Client Quote


"The workmanship and the engineering on this job impressed me. We finished the job on time and within budget. We actually had some contingency funds that we did not use that we will return to the program. It was in all respects one of the most satisfying and successful jobs that I’ve been associated with. No safety violations, no re-submittals, no unhappy customers…the guys just worked hard and did all they promised."

Will White, Army Corps of Engineers

Did You Know


 
In 2007, the U.S. domestic PV market grew to 220 megawatts, up from 140 megawatts the previous year.  

 Our Team

Meridian Solar features a team of industry leaders with a combined fifty years of experience in the field. Our dedicated and highly trained staff includes more North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) than any other solar EPC firm in Texas.

Our common trait is a passion for solar technology, so keeping up with the latest trends and new developments isn’t a chore, it’s a way of life. We believe in what we do, and it shows in our work.



Our Management Team



Andrew McCalla
Founder, President & Director

Andrew McCalla is the Founder, President and Director of Meridian Solar, Inc.  Andrew has been a professional in the solar industry since 1995 when he joined SWPV, a photovoltaic distribution company, to head its international sales and design efforts.  After 4 years, Andrew founded what was then Meridian Energy Systems to fill the regional need for high-quality renewable energy system design and installation. One of two inaugural NABCEP (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners)-qualified installers in Texas, Andrew has served on the board of the Texas Solar Energy Society, currently serves on the board of the Texas Renewable Energy Industry Association and is a regular presenter at industry events and conferences. In addition to his extensive solar training, Andrew holds a B.A. from the University of the South.

Mark Begert
Executive Vice President & Director

Mark Begert currently serves as Executive Vice President and Director of Meridian Solar responsible for business development, corporate development and financing strategy.  Mark served as Chief Financial Officer from June 2008 to April 2011.  Mark joined the Company to develop the business strategy and to help execute Meridian Solar's shift from a residential and commercial solar installer to a leading Engineering, Procurement and Construction company focusing exclusively on solar and the commercial, public and utility-scale market segments.  Previously, Mark served as Chief Financial Officer of Linktone Ltd., a leading wireless technology developer based in Shanghai, China successfully leading the company in its private financing activities, strategy decisions, major acquisitions and to its Nasdaq initial public offering in March 2004.  Prior to that, Mark was a Vice President in the fixed income capital markets group of Merrill Lynch in New York, London and Tokyo. Mark also serves as advisor and seed investor to several young companies in China and the United States. Mark graduated from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, a concentration in government, and a sub-concentration in international relations.

Mark Rangel
Vice President of Business Development

Mark Rangel joined Meridian Solar in 2011 as Vice President of Business Development. Mark brings over 10 years of engineering experience to the team including 7 years focused on solar technology.  Previously, Mark was a General Manager with Texas Solar Power Company and prior to that, worked as an engineer with IBM. Mark is NABCEP-certified and received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.

Fred Brimhall
Director of Operations

Fred Brimhall is Director of Operations for Meridian Solar. Fred is a licensed Master Electrician and NABCEP trained. Fred has over 30 years of experience designing and managing government, commercial, and residential electrical projects ranging up to $350 million. Prior to joining Meridian Solar, Fred owned and operated a successful electrical contracting company for 11 years employing up to 65 electricians. Fred completed construction management coursework at Arizona State University.

Bennett Ford
Director of Engineering

Bennett Ford is the Director of Engineering at Meridian Solar. Bennett has worked in the photovoltaic industry since 2007, focusing on structural and electrical design, constructability, and project finance. Prior to Meridian, Bennett was General Manager of a design and manufacturing company producing MIL-SPEC and ASTM-Standard products. Previously, Bennett held roles in forensic structural engineering, MEP construction, and metal fabrication. Bennett received a M.S. in Civil Engineering from The University of Texas and a B.S. from Texas A&M University.

Alex Tynberg
Director of the Government and Public Division

Alex Tynberg is the Director of the Government and Public Division at Meridian Solar.  Alex leads all government and public project business development and sales efforts for the company and has been in this role since early 2009. Previously, Alex was an urban real estate developer for projects in downtown Austin with Tynberg LLC and Andrews Urban LLC.  Alex also was Program Director for the Trust for Public Land and an attorney in the San Francisco office of Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold. Alex is actively involved in many local Austin civic organizations, including serving as a Board Member of the Downtown Austin Alliance and a Corporate Council Member for the Long Center for the Performing Arts. Alex received his B.A. in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley and his J.D. from the University of Oregon School of Law.  He also has a LEED AP certification.  

Cynthia Redwine
General Counsel

Cynthia Redwine joined Meridian Solar as General Counsel in April 2011.  Prior to joining Meridian, Cynthia served as General Counsel to RRE Austin Solar, a developer of utility-scale solar energy generation.  Before "going in-house", Cynthia practiced in the Houston office of Vinson & Elkins.  At V&E, Cynthia's practice focused on domestic and international business transactions, including financings (both corporate finance and public finance), private equity investments, mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, project developments and other corporate transactions, particularly in the energy industry. Cynthia earned her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law, with Honors, and her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University, cum laude. Cynthia serves on the board of directors of the Texas Energy Law Association and is a former editor and co-founder of the "Texas Journal of Oil, Gas and Energy Law". 

