DATA CENTER COOLING & POWER
THE TEAM
Experienced Leadership. New Industry Vision
"Aerospace-Grade Execution, Thermal Systems Mastery, Enterprise Sales Heritage
Soltair's leadership combines 120+ years of combined experience across Pratt & Whitney, Parker Hannifin, Carrier, and UTC. We don't just invent cooling systems—we manufacture them at scale, sell them to Fortune 500 companies, and service them for 30+ years. Our team has shipped thermal systems to demanding aerospace/defense applications. Now we're applying that rigor to solving data center cooling."
Wayne Poerio
CO-FOUNDER & CEO / COO
Wayne is Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Soltair Energy. He invented the core thermal turbine technology driving the company's product strategy and serves as Chief Operating Officer, bridging technology vision with operational execution. His background combines aerospace engineering leadership, manufacturing innovation, and hands-on commercialization expertise.
Inventor & Patent Holder | Aerospace Scale Leader | Lean Manufacturing Authority
THE INVENTOR
Wayne conceived and developed the thermal turbine system forming the foundation of Soltair Energy's Ultra platform architecture. The system integrates solar-thermal heating, ORC power generation, direct-to-chip cooling, and compressor waste heat recovery into a unified, zero-water thermal engine. He filed and secured a US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) grant protecting the core architecture and system integration design—establishing defensible intellectual property from inception and preventing competitive replication of Soltair's core innovation.
Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Soltair Energy. Inventor of the core thermal turbine system. Bridges technology vision with operational execution. Aerospace engineering leadership from Pratt & Whitney, Lean manufacturing expert, founder of Leanbreakthru Consulting Group.
USPTO Patent Holder | Jet Engine Expert | Lean Manufacturing Authority
TRACK RECORD
Led F119/JSF engine control systems at Pratt & Whitney—the world's most advanced military jet engine. Pioneered and taught Lean product and process development principles that became foundational to Soltair's design and manufacturing approach. Led Soltair's successful proof-of-concept, validating thermal performance and commercial viability.
LEAN FOUNDATION
At Pratt & Whitney, Wayne developed operational excellence frameworks that directly shaped Soltair's cost-competitive product and manufacturing strategy. As founder of Leanbreakthru Consulting Group, he applied these principles across General Electric, Parker Aerospace, Energizer, and USPS, even The City of Cape Coral FL—proving ability to scale advanced process and manufacturing improvement at enterprise level.
For Investors: Inventor + Operator + Lean Expert. USPTO patent = IP defensibility. P&W/POC validation = execution proof. Lean methodology embedded in design = cost-competitive 10,000+ unit production. His presence as Founder/CEO ensures long-term commitment and operational discipline.
TECHNOLOGY INSIGHT
Wayne's profound insight at Pratt & Whitney: jet engines have powered compressors and driven thermal cycles for decades. This observation—that proven turbomachinery technology could be repurposed to create a solar-powered thermal engine—became Soltair's core innovation. His deep expertise in compressors, turbines, and expanders directly accelerated the thermal turbine concept and eliminates external technical dependencies.
Dave Huber
CHIEF TECHNICAL OFFICER & SYSTEMS ARCHITECT
Dave Huber is Chief Technical Officer and Systems Architect for Soltair Energy, responsible for the complete technical platform architecture, engineering roadmap, and critical path commercialization of Soltair Energy's Ultra solar-thermal cooling system. With more than 20 years of deep expertise in thermodynamic power generation, Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) engineering, and system-scale thermal commercialization, Dave brings the technical depth and execution track record required to de-risk the transition from prototype to 1 MW deployment and beyond.
CAREER FOUNDATION: ORC POWER GENERATION PIONEER
Dave's career started at Pratt Whitney Systems engineering and has centered on Organic Rankine Cycle power systems—a field requiring mastery of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat exchanger design, turbomachinery, and complete system integration. His previous leadership at a pioneering ORC power generation company took the technology from laboratory prototype through design optimization, manufacturing development, regulatory certification, and full-scale commercial deployment.GE Acquisition Validates Technical Excellence: The company's subsequent acquisition by General Electric. Dave authored or co-authored 19 patents spanning ORC design, heat recovery systems, thermal cycle optimization, and manufacturing innovations. These patents represent deep intellectual property that differentiates thermal technology platforms and provides defensibility in competitive markets.
Dave is CTO for Soltair Ultra's platform design and technical roadmap.
19 Patents in power generation | ORC Expert | GE Exit (previous company sold to General Electric)
TECHNICAL DEPTH IN THERMAL SYSTEMS
Dave's expertise in ORC power generation provides direct, deeply applicable knowledge to Soltair's solar-thermal cooling architecture. ORC systems require mastery of thermal fluid dynamics, heat exchanger design, compressor/expander optimization, thermocline storage, and mineral oil heat transfer—all core to Soltair's technical differentiation. His deep understanding of thermal cycling stress, system integration, and manufacturing complexity directly accelerates Soltair's engineering roadmap and eliminates external technical dependencies.
