Meet our leadership
action team

We are a partner, financier, engineer, builder, developer, owner and operator — all rolled into one national clean energy expert. 

Even though we offer end-to-end solutions, our organization is flat which keeps our management close to our clients and their projects at all times.


  • John Brand CFO of Zero6 Energy Inc.

    John Brand

    • Chief Financial Officer, Zero6 Energy
    • Head of Finance, Administration & Asset
    Operations

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    Chief Financial Officer of Juhl Energy since 2008.

    Served as Chief Financial Officer for 20 years for other enterprises and subsidiaries of large public companies such as Comdisco or CMS Direct (now Merkle); over 14 years of audit experience as a certified public accountant with firms such as Grant Thornton.

    Over 40 years of experience in capital raising, project finance, tax, audit, and risk management.

    Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting from Saint Cloud State University.

  • Tony Chmielewski President and Managing Principal, Engineering of Zero6 Energy Inc.

    Anthony Chmielewski

    President, Managing Principal, Engineering

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    President of PEC Engineering Subsidiary; member of PEC leadership team since 2003 (Juhl acquired PEC in 2013).

    Served as lead engineer on multiple large power generation projects across the US with PEC; began career as a project engineer for MWH Global (now Stantec).

    Over 23 years of experience in mechanical engineering and engineering management; considered a national power engineering expert.

    Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Marquette University.

  • John Mitola CEO of Zero6 Energy Inc.

    John Mitola

    • Chief Executive Officer, Zero6 Energy
    • President, Zero6 Energy Development

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    Chief Executive Officer; member of Juhl leadership team since 2008.

    Former Chairman of the Illinois Tollway where he led over $6B in construction projects to update the system; VP and General Manager of Exelon Thermal a non-regulated subsidiary of Exelon that developed and built over 23 district energy, cogeneration and some of the world’s largest thermal storage projects across North America.

    Over 30 years of experience developing, operating, managing and investing in energy projects.

    Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Illinois — Champaign Urbana; Juris Doctor — DePaul University.

  • Clay Norrbom President of Zero6 Energy Inc.

    Clay Norrbom

    • President, Zero6 Energy
    • Chief Investment Officer, Zero6 Energy
    Capital Management

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    President and Chief Investment Officer; member of Juhl leadership team since 2016; investments with Juhl since 2011.

    Former co-founder of the Geo Investors Funds (raised and invested capital in distributed scale renewable energy projects); former senior banker for Citigroup working on over $3 billion of complex financing and hedging for multinational clients in New York and London offices.

    25 years experience in financial markets and credit; over 12 years of experience leading investments in renewable energy projects.

    Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from University of Wisconsin-Madison; Masters of Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University.

  • Gene Poletto Managing Principal, Engineering of Zero6 Energy Inc.

    Gene Poletto

    Managing Principal, Engineering

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    Managing Principal Engineer; President of Performance Power Services (PPS) since 2000; Juhl acquired and merged PPS into PEC in 2021.

    Prior to founding PPS, served as a Site and Construction manager for large nuclear and fossil generation plants for Exelon’s ComEd utility; decades of experience being called on for highly complex electrical engineering assignments, including in the nuclear industry.

    Over 40 years of experience — considered a national electrical engineering expert.

    Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

  • Howard Stern, Senior Managing Director of Zero6 Energy Capital Management

    Howard Stern

    Senior Managing Director, Zero6 Energy Capital Management

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    Senior Managing Director and Portfolio Manager; member of Juhl leadership team since 2021.

    Served as Managing Director for over 20 years at Northwestern Mutual Capital, leading a team that invested in private debt, mezzanine, and equity focused on infrastructure and energy.

    Over 35 years of experience in investment management, private equity, and project finance at firms such as Northwestern Mutual Capital, American General, and GE Capital.

    Bachelor of Engineering degree in Civil Engineering from McGill University; MBA from University of Texas at Arlington.

  • John Brand Chief Financial Office Zero6 Energy

    John Brand

    • Chief Financial Officer, Zero6 Energy
    • Head of Finance, Administration & Asset Operations

    #fhtogglels/Read Full Bio/Close/ib

    Chief Financial Officer of Juhl Energy since 2008.

    Served as Chief Financial Officer for 20 years for other enterprises and subsidiaries of large public companies such as Comdisco or CMS Direct (now Merkle); over 14 years of audit experience as a certified public accountant with firms such as Grant Thornton.

    Over 40 years of experience in capital raising, project finance, tax, audit, and risk management.

    Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting from Saint Cloud State University.

  • Heidi Gertjejansen

    Administrative Assistant — Asset Management and Accounting

  • Jared Klapperich Controller

    Jared Klapperich

    Controller

  • Jack Lahl Controller

    Jack Lahl

    Controller

  • Justin Luecke Staff Accountant

    Justin Luecke

    Staff Accountant

  • Karl Neset

    Director of Asset Operations

  • Gary Aron

    Senior Project Manager, Vice President

  • Michelle Cabrera

    Office Manager, Admin

  • Anthony Chmielewski President Managing Principal Engineering

    Anthony Chmielewski

    President, Managing Principal, Engineering

    #fhtogglels/Read Full Bio/Close/ib

    President of PEC Engineering Subsidiary; member of PEC leadership team since 2003 (Juhl acquired PEC in 2013).

