalyst manufacturing, purification technologies, and recycling. He established a catalyst business from the ground up and developed it into a global company, achieving more than $700 million in total product sales before its sale in 2020. He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of a catalyst-recycling firm generating approximately $8 million in annual revenue.

Erfan was born in Iran in 1966. His father was a commercial pilot and logged nearly 38,000 flight hours during his career. In 1983, at the age of 17, he immigrated to the United States, where he adapted to a new culture, language, and educational environment. He began his studies at the University of Florida in 1984 and completed 157 credit hours in less than four years. He graduated in August 1988 with high honors and a GPA of 3.88.

He began his professional career in Texas as a Process Engineer, evaluating chemical operations and implementing process improvements. In 1990, he joined a Danish catalyst company as a Sales Engineer, covering a 26-state region. Within three years, he grew annual sales from $1.4 million to over $6 million and became the youngest Sales Manager in the company's history.

In 1993, Erfan became International Sales Manager at a Houston-based catalyst recycling company. Under his leadership, international revenue rose from $1 million to $11 million per year. In 2000, he founded a new catalyst venture with $50,000 in startup capital and expanded it to peak annual revenues of $40 million before its $38 million sale. He also established a consulting and industrial solutions company that, by 2021, operated in over 10 countries and generated $7.5–$8 million annually.

Since 1992, he has supported ministry and nonprofit efforts across several countries. He founded a registered organization, launched an online Bible college with 4,500 students, and led programs serving 1,500 clients. His charitable contributions total several million dollars, with annual donations of $200,000 to $300,000. Mani Erfan continues to lead with dedication in both industrial and ministry fields.