 Erik Lensch – President and Co-founder As President of Argand, Mr. Lensch manages the day to day functions of the company, and is responsible for the development and financial aspects of solar installation projects. He graduated from Radford University in 1992 with a BA in Marketing, and has completed the Renewable Energy Technologies: Photovoltaic Track at North Carolina State University, and is a certified SMA-Sunny Boy installer. Prior to entering the solar energy industry, Mr. Lensch was employed in the financial sector as a Vice President for Bank of America, and Vice President at Credit Suisse First Boston. Mr. Lensch is also the owner of Innovative Solar Solutions Inc., an online solar retail supply company based in Charlotte, NC.
Chris Salmon – Head of Installations and Co-founder
NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer® NABCEP Certified Solar Thermal Installer™ Chris has been an electrician for over 20 years, and holds the NABCEP certification for photovoltaic and solar thermal installations. He is a licensed Master Electrician and a certified SMA-America Sunny Boy Installer. He graduated with a BS in Marine Science from the University of South Carolina, and completed the Renewable Energy Technologies: Photovoltaic Track at North Carolina State University. Chris has an electrical and heavy construction background that includes photovoltaics, solar thermal, construction and heavy industry. Chris has worked on many industrial systems, including everything from 1000 ton presses to nuclear fuel pellet burners, robotic welders, and powder coat paint systems.
Brad Hoffman – Field Supervisor and Project Manager
Brad has over 30 years of construction experience. His background includes Project Management and Site Supervisor for major construction companies and developers. He is experienced in the installation of solar and wind systems in marine environments. Mr. Hoffman is responsible for project development, purchasing materials, scheduling jobs, supervising all work crews at various locations, preparing system designs, test installations, and many other responsibilities.
Matthew Dickey, LEED AP - Business Development and Thermal System Design
Matthew brings to Argand a background in energy analysis, mechanical systems design, solar thermal system design and project management. Matthew has been a Commissioning Agent for mechanical and HVAC systems in both North Carolina and South Carolina. He has a BS in Technology Education from North Carolina State University.
Chatham Olive – Commercial Business Development and Community Relations
Prior to joining the Argand team, Chatham was the Director of Sierra Club’s Charlotte office where he developed relationships with government officials, businesses leaders, and grass roots organizations in order to move the region to a cleaner energy future. He led the team that created Charlotte Clean and Green, a recent education festival that drew more than 1700 people to the campus of CPCC. Chatham has completed the Certificate Program in Renewable Energy at NC State and has a BA from Duke University and an MA in Communication Arts from Notre Dame.
David Sailor - Business Development, Charleston and Coastal Region
Dave brings over ten years of sales, project management and construction experience to our new Charleston and Coastal Region sales office. He has a BBA in International Business and Real Estate from Baylor University and a real passion for renewable energy systems and solutions and will be an important part in the continued “greening” of Charleston and the surrounding areas.
Mike Switzer - Business Development & Community Relations, South Carolina
After graduating from the University of South Carolina in 1982 with a B.S. degree in Finance, Mike spent twenty years in the financial/securities industry holding positions with A.G. Edwards and Wachovia and garnering a number of professional certifications along the way.
Mike and his wife, Maggie, recently finished construction of the first LEED-Certified custom built green home in the Midlands of SC. He won the 2009 New Ideas for a New Carolina contest with his idea for smart electric wall outlets that automatically turn on and off as power is needed. Since 2000, he has been host and producer of the South Carolina Business Review, heard each weekday morning on South Carolina’s ETVRadio Network, which includes eight NPR affiliate stations.
Ian Street - Solar Advisor, Columbia, SC
Ian attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where he majored in Urban Planning. His housing interests led him to partner on working on several house rehab projects. After successfully selling those structures he joined Argand to pursue his growing interest in renewable energy. With the help from everyone on the Argand team, Ian has helped install more then 20 PV and Solar Thermal systems.
With an eye on policy reform for alternative energy and conservation efforts, Ian has established healthy working relationships with some local non-profit organizers and legislators in order to identify, create, and implement policies and programs designed to provide the disadvantaged urban & rural communities with greater opportunity and greater accessibility to the tools needed to build our Eco-Equity in South Carolina. Through social-uplift environmentalism, Ian is determined to generate not just jobs but green-collar careers geared towards improving our environment, promoting growth in the local economy, establishing the necessary methods to direct us towards energy independence, provide sustenance for those in need, and transcend the well-being and prosperity of all the inhabitants in this great State. Advisors & Consultants
Erin McMahon – Mechanical Engineer; PV System Design Consultant to Argand
Erin has over 20 years of experience and education in renewable energy systems design. Erin earned her B.A in Energy Systems from Evergreen State College in 1986, with an emphasis on Photovoltaics, Energy Systems, Energy Conservation and Policy, and Solar Thermal Engineering. She earned her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington. She has participated in the design of more than 400 commercial and residential conservation and renewable energy generation projects, ranging from 1kW to 1MW. She has certifications in Residential and Non-Residential Building Energy Standards, and Inverter Installation and Service: SMA America, Sharp, Beacon, Fronius, and Outback.
Bob Thomason, Investor and Advisor
Independent investor, business owner and consultant. Current owner and founder of an independent consulting firm affiliated with Advantage Performance Group, as well as a FAA Part 135 Air Charter Service, Advantage Aviation, Inc. Bob’s career experiences include bank economist, commercial lending manager, sales and consulting positions with three of the nation’s leading human resource consulting and training firms. Bob was an original angel investor and served on the Board of Directors as Vice Chairman of Standard Solar, Inc. a MD-based residential solar installation company. In its first year of operation, Standard Solar grew to $1 million in sales and one of the largest installers in the DC/MD area. In March of 2008, Truecast Capital bought Standard Solar with a $10 million capital injection. Having watched the success of Argand Solar in his home market, he made a substantial investment in the company in May of 2008.
Charles Ritchey, Investor and Advisor
Charles has over 17 years of experience in the health care industry, with extensive experience in crisis management and financial turnaround for nursing and healthcare care facilities. His main investment interests are distressed nursing home properties and investments in start-up/emerging companies in the biotechnology and renewable energy industries. Charles is currently Founder and President of DeNovo Healthcare Services, a long term care consulting firm.
Charles was Chief Operations Officer, Co-founder, and Principal for Xavier Health Care Services, Inc., a long-term care management and acquisitions company. During that time, Charles helped to grown the company up to 15 facilities, with Charles providing successful crisis management. Charles was incremental in the sale of Xavier in 2007.
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