Board of Directors

Frank R. Alix, Chief Executive Officer, co-founded Powerspan in 1994. Frank has over 25 years of experience in energy related fields. Prior to assuming his present role at Powerspan, Frank worked as a venture capital investor where he directed investments in early-stage technology ventures. Frank has over 15 years’ experience in the construction, maintenance, and repair of nuclear power plants on submarines. He began his career at General Dynamics and later worked as a senior nuclear engineering manager for over nine years at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. There Frank headed the Nuclear Test Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Divisions where he was responsible for more than 200 engineers and technicians. As the head of the NR-1 Engineering Group, Frank was responsible for all electrical and mechanical propulsion plant systems during the first Submarine NR-1 Refueling overhaul. Frank has a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell and an M.B.A. from the University of New Hampshire. Frank is co-inventor on several of Powerspan's patents.

Dean Kamen, who joined the Board of Directors in 1996, is an inventor, entrepreneur, and a tireless advocate for science and technology. He is the founder of DEKA Research & Development Corporation, where he develops internally generated inventions and provides research and development for major corporate clients. He holds more than 440 U.S. and foreign patents for innovative devices that have expanded the frontiers of health care worldwide. Some of his notable inventions include the first wearable insulin pump for diabetics, the HomeChoice™ portable peritoneal dialysis machine, the INDEPENDENCE® IBOT® Mobility System, and the Segway® Human Transporter. Among Mr. Kamen's proudest accomplishments is founding FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), an organization dedicated to motivating the next generation to understand, use, and enjoy science and technology. Mr. Kamen was awarded the National Medal of Technology in 2000, the Lemelson-MIT Prize in 2002, and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in May 2005.

Preston R. (Jeff) Miller, Jr. joined the Board of Directors in 2000. He is a partner of The Tremont Group, a private investment firm based in Boston. He is also partner and co-head of The Beacon Group Energy Funds, which made private equity investments in over 30 companies globally, throughout the energy industry. He was a founding Partner in 1993 of The Beacon Group, a private investment and merger advisory firm, which was acquired by JPMorgan Chase in 2000. Most recently, he was a Partner with JPMorgan Partners, the private equity affiliate of JPMorgan Chase. Prior to the formation of The Beacon Group, Mr. Miller was with Goldman, Sachs & Co. for 15 years, where he was the founder and global head of the non-regulated power generation group, and financed many of the most significant transactions in the early stages of the industry. Mr. Miller is a member of the boards of Alliance Resource Partners LP, Longhorn Partners Pipeline LP, Nexant Inc., the World Resources Institute and the Yale Alumni fund; and is a member of the Gas Technology Institute's Strategic Advisory Council and the Advisory Committee for MIT's Study of the Future of Coal. Jeff received a B.A. from Yale University and an M.P.A. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Alexander (Hap) Ellis III joined the Board of Directors in 2004. Hap is a General Partner of RockPort Capital Partners. He has extensive operating experience in electric power and renewable energy. Hap was a member of the management team at Kenetech Corporation from 1991-1995, where he was responsible for expanding the portfolio of wind generation opportunities and introducing wind into utility systems across the country. He later was a partner in several electric-related companies, including most recently Casco Bay Energy Company, LLC, now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Duke Energy, which developed and owns a 520 MW gas-fired electric generating station, and Acadia Bay Energy Company, LLC, now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Allegheny Energy which developed a 638 MW gas-fired electric generating station. In 1998 Hap joined RockPort Partners, a merchant bank specializing in the energy and environmental sectors, and helped form the venture fund in 2001. In addition to Powerspan, Hap serves on the Boards of Directors of Catalytic Solutions, Inc; Comverge, Inc; BayCorp Holdings; and Pilgrim Insurance Company. He is also a member of the Finance and Administration Committee of the Massachusetts Audubon Society as well as a Council member. Hap received a BA from Colorado College and an MBA from the Yale School of Management.

Steven E. Parry, Chairman, joined the Board of Directors in 2007. Steve is a Managing Director of NGEN. As a professional geologist, he worked in the minerals industry for more than 25 years. Unlike the traditional geologist’s profile, his career has focused on the development, implementation and management of deal pipelines and deal structures – a body of work incorporating approximately 200 transactions. His pioneering efforts, popularizing a venture capital approach to early stage investment in the mining business, are well known in the industry. Steve has managed two portfolios prior to his role at NGEN. At Billiton plc and BHP Billiton, he held the position of Vice President Business Development and General Manager, Innovation for the company’s exploration subsidiary. As a principal in BHP Billiton’s venture capital group, he was responsible for creating its first technology venture fund in 2001. Steve is a BSc graduate of Queen’s University, Canada, and a MSc graduate from the University of Western Ontario. He was awarded the Canada 125 Medal, conferred by Canada’s Governor General, for his work as Founder and Chairman of Save Our North, a group promoting the interests of northern resource communities. Steve is a member of the board at Artificial Muscle, EnviroTower, Pionetics, Powerspan (Chairman), SolFocus, Tioga Energy, and Venture Vehicles.

Charles D. Lasky joined the Board of Directors in 2007. He is vice president of Fossil Operations and Air Quality Compliance for FirstEnergy Solutions Corp., a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. His responsibilities include supervising management of FirstEnergy’s coal, natural gas, hydro, and oil-powered generating plants in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Charlie joined FirstEnergy in 1986 as an engineer at the W.H. Sammis Plant. After serving in various engineering positions at Sammis and other locations, he was promoted to planning supervisor at the R.E. Burger Plant in 1992, and to Industrial Relations coordinator in the Akron General Office from 1994 to 1995. Charlie then served in various fossil operations and plant management positions before being named director of the Bruce Mansfield Plant in 2001. He was appointed to his current position in September 2004. Charlie earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering in 1986 from The University of Akron.  He is a Registered Professional Engineer in Ohio and is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Charlie is a director of the Ohio Valley Electric Corporation (OVEC) and represents FirstEnergy as a member of the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies (AEIC).

Thomas C. Leonard joined the Board of Directors in 2008.  He has been a Vice President at CRA International (formerly Charles River Associates) since 2006 where he works with outside counsels to assist Audit Committees, Boards of Directors and managements of public companies investigate potential accounting issues, and understand and evaluate complex accounting and disclosure issues related to financial reporting and business transactions and disputes.  He has prepared expert reports and has testified as an expert in a number of matters involving accounting and financial reporting matters in Federal, state and other regulatory agencies.  Before joining CRA, Tom was a Managing Director at Huron Consulting Group.  Prior to Huron, Tom was a Partner at Arthur Andersen in Boston and served as the Audit Division Head of the Assurance and Business Advisory Practice for New England.  He had over twenty-five years of experience at Arthur Andersen, fifteen of them as a Partner.  He served as Audit Partner on numerous public and private companies in the high technology, manufacturing and energy industries, including both electric and gas companies.  He has previously testified in a number of rate matters for electric, gas and water utilities. He also has experience in public offerings and mergers and acquisitions.  Tom is a Certified Public Accountant in Massachusetts and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.  He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Kadant, Inc., a NYSE company, where he is the Chairman of the Audit Committee.  He was formerly a board member of BayCorp Holdings LTD prior to its acquisition in 2005.  Tom earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Wisconsin.