John W. Palmer, President and CEO, is a founder of VANGUARD SOLAR and joined the company in January 2007. Prior to this he was an executive and officer for seventeen years with Biogen Idec, Inc., a leading worldwide biotechnology company. During his tenure he had responsibilities for nearly all aspects of this fast-growing, high-technology company including product development and clinical trials management, international operations start-ups in Europe, Japan and Australia, very large-scale manufacturing construction and management on two continents and business development, licensing and M&A leadership. His last position was as Senior Vice President & General Manager, Immunology Business Unit responsible for North American sales and marketing. Before Biogen Mr. Palmer was a marketing and new product development executive with General Foods Corporation, President/COO of a successful health services venture start-up and a Manager with a top strategy consulting firm. He has an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and was an Army Officer (Airborne/Ranger) for five years. Mr. Palmer has lived and worked in the Boston area for nearly twenty years.
Dr. Dennis J. Flood, Chief Technology Officer, is a founder of VANGUARD SOLAR and sole inventor or co-inventor of all its patent applications. Dr. Flood spent 33 years at NASA. The last 24 years were with the Space Photovoltaic and Environment Branch at the John Glenn Research Center near Cleveland, Ohio, the last 15 years as Branch Chief. He has been involved with, and in most cases supervised, essentially all PV research and space operations programs at NASA and has been responsible, via government funding, for much of the PV research in the private sector globally for many years. He has participated in and led numerous national and international research and policy committees and panels regarding solar energy for both space and terrestrial applications and he continues these activities today in PV research policy development forums and in consulting with major Wall Street investment houses. Prior to co-founding VANGUARD SOLAR, Dr. Flood participated in several other start up companies in the energy field and currently serves as an advisor to a NASA-technology-based company marketing carbon nanotube production equipment. He has a Ph.D. in Physics from Michigan State University. Dr. Flood resides in Oberlin, Ohio and makes routine visits to the Boston and Houston areas.
George J. Pilla serves as Consulting Chief Financial Officer to VANGUARD SOLAR. Mr. Pilla has consulted to a number of venture-backed technology companies in the areas of financial management, human resources and corporate administration. He has provided guidance to more than 80 companies since 1995. Mr. Pilla has extensive experience in financial management and planning, establishment of banking relationships, equity financing, cash flow management and human resources management, as well as insurance and other administrative matters common to young companies. Previously Mr. Pilla served as the Vice President of Finance and Administration at Course Technology, Inc., Steinbrecher Corporation and Polymer Technology Corporation, all of which were venture-funded. Prior to these positions, Mr. Pilla was an audit manager at Coopers & Lybrand in Boston. Mr. Pilla holds a BS in Accounting from Boston College and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.
ADVISORS
Dr. Andrew R. Barron ,
is a Founder of VANGUARD SOLAR and sole inventor or co-inventor of all its patent applications. He holds the Charles W. Duncan, Jr.-Welch Chair of Chemistry and is Professor of Materials Science at Rice University. Dr. Barron is the author of numerous publications in the area of materials preparation via chemical pathways. Prior to joining the faculty of Rice in 1995, Dr. Barron received his undergraduate and doctorate degrees in chemistry from the Imperial College of Science and Technology in London, performed postdoctoral work at the University of Texas at Austin, and served on the faculty at Harvard University. Dr. Barron is the inaugural recipient of the prestigious Norman Hackerman Award in Chemical Research. Dr. Barron is also a Fellow of The Royal Society of Chemistry in Great Britain. He has also had prior experience with a startup company that he co-founded with Don Ciappenelli. The company, Gallia, Inc., was ultimately sold to TriQuint, Inc., a major manufacturer of gallium arsenide electronic devices.
