Gridworks-Our_Story-Header

Energizing the

future.

Gridworks is a leader in the transition to clean, sustainable energy. We see the grid as more than a technical platform. We see it as an exploratory ladder. And we are just beginning the climb.

Our Story

Our Origins

Gridworks began life as Affordable Solar in 1998, a New Mexico enterprise selling retail solar systems online. Quickly becoming a residential solar leader, we developed a utility-scale division in 2014. That division now operates independently as Gridworks. 

What We Do

Gridworks provides turnkey solar and energy storage solutions for developers and utility clients through engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) as well as operations and maintenance (O&M). Our proprietary technologies streamline the EPC process, saving time and money. We are also sought after for our ability to engage in creative problem solving for early-stage renewables development.

How We Do It

With passion, ingenuity and integrity. We don’t cut corners. Not in our team of in-house experts, not in our innovative designs, not in our collaboration with industry partners and not in our customer service. We strive to excel in everything that we do. Gridworks feels strongly that agility, quality and reliability are critical to long-lasting relationships. And to the overall health of our industry.

Our Leadership Team

Ryan is driven to make our renewable future a reality. A graduate of UC Santa Barbara, he joined Affordable Solar in 2009 with the mission of making renewable energy accessible and affordable for New Mexicans. During his tenure as CEO, Ryan oversaw Affordable Solar’s significant growth and market diversification. At Gridworks, Ryan leads our strategic direction, alignment of resources, and works to position the company financially for continued growth. With a passion.

Ryan Centerwall

Chairman

Bob’s career embraces the Gridworks “What if?” motto. He has held many C-level positions in entrepreneurial, utility related businesses undergoing rapid growth and dynamic change. Most recently he was CFO/COO of Array Technologies Inc. helping to lead their global expansion that ultimately led to an IPO on NASDAQ in 2020.  Bob holds a Master’s in Electric Engineering from Georgia Tech, is a licensed Professional Engineer, and is a Certified Valuation and Business Analyst (CVA/CBA).

Bob Bellemare

Chief Executive Officer

Kevin hopes his kids will know that he was part of “the energy industrial revolution.” A graduate of UC Santa Barbara, he co-founded Consolidated Solar Tech, LLC in 2008, and joined Affordable Solar in 2013 where he led the growth of development/integration activities for projects across the Southwest. At Gridworks, Kevin focuses on growth strategy, business development with key clients and suppliers as well as innovation with our engineering and construction teams.

Kevin Bassalleck

President

As a longstanding participant in the tremendous growth of the company over the years, Mariam Bruce is no stranger to the Gridworks, "What if?" culture. She has been with Gridworks since 2006 and has held various positions within the customer service and finance teams. Before working in finance, she taught English in China and volunteered abroad in South America. She is a licensed CPA with a BA in Economics from Boston University and a MBA in Accounting from the University of New Mexico. She now oversees the entire financial department for Gridworks.

Mariam Bruce

Chief Financial Officer

Chris is a seasoned engineering leader with over 10 years’ experience building, developing, and leading teams in engineering and construction within the renewable energy industry. He has a proven track record in the construction and installation of over 2GW of solar projects across the USA, including expertise in guiding multidisciplinary engineering teams in estimating and designing more than 100GW of solar capacity. Chris served most recently as Senior Director of Global Engineering at Clean Energy & Associates, overseeing a team of 61 engineers focused on engineering designs for solar and BESS projects. He also served as Director of Engineering, Pre-Construction, and Sales at Rosendin Electric and Division Manager at Baker Electric. He holds his degrees in Political Science Pre-Law from University of California Berkley and Industrial Engineering/Mechanical Engineering from California Polytechnic State University.

Chris Chappell

Vice President - Engineering

James has international and domestic experience in solar power, combined cycle power, simple cycle power, coal-fired power, air quality control, oil gathering facilities, and gas compressor stations. He leads our solar projects with a strong background in project management, project controls, LEAN construction and continuous improvement implementation.

James Wragge

Vice President - Project Execution

Jerry has over 21 years of experience in the construction industry. He responsible for leading the planning and construction of our high quality, cost-effective BESS projects through effective planning and rigorous quality and safety standards.  Jerry served for 3 years as a member of the NECA Renewable Energy Task Force where he helped develop renewable energy contractor business models, development of energy modeling tools, and renewable energy training programs. 

Jerry Heminger

Vice President - BESS

Matt Carter has worked in renewable energy for over 4 years, including 2 years with Array Technologies. He was formerly with Ford Motor Company for 10 years, in domestic and international positions. Matt holds a double major in Economics and Political Science from the University of New Mexico. At Gridworks, Matt manages our client and partner relationships, focused on developing simple and effective contract structures that contribute to successful project execution.

Matt Carter

Director of Development

Teresa is an experienced leader who has held executive positions at companies including Dell Computers, Capital One and Netflix, where she specialized in the design and delivery of cost-effective, high-performance information technology infrastructures and applications to address complex business problems. She joined Gridworks in 2018, where she now leads our procurement team.

Teresa Thilmony

Director of Procurement

Dan works with Gridworks' leadership to structure partnerships with clients and suppliers to build projects supporting our clean energy future. He spent 14 years in private practice with one of New Mexico's largest law firms, the last 16 years leading internal legal functions as general counsel, and the last 10 years commuting full-time by bike. Dan holds degrees from UC Santa Barbara and the University of Michigan Law School.

Dan Long

General Counsel

Living at the intersection of company strategy and human capital, Brian joined Gridworks in 2020 with a focus on our recruiting pipeline, talent development, employee branding and engagement strategies. His career includes leadership roles in consumer goods and consulting both domestically and internationally.

Brian Terrell

Director of People Operations

In 1995, Jose joined the U.S. Air Force, performing duties as an Intelligence Analyst. After 11 years of service, he began his career as a Health and Safety professional in construction projects for power generation, mining, and metals. He has worked 10+ years overseas in countries such as Dominican Republic, Peru, Chile, and West Africa with his most recent role being with DPR Construction as their Houston Business Unit EHS Leader. He is incredibly excited about joining the Gridworks team and sharing his knowledge and experience to take the company's safety program to the next level.

Jose Farinacci

Director of Safety