Most Experienced - With a combined 42 years in the solar energy industry, Meridian staff members are leaders in their field, constantly staying at the cutting edge of the technology's developments. Our crews are efficient, team-oriented professionals who have years of experience working together. HighlyTrained - Our staff members have been trained on safety and technical issues by the foremost educators in solar-electric system design and the manufacturers of the world's leading photovoltaic equipment: - San Juan College - Solar Energy International - Southwest Windpower - Outback Power Systems Field Service Technician - Trace Engineering Factory Training - Sharp Electronics - Fronius - SMA Certified - The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) administers a rigorous certification test for solar-electric installers in order to establish professional standards for the industry and to protect consumers. Meridian boasts more NABCEP certified installers on staff than any other company in Texas. Andrew McCalla, President Sales & Design Team Ryan Hunter, VP of Sales Hunter Berry, Sales Representative Travis Moller, Sales Representative Andrew Taft, Sales Representative Dave Brearley, VP of Design Vicki McAninch, Design Assistant Administrative Team Z Szaday, Controller Kurt Lyell, Process Analyst Amber Bridgers, Administration Assisant Installation Team Tommy Jacoby, VP of Projects Jason Comstock, Project Manager Tony Gust, Project Manager Dom Westeen, Project Manager Shawn Latta, Warehouse Manager Eric Kay, Master Electrician Aaron Bludworth, Installation Technician Alex Petrovich, Installation Technician Paul Eastup, Installation Technician After earning a BA in International Business from Abilene Christian University, Hunter Berry began his quest for a career which would impact society and provide for his growing family. He dove in head first by raising organic chickens on the first organically certified ranch in Texas, then spent a year building and living off-grid in the Greater World Earthship Community (http://www.earthship.net/) with architect Michael Reynolds. Hunter knew he was on to something, so upon returning to Texas, he pursued a position with Meridian and spent a year learning, installing, and selling solar electric systems. Hunter left to pursue the booming mortgage business, and after four years of selling mortgages, green building products, and building a grocery store, Hunter jumped on the opportunity to return to Meridian and focus on residential sales. When he had spare time, Hunter persuaded a goddess to marry him, built a house, and delivered three of his four daughters. Originally from Rockport, Texas, Aaron Bludworth moved to Austin after spending time and seeing an outdoor concert while still in high school. Aaron fell in love with the city, its lakes and the hill country. Aaron spent over ten years in the high-tech field working as a manufacturing process technician doing work in metrology, mechanical and chemical areas. At 30 Aaron was recruited to be the division manager for DFW Test Inc. and played an integral role in opening the Austin division. This included all equipment, tooling, and hiring of staff to support the interface production line. Even though these ten years of high-tech taught and challenged him, Aaron still did not feel that this was his true calling. Aaron took a break to own and operate a business doing custom concrete work, and finished work on a utility patent that was published in August, 2007. Aaron and his wife enjoy camping, tubing, outdoor festivities and off road motorcycle racing all over Texas. Enjoying the outdoors was a great part of what lead Aaron to working for a solar company. Aaron has been working at Meridian for over one year. David Brearley is a NABCEP* certified PV system designer and project manager for Meridian Energy Systems. He holds a BA from the University of Notre Dame. After years of working in the building trades, David attended San Juan College's Renewable Energy Program where he graduated with honors. David had advanced from being a a system integrator, to Eastern Regional Manager for a national distributor of renewable energy products when he joined Meridian Energy Systems in the spring of 2005. In their spare time, he and his wife, Molly, enjoy biking around Austin in search of the next Bob Dylan and the perfect margarita. Jason Comstock was born and raised in New York's rural Southern Tier and earned a Bachelor's degree from Grove City College. Before pursuing a career in renewable energy, Jason worked as a steel drum (indigenous percussion instruments of Trinidad and Tobago) craftsman for six years. After meeting Meridian founder Andrew McCalla at the Austin Green Festival in 2003, Jason took part in Solar Energy's internship program completing both their PV Design and Installation and Advanced PV courses. He now holds his NABCEP* Solar PV Certification and is leading residential and commercial installation crews. In his spare time he works on his hill country property and is currently building a custom bio-diesel motorcycle with co-worker Shawn Latta. Paul Eastup moved to Austin 14 years ago after five years of film studies at University of California Irvine. Paul took electronics classes in Austin, and was working as a commercial audio systems installer. When his first son was born two years ago, Paul wanted to pursue something he cared about and took the Solar Electricity (Photovoltaics) System installer course from ACC. Paul then passed the entry level NABCEP* installer exam, and has been working at Meridian ever since. Paul says that "this is the best job I have ever had", and "the best group I have ever worked with". Tony Gust, born and raised in the upper Texas gulf coast, lived in California where his interest in Alternative energy sources landed him in the solar industry. He moved home to the Austin area with his lovely wife and daughter, and joined the Meridian team with over 500kW of PV installations. In his spare time he enjoys taking his daughter and wife off road-ing in his personally modified Jeep wrangler, and rock climbing locally in the Austin area. Ryan Hunter combines technical sales and marketing experience, a passion for the environment, and graduate studies in renewable energy markets and conventional energy generation to lead Meridian's sales team. As a volunteer for the Texas Solar Energy Society, Ryan helps organize and stage the annual Renewable Energy Roundup and Green Living Fair, educating individuals on the social and environmental benefits of renewable energy. In his spare time, he enjoys playing old time, bluegrass, and country music with his friends. Tommy Jacoby grew up in Austin and later attended the University of California, Berkeley where he received his degree in Environmental Economics and Policy with a minor in Forest Management. He began installing PV Systems in 2003 in California and moved back to Austin to work with Meridian Energy Systems as a Project Manager in January 2006. Tommy is a NABCEP* Certified Solar Installer. He enjoys fly-fishing, mountain biking, gardening, camping, and traveling.