SolarTech Leadership: Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors were nominated and elected on August 14, 2008.
Tom McCalmont
Regrid Power
President, CEO, Co-Founder
Tom McCalmont has over 30 years of experience developing new businesses that deliver innovative technology solutions. He has led Regrid Power's meteoric growth from inception in 2002 to its position today as one of California's largest and most respected solar companies. A prolific inventor with 13 U.S. patents, he has a
successful track record of creatively applying new technology to solving real world customer problems. He is an electrical engineer and a charter NABCEP-certified Solar Engineer.
Mr. McCalmont is also the Founder and Chair of SolarTech, an organization of diverse constituents dedicated to eliminating adoption & cost barriers to the proliferation of solar power. Mr. McCalmont also serves on the Board of Directors of Joint Venture Silicon Valley Network.
Prior to starting Regrid Power, Mr. McCalmont founded and served as the first CEO of Nuasis Corporation, a company developing next generation customer service solutions (now part of Intervoice Corporation), and before that, he served as Vice President & General Manager of the computer-telephony products division of Aspect Communication (now part of Davox Corporation).
Mr. McCalmont holds an MS degree in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University and a BS degree in Physics from Muskingum College. He has also completed the AEA/Stanford executive MBA program.
Carl Guardino
Silicon Valley Leadership Group
President & CEO
Carl Guardino, one of Silicon Valley’s most distinguished business and community leaders, is the President and CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, a public policy trade association that represents more than 200 of Silicon Valley’s most respected companies.
In February 2007, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Guardino to a four-year term on the California Transportation Commission. He also serves on numerous other boards and is actively involved in a wide range of community organizations and projects. In 2000, the San Jose Mercury News named Guardino one of the “Five Most Powerful” people in Silicon Valley in a once-per-decade study.
Guardino has been the chief executive of the Leadership Group since 1997. He previously served as a vice president with the organization between 1991 and 1995. In between, he held an executive position in governmental affairs with Hewlett Packard. Earlier, he spent six years on the staff of Central Valley Assemblyman Rusty Areias, the last three as his chief assistant.
Known throughout the region as a consensus builder, Guardino has championed a number of important issues, especially in the areas of transportation and housing.
His transportation leadership includes successful management of ballot Measures A & B in 1996 that funded 19 key road and rail improvements with $1.4 billion; and co-management of a 2000 traffic relief initiative that will generate some $5.5 billion in local funds to bring BART to Santa Clara County, improve CalTrain and other transit improvements.
Guardino is the chair of City Year San Jose Silicon Valley and the founder and race director of the annual Thanksgiving Day “Applied Materials Silicon Valley Turkey Trot.” In addition, he serves on the boards for the Second Harvest Food Bank, the Housing Trust of Santa Clara County and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Guardino also hosts “The CEO Show,” a radio talk featuring top Silicon Valley CEOs and other executives that airs every Tuesday at 7 p.m. on KLIV AM 1590, and writes “Corporate Culture,” a monthly column in San Jose Magazine.
Surinder Bedi
SunPower Corporation
VP, Global Quality & Customer Satisfaction
Surinder S. Bedi serves as SunPower’s vice president of global quality and customer satisfaction, driving SunPower’s quality programs and strategic continual improvement initiatives. A 20-year veteran in the semiconductor industry, he has successfully led the design and deployment of world-class quality and reliability systems, streamlining new product introductions and improving manufacturing efficiencies. Prior to joining SunPower, Bedi was vice president of quality and reliability at Form Factor. Previously, he held the position of vice president of quality and product reliability at Applied Materials, and was also chairman of the quality steering board. During his ten years at Applied Materials, he was instrumental in helping the company achieve world class quality and reliable systems that earned numerous customer quality awards. Earlier in his career, Bedi held management positions at Digital Equipment Corp. (DEC) and National Semiconductor Corp. Bedi earned a BS degree in mechanical engineering from Bangalore University, India, a MS degree in industrial and systems engineering from Ohio University, and is a graduate of executive training from Stanford University. He holds 11 technology patents from the semiconductor equipment industry.
William Colavecchio
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.