Stephen M. Andress,
is a partner in the Business Department of Nutter, McClennen & Fish, LLP, based in the firm's Boston office. As Co-chair of Nutter's Emerging Companies/High Technology practice group, Mr. Andress has been dedicated to addressing the business challenges faced by companies in technology industries for most of his legal career, representing companies in diverse fields, from IT and advanced materials to biotech and medical devices. Mr. Andress represents Nutter to the TechLaw Group, Inc., an international resource network of law firms focusing on technology-based enterprises, and in January 2006 became president of the organization for a two-year term. He has been working with the organization to develop programs where attorneys expand their knowledge of the complex legal issues facing technology companies, and clients get the benefit of the most current legal thinking on matters of utmost importance to their business. Mr. Andress represents many technology-based businesses in the full range of their business matters, bringing to bear his experience with both large and small companies in a variety of industries and transactions, both domestic and international in scope. Mr. Andress received his JD from University of California (Berkeley) School of Law, and his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, B.S.F.S.
Steven Wishner,
provides financial counsel and helps to direct financing strategy for VANGUARD SOLAR. He is Senior Vice President, Finance, Strategy and Business Development of Charming Shoppes, Inc., the largest women's specialty apparel retailer in the country offering plus-sized women's fashions with more than 2400 stores and annual sales of $3.1 billion. Mr. Wishner joined the company in June, 2004 to oversee the company's finance and banking activities, its Wall Street relationships, the company's growth strategies and its M&A and new business incubation activities. Prior to joining Charming Shoppes Mr. Wishner was Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of Sequel Management, LLC, a boutique private equity investment firm located in Boston. For the 3 years preceding his investment banking experience at Sequel Management, Mr. Wishner was Chief Financial Officer of BuyerZone,com, Inc., a successful internet startup operation which he helped shepherd to profitability within 2 years of bringing its first product to market. From 1986 until 1999 Mr. Wishner served as Vice-President, Finance and Treasurer of The TJX Companies, Inc., the largest retailer of off-price family apparel in the United States. While at TJX Mr. Wishner participated in significant financial engineering resulting in a complete restructuring of the company, which included the divestiture by IPO, spin-off or sale of numerous divisions and subsidiaries, the acquisition of several businesses, and various significant financings. Mr. Wishner also played an important role in the development of several international businesses for the TJX. During his tenure at the Company its market value grew from approximately $1.5 billion to $11.5 billion. Mr. Wishner holds a BA in Philosophy from Colgate University and received an MBA degree in Corporate Finance from the Johnson School of Management at Cornell University.
Val Livada,
is an expert in management and growth of technology ventures and is an ADVISOR to Vanguard
Solar. In 1996, he founded Weybridge Partners, a network of formal and informal associations of
practitioners and organizations focused on the successful commercialization of technology. The
network includes business and technology consultants, venture capitalists, academics, entrepreneurs,
lawyers, etc in the US and abroad. Dr. Livada brings 30 years of consulting experience to his clients
as a Director at Braxton Associates, a Vice President at Pugh-Roberts Associates, and in the
innovation management practice at the PA Consulting Group. During his career, Dr. Livada has
combined expertise in the areas of strategic planning and organizational dynamics, with a detailed
knowledge in the areas of innovation, product development, and R&D management. He sits on the Board
of Directors for Monarch Antenna and Polynova Composites. He is also a business advisor to many
companies including Liquid Bits, LuminZ, Porticus, and Rapport Inc. Dr. Livada received his
undergraduate degree from MIT and his MA/ PhD from Tufts University. Currently he is Senior Lecturer
on Corporate Entrepreneurship at the Sloan School of Business at MIT, where he is leading a joint
research project, with the Wharton Business School, on Corporate Venture Capital.
Oscar Jazdowski,
advises VANGUARD SOLAR on banking relationships and other financial service needs. He is a Senior Relationship Manager for Silicon Valley Bank with over 20 years involvement in financing young, emerging, venture-backed technology companies. Mr. Jazdowski started his career with Bank of Boston in the U.K. then joined the banks High Technology Lending Group. Over the next 13 years, he was involved in financing young emerging, middle market and large corporate, public-traded technology companies and ran Bank of Boston's Silicon Valley office. In 1996, Mr. Jazdowski started the East Coast Technology Group of Imperial Bank (now Comerica) providing debt financing and other financial services to young, emerging, venture-backed companies. After two years running Sand Hill Capital's operations in Boston , Mr. Jazdowski joined Silicon Valley Bank.