¬Ý He has traveled extensively throughout Latin America, and is proficient in Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese. Eric Kay, a state-licensed Master Electrician, entered the electrical trade in 1994 after tiring of living as a starving artist. A few years later, while working as a maintenance electrician in a manufacturing plant, he developed an interest in renewable energy. He owned his own electrical contracting business for four years, working closely with Meridian. Eric joined the Meridian team in 2007. He enjoys camping, backpacking, and the never-ending renovation of his South Austin home, where he lives with his wife and several cats. Shawn Edwin Latta III - From an early age, Shawn dismantled everything he could get his hands on to see if he could simplify, terrify, or modify it to gain more efficiency. In the seventh grade he won his school science fair with a solar-powered car that he built. In his teen years Shawn turned his attention to human-powered projects focusing mainly on bicycles and built an exercise trainer/generator used to power a 12V TV. After a degree in Biology/Pre-Medicine and a short career in medical research, Shawn decided to pursue his passion for renewable energy and joined Meridian in 2004. He also holds a license in Real Estate inspection specializing in home energy audits. Shawn enjoys spending his free moments with his beautiful wife and daughter and working on gas, electric and bio-diesel powered motorcycle projects. Kurt Lyell moved to Austin from Dallas to pursue a mechanical engineering degree at the University of Texas. After graduating, Kurt worked in manufacturing, semiconductor and energy fields before finding a home in renewable energy. Kurt was attracted to renewable energy because it simultaneously helps the problems of energy supply and emissions. Kurt co-founded of Austin Biofuels over four years ago and helped the company provide availability for renewable transportation fuels in Austin (Austin is now recognized as the #1 city in North America for biodiesel access with over 30 public filling stations providing biodiesel blends http://www.austinbiofuels.com/?page=Retail). Kurt started working for Meridian in 2007. Kurt enjoys meeting folks that believe in doing the right thing and saving emissions in the process. Kurt is married and his hobbies are playing games with his two boys, ages 2 and 7. Originally from Canada, Vicki McAninch began her career in renewable energy with Meridian after meeting Andrew McCalla at the Austin Green Festival in the fall of 2003. Vicki works with the sales team at Meridian as a PV Systems Integrator and Designer. Upon graduating from Baylor University with her Bachelor of Science in Engineering, she entered the semiconductor industry, as a Final Test Technician with Applied Materials. In 2001, she left that position to become a stay-at-home mom with her first of two wonderful daughters. Together they reside on the north side of Lake Travis along with their two dogs, cat and three rabbits. Andrew McCalla has been involved in the solar industry since the summer of 1995 when he enrolled the Solar Energy International Renewable Energy Education Program. After 4 years of working in international system design and sales at a photovoltaic distributor, Andrew founded Meridian Energy Systems to provide high-quality renewable energy system design and installation. One of two inaugural North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners Certified Installers in Texas, Andrew has served on the boards of both the Texas Renewable Energy Industry Association and the Texas Solar Energy Society and is a regular presenter at industry events and conferences. Travis Moller was born in Slidell, Louisiana, and raised in Fort Worth, Texas. Travis moved to Austin in 1999 to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in English and minor in Business Foundations. Upon graduation, he went to work in retail management while nurturing an aspiration towards working to promote sustainability. The promise of renewable energy soon sent him searching for educational and job opportunities in the field. He discovered the Photovoltaic Design and Installation degree plan at San Juan College in 2005 and quickly found himself a student once again in Farmington, New Mexico. Now, happily back in Austin, Travis works in sales for Meridian Energy Systems spreading the good word of solar energy in the city he loves. Outside the office, he enjoys good conversation, outdoor activities, live music, physics, and documentary films. Alex Petrovich graduated college with a degree in Mew Media Design. After spending a summer making video games, Alex moved to Austin to live with his family. His brother-in-law introduced him to Meridian, and he has been at Meridian for over one year installing solar systems. Alex continues to make video games in his spare time. Z Szaday attended college at Michigan State University and Indiana University prior to making Austin her home in 1985. She brings years of experience and knowledge in many facets of accounting and office management. After developing a solid career in project accounting for various companies both large and small, Z was happy to finally find her home in the solar industry at Meridian Energy Systems in 2006. A first generation Hungarian-American, Z makes a point to visit her family abroad as often as possible and loves to explore other cultures through travel, food and art. She has a passion for photography and music, so don't be surprised to find her out in the Austin scene and beyond. Andrew Taft was raised in Bermuda, and studied marine science at Western Washington University. Andrew is a licensed maritime captain and for the last seven years has worked as an educator and operations manager for various alternative education and ecotourism companies on vessels traveling from Mexico to Alaska and Nova Scotia to South America. Andrew became interested in solar energy in Mexico while experiencing an off grid residence. He then took the year long PV Installation Systems Design school at San Juan College and graduated with honors. He has been with Meridian since, and is happy to call Austin home. Originally from El Paso, Dominic Westeen now resides in the beautiful city of Austin. After graduating from New Mexico State University with an IT degree, he quickly realized that the solar industry is where he belongs. He has been installing photovoltaic systems since spring of 2005, and loves every minute of it. He enjoys good barbeque and the refreshing water of Barton Springs every chance he gets.