Archives: Leadership Team

Mr. Christopher Gersch brings over 20 years of professional leadership experience and a dynamic understanding of energy markets to the clean energy industry. He began his career as a trader at the Chicago Board of Trade and then utilized his expertise to form eleven businesses, including Verde Solutions, Navigate Power, RxSun, and Fresh Coast Solar.

As a philanthropist and an active member of his community, he is an executive board member for the Charles Tillman Cornerstone Foundation, a member of the Catholic Covenant Energies Advisory Board, and Director at Large for The Energy Professionals Association (TEPA). In addition to his extensive commitment to community engagement and philanthropy, Mr. Gersch is proud to be recognized as a distinguished member of the National Small Business Association (NSBA) Leadership Council. Leveraging his expertise in business and leadership, he actively contributes to shaping policies and initiatives that support the growth and success of small businesses nationwide.

Chris is an adjunct professor at the University of Chicago, designing and teaching quantitative trading strategies and algorithmic system modeling. He often appears as an expert guest speaker for Schwab Network, CNBC, Bloomberg, CNN, and Fox Business News. In 2023, he was named one of Crain’s Chicago Business’ Notable Leaders in Sustainability. Chris earned his Executive MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In addition to his business and engineering expertise, he is a licensed multi-engine commercial pilot with a lifelong passion for aviation.

Ms. Kim Gryzlo was named President of Altimus Capital, LLC in June 2017 and is responsible for the leadership and overall operations of the portfolio companies. She has 30 years of diverse work experience in various leadership positions within sales, finance, and operations. Ms. Gryzlo has worked for small to mid-size businesses, private equity-owned portfolio companies, and large Fortune 100 companies including FMC Corporation, Baxter Healthcare, Allegiance Healthcare, and Cardinal Health. Prior positions held by Ms. Gryzlo include various management roles within finance and executive leadership positions as Vice President of Finance and Vice President of Sales & Operations. Ms. Gryzlo is recognized for her ability to lead teams, improve operational effectiveness and drive profitable results.

Ms. Gryzlo received her B.B.A. degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh and her M.B.A. degree in Operations Management from DePaul University.

Ms. Jonabel Russette serves as Director of Finance & Operations for Altimus Capital group of companies, which includes Verde Solutions. Ms. Russette is responsible for overseeing the financial activities, treasury management, payroll, HR, and risk management for all portfolio companies. She has 30 years of experience in both leadership and financial roles, which includes a multitude of industries and business sectors, including Business Sweden, Obama Foundation, Brennan Investment Group, various Pritzker organizations, among others. Ms. Russette received her Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from DePaul University. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

Ms. Shannon Myers is a proven leader who has held a variety of roles within the organization, consistently demonstrating a strong commitment to excellence. Her success is driven by her responsiveness, meticulous attention to detail, and talent for developing effective processes and fostering meaningful relationships. Ms. Myers takes great pride in her work—advocating for clients, motivating her team, executing the planning and coordination of projects, striving to exceed expectations, while delivering high-impact projects. She has played an integral role in advancing Verde’s project management system, significantly improving efficiency and strongly supporting the organization’s rapid growth. Ms. Myers holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Communication and Media Studies from Northeastern Illinois University.

Mr. AJ Dobson is the Director of Verde Install, a division of Verde Solutions. Under his direction, Mr. Dobson has single-handedly grown the division into a sustainable, profitable business, with 75% growth year-over-year, conducting all aspects of sales, execution and customer retention. Previously, he was the VP of Operations for Verde Solutions, where his team grew the company’s LED business to generate over $8M in gross sales annually.

Prior to Verde Solutions, Mr. Dobson was the Vice President of M&J General Contractors, Inc., a national general contractor specializing in retail construction and remodeling. He spent 6 years as the firm’s VP, helping M&J realize consistent growth and annual profitability. Prior to that, Mr. Dobson spent 5 years as the firm’s senior project manager, managing Kroger and Safeway projects up to $3M in the Midwest and Eastern regions of the US.

Mr. Dobson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications from Illinois State University. He is a member of the National Association of Realtors. In his free time, AJ enjoys being outdoors and spending time with his wife and 2 young daughters.

Mr. Calvin Preston is a Lead Renewable Energy Engineer at Verde Solutions, where he integrates engineering, finance, and policy to drive solar and battery energy storage system development. With a multidisciplinary approach, Mr. Preston oversees the full lifecycle of renewable assets, ensuring that engineering specifications for complex solar and storage configurations align with evolving state and federal policy and project financial viability. He works closely with financiers, equipment suppliers, and internal development teams to support executable projects amid a rapidly changing regulatory environment. Mr. Preston holds both a BSE in Mechanical Engineering and an M.Eng in Systems Engineering Design from the University of Michigan.

As a Lead Renewable Energy Engineer engineer, Ms. Grace Rasmussen evaluates, designs, and executes renewable energy projects. Her role includes creating optimum solar designs and layouts, drafting proposals, and identifying project financing opportunities for commercial, municipal, and residential clients. From the preliminary design phase to commercial operations, Ms. Rasmussen collaborates with the operations team on project execution.

She joined Verde Solutions with experience as a piping engineer, where she led the design of piping systems for refinery, process, chemical, and pharmaceutical clients. In addition, Ms. Rasmussen holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from Purdue University. While studying abroad, she became interested in sustainability, which led her to develop a career in green energy solutions. In her spare time, Ms. Rasmussen enjoys reading and gardening.

Mr. Marcus Gunyon is a dedicated Renewables Engineer with a proven track record in system design, project management, and engineering coordination. With a solid foundation in mechanical engineering and valuable experience in both regional utilities and infrastructure projects, he brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to every project he undertakes.

Mr. Gunyon began his career at ComEd, where he spent two years in the regional engineering department as a design engineer. Following his time at ComEd, he transitioned to Entrust Solutions Group, where he served as a senior design engineer for pipeline substations. Mr. Gunyon holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University. Outside of his professional pursuits, he enjoys staying active through running, camping, and climbing.

Mr. Ryan Flynn is Head of Commercial Sales at Verde Solutions, where he oversees project and revenue execution across the company’s commercial solar and energy portfolio. With more than 10 years of experience in the solar industry, Mr. Flynn brings a proven track record of building, scaling, and leading high-performing sales and development teams.

Prior to joining Verde, Mr. Flynn served as Vice President of Sales and Development for a nationwide developer and EPC, and has helped build and scale four multi-million-dollar residential and commercial energy companies, including owning and operating his own business. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and is a former Division I collegiate baseball player. Mr. Flynn also previously served on the Leadership Council for the National Small Business Association’s Environmental and Regulatory Affairs Committee, reflecting his engagement in industry advocacy and policy.