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Chris "Chip" Fraga
Founder & CEO, Managing Member |
As Founder & CEO of Alternative Energy Development Group & SolarSense LLC, Chris also serves as the Managing Member of 45+ operating energy Project Company LLC's, and the Managing Member of the General Partner of the $250MM Alternative Energy Infrastructure Projects Fund I LP. Chris manages a team of professionals, partners and capital to develop, finance, own and operate commercial & industrial scale distributed energy generation & storage projects. Chris also founded the "Watts for Wishes" charitable giving platform in 2011. Formerly, Chris served as Acorn Systems' Chief Strategy Officer & International President for 13 years. Chris' contributions and accomplishments included: Management team participant in raising two Tier-1-VC equity raises; Created global alliances and reseller deals including SAP, Cognos, E&Y & PwC; Led Corporate Development; Launched Acorn International; Built a global management team and secured a partner network & clients spanning 32 countries including global client engagements with Unilever, Coca-Cola, J&J and ING; Served as Executive Sponsor for the firms SaaS business model transformation. From '89-'00, Chris excelled serving the Fortune 1000 in a business development capacity with docHarbor & Anacomp, and from '03-'09, Chris served on the Board, Finance, Fundraising & Board Dev. Committees of Make A Wish (PA Chapter). He is a active investor in private placement equity deals, and frequently serves as an industry speaker, and mentor for entrepreneurs, colleagues and friends. Chris received a BS BA with a concentration in Finance from the University of Delaware, and resides in PA & the NJ coast with his family. Chris' specialties include: Executive Management, Corporate & Business Development, Strategy, Partnerships/Alliances, Finance, Alternative Energy, Fundraising & Fund Management, Project Development & Charitable Giving.
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Fritz Krussman
CFO & COO |
Fritz has been in the Photovoltaic industry for 30 years, working in a variety of Finance and Operations roles with AstroPower, GE, Motech and now SolarSense/AEDG. Fritz began his professional career with AstroPower, Inc. in September 1988. His role as a government contract analyst for this fledgling research and development company focused on bid proposal and cost analysis management for more than 400+ government SBIR and DOE contracts executed between 1988 and 2003. Fritz supported AstroPower’s growth into the commercial sale of solar cells and modules by driving cost reductions in manufacturing processes, managing inventory levels, and establishing finance processes for A/R, A/P, inventory, payroll, and forecasting. As AstroPower’s Director of Business Operations, he worked with the executive management team, investment bankers, and external auditors to complete an Initial Public Offering in 1998 and two follow-on offerings. He also worked internally with cross-functional teams to expand operations to four facilities, 600+ employees, and annual revenues of more than $60 million in the United States. Fritz managed the transition of the AstroPower operations to The General Electric Company in 2004 through an Asset Purchase Agreement. In five years with GE, Fritz was instrumental in maintaining a high quality of financial process rigor, metrics reporting, and cash management as the Senior Finance Manager for GE’s Solar Technologies Division. Fritz also served as Ombudsman for the two GE sites in Delaware.
In 2010, Fritz joined Motech Industries, Inc., the eighth-largest manufacturer of solar cells in the world, where he and the Motech Americas management team established Motech’s initial module manufacturing operation, and the company’s first site in the U.S. In 2010, Fritz also joined the SolarSense/AEDG board of advisors to help guide the initial direction of the company. In 2012, he was hired as Executive VP of Finance, and is now CFO & COO, responsible for ensuring profitable growth and managing ongoing operations for the company’s 50+ business entities, and managing the operational aspects of the Alternative Energy Infrastructure Projects Fund. Fritz, his wife, and two sons live in Hockessin, Delaware. He has been active in his local community, serving on the Board of Delaware Rush Soccer Club for 9 years and a coach for 15 years. He also serves as Treasurer of the Rivendell Foundation, a charitable trust supporting environmental and humanitarian efforts. He enjoys playing soccer, running, cycling, skiing, hiking and spending time with family and friends. |
Michael S. Payne
Corporate Counsel & EVP Commercial Operations |
Michael S. Payne, Esq. joined Alternative Energy Development Groups (AEDG) Executive Leadership Team to support the growth of AEDG's C&I energy solutions business. Payne moves to AEDG after serving 21 years with Affiliated Power Purchasers International, LLC (APPI), as Executive Vice President & Corporate Counsel. During his APPI tenure, Mike was responsible for creating, developing, and managing energy consulting services, due diligence of vendors and energy suppliers, business development with clients and trade associations, and corporate legal matters. He will serve as AEDG's Executive Vice President, Commercial Operations, &Corporate Counsel.
