Matthew Shapiro, Chief Executive Officer
Matthew Shapiro has been refining the proposition for large-scale energy storage since the early 1990’s, when he was a consultant in wind energy development. His prior experience in renewable energy consulting focused on developing innovative solutions for making wind energy more competitive with firm power resources, both for specific projects and as long-term strategies. In addition to storage solutions, his initiatives included novel transmission solutions for an isolated wind regime, consideration of offshore wind potential in the U.S. and elsewhere, and the concept of “virtual transmission” for wind energy—a precursor to the renewable energy certificates market. Matthew’s core focus for the past decade has been pumped storage hydro, for which he is a global expert in strategy, siting, and applications.
David A. Gillespie, President
David A Gillespie has a proven record of success in leadership and management positions for business in a variety of sectors including renewable energy, electric utility and merchant power generation. David recently served as CEO of the Alaska Railbelt Cooperative Transmission and Electric Company. Prior to that, he was CEO of the Aleut Corporation. Since 2006, David has also held the position of president and chief executive officer for DAG Associates, LLC, a specialty consulting firm providing strategic advisory services and contract negotiation support to utility and public sector clients.
From 2006 to 2009, David served as president and chief executive officer of New Generation Biofuels Holdings, Inc., a NASDAQ listed renewable energy producer. In this role, he originated and closed multiple common and convertible preferred stock offerings, negotiated product test and sales agreements with major IPPs, industrials and utilities; and developed, permitted and placed into service first commercial scale 5MM gallon per year biofuel production facility.
From 2001 to 2006, David served as Vice President of Business Development and Asset Management of Duke Energy Corporation, a Fortune 500 energy company with business units that included regulated gas pipeline and electric utilities, natural gas liquids processing, and domestic and international merchant energy. In that role he developed and led all aspect of Duke Energy North America’s 8000 megawatt $3 billion generation business in the western United States and in Canada. From 1998 to 2001 he served as a Senior Director Asset Management of Duke Energy, during which he provided overall leadership for the company’s merchant power projects in Connecticut and Maine. Prior to joining Duke Energy, from 1982 to 1998 David served in various capacities with The United Illuminating Company, an electric utility with annual revenues of approximately $800 million located in Connecticut.
David received his MBA from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Hartford, Connecticut, and his BSME from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts.
John M. Spilman, General Counsel
John Spilman brings to Gridflex Energy his three decades of project development, finance, construction and operating experience, working as external counsel, in-house general counsel and as a legal and operations executive, with a career focus on intermittent and variable renewable energy sources.
John has documented, negotiated and advised on over 2 GW of utility-scale wind energy projects currently operating, under construction, or in late stage development, including 8 Western States and 4 Canadian Provinces. He was General Counsel of a California wind farm developer and operator in the 1990s; he later became its Chief Operating Officer and successfully streamlined operations and groomed and transferred under-performing assets for repowering by his successor client, a joint venture including FPL Energy, NEG Micon and RES. From 2002 to 2005, John provided project development, corporate and other external general counsel services to the North American development arm of Vestas Americas. From 2006 to 2009, he was the primary counsel for real estate transactions for Alta Wind Energy, LLC, supporting the roll-up of site control for the Alta Wind Energy Center, planned as the world’s largest wind project, with nearly 600 turbines capable of producing 1,550 megawatts of electricity when completed, with the potential to be doubled, according to developer Terra-Gen Power LLC.
In addition to his wind energy expertise, John has handled corporate and project work for developers of concentrated solar thermal (CSP) projects in the U.S. Southwest, and of utility, industrial and commercial scale solar PV projects. Following service as General Counsel of Scatec Solar North America, Inc., and more recently as SVP – Project Counsel for Onyx Renewable Partners, John now serves as General Counsel of rPlus Energies, with whom Gridflex Energy enjoys a development partnership.
John received his undergraduate degree from the Haas School of Business at the University of California (B.S. 1981, Phi Beta Kappa), and his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School (J.D. 1985).