AT SOLTAIR: DE-RISKING THE CRITICAL PATH
Dave's responsibilities span the complete 1 MW deployment timeline and manufacturing scale-up roadmap:
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ORC Integration & Optimization: T
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Thermal Storage System: Modeling and validating
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IP Strategy & Patent Landscape:
TECHNICAL PHILOSOPHY
ENGINEERING PRINCIPLE
Dave's approach is grounded in first-principles thermodynamics combined with manufacturing realism. He believes that elegant system design must be paired with robust manufacturing processes, and that ttheoretical efficiency gains are meaningless if they cannot be reliably produced at scale. This philosophy has guided every major ttechnical decision at Soltair
John Dwyer
CHIEF SUPPLY CHAIN EXECUTIVE — & OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
"Get it done."
John is a veteran supply chain leader and implementation expert with a singular mandate: make it happen. As Chief Supply Chain Executive at Soltair Energy, John is responsible for orchestrating all aspects of strategic sourcing, procurement, logistics, and inventory management across multi-site manufacturing and deployment operations.
John Dwyer is a seasoned supply chain and operations executive with more than 25 years of hands-on experience scaling manufacturing operations, implementing lean systems, and delivering mission-critical supply chain execution across aerospace, defense, and advanced manufacturing sectors. As a Pratt & Whitney veteran trained in lean methodology and operational excellence, John brings a rare combination of strategic thinking and relentless execution capability to Soltair Energy.
At his core, John is an implementation manager—someone who translates strategy into results and ensures that critical components arrive exactly when needed, every time. During his tenure at United Technologies Corporation (UTC), John held comprehensive responsibility for supply chain operations across multiple geographies, including strategic sourcing initiatives for manufacturing hubs in Jupiter, Florida; Columbus, Georgia; and San Jose, California.
25+ YEARS SUPPLY CHAIN EXPERIENCE
SOLTAIR NECESSITY
Why John Matters to Soltair: As the company transitions from prototype to manufacturing scale (targeting 10,000+ units annually), supply chain resilience becomes a competitive advantage. John ensures every component—from absorber plates to aerogel insulation to fasteners and electronics—arrives on schedule, meets specifications, and optimizes working capital.
His lean background and multi-site manufacturing experience directly translate to Soltair's manufacturing ramp, cost control, and customer delivery commitments. John is responsible for the operational backbone that makes Soltair's engineering breakthroughs commercially viable at scale.
CORE EXPERTISE
Supply chain strategy • Lean manufacturing systems • Vendor negotiation & management • Procurement operations • Inventory optimization • Multi-site logistics • Cost reduction & waste elimination • Real-time operational metrics • On-time, every-time delivery execution
OPERATIONAL PHILOSOPHY
"The supply chain doesn't win championships—but it can lose them. Our job is to make sure manufacturing never waits for parts, customers never wait for delivery, and the company never overpays for procurement. That's execution excellence."
Background: Pratt & Whitney (lean methodology training) • United Technologies Corporation (UTC) — Multi-site lean supply chain leadership • Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing Specialization
Paul Stickley
SVP of OPERATIONS
Co-founder and Chief Operations Officer of Soltair Energy. Neighbor and close collaborator of Founder Wayne Poerio—worked alongside Wayne in Wayne's garage to design, build, and test multiple prototypes that validated Soltair's thermal turbine concept. 30+ years journeyman HVAC and refrigeration expertise in system installation, maintenance, and field reliability.
30+ Years HVAC/Refrigeration | Installation & Maintenance Expert | Field Execution Leader
TRACK RECORD
As a neighbor and collaborator, Paul partnered with Wayne through the critical prototype validation phase, providing field expertise and practical engineering insight that shaped the thermal turbine design for real-world reliability and installation feasibility. Multiple prototype iterations—built and tested in Wayne's garage—proved the concept before moving to commercialization. Paul is a certified specialist in HVAC system installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting with three decades of hands-on experience across residential, commercial, and industrial thermal systems. His expertise spans compressor operation, refrigerant cycles, heat exchanger design, and component integration at scale—directly applicable to Soltair's ORC architecture and direct-to-chip cooling delivery.
OPERATIONAL EXPERTISE
As Co-founder, Paul is responsible for:
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Manufacturing execution and quality control
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Installation methodology and field deployment protocols
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Service and maintenance strategy for long-term customer reliability
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Supply chain and logistics for component delivery and field support
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Operational scaling (pilot installations → 10,000+ unit annual deployment)
For Investors: 30 years HVAC experience = field credibility. Installation/maintenance focus = customer pain-point insight. Co-founder status = long-term commitment. His presence de-risks operational execution, manufacturing quality, and customer satisfaction—critical to enterprise data center cooling adoption.
THERMAL SYSTEMS MASTERY
Paul's deep understanding of what fails in the field, what requires maintenance, and what delivers reliability at scale accelerates Soltair's product design iterations and manufacturing processes. His customer-centric focus ensures products meet enterprise reliability standards and minimize total cost of ownership for data center operators.
