Chris founded HelioSage in 2008 with several of the principals of Greenlight Energy, Inc., a utility-scale wind project developer sold to BP Alternative Energy in 2006. Since founding the company, Chris has directed the expansion of HelioSage’s client base into eight states and multiple client sectors, established the firm as a trusted development partner for a number of the country’s largest institutional investors, and overseen the expansion of the company’s service model and core capabilities to address the needs of an evolving solar marketplace. Today, HelioSage stands as one of the most recognized names in solar development.

A true entrepreneur, over 15 years ago Chris started AutoMax, a marketing distributorship in the Czech Republic with exclusive rights to car care brands like WD-40, Armor All, Turtle Wax, STP and many others. Recently, AutoMax concluded the acquisition of a competing but complimentary business based in Brno, Czech Republic that increased revenues by 71%. From a basement start up to a multi-million dollar business, AutoMax remains profitable year after year.

From 2001 until 2005, Chris also spent four years building an online ticketing business for Musictoday, a company sold to Live Nation in 2006. Chris helped design the ticketing system that handles sell out shows from the likes of the Dave Matthews Band to John Mayer. Chris also helped Musictoday ticketing grow from a dozen clients to hundreds of artist, venue and festival clients.

In his spare time, Chris serves as President of the Board of Directors for Computers4Kids, a local non-profit, after-school technology mentoring program for disadvantaged youth.

Chris holds a BA in History from the University of Virginia.

With a background in corporate law and structured finance transactions, Nelson has been engaged in renewable energy development for over a decade. Prior to co-founding HelioSage, Nelson worked as the Director of Project Transactions with Greenlight Energy, Inc., managing and negotiating a contract suite that became one of the country’s largest wind energy project pipelines. Following the sale of Greenlight Energy to BP Alternative Energy Services in 2006, Nelson joined BP where he led the development, project financing, and construction of the 300 megawatt Cedar Creek Wind Farm, a $480 million facility selling power to Xcel Energy under a long term power purchase agreement.

Nelson has also served as General Counsel for several renewable energy development firms in the arenas of utility scale solar (Axio Power), utility scale wind (Apex Wind Energy, Inc.), biofuels manufacture (Greenlight Biofuels, Inc.) and the commercialization of a wave to energy technology (Columbia Power Technologies). Nelson’s broad exposure to the renewable energy sector, combined with a deep understanding of the transactions that underpin the space, provide HelioSage, its clients and its partners with a critically valuable skill set.

Prior to getting involved with renewable energy project development, Nelson practiced law for Williams, Mullen, where he specialized in corporate law.  He also served as corporate counsel for Circuit City Stores, Inc. and two of its subsidiaries from 1994-1998.

Nelson holds a BA in Politics from Washington and Lee University and his law degree from the TC Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond.

Matthew is a senior executive with a successful record in renewable energy development and technology start-up companies. Prior to co-founding HelioSage, he was Managing Director of Greenlight Energy, Inc., an independent power producer focused on wind energy projects.  While at Greenlight he participated in the development of over 6,000 megawatts of wind energy facilities.  He also helped finance over 450 megawatts of completed wind energy projects.  In 2006 Greenlight was sold to BP Alternative Energy.

Matthew is also a Founder and Director of Columbia Power Technologies, a development stage company focused on the commercialization of an innovative wave power generation system originally invented at Oregon State University.  He is an active investor in renewable energy technologies and is on the Advisory Board of Greenlight Energy Resources, a diversified renewable energy private equity firm.

Matthew was formerly a co-founder and President of GeNeuron Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company, which developed biologically enhanced medical devices for the treatment of neurovascular diseases.  Prior to founding GeNeuron, Matthew was Director of International Market Development for Varian Medical Systems. In this role, he was responsible for marketing, sales, and business development for all geographies outside North America.  Prior to its acquisition by Varian in 1999, he had been Vice President and COO at Multimedia Medical Systems, Inc., a biotechnology company focusing on radiation treatment planning systems.

