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Our Company
Rio Grande Solar is a full-service, solar-electricity integrator with offices in New Mexico, Arizona and Connecticut, and a strong national presence. Rio Grande has an unparalleled understanding of the complex and continuously evolving federal, state and local incentives, rebates, and diverse utility renewable energy credit (REC) rates and stipulations. RGS further has direct relationships with numerous key component manufacturers, allowing for the best available wholesale pricing and timely requisition of the various solar technologies, modules, inverters, racking and other components. RGS also has unique access to structured financing alternatives for municipalities, non-profits and Native American clients that are unable to take advantage of existing federal and state tax incentives.
Our Team
- Jason Aryeh – Executive Chairman: After earning a business degree with honors from Colgate University and attending NYU's Stern School of Business, Jason worked for seven years for a Fortune 500 company and then in venture capital. For the past thirteen years he has been a highly successful hedge fund manager, and currently serves on the Boards of two public companies. More personally significant, Jason serves as Special Advisor to the national Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and as Honorary Chairman of the Foundation's New Mexico Chapter. His late wife Ann and he are also major donors to both the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the University of New Mexico Hospital.
- Benjamin Rodefer – Chief Executive Officer: Grew up in Corrales, NM where he currently lives with Mavis and their two young daughters. Mr. Rodefer attended Cornell University and has founded several companies, including GoBox Software. He is a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives and a life-long supporter of sustainable development and renewable energy.
- Brian J. Schmidly – Chief Operating Officer: Brian is a seasoned entrepreneur and an experienced corporate executive having worked in startups, private, and Fortune 100 companies. Since graduating with an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management, Brian has held senior positions in both marketing and operations in Latin America and the United States. He is also a LEED-AP®, considered a thought-leader on sustainability in the Southwest, and a frequent speaker at conferences on sustainability in higher education.
- Andy Karetsky – Vice President Special Projects: Since graduating from John's Hopkins University, Andy has spent 20 years in the investment business. He was the youngest vice president in the history of Alex Brown, and was later a partner at Camelot Capital, a $1.3B technology hedge fund, and then at P.A.W. Partners, where he ran their Thematic Fund which invested primarily in publicly traded renewable energy companies. Andy is currently also a partner at Stonegate Energy, a financier of large-scale renewable energy projects.
- David Rose – Vice President Project Management: Dave has spent the past 8 years as a premier solar industry integrator. Prior to joining Rio Grande, Dave owned and ran 1 Star Energy, a California based solar integration company focused on commercial, industrial and municipal organizations. Previously Dave also worked for Pacific Power Management and Steller Energy Solutions. Dave has managed the installation of multiple mega watts of solar-electricity installations.
- Isa Benitez – Vice President of Marketing: After growing up in Venezuela, Isa attended United World College in New Mexico. Isa graduated from McGill University in Montreal on full scholarship, then, receiving a Grinter Fellowship, she earned her Ph.D from the University of Florida. Isa worked for five years at Unilever, NV, before joining Rio Grande Solar.
- Nathan Perkins – Vice President Information Technology: After graduating from USC as a Renaissance Scholar in 2007, Nathan spent 2 years in South Africa with the Peace Corps. Mr. Perkins was an original founder of GoBox Software and has been written up in the NY Times and PC Magazine as a young computer genius to watch.