Brdar will assume this vital role with responsibility for the strategic and operational leadership of the companys sales, marketing, operations, and engineering organizations.
I am delighted to have Dan join the Petra Solar executive leadership team in the critical role of Chief Operating Officer, said Petra Solar president and CEO, Shihab Kuran. Petra Solars innovative SunWave system provides our utility partners with a powerful platform that transforms the way solar power is produced and delivered. I have no doubt that Dans extensive expertise, strategic vision and proven leadership will help Petra Solar continue our positive momentum and business performance, capitalize on the enormous growth opportunities that exist in todays global market, and set a trajectory toward even greater levels of success for the company.
Brdar brings with him over 30 years of combined technology development, new product introduction and sales leadership experience in a variety of executive positions. Prior to joining Petra Solar, he served as president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of FuelCell Energy, the worlds leading stationary fuel cell manufacturer with five facilities for production and service located in three countries.
At FuelCell, Brdar led the growth strategies, financial planning and capital creation efforts, new product and market development initiatives, and provided strategic direction to manufacturing, engineering and service operations. While there, Mr. Brdar was responsible for raising over $100 million in corporate funds from institutional investors and partners, converting negative product gross margins to positive via a 51 percent improvement, leading a 220 percent increase in the manufacturing production rate, and driving a record sales order backlog.
Before joining FuelCell Energy, Brdar held management positions at General Electric where he focused on new product introduction programs for the GE Power Systems business unit and managed its gas turbine product lines, which generated multi-billion dollar annual new unit sales. Prior to GE, he was associate director, Office of Power Systems Product Management, at the U.S. Department of Energy where he was responsible for directing the research, development and demonstration of advanced power systems including advanced gas turbines, gasification systems and fuel cells. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in 1981.
When you look at the incredible portfolio of solar and Smart Grid products and technologies Petra Solar is poised to deliver, I see great opportunity in the markets in which it currently serves, as well as those where we will expand, said Brdar.
With the world in the midst of a clean energy revolution, Petra Solars suite of products and services provides utilities around the globe with reliable, cost effective solutions that can assist them in preparing the electric grid to meet the energy needs of the 21st century. I am thrilled to join an organization that is so passionate about confronting todays renewable energy challenges with innovative advancements that address the growing global demand for sustainable energy and grid reliability.
