Leadership
With the leadership and direction from Founder & CEO Lee Maher, the SolarBlue team is passionate about protecting the planet for future generations. This passion is the key driver in the development of the business and the aggressive approach to building one of the largest renewable energy companies. Lee Maher’s enthusiasm in saving energy through green energy production and energy conservation is the guiding factor in SolarBlue’s mission to protect and preserve the Earth’s natural resources. In addition, SolarBlue strives to create and enhance shareholder value, as well as create mutually beneficial relationships with business partners and a rewarding work environment for associates.
Lee J. Maher
Chairman & CEO
Lee Maher, the Chief Executive Officer and founder of SolarBlue, has extensive experience in leading high-growth companies. Prior to SolarBlue, Mr. Maher co-founded Unicorp National Developments Inc., Central Florida’s largest commercial and retail real estate developer. Under his leadership, Unicorp became the largest developer of CVS Drug Stores in the nation. The company’s portfolio consists of over 50 commercial properties including shopping centers, and other stand-alone retail shops. Mr. Maher has extensive background in commercial real estate with over 22 years experience in real estate development and commercial construction. He has completed many noteworthy projects in Orlando, including the largest urban renovation project in the United States. Mr. Maher attended both Florida State University and Nova University, and holds his Florida Real Estate Broker’s license and Class A General Contractor’s license.
Peter J. Watzka
President & COO
Mr. Watzka served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Ritz-Carlton Development Company, LLC. Mr. Watzka was previous Chief Customer Officer and Executive Vice President - Marketing, Sales, Service, Operations – for Marriott Vacation Club International (MVCI), the leisure division of Marriott International (NYSE:MAR). Mr. Watzka joined MVCI in 1990 as Vice President of Marketing and Sales and has been instrumental in helping grow sales from $50 million to its current multi billion dollar level. He was named Senior Vice President of Sales and Service in 1994. Mr. Watzka holds a B.S. degree in Industrial Engineering from Cornell University in 1971. He received All-American honors in baseball and was inducted into the Cornell Sports Hall of Fame in 1995. Additional affiliations include, President of Psi Upsilon fraternity and active involvement in alumni relations. He also serves on the National Advisory Board for Arnold Palmer Hospital and is active in Children’s Miracle Network and community causes.
Mark Patten
EVP & CFO
From April 2010 to December 2010 Mr. Patten served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Legacy Healthcare Properties Trust, Inc., a start-up healthcare REIT that had sought listing on the NYSE through an initial firm underwritten public offering. Most recently, Mr. Patten served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Simply Storage Management, LLC, the largest privately held self-storage company in the U.S., from August 2007 to April 2010, where he managed its corporate finance group including the accounting, financial reporting, tax, cash management and, risk management functions, as well as, its information technology and human resources departments.
Mr. Patten previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of CNL Hotels, a $7.0 billion lodging REIT, from February 2004 until the sale of the company in April 2007. At CNL Hotels, Mr. Patten managed its corporate accounting, financial and SEC reporting, and cash management functions. During his career Mr. Patten also served for two years as Chief Accounting Officer and Assistant Corporate Secretary of Vistana Inc. (NYSE: WSTN), a developer and operator of timeshare resorts and approximately 12 years with KPMG LLP, including two years in KPMG’s Department of Professional Practice in New York and was elected into the partnership of KPMG in 1997.
Mr. Patten received his Bachelor of Science in accounting from the University of Florida and received his certification as a public accountant in 1988.
Syed Jafri
Chief Technical Officer
Mr. Jafri has over 20 years of engineering experience in the energy industry. He brings a high level of expertise in all aspects of project management such as analysis, design, acquisition, vendor negotiation and contract negotiation. Mr. Jafri has an extensive background in many areas of new and clean technology involving hydropower technology, electric/hybrid drive technology, and other renewable energy technology. He has served as engineering project lead for various Fortune 500 companies and in global markets. Mr. Jafri holds a Masters of Science degree in Arch. Engr. From North Carolina A&T and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mech. Engr. From North Carolina A&T. He also holds an A.S. degree in Electrical Engr from Pakistan as well as a Bachelor of Science in Physics (Minor in Statistics) from Pakistan. Syed’s other credentials include: Six Sigma Black Belt – Quality; Life Member of ASME & Life Member of AEE.
Gin Kinney
Vice President of Business Development
Ms. Kinney represents the company in all aspects of sales, investor relations and marketing communications. She brings nearly a decade of experience in the energy, renewable and sustainability sectors, working as a consultant for companies such as The Energy Group of America, GAI, and Heritage Green. Prior to her work in the green sector, Ms. Kinney served in marketing and communications roles in the healthcare and hospitality industry, working with Fortune 500 companies such as Marriott, Starwood, Hilton and others. Ms. Kinney received her BA in Journalism from the University of Georgia.
Jim Shonkwiler
Development
Mr. Shonkwiler is a civil engineer and a project manager with core strengths in environmental planning & project management systems. As the project delivery owner for fast growing division of Fortune 500 Company, Mr. Shonkwiler managed on-time, on-budget project delivery for a global portfolio.
Mr. Shonkwiler is a project delivery process expert with a talent for “unstructured problem-solving”. He holds two engineering degrees from The Ohio State University, an MBA from the University of Florida and a certification as Master, Project Management Professional (PMP) from Villanova University.
Mr. Shonkwiler has lectured on development and project management at The University of Central Florida and Cornell University and holds a certification in project development from Cornell University.
Aaron Knight
Development
Mr. Knight has extensive experience in directing multi-unit franchises, engineering & fabrication entities and new venture start-up operations. Mr. Knight has served as Director of Engineering & Sales – North America, for a custom fabrication and extrusion-die-assembly company, COO of a multi-unit, multi-national franchise organization, member of the University of Central Florida Technology Incubator, co-foudner of an alternative energy biodiesel producer-Summit Biodiesel LLC, and more recently Director of Operations for Clean Fuel LLC. In addition to the private sector; Knight, -a former Marine, is the recipient of many individual citations and Meritorious awards, some include, acting with the CIA, ATF, and other DoD elements as a force multiplier of Joint Task Force 6 – a counter narcotics element. Aaron holds a B.S. degree – Nova Southeastern University.
