Board Of Directors
Byron B. McCann, Co-Chairman
Byron is managing partner of Ascent Partners, an advisory firm to clean technology companies; venture partner at Prism Capital; a member of the Keiretsu Forum and Hawaii Angels, two angel investment networks; and NW Regional Co-chair of the Clean Tech Open. He was a founder of genSoft, which had the first Windows database and was acquired by Computer Associates; COO of a cable television advertising venture, acquired by TCI; and a senior consultant for Ernst & Young’s national telecommunications consulting practice.
He is on the board of the Northwest Entrepreneur Network; formerly vice chairman of the WTIA (Washington Technology Industry Association); on the board of the non-profit Broadway Bound Theatre and the NatureMapping Foundation. He is a cum laude graduate from Harvard and has an MBA from Stanford.
Lars Johansson, Co-Chairman
Lars is an active Cleantech angel investor through his company Energethic, LLC. He has invested in early stage companies since the late 90’s with an exclusive focus on Cleantech in recent years. He invests both in his native country of Sweden and USA/Canada.
His background is in IT where he was an executive at Microsoft for a combined 16 years. Lars joined Microsoft in Sweden and was responsible for the Nordic Enterprise business when in 1993 he relocated to Redmond to lead the development of the company’s initial volume licensing programs. Most recently he was responsible for the Worldwide System Builder business.
He is on the board of ONE/Northwest, an active supporter of Climate Solutions and a long-time partner with Social Venture Partners, serving on its most recent Environmental Grant Committee. Lars has a Business degree from the University of Uppsala and an Engineering degree from Älvkullegymnasiet in Karlstad, both in Sweden.
Martin Tobias, Founder and Chairman Emeritus
Martin is a serial entrepreneur, angel investor and venture capitalist. He is a recognized leader in technology and renewable/green/cleantech who sees the powerful intersection of those worlds driving significant innovation over the next decade.
In September 2008, Martin started Kashless, Inc. directly in the middle of sustainability and technology. Kashless leverages the internet, mobile technology, social networks and local partnerships to make finding stuff to reuse and recycling of your own stuff safe and easy.
Martin led Imperium Renewables as a major investor, CEO and Chairman from May of 2005 thru January 2008. Under his leadership the company grew sales from zero to over $80M, raised over $240M in equity and project debt and scaled their technology from bench to build the largest biodiesel refinery in the world at Gray’s Harbor Washington. Martin is a recognized leader in renewable energy across investment banks, private equity and the analyst community.
Martin has over 10 years experience as a principal investor both privately and through funds. Martin has been a Venture Partner with Ignition Partners (>$800M early stage software and wireless VC) since 2002 working with the infrastructure software and networking team and currently serves on the board of Cloudmark. He has personally invested in over two dozen start-ups, across technology and cleantech. In 2004 he founded the Northwest Energy Angel network and continues to serve on their Board of Directors.
Prior to Ignition, Martin spent 15 years in operating roles in technology companies. Martin was the Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of Loudeye Technologies, Inc. (NASDQ: LOUD), a pioneer in digital media production, distribution, and applications. Under his leadership, the company raised over $175M (including an IPO) and grew to be one of the largest providers of digital media enabling solutions for the Internet.
Prior to Loudeye, Martin spent six years with Microsoft in various operational management roles and four years with Andersen Consulting (Accenture). Martin was one of the first Accenture consultants to break the strict formal dress code and wear jeans, a tee-shirt and flip-flops to work, one of the earliest in a string of broken rules which litter and distinguish his career. Martin received his bachelor’s degree in marketing and computer science from Oregon State University. Martin and his companies have been profiled in numerous media outlets including Newsweek, Businessweek, NPR, Wired, Wired house, KIROTV, CNBC, and more. He holds two technology patents. Martin starred in the 1998 motorcycle documentary “Biker Dreams” and is involved in a number of charities through the Martin Tobias Foundation and blogs at DeepGreenCrystals.com
Kiki Tidwell, Chair Membership Committee
Kiki is a philanthropist, cleantech advocate in the state of Idaho, cleantech investor and angel investor. She is the President of the Tidwell Idaho Foundation and Idaho Land & Pine, Inc. She is an LP in Nth Power Fund IV, an investor in Ardsley Partners Renewable Energy hedge fund, an investor in Good Capital’s Social Enterprise Expansion Fund and has an active portfolio of angel companies. Although she primarily has been a real estate investor, she has been a wind energy investor since 2003 and invested in Ridgeline Energy, Inc, which was purchased last year by Veolia.
She has served on the boards of the Idaho Community Foundation, Outrigger Hotels Hawaii and Innovation Asset Group. She has been a charitable grants panelist for the Idaho Children’s Trust Fund and the Idaho Community Foundation. Kiki is a former member of the Governor’s Coordinating Council for Families and Children in Idaho, is currently a Social Venture Partners member in Seattle, Washington, a member of 85 Broads, and a member of the Clean Tech Group. The Tidwell Idaho Foundation is a member of Philanthropy Northwest and PRI Makers. Kiki has a BSBA from the University of Denver. She has enjoyed additional angel education through the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and Basil Peter’s new book, ‘Early Exits’ and heartily recommends both to other angel investors. Kiki also recently formed the New Energy Economy Political Action Committee in Idaho and encourages anyone interested in learning more to contact her.
Bill Lemon, Chair Screening Committee
Mr. Lemon has over 25 years in the energy industry starting with Pacific Gas and Electric where he was a key contributor to the financial evaluation of the full spectrum of electric generation technologies, current and emerging. His roll expanded there to include the commercialization of advanced technologies from PG&E’s R&D labs, partnering with energy-related companies ranging in size from start-up to General Electric.
He was later recruited by ConneXt (now part of by Alliance Data Systems), a provider of information technology products for the energy sector, where as the Senior Product Manager he led their efforts to identify the key technical and business implications of deregulation on energy IT.
Most recently, as Senior Vice-President at Source Capital Group, he leads fundraising efforts for a variety of cleantech businesses from start-ups to large renewable energy projects.
John L. Merrill, Chair Marketing Committee
John is engaged with multiple early-stage alternative energy and cleantech companies through his investments and work with Northwest Energy Angels. John’s experience in energy includes 2 years with Schlumberger in the oil fields of the Middle East and 8 years developing and financing waste-to-energy plants for the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority. He also spent a number of years developing real estate in Seattle for Wright Runstad & Company, Blackhawk Port Blakely Communities and his company Fara Investments, LLC.
John is also runs Merrill Images, LLC, a travel and cultural photography business and is active in Seattle Social Venture Partners, most recently serving on its environmental grant committee. He has an engineering degree from Princeton University and is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University MBA program.