Payne has 40 years’ experience in business development, strategic planning, and financial management. He has been a business owner, manager, and entrepreneur in energy, financial services, construction, and real estate investment banking. At APPI he served on the senior management team that successfully developed a nationally recognized independent energy advisory firm. Payne has advised institutional, commercial, industrial, government, and retail clients in many industries, providing energy procurement strategy and solutions, energy market analysis, supply risk management, contract negotiations, as well as renewable, efficiency, and sustainability solutions. In 2017, Payne became a Member of the Board of Directors of The Energy Professional Association (TEPA), Northeast Chapter. He currently serves as Chapter President and is a member of TEPA's National Board of Directors. He holds the Certified Energy Professional designation issued by TEPA. Payne has been a frequent speaker and panelist at energy conferences and trade association events. He also has served on boards of other privately-held businesses, universities, a K-12 school, and community associations. From 1984-87 Payne worked in corporate finance with Legg Mason in Baltimore, MD. From 1987-91, he served in senior management with the A.G. Spanos Companies in San Mateo, CA, managing real estate investment securitization and sales distribution for the Spanos entities, a national real estate investment, development, and management enterprise. He then was the controlling owner and President of two Delaware businesses involved in construction and commercial property ownership/management. Payne graduated with honors from Wake Forest University(B.A. '74), the University of Miami School of Law (J.D. '81), and the George Washington University National Law Center (LL.M. Taxation '84). Since 1981, he has been a member of the District of Columbia Bar. In 1983, Payne married Karen S. Payne, Esq. She graduated with honors from Wake Forest University and the University of Maryland School of Law. After working in private practice, she has served as Staff Attorney for the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland for the past twenty-one years. She is a member of the Maryland and California state bars. The Payne's live in Ocean City, Maryland and have three adult sons and two grandchildren. |
Joe McGowan
Senior Director, Solar |
Joe is AEDG's Senior Director of Solar. As a full-time contractor serving AEDG, Joe is the Founder and CEO of Southern Exposure Solar, Inc. He brings more than 30 years of international executive business experience to the company. The company is a full-service EPC consulting firm delivering the best-in-breed PV solar solutions for companies, on a consulting and project management basis. The company offers fully integrated renewable energy solutions using selectively-developed, strategic relationships. SES has designed and project managed Commercial & Industrial scale systems ranging in size from 40 kW to 3.6 MW. The company also performs post-construction inspection and commissioning services in the markets served by AEDG. To date, the company has been involved in the design, scoping, development, construction, testing or acceptance commissioning of more than twenty (20) solar PV systems totaling 20 MW spanning Washington, DC, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Vermont and California. As President and CEO of U.S. Express Lines, Ltd., Joe developed the first vessel operating common carrier direct service between the Black Sea and Eastern Mediterranean to the U.S. East and Gulf coasts. The company grew from a single vessel to a fleet of 14 vessels ranging in size from 10,000 tons to 35,000 tons and sales of more than $50 million. The company serviced Alcoa, Georgia Pacific, International Paper, Archer Daniels Midland, and various specialty steel manufacturers. As Vice President of Ikea Wholesale North America, he was directly responsible for more than $1 billion in P&L for Canada and the U.S. His responsibilities included supply chain management, data development, project construction management of three distribution terminals totaling two million square feet and the logistics supporting retail outlets in North America. Joe’s development team broke the existing rules in logistics by considering in-transit inventory as on hand and developed data systems to order against in transits. This was later adopted by leading retailers as cross-docking and just-in-time delivery. This innovation resulted in increasing inventory turns tenfold in its first year of operation, reducing millions of dollars in inventory while increasing in stock availability. Joe received his B.S. and M.B.A. in Finance and Marketing from Saint Joseph’s University. He resides in Pennsylvania with his family.
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Robin Kenney
Director, HR & Finance |
Robin brings more than 25 years of diversified accounting and business experience to AEDG. It was in 2001 when she joined Acorn Systems and served as its Corporate Controller after 14 years of service. Robin worked alongside of AEDG’s founder, Chris Fraga, as well as Ian Robertson during her tenure with Acorn and continued her role as a corporate finance leader at AEDG, leading the successful launch and administration of AEIP Fund I. Robin also leads our corporate HR and accounting teams, and is actively involved in all facets of the business, ensuring all aspects of the business are operating efficiently and within budget. Robin holds a B.B.A. in Accounting from Ursinus College and resides in the suburbs of Philadelphia with her husband.
