Visible Light Solar Announces Expanded Management Team and New Manufacturing Headquarters

[3BL Media]

Visible Light Solar Technologies, a LED/solar lighting technology innovator, today announced the appointment of four new executives and expansion into a new 32,000-square-foot US manufacturing headquarters. Founded by the venture accelerator Noribachi in 2008 and launched in the summer of 2009, Visible Light Solar is experiencing rapid growth; the company recently announced three new product lines, a national authorized distributor network, and increased sales of its LED/solar commercial and industrial lighting products. Following a recent $221,250 grant by the New Mexico Economic Development Department for job training, Visible Light Solar plans to hire 45 assembly workers and technical engineers in 2010.

Joel Ivy joins Visible Light Solar as its chief operating officer. Other appointees are Douglas Ralph as controller, Joe Gillach as vice president of marketing and Robert Cochran as director of product management. The expansion of the executive team coincides with the company’s move to 5300 Eagle Rock Ave. NE, in Albuquerque, NM. The new location includes a customer showroom that shuts out light pollution, allowing for a more realistic environment to display products; a 20,000-square-foot assembly and warehouse facility; a light lab for extensive performance testing, and a comprehensive solar facility for the development, manufacturing and testing of solar products.

“I am thrilled to have this new team in place. Their talents, coupled with the capabilities of our new manufacturing and assembly headquarters, will accelerate our ability to green the lighting industry. Our mission is to become the leader in LED and solar solutions, giving businesses and industry new ways to reduce their energy consumption,” said President and CEO of Visible Light Solar Dee Dennis Jr. “This group has already hit the ground running as we respond to rapidly growing customer interest.”

Ivy supports Visible Light Solar’s mission: “I joined Visible Light Solar to be a part of an organization that is committed to environmental sustainability and dedicated to decreasing our electricity consumption by leveraging proven, innovative technologies. In my former role at Public Service Company of New Mexico, I saw that we can’t build our way out of our energy challenges with more and more power plants. The greatest opportunity for energy management is for customers to reduce their energy consumption. After all, the cheapest unit of energy is the one never used; LED and solar lighting fixtures are one of the most effective ways to get started,” Ivy said.

Joel Ivy, Chief Operations Officer
Prior to joining Visible Light Solar, Ivy worked for more than 26 years in the electric utility industry. Most recently he served as the vice president of New Mexico operations with Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM), which provides electric service to nearly 500,000 customers. At PNM Ivy was responsible for all aspects of engineering, construction and system operations for the electric transmission and distribution system. Before joining PNM, Ivy was vice president of technical services with Texas-New Mexico Power Company (TNMP), where he headed engineering and system operations for the transmission and distribution systems in both Texas and New Mexico. For four years Ivy served as PNM’s member representative to the Western Electricity Coordinating Council. He is currently on the Board of Directors of the Rio Rancho Regional Chamber of Commerce. Ivy received a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering at University of Texas at Arlington.


Robert Cochran, Director of Product Management
Robert Cochran joins Visible Light Solar as director of product management where he will be responsible for the company’s lighting product lines from strategic planning to product introduction, as well as overseeing international relationships and project opportunities. Prior to joining Visible Light Solar, Cochran was President of Palmello Group International, an importing and consulting company specializing in sourcing products throughout South East Asia. Cochran also served as vice president and general manager of Nicor Lighting – a commercial and residential lighting manufacturing company – where he oversaw the national sales force, customer service department, manufacturing department, inventory, and product design and testing. Cochran is a certified lighting specialist with the American Lighting Association.

Joe Gillach, Vice President of Marketing
As the vice president of marketing, Joe Gillach will manage all aspects of customer and stakeholder outreach. Prior to this role, Gillach held senior marketing positions at several public and startup technology companies, including Oracle Corporation, Sun Microsystems, Niku, Diba, ONElist and Bloglines. He launched his marketing career as a member of the Marketing Intensive Practice for the international management consulting firm Booz-Allen & Hamilton. In addition to his work with Visible Light Solar, Gillach is a director with the clean-tech venture accelerator Noribachi and a principal at Ratel Investments. Gillach holds a Bachelor of Arts from Georgetown University and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Finance.

Douglas Ralph, Controller
Douglas Ralph has been named controller at Visible Light Solar. Prior, Ralph was the controller for the Hemi Group, LLC Internet Retailer in Albuquerque, NM. Ralph also spent 22 years at the Dallas-based Woolley Hotel Company where he served as the controller, vice president of development and finance, and then chief financial officer. In 1996, Ralph successfully restructured the company’s property financing and carried the privately owned hotel chain to a sale on favorable terms. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in government at Arizona State University and is a certified public accountant.

ABOUT VISIBLE LIGHT SOLAR
Based in Albuquerque, NM, Visible Light Solar Technologies (www.visiblelightsolar.com) is an intelligent LED and solar lighting technology company. Visible Light Solar provides businesses, municipalities and educational facilities with retrofit as well as new solar/LED lighting solutions that save money, reduce maintenance costs, and are environmentally sustainable. Visible Light Solar is a member of the Illuminating Engineering Society, US Green Building Council and International Dark-Sky Association. The company is backed by the venture accelerator firm, Noribachi (www.noribachi.com).

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT
Sandy Skees
Communications4Good
831.332.4387
[e-mail]

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