John W. Palmer, President and CEO, is a founder of VANGUARD SOLAR and joined the company in January 2007. Prior to this he was an executive and officer for seventeen years with Biogen Idec, Inc., a leading worldwide biotechnology company. During his tenure he had responsibilities for nearly all aspects of this fast-growing, high-technology company including product development and clinical trials management, international operations start-ups in Europe, Japan and Australia, very large-scale manufacturing construction and management on two continents and business development, licensing and M&A leadership. His last position was as Senior Vice President & General Manager, Immunology Business Unit responsible for North American sales and marketing. Before Biogen Mr. Palmer was a marketing and new product development executive with General Foods Corporation, President/COO of a successful health services venture start-up and a Manager with a top strategy consulting firm. He has an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and was an Army Officer (Airborne/Ranger) for five years. Mr. Palmer has lived and worked in the Boston area for nearly twenty years.
Dr. Dennis J. Flood, Chief Technology Officer, is a founder of VANGUARD SOLAR and sole inventor or co-inventor of all its patent applications. Dr. Flood spent 33 years at NASA. The last 24 years were with the Space Photovoltaic and Environment Branch at the John Glenn Research Center near Cleveland, Ohio, the last 15 years as Branch Chief. He has been involved with, and in most cases supervised, essentially all PV research and space operations programs at NASA and has been responsible, via government funding, for much of the PV research in the private sector globally for many years. He has participated in and led numerous national and international research and policy committees and panels regarding solar energy for both space and terrestrial applications and he continues these activities today in PV research policy development forums and in consulting with major Wall Street investment houses. Prior to co-founding VANGUARD SOLAR, Dr. Flood participated in several other start up companies in the energy field and currently serves as an advisor to a NASA-technology-based company marketing carbon nanotube production equipment. He has a Ph.D. in Physics from Michigan State University. Dr. Flood resides in Oberlin, Ohio and makes routine visits to the Boston and Houston areas.
George J. Pilla serves as Consulting Chief Financial Officer to VANGUARD SOLAR. Mr. Pilla has consulted to a number of venture-backed technology companies in the areas of financial management, human resources and corporate administration. He has provided guidance to more than 80 companies since 1995. Mr. Pilla has extensive experience in financial management and planning, establishment of banking relationships, equity financing, cash flow management and human resources management, as well as insurance and other administrative matters common to young companies. Previously Mr. Pilla served as the Vice President of Finance and Administration at Course Technology, Inc., Steinbrecher Corporation and Polymer Technology Corporation, all of which were venture-funded. Prior to these positions, Mr. Pilla was an audit manager at Coopers & Lybrand in Boston. Mr. Pilla holds a BS in Accounting from Boston College and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.
Dr. Andrew R. Barron ,
is a Founder of VANGUARD SOLAR and sole inventor or co-inventor of all its patent applications. He holds the Charles W. Duncan, Jr.-Welch Chair of Chemistry and is Professor of Materials Science at Rice University. Dr. Barron is the author of numerous publications in the area of materials preparation via chemical pathways. Prior to joining the faculty of Rice in 1995, Dr. Barron received his undergraduate and doctorate degrees in chemistry from the Imperial College of Science and Technology in London, performed postdoctoral work at the University of Texas at Austin, and served on the faculty at Harvard University. Dr. Barron is the inaugural recipient of the prestigious Norman Hackerman Award in Chemical Research. Dr. Barron is also a Fellow of The Royal Society of Chemistry in Great Britain. He has also had prior experience with a startup company that he co-founded with Don Ciappenelli. The company, Gallia, Inc., was ultimately sold to TriQuint, Inc., a major manufacturer of gallium arsenide electronic devices.
