Allan Sindelar, founder and president of Positive Energy, has been a solar bozo since the late seventies in Oregon, when he was part of the first wave of interest in renewable energy as a carpenter fresh out of community college. An itinerant craftsman with a solar passion, he worked at Amory and Hunter Lovins' Rocky Mountain Institute in the mid-eighties, and installed his first PV system while living at Lama Foundation, an ecumenical spiritual community in northern New Mexico, in 1988-89. He has taught at Solar Energy International in Carbondale, Colorado, and installed PV systems for several contractors in western Colorado before starting Positive Energy.
Allan is on the Technical Committee of the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners and the Advisory Board of the New Mexico Solar Energy Association. He is the first nationally-certified NABCEP Certified Solar Photovoltaic Installer working in New Mexico.He holds an associate's degree in Construction Technology from Linn-Benton Community College in Albany, Oregon, and a bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies from John F. Kennedy University in Orinda, California. He and his wife Johanna are raising and homeschooling a daughter, Emma Rose, and two sons, Nathaniel and Solomon. They live without utility power or television, south of Madrid, New Mexico.
E-mail allan@positiveenergysolar.com
Randy Sadewic joined Positive Energy as an owner in August of 2004. Randy grew up in Oregon where environmental awareness was part of the culture. Friends of Trees, NW Earth Institute, and the Natural Step were a few of the social-profit organizations that shaped Randy’s dream of personal and global sustainability. He was awakened to new energy and resource efficiency standards during his assignment in Tokyo, Japan as General Manager of a high-tech sales and service office. It is there that he installed his first small stand-alone PV system to run his computer and other appliances.
Randy left his semiconductor equipment career of over 20 years to attend Solar Energy International’s two-week Solar and Wind courses and enroll in the San Juan College Renewable Energy Certificate program graduating in 2004. Randy is a NABCEP certified PV installer. In addition to the year's studies, Randy trained as an apprentice doing low-income residential energy efficiency audits with Colorado Housing Solutions and taught an energy efficiency class to senior citizens. He also performed energy audits for the Homeless Shelter and Southwest Safehouse in Durango, Colorado and organized discussion groups on voluntary simplicity concepts.
Randy holds a degree in Accounting from University of Oregon and was a Certified Public Accountant before starting his high-tech career. Randy’s personal source of renewable energy comes from his wife Nao’s delicious food grown from their own garden, from local farmers, and mother nature. Randy has been a regular speaker and advocate on renewable energy and energy efficiency topics at local schools and at New Mexico Solar Energy Association events. Randy has built a stand alone solar electric system to suppliment their utility power, and he has also installed a grid-tied system which covers all of their househld usage.
E-mail randy@positiveenergysolar.com
Mark Drummond also joined Positive Energy as an owner in August of 2004. He has been a hobbyist in photovoltaic technology since he was attracted to renewable energy and sustainable development concepts in the late 80’s. Mark earned a Bachelor's degree in Electronics Engineering Technology from DeVry University in 1994 with the hopes of working with PV systems as a career. Because the solar industry was not developed enough to offer gainful employment at the time he graduated, he opted for employment in the semiconductor industry.
After working as a Field Service Engineer for Lam Research for eight years, the economic downturn led to the loss of his job, and the opportunity to seek employment doing what he always wanted to do. Mark moved himself and his family to Farmington, New Mexico in the summer of 2003 to complete the Renewable Energy Certificate program at San Juan College. Mark has since become a NABCEP certified PV installer and is working on becoming a residential electrical jorneyman.
Mark also has the full time job of being a husband to Maureen, and father to their five-year-old daughter Sydney and three-year-old identical twin boys Sean and Seth. The Drummonds live with an off-grid electrical system and passive and active solar heating features. A large garden is planned for next summer
E-mail mark@positiveenergysolar.com
Positive Energy is the evolutionary offspring of Dankoff Solar Products. Legendary solar bozo*, wind weenie, and solar water pumping pioneer Windy Dankoff helped Allan with his first system in 1988, and the two have remained friends since. Allan bought the retail part of Dankoff Solar Products from Windy in late 1996, and Positive Energy opened its doors in March 1997. Dankoff Solar Products is now a major wholesale distributor, as well as importer and manufacturer of solar water pumps.
Don't forget to look at our Employee Alumni page to see some of the folks who have made us who we are.
*solar bozo: an affectionate term for one of those poor demented souls who still believe that solar and wind energy can save us from planetary self-destruction.
All materials and images contained in this website
©2002 Positive Energy, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|
| | |
