Talk Solar

Join us as we speak to Echogen Power Systems Phil Brennan.Philip has 24 years of leadership in business development, marketing and sales management with Fortune 100 companies and entrepreneurial start-ups. He has led and managed a variety of businesses, ranging from $220 million + portfolios to turnarounds, to emerging start-ups. Over his career Phil has conceived, developed, and launched over 100 new products in the plastics, nutraceuticals, food and packaged goods industries, and has raised over $50 million in equity and grant funding while preparing companies for the next stage of growth. He has held senior and executive management positions in operations, finance, manufacturing, sales and general management for Pfizer, Warner Lambert and Rubbermaid and was the youngest recipient of Georgetown University's Graduate Fellowship for the Masters in Business Administration.

Bill Radvak joined American Vanadium as President and CEO in January, 2010. He spearheaded the company’s transition from a mineral exploration company into a vertically integrated energy storage company with the execution of the Master Sales Agreement for North America with Gildemeister to market the world’s leading CellCube vanadium redox flow energy storage system. Bill Radvak received an engineering degree from the University of British Columbia. Previously, he was a Founder and CEO of Response Biomedical, a publicly listed medical device company. Mr. Radvak led Response Biomedical from its evolution to a 90-employee, sales and manufacturing company.

Louie Miller is the director of the Mississippi Chapter of the Sierra Club, which has been working to protect the health of communities and the environment in the Magnolia State for more than two decades. Louie has led cutting-edge campaigns and has built powerful, diverse coalitions of community groups, working with some of the South’s most celebrated community and environmental justice advocates in the process.Miller has earned national attention for his work challenging Mississippi Power’s Kemper County coal plant, the only coal plant to break ground during the Obama Administration and likely the last coal plant that will ever be built in the United States. From the beginning, Louie challenged the plant for being “dirty, expensive, and unnecessary.”Louie lives outside Jackson, Miss., on a farm with several beloved dogs and enjoys trips to the beach with his family.

Bobby Baker's practice focus is on providing strategic and regulatory advice to private companies and local governments, with an emphasis on energy, transportation and technology issues. In addition, Mr. Baker handles appellate and mediation matters.Mr. Baker was first elected to the Public Service Commission in 1992 and was the first Republican to win a statewide election for a Georgia constitutional office since Reconstruction. As Commissioner, Mr. Baker worked aggressively to develop competitive markets for utility and technology services, and to reduce the regulatory burden on businesses. He was elected to a third six-year term in November 2004, but did not seek re-election in 2010, deciding instead to return to private practice.Mr. Baker grew up in DeKalb County and attended DeKalb County public schools. He graduated from Oglethorpe University with honors and received his law degree from the University of Georgia. After law school, Mr. Baker joined the Southeastern Legal Foundation, a regional conservative public interest law firm and then practiced with a private law firm in Gwinnett County. Mr. Baker has been recognized on numerous occasions by both Georgia Trend Magazine and the Atlanta Business Chronicle as one of the city and state's most influential leaders. He has served on the board of directors for the Georgia Center for Advanced Telecommunications Technology (GCATT) and as Vice-Chairman of the Gwinnett County Planning Commission (1990-1994). He also is the recipient of the Talmage Award from Oglethorpe University in honor of his distinguished professional career in public service.

Kenneth E. LaRoeIn 2009, Mr. LaRoe opened First Green Bank, the first bank with an environmental mission in the eastern United States. He is the largest shareholder, CEO and Chairman. In 1999, Mr. LaRoe founded Florida Choice Bank and was its largest shareholder, Chairman, CEO, and President. He grew the bank to over $400 million in assets by 2006 when the bank was sold to Alabama National Bancorp.Mr. LaRoe began his career with Flagship Bank in Tavares, Florida and rose to the position of vice president and branch manager. He joined SouthTrust Bank in Deland, Florida in 1987 as senior lender and rose to county executive for Lake County. In 1996 Mr. LaRoe joined Colonial Bank as president of the Lake County bank and was instrumental in the conversion of a troubled thrift to a viable commercial bank. He has served on numerous civic and non-profit boards including: The Sunrise ARC (Association for Retarded Citizens), BankServe, and The Florida Bankers Association.He served as chairman of Group 5 of the Florida Bankers Association and also as chairman of Florida BankPac. He is a member of the Florida Bar Association, and the Lake County Bar Association.A committed environmentalist, he served as chairman of Preserve Lake, a political action committee instrumental in passing a bond referendum for $36 million to purchase public land. He also served as chairman of the PLAAC (Public Lands Acquisition advisory Committee).Born, raised, and schooled in Eustis, Florida, where First Green Bank is located, Mr. LaRoe earned a B. S. in management at Florida State University and a J.D. at The University of Florida College of Law. Mr. LaRoe is also a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP).