JOHN BARTON

Chief Executive Officer

Over the last 25 years, John has spearheaded high-tech product realization and operations for existing and emerging markets around the world, spanning North America, Europe, Asia, and Israel. In a variety of roles, from executive and advisory, he’s successfully scaled start-ups and organizations within large public companies, while ensuring world-class quality and competitiveness.

Prior to joining Gridtential, John was President of Global Asset Management for Sun Edison, where he oversaw the operations of over 8GW of renewable energy assets. Previously, John served as Vice President and General Manager at Flex, a global contract manufacturer, where he ran the North American Design and Hybrid Microelectronic Packaging divisions. John has also served as CEO of start-up companies Wave Optics, Inc and Novera Optics, Inc, which he led and successfully sold to Flex and LG-Nortel (now LG-Ericsson) respectively.

John holds a Master of Science degree from Stanford Graduate School of Business where he sits on the Alumni Advisory Board, and Bachelor of Science degrees in Physics and Mathematics from University of California, Irvine, where he also serves as a member of the Dean’s Leadership Council for the School of Physical Sciences.

Dr. Peter Borden

Co-Founder and Chief Technical Adviser

A leading technologist, serial entrepreneur and Adjunct Professor at Santa Clara University, Dr. Peter Borden developed Gridential’s novel Silicon Joule technology and cofounded the company. His deep expertise in silicon and thin film technologies had previously led him to found Boxer Cross (acquired by Applied Materials), where he conceived and patented a silicon solar cell manufacturing process widely used today. At Boxer Cross, Borden also developed metrology systems using DFM processes, which targeted IC manufacturing process control, and as CTO and founder for High Yield Technology (acquired by Pacific Scientific), he developed commercial in-situ particle monitoring systems for VLSI process equipment. Earlier, at Varian Associates, he led the Photovoltaics Group, setting performance records with III-V and silicon concentrator cells and systems, sponsored by Sandia National Labs, NREL and the Air Force. Dr. Borden has over 80 publications and 68 patents and holds PhD and MS degrees in Applied Physics from Stanford and BS degrees in Physics and EE from MIT.

Michele Klein

Co-Founder and Director

Michele Klein has been at the forefront of battery innovation, working in research, venture capital, and management roles. She has pioneered energy storage research at Santa Clara University, launching cross-disciplinary battery research, and was Senior Director of Applied Ventures LLC, the venture capital arm of Applied Materials, responsible for renewable energy and energy storage. She identified and invested in nine companies, serving on the boards of seven, which included Enphase Energy and Infinite Power Solutions. Before joining Applied, she co-founded, led and sold two VC-backed technology companies making manufacturing process control equipment, and served on the boards of both companies. From 1997 to 2003, Klein was CEO of Boxer Cross, when it was acquired by Applied Materials. She also led a High Yield Technology, when it was acquired by Pacific Scientific in 1996. She has also held management positions at Knoll International and Hewlett-Packard and serves on the advisory boards of two venture funds, the Silicon Valley Association for Startup Entrepreneurs (SVASE), SEMI Industry Strategy Symposium and Stanford’s “Women on Boards”. She earned a BS from the University of Illinois, and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Ed Schummer

Chief Licensing Officer  

As Chief Licensing Officer at Gridtential, Ed has spearheaded and engineered the company’s industry-shifting licensing program for its advanced Silicon Joule technology. A nearly thirty-year Dolby veteran, Schummer was instrumental in shaping Dolby’s first-in-kind licensing model, widely credited for parlaying a once obscure, but novel, noise reduction technology into a global quality mark. Under Schummer’s leadership, the Dolby team created and refined an influential and much imitated licensing model program and made the Dolby brand synonymous with best-in-class entertainment systems. Dolby’s licensing footprint spans 40 countries with 100’s of licensees from consumer electronics manufacturers to software vendors.

Ray Kubis

Chairman

Kubis brings 35 years of management and technology experience worldwide with market leaders in the industrial and automotive sectors of the battery industry. For a cumulative 15 years, Kubis served as President of Hawker and EnerSys, leading the companies’ industrial battery business development across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He has also worked in senior leadership positions with Johnson Controls and Exide in the automotive battery industry. Most recently, Kubis has served as President of EcoBat Technologies, Ltd., the global leader in the recycling and supply of lead for batteries. As Gridtential continues to license its Silicon Joule™ platform to battery manufacturers, Kubis’ past experience will play a significant role in scaling the innovative platform worldwide.