Our Staff

John Schaeffer

John Schaeffer is our President having founded Real Goods in 1978. He currently spends most of his time running and marketing our solar programs, working on business development, and ensuring the store at the Solar Living Center has fresh product and remains the world's premier destination for renewable energy and sustainable living.

Steve Rogers

Steve Rogers is Director of the Real Goods Solar Residential divison in California. With the company since 1993, Steve works out of the Real Goods Solar Living Center and lives with solar at his home in Redwood Valley from where he commutes to Hopland on his prized BMW motorcycle.

Jock Patterson

Jock Patterson performs software and system support/development for the business tools used by the California sales technicians. He has done a vairety of customer service jobs, mostly software related, for 10 years. At times he'll also assist in the sales process and customer support. He works out of Richmond and started with Real Goods in 2006.

Alex Redin

Alex is currently in charge of purchasing for Real Goods Solar and as the Warehouse & Inventory Control Manager, Alex administers the warehousing operations. He works very closely with all departments, making sure our customers get the best possible service and parts to complete their solar projects.

Deb Robertson

Deb Robertson A Real Goods veteran since 1989, after a 3 year leave, returned in June 2003 to rejoin the Real Goods Solar Residential assisting the Director and Project Management team to ensure a smooth, installation, inspection and interconnection process. She has lived in a solar-powered home since 1980.

Lisa Richie

Lisa Richie is the Marketing Coordinator for the Real Goods CA Residential team. Lisa joined the Real Goods team in 2005, with a background in media, promotions and admin. She coordinates all marketing and events, assists sales, and makes the initial contact to all CA customers interested in solarizing their homes. When out of the office, Lisa likes to spend time with her family and 2 adorable sons.

Norman Franks

Norman Franks, one of the original founders of the Mendocino Brewing Company, spends most of his time designing solar systems and providing engineering support for the Residential Solar Sales team and the Catalog Technical Sales staff. With Real Goods since 2001, Norman has a talent for crunching numbers and can calculate the output of PV systems in his head. He has a B.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering from U. C. Berkeley and is a licensed general contractor.

Phil Henley

Phil Henley, our Installation Manager, and currently a CA certified electrician, has 23 years of extensive commercial, industrial and residential construction experience with an emphasis on electrical services. A love for sales and a true people-person, Phil excels in project & employee management. Photovoltaics have become Phil’s new passion, so he was more than happy when he joined the Real Goods crew in 2007.

Jason Cotter

Jason Cotter has been helping Real Goods customers create their own solar electricity in Marin and Sonoma Counties since 2003. Jason has lived primarily in Sonoma County since 1971, and takes pride in the fact that with every installed solar system comes a definitive reduction to the environmental footprint imposed on the earth by modern society, as well as a reduction in the need to import foreign energy. Earlier in life, Jason  traveled through New Zealand and Australia working on various organic farms, and studied perma-culture and green building methods.

Steve Harmon

Steve Harmon is our veteran project manager, helping out our sales techs and customers since 1995. A hard worker, Steve is always quick to troubleshoot any problem, and make sure all customers north of the bay have a smooth and easy solar installation.

Tyson Grul

Tyson’s career in solar began in the financial industry. After graduating Magna Cum Laude from U.C. Santa Barbara, Tyson spent nine years at the Pacific Stock Exchange specializing in equity options. He distinguished himself there as “market maker.” While trading, Tyson became increasingly interested in the green companies and eco-minded stocks running across the ticker. He decided to change careers and become more involved in the renewable energy industry. Tyson has been with Real Goods Marin Solar for two years and is our top salesperson in commercial PV projects. Due to the efforts of his team, Real Goods Marin Solar has won “Best of Marin” from the Pacific Sun’s readership poll for 2 years in a row. He has his Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) license and receives regular training from our premier module manufacturers on system design and financial analysis.

Jennie Dito

Jennie Dito designs and sells residential solar systems for the Marin office. Prior to joining the company in 2007, she wrote environmental impact reports for RECON Environmental, Inc. in San Diego. Jennie is passionate about nature conservation and natural history and believes she can save the planet one solar module at a time. Jennie enjoys spending her time off outdoors hiking and horseback riding, or throwing pots in the ceramic studio.

