Edward G. Hole | CEO
Edward Hole has 25 years of senior strategic leadership in developing projects in the private sector, including waste recycling plants, renewable energy, clean energy facilities, value-added agricultural processing plants, cosmetics and pharmaceutical ingredients, gemstone mining, First Nations, and other projects in Canada and internationally. Mr. Hole has worked in over 20 countries around the world, and has served as a co-founder senior officer, Chair/CEO, and director of various private companies.
He has extensive experience in bringing together strategic partners, project financing, project teams, leading edge technologies, complex multi–disciplinary projects, and collaborative environments in Canada, Europe, and Asia.
Edward has led teams that have raised in excess of $175 million US in private financing for sustainable waste recycling-to-clean energy projects in Canada, California, and Bermuda.
During his early career Mr. Hole spent five years working for the Government of Alberta. In this time he served as executive assistant and policy adviser to three Alberta ministers. These included the Minister of Utilities responsible for electricity and natural gas policy, and regulation in Alberta.
He also served as advisor to the Minister of Transportation and the Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs. They were responsible for overall provincial transportation policy, as well as the regulation of Alberta’s consumer protection acts, the insurance industry, along with the Alberta Securities and Exchange Commission governing the Provincial stock exchange.
Mr. Hole has been active in his community for over two decades. He served as director of one of the 3rd largest regional theatres in North America, the Citadel Theatre of Edmonton from 1995-2013. He also served as volunteer Chair of Avnet from 2006-2008, a private non-profit company funded by Alberta Agriculture. Avnet linked Alberta companies seeking investment with sustainability to a national network of over 150 private investors.
From 1991-2011 Edward Hole served as coach for amateur football, in-line hockey, and soccer teams in the Edmonton area.
Education: B.A. (Special) degree in Economics & International Relations from the University of Alberta.
Jutta E. Zillgen | CTO
Jutta Zillgen has over 25 years of experience in international technology transfer. Working over 10 years of science and technology officer with the NRC/IRAP network at the former Canadian embassy located in Bonn, Germany.
Since her immigration to Canada from Germany she has founded and operated a successful international technology transfer company that is focused on renewable energy and sustainable environmental technologies, including state-of-the-art waste recycling and wastewater treatment systems along with combined geothermal and solar PV energy technologies.
Ms. Zillgen is active in her community, and served from 2003-2010 as a volunteer member and Vice President of German Canadian Business and Professional Association of Alberta.
From 2008-2010 she served as a volunteer member of the Prairie Animal Rescue Association of Northern Alberta, and from 2010 until present she serves as Co-founder and Vice President of the Senior Animal Rescue Transfer Society ARTS of Stony Plain, Alberta. These are both dog and cat rescue associations for abandoned and abused animals.
Education: Engineering degree in Agricultural Engineering (MA) and a BA degree in Industrial Engineering, both degrees were obtained in top German Universities.
Dr. Scott I. Arakawa | Vice President, International
Dr. Arakawa is President of SIA Enterprises LLC, a Hawaii development company active in clean technologies with leading international companies in waste water and water treatment. He has also served as an advisor on Renewable Energy Projects in Europe, North America, and the Caribbean.
He has owned and operated a successful dental practice in Kapolei, Oahu for over two decades.
Dr. Arakawa is an active member of the Honolulu and Kapolei business communities in Hawaii and has coached amateur football, basketball and other sports teams in Oahu.
Education: B.S. (Bachelor of Science) Biology University of Hawaii at Manoa and D.D.S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery) University of Iowa College of Dentistry.
Tal C. Finney | Outside General Counsel
Mr. Finney served as the Deputy Controller and the General Counsel to the State Controller of California, the General Counsel to the Lieutenant Governor of California, and the Senior Advisor and Director of Policy to the Governor of California. He also served on a variety of boards and commissions including the Public Utilities Commission (chief regulator of the electricity utilities), the California Independent System Operator (the electricity grid and markets), the Franchise Tax Board and Board of Equalization, among others. Mr. Finney was part of the team to develop the very first Renewable Portfolio Standard in United States of America for the State of California. He also played a role in the development of the California Climate Registry, which serves as the basis for the development of carbon credit trading. He organized and held the first Governor’s summits on geothermal, wind, and solar energy.
As an attorney, renewable energy law, land use, tribal, and environmental law are all specialties of Mr. Finney’s practice. He has extensive experience in negotiating and drafting corporate structures, power purchase agreements, development agreements, transmission agreements, and any and all relevant legal transactions associated with the development, maintenance, operation, and sale of renewable energy projects of varying sizes, including utility scale geothermal power generation and central district heating projects.
Education: UCLA – Bachelor of Arts, Political Science and International Relations, 1986, Loyola Law School of Los Angeles – Juris Doctor, 1991; University of San Diego school of Law – Diploma, International Institute of Comparative Law