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Chris VanDixon
Fleet Operations Manager |
Chris has served as the Operations Manager for AEDG since June 2017. His responsibilities include Monitoring and O&M services for our fleet of alternative energy technologies spread out across the U.S. Prior to coming on board full time, Chris was our intern for the summer of 2016, when he developed a database of renewable energy incentives across key states, as well as aided in data analytics and solar production reporting. He continued to work remotely for AEDG while finishing his senior year at Penn State, where he received his B.S. in Energy Engineering, as well as a double minor in both Environmental Engineering and Energy Business & Finance. Chris currently resides in southeastern Pennsylvania. In his spare time, he enjoys travelling, visiting family, and working with his former college organization, Engineers For A Sustainable World.
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Bryant Krussman
Financial Analyst |
Bryant graduated from the University of Delaware in ’20 with a Masters of Finance degree, and in ’19 with a double major in Finance and Economics. He had served as an intern/associate with the Company since 2017 prior to joining full time in 2020. At AEDG, Bryant’s responsibilities include cash management, revenue recognition, asset management services and financial modeling and reporting for the company’s dozens of operating energy project companies. Bryant currently lives in Philadelphia, and in his free time he enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, and exercising.
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Brian Fraga
Business Development Representative |
Brian graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in the fall of 2020 with a B.A. in Environmental Studies and a minor in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. He served as an intern with the company since 2018 prior to joining full time in January 2021. Brian’s a member of AEDG’s Business Development Team, and he focuses on client energy projects spanning pre-engagement research, performing site, utility, and energy project feasibility assessments, completing energy project modelling, proposal generation, and building long term customer relationships. Brian lives in Brant Beach, New Jersey and can be found surfing or snowboarding in his free time. He previously served as a first mate on a charter fishing boat, was a Jr. Olympic sailor, and is an avid fly, saltwater and freshwater fisherman.
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Chris Fraga Jr.
Fleet Maintenance Operator |
Chris Jr. transitioned to a full-time member of AEDG’s Team in Jan 2023, after serving as a part-time employee since 2018. Chris supports both the Business Development and Fleet Operations/Asset Management Teams. In BD, he performs market and customer research, and plans and executes corporate marketing and events including client-project-charitable donations via the companies Watts-for-Wishes charitable giving platform. In Operations, Chris performs monitoring, reporting and logistics for the company’s fleet of stationary and mobile solar systems, as well as site inspections and drone filming. Previously, Chris served as a staff assistant to AEDG’s executive team, worked in the construction trades, and served clients of a boutique, high-end surf shop on LBI, NJ. Chris is a true outdoorsman and loves nature, with a passion for hunting and motorized sports.
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Lou Manzi
Founder & President Arrow Consulting |
Lou is the Founder and President of his own consulting firm, Arrow Consulting, that specializes in individual and team coaching; company and individual branding; and helping organizations create a strategy and structure for talent identification and acquisition. He has been involved in a variety of startup businesses and projects. He is the former Vice President at GSK Talent Solutions, where he had responsibility for overseeing the strategy and delivery of the global talent sourcing and recruitment functions at GlaxoSmithKline. He originally joined SmithKline Beckman Consumer Products as Manager, Government and Public Affairs in 1985. Prior to this position, he was responsible for managing the Leadership and Succession Planning process at SmithKline. During his tenure, he has authored a variety of articles on metrics and how measures can operationally improve any function. He has chaired many presentations on customer care and efficiency and is known for his entrepreneurial and creative approach to building businesses. He has co-authored a book titled “Beyond Employer Branding,” which was published in 2009. He serves on a variety of boards, including the U.S. Army War College. Additionally, he is an Advisory Board Member of SkillSurvey in Wayne, Pennsylvania and Robert Michael Communications in Voorhees, New Jersey. He is also a past trustee of the Best Practice Institute in Waltham, Massachsusetts, the Wilkes University Board of Directors, and The Executive Grapevine in London. Lou received his B.A. from St. Mary’s Seminary College and has done graduate work in the Executive Master's Program at the University of Pennsylvania. He has a commercial pilot’s license, is multi-engine, instrument, and seaplane rated, pilots his own airplane, and also enjoys gourmet cooking, ice hockey, water sports, and photography. He and his wife, Pat, reside in Riverton and Long Beach Island, New Jersey.
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Leland Putterman
Angel Investor Founder, Trivie |
Leland is a seasoned and visionary leader. As CEO of Acorn Systems, he sets the vision and strategy for Acorn and oversees its daily operations. He brings extensive experience in managing large organizations that deliver software solutions to corporate customers. Leland came to Acorn from BMC Software, where he served as an Executive Officer and Vice President of Global Marketing. There, he was responsible for the worldwide marketing operations and grew the division to 275 employees, as it evolved from a mainframe product vendor to an enterprise software company. Prior to BMC, Leland worked for Oracle in various senior management positions, including Vice President of Product Marketing. He was also responsible for launching Oracle Energy, a multimillion-dollar division focusing on the upstream sector of the energy industry. Leland sits on the board of Digital Consulting and Software Services and has served on several other software company boards. He received a B.A. in Economics from Princeton University.
