Bob co-founded Southern Energy Management in 2001 with his wife, Maria, and currently serves as a jack of all trades helping improve and expand our fast-growing company. Bob has been involved with the sustainable energy industry for more than twenty years, and has extensive experience in business development and operations, manufacturing, product design, consultation and implementation. He has been a solar technician, solar engineer, plant engineer, and director of manufacturing.

Prior to starting SEM, Bob was part of the founding team of Burt’s Bees and helped grow the company from revenues of less than $1 million to over $60 million in sales. As the director of manufacturing at Burt’s Bees, he managed all aspects of manufacturing, purchasing, distribution, and materials management for the fast-growing personal care products manufacturer and distributor.

Bob and Maria are the devoted parents of their 7-year old son, Zach (commonly referred to as “little Bob”), who aspires to be a solar-racecar driving farmer/scientist when he grows up.

In his free time, Bob enjoys completing small home projects with Zach, watching NASCAR and hiking in nearby Umstead State Park.

Bob received a degree in Mechanical Engineering from NC State University, but his energy education started long before then. Looking back, Bob fondly remembers an old School House Rock episode that made an impression that has stayed with him over the years – and he can sometimes be heard singing the show’s theme song around the office.