Leadership: A Worthy Collaboration
The founders and leaders of SolarTech represent the industry’s highest level of achievement. Dedicated to change and willing to do the heavy lifting required to move an entire industry to the next level.| Tom McCalmont SolarTech Chairman | Carl Guardino SolarTech Co-Chairman |
| Doug Payne SolarTech Managing Director | David McFeely Solar Programs Development Coordinator |
| Peter Ridgway Membership Chairman |
Tom McCalmont
REgrid Power, CEO
Mr. McCalmont has 25 years of experience developing new businesses that deliver innovative technology solutions. A charter NABCEP-certified Solar Engineer, he has led REgrid Power’s meteoric growth from inception in 2002 to its position today as one of California’s largest 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.
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, and before that, he served as Vice President & General Manager of the computer-telephony products division of Aspect Communications (now 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. He is a founding member and Executive Chair of SolarTech, Solar Center of Excellence, an entity dedicated to eliminating the existing barriers to the proliferation of solar power.
Carl Guardino
SolarTech Co-Chairman
President & CEO, Silicon Valley Leadership Group
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.
As a housing advocate, he co-created the Housing Trust Fund, which has helped 6,200 families afford homes in high-cost Silicon Valley by raising more than $32 million in voluntary contributions. He also co-managed Prop. 46, the statewide Housing Bond, in 2002 and co-chaired Prop. 1-C, the November 2006 statewide Housing Bond.
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.
Guardino was born and raised in San Jose and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from San Jose State University, where he is a Distinguished Alumnus. He is a member of Junior Achievement’s “Silicon Valley Business Hall of Fame” and a recipient of the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from City Year.
Carl is married to Leslee Guardino. In their spare time, they compete in marathons and Ironman distance triathlons. They have a daughter, Jessica, and reside in Los Gatos, Calif.
Doug Payne
SolarTech Managing Director
REgrid Power
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.
David McFeely
Solar Programs Development Coordinator
David’s training in the solar industry began in 2006 by attending workshops and educational programs through the Solar Living Institute, Hopland, California. David most recently co-authored a Power Purchase Agreement article, “Thinking About Solar? Good, But How Do You Finance It?,” with Solar Industry leader, REgrid Power, which appeared in the March 2008 publication of the California Apartment Association (for multi-family building owners, 50,000 members).
David holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, and a Business Administration Certificate from the University of California, Santa Cruz Extension program in Cupertino, CA. He has also completed 20 units of graduate engineering course work at Santa Clara University towards a Masters in Engineering Management.
Peter Ridgway
Solar Programs Development Coordinator