In his early career, Matthew was a Senior Financial Analyst for IBM and Management Consultant for Price Waterhouse, LLC.

Matthew holds a BA degree from the University of Virginia and an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and is a Certified Management Accountant.

Pierce joined HelioSage in 2009. Along with fiduciary responsibility for the operating company, Pierce’s primary responsibility is directing project finance. Since assuming the role of CFO, Pierce has negotiated a series of strategic agreements with some of the country’s largest and most active institutional investors, including several Fortune 500 energy companies. These agreements, along with a corresponding track record of successfully commissioned projects, have positioned HelioSage as a project developer with national reach and diversified financing capabilities.

Before joining HelioSage, Pierce co-founded two successful start-ups: Global Sleep Products Inc., a memory foam mattress business, and AutoMax, a marketing and distribution firm in the Czech Republic which he still owns. AutoMax employs over 70 people in 2 locations within the Czech Republic, and has realized revenue and profit growth each of the last 15 years. Recently, AutoMax concluded the acquisition of a competing but complimentary business based in Brno, Czech Republic that increased revenues by 71%.

Prior to these ventures, Pierce spent 4 years as COO of a 25 store specialty retail chain, The Healthy Back Stores, and 3 years as a Commercial Loan Officer with First Union National Bank. Pierce is also a Director of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Foundation, where he chairs the Budget and Compensation Committee, and of Froehling and Robertson, Inc.

Pierce holds a BA in Economics and Psychology from the University of Virginia, and an MBA from the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration.

Jonathan has been involved in the renewable energy space for over a decade. As a co-founder of HelioSage in 2008, he has been responsible for the firm’s strategy for growth, navigating the company from a start-up to a nationally recognized solar project developer in under four years.

A lead investor in Greenlight Energy, the wind energy development firm sold to BP in 2006, Jonathan directed the company’s utility scale development efforts while serving on the Board of Advisors, ultimately securing a transaction pipeline that exceeded 15,000 megawatts. The vantage point gained through business development with both Greenlight and HelioSage has equipped Jonathan with a strong grasp of the complex set of factors that drive both renewable energy projects and the marketplace itself, establishing him as a well-respected voice for the clean energy sector.

Prior to getting involved in energy, Jonathan held positions as Vice President and Managing Director at the Advisory Board Company (www.advisoryboardcompany.com) and its spin-off, the Corporate Executive Board Company (www.executiveboard.com), which went public in 1999 (NASDAQ - EXBD). Across 12 years with these two firms, he was a senior member of the executive team and helped maintain a 25% compound annual growth rate in top line revenue. This growth came from existing product lines, and new product launches in North America, Western Europe, and Asia markets simultaneously.

After the Advisory Board’s IPO, Jonathan became extremely active in child welfare issues in the former Soviet Union. He is a cofounder of the Firefly Children’s Network (www.fireflykids.org).

Jonathan holds a BA in English and a BS in Economics from the University of Virginia.

Myles joined HelioSage in 2010, assuming responsibility for project management, supply chain solutions, technology selection, and engineering oversight. Since arriving, Myles has successfully directed the engineering, procurement and construction of solar arrays in DE, MD, NJ and MA. He has also worked diligently to position HelioSage as a well respected partner to a number of the industry’s top equipment manufacturers, integrators, engineering firms, and general and electrical contractors.

Myles brings an extensive knowledge of business operations and production processes in a wide range of industries.  Prior to joining HelioSage, he was a Senior Consultant Engineer at FM Global, a worldwide leader in commercial and industrial property insurance, where he assisted clients in identifying and solving risk management challenges at facilities valued at up to $1 billion.  While at FM Global, Myles was a trusted advisor to numerous well-known companies including Sprint Nextel, the Philadelphia Phillies, International Paper, Johnson and Johnson, the News Corporation and PJM Interconnection. By the time he left FM to pursue a Masters degree, his account roster was valued at over $5 billion.

Myles holds a BS in Chemical Engineering with High Distinction from the University of Virginia, where he was elected a member of Tau Beta Pi, and an MBA from the Darden School of Business.