Treasurer – Walter Gerstle

Walter Gerstle is Professor Emeritus of civil engineering at the University of New Mexico with an emphasis in structural engineering and structural mechanics. Gerstle has been active in researching the computational modeling of fracture of composite structures. He is a licensed professional engineer. He has worked for many years as a structural consultant, and has spent summers and sabbaticals performing research at NASA, Sandia National Laboratories, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and Oak Ridge National Laboratories. He is the Engineer of Record on many UniRAC, Inc. and Array Technologies, Inc. facilities and products and has provided engineering expertise for both companies in the early development of their now successful business models for the solar energy sector. Gerstle is past president of the New Mexico Section of ASCE, past president of NMSPE, and he is currently Secretary of the NM Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors.

Board Member – Troy McGee

Troy is a 5th-generation New Mexican with a computer science and information technology background. Troy is interested in all solutions that benefit New Mexico households, jobs, and the economy through our difficult transition away from fossil fuels. Troy has worked with several rooftop photovoltaic solar installers in the region and recently has been working on New Mexico’s Community Solar program.  Troy is a liaison between NMSEA and the Renewable Energy Industries Association of New Mexico (REIA-NM). His dream is to see each high school in New Mexico have an energy storage or agrivoltaic project built by students. This way, all students can witness firsthand the practical applications of renewable energy generation and storage and lead more students to renewable energy career paths.

 Vice President – Greg Crabtree

Greg has an associate’s degree in electronics, (1986), and worked 12 years in the TV broadcast world, and in avionics, in Richmond VA, and Washington DC. He also worked 8 years as a high school teacher, teaching video production.

In 2004 Greg left Virginia and moved to New Mexico, took a second associate’s degree in Renewable Energy Systems Design at San Juan College in Farmington. This degree covered a wide range of topics, including photovoltaics, wind turbines, small hydro-electric systems, solar hot water systems, and passive solar building design and thermal modeling. Since graduating in 2006, Greg has worked in the solar industry in a variety of roles. 

Greg has worked full-time for solar equipment distributors, grid-tie PV installers, and solar equipment manufacturers. As a freelancer, he installed solar hot water systems, did some building thermal analysis for some architects (analyzing the performance of passive solar buildings), and installed small off-grid PV systems for friends.

Greg has been a participant in NMSEA events, off and on, ever since 2004.  Greg is very happy teaching others about solar energy technology.

 President – Robert E. Foster

Robert is an international renewable energy development specialist who has worked in 46 countries over the past 40 years implementing thousands of projects utilizing solar, wind, geothermal, and micro-hydro. He has conducted cutting edge research and development on solar water purification (8 patents), solar chilling, and solar mini-grids. Robert joined NMSEA in 1988 while attending the Peter Van Dresser workshop at Ghost Ranch and is a NMSEA life member. Robert served as Chairman of the Texas Solar Energy Society from 1999-2001, as well as President of the El Paso Solar Energy Association from 1991-95. Robert has been an ASES member since 1990 and is now rolling off the ASES Board after six years in December. He served as ASES Chairman from foe three years, and has helped write successful proposals for ASES to bring in significant grant funding for solar projects, especially with EPA for Native Americans in the Dakotas.

 Secretary – Steve McWilliams

Life experiences: University, Military, career USDA, retired after 32 years as watershed program manager (soil science/hydrology/air), and married for 44 years.  Been in Albuquerque 45 years.  Hobbies over the years include ham radio, private flying, equestrian and travel.

Saw the “hockey stick” graph of the atmospheric temperature/CO2 rate equation in 1992 at the National Soil Science Institute at Texas A&M, and I did the math, and concluded it is OTTOMCO (obvious to the most casual observer) that I had experienced a stable world prior to that and the shit will hit the fan if nothing is done.  It has proven to be a correct analysis over the intervening years. 

Went to hybrid cars in 2002 and solar in 2009 when we needed to bring the roof into code and PNM offered the REC program with a 4.7 KW system.  About that time, we went to induction cooking, electric water heaters, and a third generation Prius.  Tesla in 2018 then another tesla for the wife in 2020 with solar carport bringing the solar system to 9.4 KW inverter capacity and battery storage enough for home and charging cars.  Smartflower in 2023 to trickle charge the teslas, and to put the house to complete electric for this winter.  Getting good at battery management.

Board Member – Eugenio (Gino) Perez IV

Gino Perez is a Mechanical Technologist at Sandia National Laboratories. He works at the National Solar Thermal Test Facility. He was a compliance officer with New Mexico OSHA. Gino is a NCCER certified welding instructor. He has been a member of the Luna Community College Board of Trustees. Gino has been a teacher with Academy of Trades Technology, a public charter school in Albuquerque. He has also taught welding for the Luna Santa Rosa Satellite. Gino is married with three children.