Click here to read March 2017 Oregon Solar Review

I have been involved with what was called “alternative” energy issues since the early 1990s with an eye toward the energy efficiency and renewable energy markets. In 2008 I had a conversation with an energy economist who was working on renewable energy issues and knew my sales background and I remember him saying, “Look, we’ve got all the economists, engineers, and scientists we need working on renewable energy production in order to replace fossil fuel production; but what we do need are people to take it to the marketplace and drive demand. It’s the only way we can get mass acceptance and, thereby, rapidly falling prices as manufacturers make innovations. That’s your job.”

I have a science and business background so combining both into my career has been an objective. I took the NABCEP PV 101 course in 2010 and then started selling solar. About six months later, I moved from the integrator side to the distribution side of solar. A short stint with a solar racking manufacturer followed and I am now back on the integration side with Neil Kelly Solar doing residential and small commercial sales. When I get into something new, I like to get the full set of experiences before I land in a place where I can have the most success. Working for a solar distributor and then a manufacturer allowed me to understand their business model so when I came back to the integration side with Neil Kelly Solar, I could use that to my advantage when selling a project.

I am also serving on the OSEIA board for a second time (first was in 2011) and I think it is important to make sure this (still) nascent industry receives as much support as possible to fulfill our energy production transformation as it directly addresses global environmental issues. As the industry has grown, OSEIA has also grown in membership, expertise, and resources to push the industry forward and help advance legislation in Salem. We are becoming a more professional, integrated, and efficient industry with an eye toward becoming a part of standard building and energy providing infrastructure. I am proud to have been, and continue to be, a part of it's success.