Amissa Meeks-Myers
Human Resources Manager

Amissa Meeks-Myers joined Meridian Solar in April 2011 as the head of the Human Resources Department.  Amissa has fifteen years experience as a human resources generalist and corporate trainer in the healthcare, restaurant, and luxury services industries.  Throughout her career, Amissa has focused on organizational development, employee relations, recruitment and retention, training and development, and benefits and compensation.  Amissa is currently a member of the Austin Human Resources Management Association.  Amissa holds a Masters of Business Administration with a specialization in Human Resources Management.

John Wadley
PV Systems Electrical Engineer

John Wadley joined Meridian Solar, Inc. as PV Systems Electrical Engineer in September 2011.  John has a Professional Engineer's license in Texas, a NABCEP Solar PV Installer TM certification and an apprentice electrician's license.  Prior to joining Meridian Solar, John gained hands-on experience in residential solar PV installation through a local SunPower dealer.  He also consulted under his own engineering practice, Wadley Engineering, on commercial-scale, grid-tied solar PV systems in Texas.  He holds a M.S.E.E. degree from the University of Texas at Dallas and is a member of Texas Renewable Energy Industry Association, American Solar Energy Society and IEEE Power Society.  His interests lie in cost-effective, large-scale commercial or utility-scale solar PV systems design and integration.  John also brings 19 prior years of engineering success from the semiconductor industry to Meridian giving him a unique and in-depth understanding of photovoltaic technology.

Jeff Wolfe
Structural Engineer

Jeff Wolfe joined Meridian Solar as Structural Engineer in April of 2011, bringing with him over 7 years of experience in the design of steel, concrete, timber and masonry structures.  Jeff's experience ranges from conceptual design to construction administration for many types of building structures, industrial structures, civil structures, and solar installations.  Jeff is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Texas, and a graduate of the University of Kentucky, where he earned his Master of Science in Civil Engineering Degree in 2004.

Brian Inocente
Electrical Engineer

Brian Inocente is an electrical engineer in Meridian Solar's engineering department.  He has been a professional in the power distribution industry since 2003.  Notable recent projects of which he was the engineer-of-record include: The University of Texas At Arlington (400KW), Smithville City Hall (45KW), TSTC Sweetwater (30KW), and The University of Texas At Austin (30KW). Prior to joining Meridian Solar, Brian was the principle electrical engineer and co-owner of an Austin based MEP engineering consulting firm AYS Engineering. Prior to that, he worked as an electrical engineer for Page Southerland Page and HMG & Associates where he earned a diversified background in engineering medical hospitals, commercial, educational, residential, and retail buildings.  Brian received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 2003 from The University of Texas At Austin.

Zac Paxton
Senior Project Manager

Zac Paxton is the Senior Project Manager of Meridian Solar.  Zac is a licensed Master Electrician in the State of Texas and a NABCEP Certified PV System InstallerTM with more than 12 years experience in the construction industry and in electrical and renewable energy.  Prior to joining Meridian Solar, Zac ran a successful electrical company in Austin, TX and has been designing, installing and overseeing the successful implementation of photovoltaics for over 8 years.  Zac has been head electrician on multiple government and commercial solar installations and has served as Superintendent on a number of prominent commercial installations throughout Texas.

Tony Gust
Project Manager

Tony Gust is a Project Manager for Meridian Solar. As a NABCEP Certified PV System InstallerTM, Tony has over 7 years of PV and solar thermal project management experience in both Texas and California and a total of 11 years of construction experience overall.  Tony has managed the installation of over 3.2 MW of grid-tied solar generating capacity in government, commercial, nonprofit and residential applications.  He is trained in confined space, asbestos abatement, fall protection, forklift operation and electrical hazards.  Tony also holds multiple manufacturer training certifications for various products and has managed 3 Solar Energy International ("SEI") installations where he instructed 20+ students in the hands-on installation of PV systems.  Prior to his employment in the solar PV industry, Tony worked as an electrician's apprentice for 2 years and has 2 years of experience in the industrial scaffolding construction field.

Charles Gildon
Purchasing & Warehouse Manager

Charles Gildon is the Purchasing & Warehouse Manager of Meridian Solar. He joined the Company in June 2009 and took over Purchasing & Warehouse to support the construction team shift from a residential and commercial solar installer to a leading Engineering, Procurement and Construction company focusing exclusively on solar and the commercial, public and utility-scale market segments; Charles has over 10 years of professional experience in Electrical, Manufacturing & Semiconductor industries. He has served as ILS Coordinator for a National Semiconductor organization, and has served as Inside Sales for a Regional Electrical organization. Charles has also worked with several large Manufacturing companies as a distributer and direct sales. 

Paul Guerrero
Controller

Paul Guerrero joined Meridian Solar in 2010 as Controller with over 25 years of experience within the construction industry.  Paul is responsible for all aspects of the Company's accounting and financial analysis and supervises the Accounting staff. Paul received a Bachelor of Business Administration-Finance from St. Edward's University in Austin, TX.