About Us:
Staff
Meet the Hard Working RREAL Staff!
Jason Edens – Founding Director
With the help of a small group of dedicated volunteers, Jason started RREAL in his basement and garage back in 2000. Under his leadership, RREAL has grown out of the basement and has performed over one hundred Solar Assistance installations and over fifty Solar Electric and Solar Hot Water installations. Jason holds his Masters in Environmental Studies from Bemidji State University. jason@rreal.org
Jesse Royer – Director of Design-Build
Jesse was one of RREAL’s first volunteers and Solar Assistance employees in the early 2000s. Preceding his renewed hire with RREAL at the beginning of 2012, Jesse lived in California working in the burgeoning photovoltaic (PV) industry on the west coast. He was a Project Manager for Borrego Solar and Grosolar from 2007 – 2010 and finished his California tour working for BP Solar as an Asset Manager on commercial and utility scale PV plants. Jesse has helped hundreds of homes and businesses go solar and brings years of additional contracting experience and solar knowledge to RREAL. To learn more about a solar system for your home or business, feel free to contact Jesse. jesse@rreal.org
Nicholas Hayes - Solar Technical Sales
Nicholas, our newest team member, will be working with Jesse, Director of Design-build to design the technical interface for various solar technology types, preparing bids and proposals and assisting with grant writing. nicholas@rreal.org
<Becky Grosskreutz – Operations Assistant
Becky has been with RREAL over three and a half years. Before bringing her talents to RREAL, she worked for Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Moorhead, MN as an Administrative Assistant Specialist to the Facilities Director. Becky provides administrative support to the whole staff and works on customer relations, information management, and helping to streamline our daily business operations. becky@rreal.org
Roger Garton – Technical Director, Engineer
Roger is a graduate from University of Minnesota where he studied Mechanical Engineering. He started volunteering with RREAL at the beginning of 2010 and then served for a full year as an AmeriCorps VISTA. Roger is now a full time Engineer and the Technical Director with RREAL. Recently, Roger became NABCEP certified in Solar Heating Installation. roger@rreal.org
Ryan Burns – Dealer Community Coordinator
With a long history of commercial and residential construction experience Ryan graduated from St Paul Technical College in 1994 from the construction and welding program at the top of his class. He worked in the Twin Cities on commercial and residential sites eventually becoming lead foreman for a large commercial contractor. In 2000 Ryan moved to Walker MN and continued to work in the construction industry. Years later Ryan, a single father of two, has now owned and operated his DJ business since 2001. As a recipient of fuel assistance from Minnesota’s Bi Cap organization Ryan has lived with both Solar Air Heat and Solar Hot Water for years . With Ryan’s construction experience, his success in running a small business and in his deep understanding of solar thermal technology, Ryan is a crucial part of the RREAL team .. ryan@rreal.org
Adam Kutrich – AmeriCorps VISTA, Engineer
Adam graduated from the University of Massachusetts Lowell in 2010 with an MS in Solar Energy Engineering. While there he worked on the design of a passive solar house for use in the mountains of Peru. As a VISTA, he is researching alternative SPF applications and helping to improve the design and deployment of RREAL’s solar energy systems. adam@rreal.org
Shannon Wheeler - AmeriCorps – Solar Heat Outreach
Shannon, a new AmeriCorps team member, in collaboration with the Conservation Corps of Minnesota and Iowa. Shannon is a Solar Heat Outreach Specialist furthering our Solar Assistance program (Solar heat for low-income families on energy assistance) and establishing new partnerships in Minnesota. shannon@rreal.org
Adam Mehr - AmeriCorps – Solar Heat Outreach
Adam Mehr, our new AmeriCorps team member, in collaboration with the Conservation Corps of Minnesota and Iowa. Adam is RREAL’s newest Solar Heat Outreach Specialist furthering our Solar Assistance program (Solar heat for low-income families on energy assistance) and establishing new partnerships in North Dakota! adamm@rreal.org
Theo Westhues - AmeriCorps – Solar Heat Outreach
Theo, a new AmeriCorps team member, in collaboration with the Conservation Corps of Minnesota and Iowa. Theo is a Solar Heat Outreach Specialist furthering our Solar Assistance program (Solar heat for low-income families on energy assistance) and establishing new partnerships in Iowa! theo@rreal.org
Heather Butcher - Production Manager
Heather has been with RREAL six years! She leads in the manufacture of SPF, ensures maximum quality assurance and quality control, and manages additional manufacturing staff on a day-to-day basis. When not at RREAL, Heather is busy spending time with family. heather@rreal.org
Joel Lindstrom – Master Electrician
Joel Lindstrom is the person behind JoelT Electric, with whom RREAL contracts its electrical work. Joel is a North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) Certified Master Electrician, and an all around swell guy!