Management Team» Doug Carriger
Doug CarrigerPresident & Chief Executive OfficerAs President and CEO, Doug Carriger is responsible for all aspects of corporate and strategic development for Pyron Solar. In addition to his role as CEO, Doug serves as Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary. Prior to his position with Pyron Solar, Doug was the Program Manager for Boeing’s Future Energy Systems, a component of Boeing Phantom Works’ advanced research and development group. He was responsible for leading the development and implementation of the terrestrial solar energy business strategy, managing R&D investments in Spectrolab cell development, and customer development for utility scale solar energy projects. Prior to that, Doug incubated a portfolio of spin out businesses within Boeing’s venture capital group where a broad range of entrepreneurial skills were utilized to create high value business investments. Doug also spent many years managing the development and testing of complex mechanical and optical systems on Boeing’s Delta Rocket program. Doug holds an MBA from UCLA Anderson, and a BS in Civil Engineering from University of Florida. Doug is a registered civil engineer in California.
Stephanie AretzInternational Chief Operating OfficerStephanie joined Pyron Solar in January 2008, and is responsible for International Operations Management. She oversees the design, implementation, and operation of the company’s production facilities, and is also responsible for quality management. Stephanie has over 15 years experience in European mid-market companies where her roles have ranged from the production of capital-goods to brand management and marketing. Before Pyron Solar, Stephanie held a variety of positions with JK-Holding Group (Windhagen, Germany) where she lead the development of efficient, high quality and low cost production methods of premium quality commercial UV-radiation systems. She managed international projects while moving new products from research to production and then into market. Earlier in her career, Stephanie worked for four years as a procurement manager for Babor GmbH (Aachen, Germany). Stephanie is a graduate of Verwaltungs- und Wirtschafts-Akademie (BA in Economics, Aachen, Germany), German Chamber of Industry and Commerce and Professional College of Business Administration (BA, Aachen, Germany).
John LaingChief Technology OfficerMr. Laing is a company co-founder and serial entrepreneur with over 25 years of R&D experience within the solar field. An accomplished physicist, Mr. Laing holds more than 300 patents worldwide on products ranging from dual axis tracking systems for concentrated PV to systems of efficient, long life pumps. Together with his wife, the Laing’s have founded many international companies and have become a key supplier to world class companies such as GE, Gillette, and Mitsubishi. The Laing’s developed and patented the innovative Pyron Solar electrical generating system. Prior to moving to the US, Mr. Laing founded and directed operations at PTEL R&D Institute in Aldingen, Germany during the 1960’s. The institute concentrated on fluid mechanics, electric motors, and energy projects. Eventually, the Laings immigrated to the US to pursue many business opportunities relating to their patent portfolio. Mr. Laing collaborated with Mrs. Laing in the lab in Aldingen on many R&D projects within their respective fields, and he studied physics and mechanical engineering at the universities of Delft (Netherlands), Göttingen and Karlsruhe (Germany).
Inge LaingVice PresidentMrs. Laing is a company co-founder and serial entrepreneur with over 25 years of R&D experience within the solar field. An accomplished physicist with expertise in semiconductor soldering processes, Mrs. Laing has independently developed the current cell soldering process that forms the baseline of Pyron Solar’s production process. In addition to her numerous contributions to the company’s solar patents, Mrs. Laing is responsible for many key innovations in materials science - particularly within the realm of material wear and durability. Furthermore, Mrs. Laing is an expert in latent energy storage devices. She conducted her studies of physics at the University of Karlsruhe, Germany.
Edward C. NixonChairman, Pyron Solar Advisory BoardEdward Nixon began his international consulting service in 1971 working initially under the name Global Access until the incorporation of Nixon World Enterprises in the State of Washington in May 1980. In addition to his technical evaluation projects, Mr. Nixon has been able to offer his clients extraordinary worldwide access to decision makers, both political and industrial. Most of his earlier work involved studies of exploration and discovery, extraction and marketing of mineral resources outside the United States. In 1973, following the second inauguration of his brother, President Richard Nixon, and with growing concern about our own diminishing reserves of fossil fuel, he decided to reorient his business interests toward potential solutions to our increasing reliance on foreign suppliers. Foreign travel and especially his work in lesser-developed countries had already inspired his search for alternative energy sources. He concluded that we should continue developing geothermal and wind energy even though they are too limited to make a significant impact on global needs for alternatives. This eventually led to his fulltime consulting work on several wind energy development projects in California and the Caribbean. In 1983, Mr. Nixon’s first meetings with the prolific German inventor, John Laing, focused mostly on energy efficiency devices and possibilities for improving wind energy conversion suitable for utility-grade electric power. Subsequent cooperation revealed that Mr. Laing had much more to offer with his Pyron Solar concept. Thus, Mr. Nixon has devoted increasing personal attention to the development of new methods for solar electric power generation – techniques that now appear certain to provide the breakthrough needed to compete successfully with any and all conventional producers. Mr. Nixon holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from Duke University and a Master of Science in Geological Engineering from NC State University. |