    Served as lead engineer on multiple large power generation projects across the US with PEC; began career as a project engineer for MWH Global (now Stantec).

    Over 23 years of experience in mechanical engineering and engineering management; considered a national power engineering expert.

    Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Marquette University.

  • Michael Crocco Electrical Designer

    Michael Crocco

    Electrical Designer

  • Gary Fanning

    Senior Electrical Project Engineer

  • Robert Gavahan

    Senior Project Engineer

  • Michael Hartmann

    Senior Electrical Consultant

  • Jim Hausser

    Senior Electrical Project Engineer

  • Erin Kazel Project Engineer

    Erin Kazel

    Project Engineer

  • Gary Lackie

    Project Engineer

  • Scott Munnings

    Senior Electrical Consultant

  • Gene Polette Managing Principal Engineering

    Gene Poletto

    Managing Principal, Engineering

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    Managing Principal Engineer; President of Performance Power Services (PPS) since 2000; Juhl acquired and merged PPS into PEC in 2021.

    Prior to founding PPS, served as a Site and Construction manager for large nuclear and fossil generation plants for Exelon’s ComEd utility; decades of experience being called on for highly complex electrical engineering assignments, including in the nuclear industry.

    Over 40 years of experience — considered a national electrical engineering expert.

    Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

  • Shelly Reid Project Manager

    Shelly Reid

    Project Manager

  • Gary Schacht

    Project Engineer

  • Jason Selinko Design Group Lead

    Jason Selinko

    Design Group Lead

  • Joe Viglietta

    Senior Designer

  • Ian Warner

    Senior Electrical Consultant

  • John Mitola CEO of Zero6 Energy Inc.

    John Mitola

    • Chief Executive Officer, Zero6 Energy
    • President, Zero6 Energy Development

    #fhtogglels/Read Full Bio/Close/ib

    Chief Executive Officer; member of Juhl leadership team since 2008.

    Former Chairman of the Illinois Tollway where he led over $6B in construction projects to update the system; VP and General Manager of Exelon Thermal a non-regulated subsidiary of Exelon that developed and built over 23 district energy, cogeneration and some of the world’s largest thermal storage projects across North America.

    Over 30 years of experience developing, operating, managing and investing in energy projects.

    Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Illinois — Champaign Urbana; Juris Doctor — DePaul University.

  • Kevin Crossman

    Development Consultant

  • Bryan Esker Senior Development Consultant

    Bryan Eskra

    Senior Development Consultant

  • John Feldhausen

    Business Analyst

  • Jay Maudlin Vice President Project Manager

    Jay Maudlin

    Vice President — Project Manager

  • John Van Der Geest Vice President Zero6 Energy Development

    John Van Der Geest

    Vice President — Zero6 Energy Development

  • Jared Klapperich Vice President Zero6 Energy Capital

    Jared Klapperich

    Vice President, Zero6 Energy Capital Management

  • Clay Norrbom President Zero6 Energy

    Clay Norrbom

    • President, Zero6 Energy
    • Chief Investment Officer, Zero6 Energy
    Capital Management

    #fhtogglels/Read Full Bio/Close/ib

    President and Chief Investment Officer; member of Juhl leadership team since 2016; investments with Juhl since 2011.

    Former co-founder of the Geo Investors Funds (raised and invested capital in distributed scale renewable energy projects); former senior banker for Citigroup working on over $3 billion of complex financing and hedging for multinational clients in New York and London offices.

    25 years experience in financial markets and credit; over 12 years of experience leading investments in renewable energy projects.

    Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from University of Wisconsin-Madison; Masters of Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University.

  • Howard Stern Senior Managing Director Zero6 Energy Capital Management

    Howard Stern

    Senior Managing Director, Zero6 Energy Capital Management

    #fhtogglels/Read Full Bio/Close/ib

    Senior Managing Director and Portfolio Manager; member of Juhl leadership team since 2021.

    Served as Managing Director for over 20 years at Northwestern Mutual Capital, leading a team that invested in private debt, mezzanine, and equity focused on infrastructure and energy.

    Over 35 years of experience in investment management, private equity, and project finance at firms such as Northwestern Mutual Capital, American General, and GE Capital.

    Bachelor of Engineering degree in Civil Engineering from McGill University; MBA from University of Texas at Arlington.

“We can harness both the wind and the sun in one project to bring more renewable electricity to our members. It not only allows us to bring in renewable energy for our members, but it also actually saves us money on our power costs. So it’s more renewables, less cost for our members. And that’s what they are asking for.”

Tim Thompson, CEO, Lake Region Electric Cooperative

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Since 2000 we have successfully completed over 30 projects.