John Hubenthal

John Hubenthal specializes in commercial sales and large projects. John graduated with honors from UC Santa Cruz with a BA in Environmental Studies where he focused on green building. He fine-tuned his skills as a carpenter for a green construction company in the Santa Cruz mountains before joining Marin Solar in 2004. John began at Real Goods Marin Solar as an installer, and has filled various positions giving him the expertise to drive sales and installation in high end residential, wineries, and new construction. John enjoys the challenges that each project brings and brings a hands-on approach to most of his projects.

Jen Turner Beachy

Jen Turner Beachy is the most recent addition to the Real Goods family, serving as a Solar Sales Consultant from San Mateo to Carmel and beyond. She brings to the table an innate ability to listen to a client’s needs and motivations and translate that into technical solutions that really work. A deep concern and love for our planet led her to pursue a career in the Renewable Energy industry and she is grateful for the opportunity to be of service.

Casey Crittenden

Casey Crittenden is our sales representative for San Mateo and San Francisco counties. He arrived to Real Goods Marin Solar in 2007 driven by his passion for environmental change. Earlier in his life as a professional NOLS instructor and mountaineering guide, Casey experienced first hand the transition our environment is going through. He strives to provide thoroughness, professionalism, clarity and follow-through with every installation.

Ron Luikaart

Ron Luikaart is our solar sales technician for the Sacramento/Central Valley area. Ron has over three years of solar installation, sales and project management experience. He is also a PADI Divemaster.

Tim Giuliani

Tim Giuliani is the Real Goods Project Manager for the Sacramento/Central Valley. Tim has over 8 years experience in residential construction. After living for many years in the Bay Area he resides in his beloved town of Grass Valley where he enjoys mountain biking, camping, and being in the sun.

Tom Robinson

Tom Robinson is a solar designer and technical support person with the Real Goods Solar Residential division.  Based in Santa Monica, Tom services the entire Southern California region including San Diego and the desert areas, and has been with the company since 2000.

Bob Bower

Bob Bower is the Real Goods Project Manager for Southern California. After a 35 year career in the design, manufacture, and sale of electronic test equipment, Bob formed a solar dealership with four other partners in 2002. He was hooked on solar after his first solar electric installation. Bob holds a certificate from NABCEP, and enjoys seeing the customers’ eyes light up when they watch their electric meter spin backwards.

Erik Frye

Erik Frye specializes in technical sales at the Real Goods retail store in Hopland designing and selling photovoltaic, wind and microhydro systems primarily for off grid applications such as cottages, RV's and boats. He also makes site visits for the Real Goods Residential Installation department. The sun has provided electricity, space heating and domestic hot water for Erik and his family since 1990.

Bill Giebler

Bill Giebler is the Director of the Colorado Solar Installation department. Since 2004 he has produced the 108 pg. Real Goods Catalog twice a year. He commutes by bus/bicycle to the Gaiam headquarters in Broomfield, Colorado from his Boulder home. Bill has been with Gaiam since 1996.

Mark Stahl

Mark Stahl is the Project manager for Real Goods Colorado residential PV installations. In the construction industry for over 35 years, Mark worked in the solar industry from ’79 to ’85, selling and installing thermal systems for heating DHW, homes, and swimming pools. Mark has been a PM in commercial construction for over 8 years. He joined Real Goods in November 2006 and is thrilled to be back in the renewable energy industry again.

Kyle Clabaugh

Kyle Clabaugh is the Solar Administrator for Real Goods at the Gaiam headquarters in Colorado. Kyle ensures CO customers receive exceptional customer service from the initial contact through the completion of their system’s installation and beyond. He also manages customer accounts for both CO and CA. Kyle joined Real Goods in 2006 after graduating from the University of Colorado.

Mike Morton

Mike is our Sales and System Designer. He entered the solar industry as an installer in the late 70's and has been involved in the design and installation of hundreds of solar electric and hot water systems along Colorado's front range. He has designed and built several passive solar additions for others as well as designing and building a passive solar home for his family. A Real Goods fan since the early 90's, Mike joined RG in 2005.

Dominick Morone

Dominick Morone joined the Real Goods Solar sales team in 2007. His environmental interests have always guided his personal decisions. Having the opportunity to design solar systems that are aesthetically pleasing and economically sensible while helping to solve our energy needs is his dream job. Since moving to Boulder in 1994 he has been active in local community organizations like Eco-Cycle and is an avid bicycle commuter.