Business Team

CORE TEAM

SIMON WOODRUFF CEO

During the last 6 years, Woodruff has lead the company through initial start-up phases and onto the growth phase.  He has established advisory boards consisting of  energy industry and scientific leaders, building the company from the ground up and opening the laboratory in Ballard, managing contracts from DOE, national laboratories and universities.  In the last year, under his direction, WSI beat 40 other companies for the opportunity to present to investors for the first time at the Northwest Entrepreneur Network’s ‘First Look Forum’, and subsequently was able to meet with leading venture capitalists.  He developed the strategy for the business over several years taking in advice at annual strategic planning meetings, inviting local experts and business leaders, following leadership during his employment in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Fusion Energy Program.  Woodruff has ensure that the company maintains strategic partnerships with many organizations locally, nationally and internationally, and aims to continue to grow the business.

Chris Dishman, CFO (Denali Financial Consultants)

Chris is a serial entrepreneur who founded Denali Financial Consulting in January 2008 after 25 years of serving the Seattle tech community as a Big-4 auditor (PwC, E&Y), a CFO of a venture capital firm, a co-founder of a SOX consulting firm, and a financial executive for numerous venture capital-backed technology companies. Chris has enjoyed leadership roles in local organizations such as the MIT Enterprise Forum, WTIA , Junior Achievement, Rite of Passage Journeys, and is currently on the Board of the Northwest Entrepreneur Network (NWEN) and a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD). Chris is a CPA (license inactive), and has a BA in Business Administration and Accounting from the University of Washington.

CHRISTINE KAKOS Accountant

MARIELLEN JOHNSON Book-keeping

JERRY FOOTE CPA, Greenwood Ohlund and Co. LLP

Jerry has worked in Public Accounting for over 25 years, including a tax position at KPMG Peat Marwick in Seattle. Prior to joining Greenwood Ohlund, he operated his own public accounting firm for over nine years. Jerry’s concentration has been in the Federal and State tax area for small- to medium-sized businesses and individual taxation.

SARA KRIZAN Marketing Associate

LEGAL TEAM

JOSEPH WHITFORD Legal counsel, Davis Wright and Tremaine, LLP

Joe Whitford focuses his corporate finance practice in the emerging-company sector, where he has served for more than 30 years as general counsel and advisor to high-growth software, health care, medical device, biotech, wireless and specialty retail business ventures. He has guided management, boards of directors and investors through founder formation matters, equity compensation planning, angel and venture capital investments, strategic partnerships, license arrangements, mergers and acquisitions, and public offerings.

BARRY DAVIDSON Patent attorney, Davis Wright and Tremaine, LLP

Barry Davison, Ph.D., provides patent preparation and prosecution services, in domestic and foreign patents, primarily for clients in the biotechnology, biomedical, software and life sciences industries. He focuses particularly on biotechnology in the areas of molecular biology, DNA, genomics, transgenics, immunology, biochemistry, chemistry and medical devices

BUSINESS ADVISORY BOARD

RAYMOND WILLIAMS Business advisory board member

Raymond A. Williams, Jr. received his undergraduate degree in Industrial Management from the University of Washington and his MBA in Investments and Corporate Finance from the New York University, Graduate School of Business.  He currently serves as President, CEO and Chairman of the Board for Xbridge Systems.

After graduation from NYU, Mr. Williams joined IBM Advanced Computing Systems Group as the Financial Administrator. Mr. Williams left IBM Corporation to co-found Amdahl Corporation with Gene Amdahl. Since his departure from Amdahl Corporation, Mr. Williams has founded, co-founded, or invested in over 60 companies in the electronics and health care industries, including Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Ventritex, Inc., Grid Systems, Viasoft, Netframe and two banks, University National Bank (now Comerica) and Silicon Valley Bank.

DR. THEODORE MARSTON Business advisory board member

Upon retirement from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) as its Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Marston established Marston Consulting in June of 2006. This firm is dedicated to the innovation, development, demonstration and deployment of new technology to address two key issues facing developed and developing countries in the 21st century: energy independence and management of global climate change. His clients include venture capitalists, commercial and energy companies, R&D organizations, and U.S. and international national laboratories.

Previously, as CTO of EPRI, he directed multi-hundred million dollar, international science and technology programs to improve the generation, transmission, distribution and utilization of electricity and reduce the associated environmental risks. Earlier, he led a large international program to develop utility requirements for advanced nuclear reactors, design certification for advanced light water reactors, first-of-a-kind engineering and siting of nuclear reactors. In addition to his nuclear experience, he developed international, independent, fossil-fueled power generation projects. Ted has over 30 years of global experience in the assessment and management of risk in a broad range of industrial facilities, including nuclear and conventional power plants, refineries, chemical plants, railroads, and defense facilities.  He received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1972 and is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

LARS JOHANSSON Business advisory board member

Lars is the co-chair of the Northwest Energy Angels and an active Cleantech angel investor through his company Energethic, LLC. He has invested in early stage companies since the late 90s with an exclusive focus on Cleantech in recent years. He invests primarily in USA/Canada but also in his native country of Sweden. His background is in IT where he was an executive at Microsoft for a combined 16 years. Lars joined Microsoft in Sweden and was responsible for the Nordic Enterprise business when in 1993 he relocated to Redmond to lead the development of the company’s initial volume licensing programs. Most recently he was responsible for the Worldwide System Builder business.  He is on the board of Groundwire (formerly ONE/Northwest), an active supporter of Climate Solutions and a long-time partner with Social Venture Partners, having served on its Environmental Grant Committee. Lars has a Business degree from the University of Uppsala and an Engineering degree from Älvkullegymnasiet in Karlstad, both in Sweden.

Mr. KEVIN G. DOREN Business advisory board member

Advisor at Divergent Ventures, LLC. He also serves as an Advisor at Divergent Ventures II and a Managing Director at Divergent Ventures I. Mr. Doren has extensive experience starting and managing high-technology companies. During 1997 and 1998, he has served as the Chief Executive Officer at Cardinal Technologies. Mr. Doren has  been an active early-stage venture investor and is typically one of a company’s first outside investors or Directors. In 1987, he Co-Founded GO Corp., served as the Vice President of Engineering and Vice President of Advanced Technology. While with Mr. Paul Allen’s organization from 1993 to 1998, Mr. Doren started at Interval Research, Mr. Allen’s business incubator and research facility, and moved to the Paul Allen Group in 1995 to focus exclusively on venture capital investment and management of portfolio companies. In 1983, he Co-Founded Equinox Systems Inc. and served as the Vice President of Engineering and Vice President of Advanced Technology. Mr. Doren is a Director of HyperQuality LLC. He has served as a Director of WebTV Networks Inc., Transmeta Corp., Zetta Systems Inc., 4thpass Inc., and Picostation Inc. Mr. Doren obtained a B.S.E. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania in 1978.