Our People

Officers

Anthony Smith, PhD

President & Founder

Anthony brings over 40 years’ experience in energy efficiency, solar energy, and community economic development in Vermont, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia. He founded Secure Solar Futures in 2004 as CEO and President and leads the company’s innovation development and strategic partnerships. He serves as a founding board member of the Virginia Renewable Energy Alliance (VA-REA). He served as co-director and associate professor of the Eastern Mennonite University MBA program from 2008 to 2015. He earned his Masters in Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania, and a PhD from the Wharton School of Management, University of Pennsylvania.

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Macon Rich

Chief Executive Officer

Macon has been engaged with the financial direction of Secure Solar Futures since its inception. He has applied the skills and knowledge gained from almost 40 years in financial and management positions in a variety of industries including banking, supply chain logistics and media. He is proud to have reached the point of impacting not just the region—but potentially the world—for a more sustainable future.

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Maggie Davison

Chief Financial Officer

Maggie has spent most of her career in the management and organizational development of small business with a focus on the telecommunication industry. Through her position at Secure Solar Futures, she combines her skill set and passion for a cleaner future to bring positive change to fruition.

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Staff

Matthew Anderson

Business Development Associate

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Nick Blanton

Associate Director, Finance & Technology

Nick brings 15 years’ experience in small business formation and management to Secure Solar Futures. He studied Economics at the University of Virginia and holds a master’s degree in Renewable Energy and Sustainability Systems from Penn State University, where he focused his studies on critical minerals management and grid transformation in support of widespread solar and wind integration.

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Erik Curren

Director of Marketing & E-Transportation

Erik has spent more than a decade in marketing for residential and commercial solar companies. He has published three books on solar power and advocacy for clean energy, including The Solar Patriot: Helping America Win Clean Energy Independence in 2017. Erik enjoys helping America fight climate change and creating a 21st-century energy economy using the power of business and innovation.

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Joe DeRado

Business Development Director

Joe has over 20 years of experience in the energy sector, having worked for companies such as Petrorep and Enron Energy. He earned his B.S. in business administration with a specialization in international studies, as well as a CEM-CEP certification from the Association of Energy Engineers.

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Lisa Farwell

Senior Project & Asset Manager

Lisa has spent over 20 years in banking, branch and operations management with 10 years of project management experience in the financial industry. She enjoys being a part of bringing greener energy alternatives to Secure Solar Futures’ clients and educational opportunities and career development to communities in the region. She values being involved in a growing industry within the purpose-driven framework of B Corp standards.

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Cindy Fridley

Business Office Manager

Cindy is new to the solar industry. Most recently, she worked in the financial services industry as Client Operations Manager. She enjoys working in, and learning about, an industry that advances clean energy opportunities to provide a more positive outcome for our future.

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Daniel Hall

Business Development Associate

Daniel Hall is the president and co-founder of Access Strategies. With almost two decades of experience in government and politics, Daniel possesses the knowledge and relationships to successfully represent his clients’ interests. Before his career in the solar industry and government affairs, Daniel served two terms in the West Virginia House of Delegates (2009-2012) before being elected to West Virginia State Senate (2013-2016).  During his legislative time, he served as chairman for several committees and ultimately as Senate Majority Whip.

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Joshua Kraybill

Director of Project Management

Joshua oversees planning and construction of new projects as well as ongoing operations and maintenance of completed projects. Drawing on more than five years’ experience in solar sales and project development, he selects, engages, and manages EPC contractors and interacts with customers.

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Priya “PK” Kurani

Customer Solutions Manager

PK has spent her career working with corporate and non-profit organizations in New Jersey, New York and Virginia. Her skills include sales, program management and event planning. She has a B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy from Boston University and a Masters of Science in Social Psychology from Walden University. She enjoys volunteerism and advocating for those without a voice while prioritizing support for the environment and local communities.

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Matthew McFadden

Business Development Manager

Matthew has over 15 years in project and training management, over 20 years of sales experience, and is well versed in all forms of solar, storage, and energy. He enjoys making history with the first solar projects in Southwest Virginia’s coal country, meeting new people, saving clients money and developing new career opportunities in regions where they may have not existed before.

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Caroline Miller

Technical Project Coordinator

Caroline is a student at George Mason University working toward her Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science. She has experience with research, data analysis and public speaking. During her time with Secure Solar Futures, she has written a research paper about perovskite solar cells, conducted background research for multiple subjects and handled the collection, organization and input of various data. A highlight of her tenure was attending the American Solar Energy Society 2022 Conference and speaking with some very influential people. She enjoys working in an industry that fights for the health of both the planet and its people, and educating others about renewable energy.

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Greg Mullins

Solar Ambassador

Greg recently retired from public education, having served 39 years in the profession. He was Superintendent of Wise County Public Schools for the past seven years and during his tenure the schools partnered with Secure Solar Futures to install solar arrays on multiple building sites. Plans have been developed for the installation of arrays on the remaining school sites in the near future. Greg has spent his life in a region dependent upon fossil fuel and feels it is important to be part of the transition to green energy, to play a role in the diversification of the economy, and to promote educational growth for local students.

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Ian Picard

Business Development Associate

Based in Richmond, Ian represents Secure Solar Futures throughout central, eastern and northern Virginia.

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Cara Price

Project and Asset Coordinator

In her role as Project and Asset Coordinator, Cara is able to combine her education and experience to support our solar projects throughout Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia.  A former Project Analyst, Cara holds a dual B.S. in Biology and Chemistry.  She has a passion for sustainability, science, and math and is thrilled to advocate for technological progress that will enable us to evolve into a cleaner, greener world.  Cara is a lifetime member of American Mensa.

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Loren Swartzendruber

Solar Ambassador

Loren served as a college president for 23 years, most recently at Eastern Mennonite University. He is a proponent of Secure Solar Futures’ educational offerings, workforce development projects and support for electric school buses, and firmly believes in renewable energy as the means to address the climate change crisis.

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Investor Partners

Matt Ferguson

Matt is the founder and director of a new venture, Project Seastar, a catalyst of solutions rooted in autonomy that improve community and organizational effectiveness. Prior to Project Seastar, Matt served as counsel at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, where his project finance and transaction experience included tax equity structuring, the issuance or redemption of financial instruments such as facility industrial revenue bonds and cross-border aircraft leases, initial public offering advisory, tax planning and business development structuring, merger and acquisition counsel and master limited partnership and real estate investment trust formation.

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Eric Hurlocker

Eric is a principal at GreenHurlocker, PLC in Richmond, where he has practiced since July 2012. With over twenty years of experience in practicing and advising clients in the areas of energy law, commercial transactions and general corporate work, Eric brings a legal perspective to Secure Solar Futures, LLC. Eric works closely with renewable energy development companies and has appeared on behalf of clients before the Virginia State Corporation Commission. He is a former partner in the Richmond, Virginia offices of Williams Mullen and former senior in-house corporate and energy attorney at PPL Corporation in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and at Virginia Power in Richmond, Virginia.

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Johann Zimmermann

Johann is a principal and structural engineer at JZ Engineering, a company that provides structural engineering services for underserved and marginalized communities. He has worked and volunteered in the field of international development for over 20 years, providing his skills and talents to organizations such as the Mennonite Central Committee, Mennonite Disaster Service, Manna Inc., and Habitat for Humanity. Johann holds a B.A.Sc. in civil and structural engineering from Cornell University.

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Strategic Partners

Secure Solar Futures brings well-rounded expertise for project development and deployment through proud association with the following firms.

Got Electric LLC
Skyline Roofing
City National Bank