VP, General Manager, Global Industrial Products Sector
Michael Curran
NOVA Works
Director
Mike Curran has been the Director of NOVA since 1986. He has worked in training a substantial workforce through NOVA. Mr. Curran was recognized in 1995 as the "Job Training Professional of the Year" by the National Alliance of Business.
Paul Detering
Tioga Energy
President & CEO
Paul Detering is an experienced leader of early stage technology companies with more than 20 years of experience in the clean technology, telecom and software industries. Previously, Detering led Larian Communications, which produced a next-generation voice messaging system. Detering was also CEO of Blueleaf Networks, an early stage optical networking and components company; Wildfire Communications, which he successfully sold to Orange Plc; and IQ Labs. Mr. Detering began his career at Nortel Networks and has worked at Raychem, Raynet Systems, and McKinsey and Company. He received a Bachelor of Engineering in Engineering Physics from the Royal Military College of Canada and a Masters in Business Administration from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration, where he graduated with high distinction as a Baker Scholar.
Charles Gay, Ph.D
Applied Materials
VP, General Manager Solar Business Group
Dr. Charlie Gay was named corporate vice president and general manager of the Solar Business Group at Applied Materials in 2006. An industry veteran with over 30 years of experience in the solar industry, Dr. Gay is responsible for establishing and building Applied Materials' solar business. Dr. Gay is also a co-founder of the Greenstar Foundation, an organization that delivers solar power and internet access for health, education and microenterprise projects to small villages in the developing world. Dr. Gay has a doctorate degree in physical chemistry from the University of California, Riverside. He holds numerous patents for solar cell and module construction and is the recipient of the Gold Medal for Achievement from the World Renewable Energy Congress.
Paul Krutko
City of San Jose, California
Chief Development Officer
Since joining the City of San Jose in 2002, Paul Krutko has led the development and implementation of an Economic Development Strategy for the world's leading center of technology and innovation that includes 15 specific initiatives and over 100 distinct tactical projects to build a strong and prosperous economy and
improve overall quality-of-life. Significant accomplishments include retention and expansion project of headquarters facilities for eBay and Cisco Systems, acquisition of the 78 acres former FMC site for mixed use development including a Major League Soccer stadium, and San Jose City Council approval of a policy for
North San Jose that will result in 29 million square feet of office/research facility development and 32,000 housing units. As chief development officer, Krutko leads the City of San Jose's Community and Economic Development City Service Area coordinating a broad range of development service and facilitation activities on behalf of the City Manager.
Larry Owens
Silicon Valley Power
Division Manager, Customer Services
James Purcell
Santa Clara University
VP, University Relations
Jim Purcell is the vice president of University Relations. As vice president, he is responsible for Alumni Relations, Development, and the Office of Marketing and Communications and is a member of the President’s Cabinet.
Richard Roth
San Jose Water Company
President & CEO
Richard Roth was appointed Chief Executive Officer of SJW Corp. in 1999 and President in 1996. Prior to becoming President, he was Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Corporation from 1990 to 1996 and Vice President from April 1992 until October 1996. As the CEO of that major utility company, Richard Roth's
organizational, accounting and finance background is a real asset to FCH. He is also appreciated locally for his service on the Board of Trustees for the San Jose Symphony Foundation and as a member of the Rotary Club, and his influence extends to the national level as the President Elect of the National Association of Water Companies.
David Rubin
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Director, Service Analysis
Presently the Director of Service Analysis at Pacific Gas and Electric Company in San Francisco, David bears the responsibility for economic development, various types of community energy programs, and distributed generation. Among other things, the department manages PG&E’s Self Generation Incentive Program and the California Solar Initiative.
Doug Payne
Regrid Power
Director of Commercial Business Development
Mr. Payne leads REgrid Power’s Commercial Business Development Division, based in Campbell and serving Northern and Central California. Mr. Payne has over 10 years experience in strategic planning, program development and product roadmaps.
Prior to joining REgrid Power, Mr Payne worked in program management, product development and business development at KLA-Tencor.
Mr. Payne holds a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s University, Ontario.
