POWER TRIP ENERGY - Key Persons
Andy founded Power Trip Energy in September 2002 and handles site evaluations, system design, and administration. As a long-time resident, his love of the Olympic Peninsula drove him to create a company to work to make the inevitable growth as sensible as possible. Andy graduated from Port Townsend High School in 1986. He started college at WSU, then moved to California, and eventually received degrees in Marine Biology and Zoology from Humboldt State University in Arcata, CA. During and after college, his career was oriented towards technical sales, designing and selling computer network systems through the early 90's, later directing sales and marketing for a commercial mill working company in Arcata. Andy believes that solar power is the best way for most people to create electricity, and that compared to hydro-carbon-derived energy, the environmental benefits are tremendous, and socially, the benefits of individual power production are emancipating. Andy sees that the benefits of developing localized power sources are important to the long-term health of the local economy.
Bonnie joined Power Trip in May 2022. Originally from Whidbey Island, Bonnie moved to Port Townsend in 2017 with her dog Bella and fell in love with the community. She has enjoyed endless opportunities to dance, hike and connect with the wonderful people who live here. Bella has since been promoted to HR Manager, she loves belly rubs and cheering up the staff, feel free to come by and say hello!
Buddy moved to Port Townsend with his partner in 2013 with the intention of starting a family here. They wanted to raise children in an environmentally conscious area that they could see themselves growing older together in. Their first child was born in September of 2015, have since had one more and have moved into fostering as well. Buddy met his partner when they attended Central Washington University. His background is in Cell/ Molecular Biology/ Botany. He started his career in Port Townsend at Mt Townsend Creamery where he worked for 7 years, 4 of which he was the Lead cheese maker there. Their family enjoys hiking, camping, and taking in the boundless beauty this area has to offer. They are grateful to be here and to be completing their goal of raising a family here.
Job Titles:
- Electrical Administrator ( Retired in 2012 )
Graham (Steve's dad) is a master electrician who assisted with solar system installations and was our electrical administrator. Graham joined Power Trip in 2004 after a career as an aircraft electrician and maintenance electrician in Alaskan canneries, Oregon sawmills, and at Jefferson General Hospital, before joining Power Trip Energy. Graham enjoys helping people live lighter on the planet by making their own green power, and remains available to us in his retirement.
Holly has been helping maintain the web page and has been performing correspondence and data base maintenance in the office. We are hopeful she will learn skills here that will serve her future employers well.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder
- Co - Founder, Journeyman Electrician, Electrical Administrator, and Installation Manager
Steve is a co-founder of Power Trip Energy and a journeyman electrician who handles all our installations. Another PTHS graduate, Steve has resided in Jefferson County since 1979. Steve's first opportunity to work with solar technology came when he was serving as a heavy equipment operator and fleet operations supervisor at McMurdo Station, Antarctica where he served seasonally from 1993 - 2002. The highlight of Steve's experience came in 2002 when he completed a 1,900 mile traverse with the French Antarctic Expedition from Dumont ‘dur Ville (the place where March of the Penguins was filmed) inland to Concordia, a multinational French-British-Italian base about 150 miles from the South Pole. Upon returning to Jefferson County, Steve joined a local electric firm to earn his stripes as an electrician with the goal of eventually specializing in solar electric installations. His wife Cami, and three children were very happy in 2005 when Steve installed a 2.28 KW system on their home (later upgraded to 6 kw.) In his spare time Steve enjoys road cycling and spotting homes with solar electric systems on their roofs.
Steve and Andy crossed paths professionally in 2003 (they have been friends since 8th grade) when Steve was helping a customer install an off-grid solar power system and Andy was brought in as a solar consultant for the job. That cooperative effort inspired Andy and Steve to co-found Power Trip Energy Corp. in 2004. Bringing Steve on board allowed the company to convert from being a solar consulting company to a fully qualified, electrical contracting firm specializing in the sale, design, and installation of grid-tied solar electric systems