Gary McEwen
SVP of SALES
Gary is SVP of Sales at Soltair Energy. Gary drives enterprise sales leadership, market development, and customer acquisition across thermal systems and complex infrastructure procurement. 40+ years HVAC industry experience beginning at Carrier Corporation with proven expertise in enterprise thermal systems sales and technology-driven solution selling.
30+ Years HVAC Sales Leadership | Carrier Pedigree | Enterprise Infrastructure Expert
TRACK RECORD
Gary began his career at Carrier Corporation, where he led sales technology training initiatives and trained the dealer and engineer community on Carrier's advanced HVAC software covering load calculations, equipment selection, operating costs analysis, refrigerant pipe sizing, and system design. He consistently ranked as a top sales performer, generating $10MM+ in annual revenue selling residential and commercial A/C equipment, ancillary products, and services. His expertise spans thermal systems hardware, software, and services—understanding that modern HVAC solutions require integrated technology ecosystems.
For Investors: 30 years HVAC experience = industry credibility. Carrier pedigree = enterprise sales expertise. $10MM+ track record = proven ability to close large deals. Enterprise infrastructure knowledge = understands complex multi-stakeholder procurement processes for data center adoption.
ENTERPRISE THERMAL SYSTEMS VISION
Gary's early leadership in HVAC adoption and his understanding that modern data center cooling requires integrated hardware + software + services aligns perfectly with Soltair's platform approach.
His enterprise sales experience validates that customers evaluate thermal systems on total cost of ownership, reliability, and operational efficiency—core differentiators for Soltair's zero-water, grid-independent architecture.
Rick Stumpf
SENIOR ADVISOR, BOARD MEMBER — MARKETING & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Rick brings more than 35 years of strategic aerospace and defense marketing and business development expertise to Soltair Energy's board. Currently serving as Key Account Manager and Director of GE Programs at Parker Aerospace (Parker Hannifin Corporation, NYSE: PH), Rick is recognized as a transformational leader with proven success translating advanced technologies into high-value customer solutions.
Throughout his career, Rick has demonstrated exceptional capability across engineering, product development, sales, marketing, program management, and customer service. He specializes in building and executing business capture strategies that differentiate technology-enabled products and systems—aligning innovation with customer needs to deliver best-in-class value propositions. His strategic vision extends beyond traditional markets: he has successfully led cross-platform initiatives, extracting the best of aerospace and industrial technologies to create innovative product ecosystems for demanding, mission-critical applications including military ground combat vehicles and specialty defense platforms.
Beyond product excellence, Rick has driven organizational transformation across multiple Parker Hannifin operating groups, combining advanced technologies with lean operational methodologies and lifetime support services. He was instrumental in founding and scaling a highly successful joint venture, demonstrating his ability to build partnerships and navigate complex business structures at scale.
"Rick's deep technical foundation, coupled with strategic business acumen and proven market-expansion leadership, positions him uniquely to guide Soltair's customer-centric innovation strategy and market penetration."
Rick Doty
SENIOR ADVISOR. BOARD MEMBER — FRONTIER TECHNOLOGY & CLEAN ENERGY STRATEGY
Rick is a Chicago-based thought leader, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist operating at the intersection of frontier technology, clean energy, and transformative innovation. As a managing partner with Evernet Capital Partners, Rick brings two decades of strategic investment experience across early-stage energy technology ventures, climate-critical infrastructure projects, and emerging platforms reshaping the digital economy.
Rick's distinctive investment approach centers on the "Dual HALO" philosophy—a framework where human innovation and tangible asset value converge for maximum market impact and sustainable growth. This principle has guided his portfolio construction across renewable thermal systems, advanced materials, distributed energy platforms, and mission-driven ventures in the cleantech space. He is recognized for his ability to identify transformative technologies at inflection points and architect go-to-market strategies that translate engineering breakthroughs into scaled commercial impact.
Beyond capital deployment, Rick is an active thought leader and published commentator on frontier technology investment, clean energy economics, and the future of work. His insights on venture strategy, energy transition, and technology commercialization are regularly featured in industry publications and his Substack newsletter, where he synthesizes market analysis, investment theses, and strategic perspectives for founders, operators, and institutional investors.
Rick's creative background—spanning original intellectual property development, brand strategy, and storytelling—informs his approach to venture building, enabling him to work across both technical depth and market positioning with rare versatility. This unique combination of analytical rigor and creative vision makes him invaluable to scaling companies navigating complex market transitions.
GUIDING PRINCIPLE
The "Dual HALO" Framework: Where Human Innovation Meets Tangible Asset Value
"We don't inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children."
— Native American Proverb
This principle anchors Rick's conviction that venture capital must serve not just financial returns, but environmental stewardship and long-term civilization resilience.
CONNECT & LEARN MORE
Evernet Capital Substack Newsletter — Frontier Tech & Clean Energy Investing