Stephen M. Andress,
is a partner in the Business Department of Nutter, McClennen & Fish, LLP, based in the firm's Boston office. As Co-chair of Nutter's Emerging Companies/High Technology practice group, Mr. Andress has been dedicated to addressing the business challenges faced by companies in technology industries for most of his legal career, representing companies in diverse fields, from IT and advanced materials to biotech and medical devices. Mr. Andress represents Nutter to the TechLaw Group, Inc., an international resource network of law firms focusing on technology-based enterprises, and in January 2006 became president of the organization for a two-year term. He has been working with the organization to develop programs where attorneys expand their knowledge of the complex legal issues facing technology companies, and clients get the benefit of the most current legal thinking on matters of utmost importance to their business. Mr. Andress represents many technology-based businesses in the full range of their business matters, bringing to bear his experience with both large and small companies in a variety of industries and transactions, both domestic and international in scope. Mr. Andress received his JD from University of California (Berkeley) School of Law, and his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, B.S.F.S.
Steven Wishner,
provides financial counsel and helps to direct financing strategy for VANGUARD SOLAR. He is Senior Vice President, Finance, Strategy and Business Development of Charming Shoppes, Inc., the largest women's specialty apparel retailer in the country offering plus-sized women's fashions with more than 2400 stores and annual sales of $3.1 billion. Mr. Wishner joined the company in June, 2004 to oversee the company's finance and banking activities, its Wall Street relationships, the company's growth strategies and its M&A and new business incubation activities. Prior to joining Charming Shoppes Mr. Wishner was Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of Sequel Management, LLC, a boutique private equity investment firm located in Boston. For the 3 years preceding his investment banking experience at Sequel Management, Mr. Wishner was Chief Financial Officer of BuyerZone,com, Inc., a successful internet startup operation which he helped shepherd to profitability within 2 years of bringing its first product to market. From 1986 until 1999 Mr. Wishner served as Vice-President, Finance and Treasurer of The TJX Companies, Inc., the largest retailer of off-price family apparel in the United States. While at TJX Mr. Wishner participated in significant financial engineering resulting in a complete restructuring of the company, which included the divestiture by IPO, spin-off or sale of numerous divisions and subsidiaries, the acquisition of several businesses, and various significant financings. Mr. Wishner also played an important role in the development of several international businesses for the TJX. During his tenure at the Company its market value grew from approximately $1.5 billion to $11.5 billion. Mr. Wishner holds a BA in Philosophy from Colgate University and received an MBA degree in Corporate Finance from the Johnson School of Management at Cornell University.
Val Livada,
is an expert in management and growth of technology ventures and is an ADVISOR to Vanguard
Solar. In 1996, he founded Weybridge Partners, a network of formal and informal associations of
practitioners and organizations focused on the successful commercialization of technology. The
network includes business and technology consultants, venture capitalists, academics, entrepreneurs,
lawyers, etc in the US and abroad. Dr. Livada brings 30 years of consulting experience to his clients
as a Director at Braxton Associates, a Vice President at Pugh-Roberts Associates, and in the
innovation management practice at the PA Consulting Group. During his career, Dr. Livada has
combined expertise in the areas of strategic planning and organizational dynamics, with a detailed
knowledge in the areas of innovation, product development, and R&D management. He sits on the Board
of Directors for Monarch Antenna and Polynova Composites. He is also a business advisor to many
companies including Liquid Bits, LuminZ, Porticus, and Rapport Inc. Dr. Livada received his
undergraduate degree from MIT and his MA/ PhD from Tufts University. Currently he is Senior Lecturer
on Corporate Entrepreneurship at the Sloan School of Business at MIT, where he is leading a joint
research project, with the Wharton Business School, on Corporate Venture Capital.
Oscar Jazdowski,
advises VANGUARD SOLAR on banking relationships and other financial service needs. He is a Senior Relationship Manager for Silicon Valley Bank with over 20 years involvement in financing young, emerging, venture-backed technology companies. Mr. Jazdowski started his career with Bank of Boston in the U.K. then joined the banks High Technology Lending Group. Over the next 13 years, he was involved in financing young emerging, middle market and large corporate, public-traded technology companies and ran Bank of Boston's Silicon Valley office. In 1996, Mr. Jazdowski started the East Coast Technology Group of Imperial Bank (now Comerica) providing debt financing and other financial services to young, emerging, venture-backed companies. After two years running Sand Hill Capital's operations in Boston , Mr. Jazdowski joined Silicon Valley Bank.