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David Magagna
Senior Consultant Alcom Printing |
David is Co-Founder and CEO for Macorp Print Group. Macorp Print Group is a manufacturer and distributor of all types of printing, promotional products, and direct-mail applications. He has held this position since Macorp's inception in 1982. Prior to that, David served as an account representative with National Compu-Graphix, a manufacturing firm for business forms and other various print services and direct-mail services, as well as forms design. During his time at Macorp, he has assumed the role of Managing Partner and also was an active salesperson managing large volumes of projects for Fortune 500 companies specifically within the healthcare industry, including large Insurance companies and large pharmaceutical companies. He holds a degree in Finance from Saint Joseph's University and has attended numerous continuing education classes in Leadership, Finance, and Real Estate. Dave also is a current member of the National Ski Patrol, which he first joined during the 1992-1993 ski season. He has been recognized as a Senior OEC technician and also as an OEC instructor within the NSP and at his home mountain of Jack Frost Ski Resort in Pennsylvania. He also has several other hobbies, including golf and coin-collecting, and resides in Worcester, Pennsylvania with his wife Victoria and their four children.
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Neil Hartman
National Sportscaster |
Neil is an award-winning sports personality in Philadelphia. He was honored by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association as the state's Sportscaster of the Year in 2000. Hartman's career spans more than 20 years, including sports anchor and reporter for KYW-TV as well as WPHL-TV. He also received two Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards and a Philadelphia magazine "Best of Philly" Award for a Sports Talk Show while working for 1210 AM. In addition to his primetime anchor duties, he is a co-host for Sixers Post Game Live. He resides in Mount Laurel Township, New Jersey with his wife and two children. He also owns a home in Avalon, New Jersey.
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Steven Fahmie
Founder & Managing Member, Soelvis LLC |
Steven is the Founder and Managing Member of Solevis LLC, a developer of renewable energy power plants, and of the RobinsOak group of companies, which own and manage more than 300 units of residential real estate in Hudson County, New Jersey. His prior experience includes leading a 500-employee data processing company, CDP. Under his leadership, CDP profitably expanded revenue eight-fold in five years and established a processing center in Bridgetown, Barbados. His early job experience includes work as a Financial Analyst at JP Morgan Chase and an Associate at BNP Paribas. Steven’s broad experience has exposed him to virtually every corporate functional area. His particular strengths lie in organizational change management, development, and implementation of work process and management control systems, and financial structuring. He received his master's degree in Business Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in May 2000, and as graduated magna cum Laude with a degree in Finance from Boston College’s Carroll School of Management in May 1992. Steven serves his community as a member of the Hoboken Shade Tree Commission and of Hoboken Sweet Streets.
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Asa Davis
Natural Gas Generation & Energy, Storage Subject Matter Expert |
Asa has been involved in power protection, electrical generation, and project management fields since 1987. His early career began that year with American Power Conversion (APC), a power protection manufacturer with revenues of $2 million a year. At various times, he held product development, information systems, sales management, human resources, and executive leadership positions. (APC was sold to Groupe Schneider for $2 billion in 2007). In 2001, he led APC's first fuel cell evaluation and development effort and became familiar with the advantages and shortcomings of all four major fuel cell topologies (PEM, molten carbonate, alkaline, and solid oxide) from virtually all the world's major manufacturers. For the past two years, he led the East Coast expansion program for Bloom Energy, a California-based fuel cell manufacturer. This included operating environment evaluation, product certification for state energy efficiency programs, establishing the company's first commercial accounts, and recruiting and hiring the company's regional sales team. Asa has experience leading multimillion-dollar development and construction projects, both domestically and internationally. Based on his background, Asa is uniquely qualified to evaluate vendors and technology to determine the most appropriate fuel cell solution from installation feasibility, operational reliability, and performance perspectives for project development. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University.
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Len Fry
Energy Subject Matter Expert |
Len brings 40 years of energy engineering and practical knowledge to the company. His experience and understanding of today's issues surrounding solar energy ensures that Eclipse Solar will deliver the highest quality, most cost-effective solution for your particular needs. Len has worked in the energy field most of his life. During the Vietnam era, he was a nuclear operator in the Submarine Service of the U.S. Navy, and then worked for a public utility company in various operations and management positions over a period of 17 years. This included managing the staff and technical areas at a large nuclear generating station. Len has also owned two other businesses, where he learned that the secret of success is providing customer satisfaction.
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