Management Team

Pierre Rellet, Executive Chairman - Mr. Rellet has over 20 years experience in the waste management and energy sector, and is one of the most knowledgeable executives in this vital industry. He joined Veolia Environnement in the late ‘80s, developing the firm’s waste-to-energy business and bio-mass supply chain. Mr. Rellet was named Chief Executive Officer of Veolia’s Waste Management division for France and South Europe in 2000, and CEO of Veolia’s Renewable energy division in 2007. While spearheading the world’s largest rooftop solar project in Spain, he has also worked on wind development initiatives in France, Poland and Greece. Mr. Rellet joined Eolfi in 2007 as CEO following the acquisition of the company by Veolia Environnement. Prior to joining Veolia, he began his career as a financial consultant at Arthur Andersen, after which he held senior financial management positions at the Soulier group.

Since 2000, he acted as President of different national French business federation and in 2006 was selected as the president of FEAD, the European Federation of Waste Management and Environmental Services.

Mr. Rellet holds a master’s degree in management and finance from the University of Paris IX (Dauphine).

Steve Voorhees, CEO and Founder - Mr. Voorhees focuses on site acquisition and corporate development. Prior to entering the wind energy business, Mr. Voorhees invented the patented BikeLid system and founded BikeLid Systems, LLC. Mr. Voorhees sits on the board of directors of the successor company, Starlight Media LLC. Earlier in his career Mr. Voorhees was a field engineer for the University of Washington Applied Physics Laboratory working with the Office of Naval Research on polar research. In the early 1980s, he worked as a field engineer in the oil drilling industry on Alaska's North Slope and in the Persian Gulf. Mr. Voorhees has a Bachelor's degree in geography from Middlebury College.

Dennis Meany, President - Mr. Meany is responsible for economic evaluation, site commercialization, energy market analysis and finance. He has over twenty years of experience in the energy business, serving most recently as senior vice president, business development of Louis Dreyfus Energy where he identified new business ventures, developed several wholesale market joint ventures with Western utilities and helped establish the company's electricity and natural gas trading business in Europe. He was also a founding member of a team that grew Louis Dreyfus and Duke/Louis Dreyfus into the second largest electric and natural gas trader and marketer in the U.S. . From 1987 to 1993, he was a principal and senior associate with the global electric industry management consulting business of Booz, Allen & Hamilton. He currently serves on the Advisory Board of St. Aloysius School in Harlem, New York. Mr. Meany has a Master's degree in public policy from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor's degree in economics and European studies from the University of Vermont.

Robert Ellis, General Counsel - Mr. Ellis has a wide range of legal experience and provides general legal advice to the company, including transactional, real estate and corporate work. He has worked as an admiralty attorney at law firms in San Francisco and London on both litigation and transactional matters. Prior to joining Ridgeline, Mr. Ellis was a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, primarily involved in white-collar investigations. He has also been a line officer in the U.S. Navy and holds a master mariner's license. Mr. Ellis has a Bachelor's degree in engineering and physics from the University of Washington and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California. He is admitted to practice law in Washington and California.

Joan Hutchinson, Vice President Origination & Marketing - Ms. Hutchinson is focused on working with customers to bring Ridgleline Energy’s portfolio of wind generation projects to commercial operation through the completion of contracts for the sale of wind energy and wind assets.

With over 15 years of experience in the energy industry, she has worked as Director Western Marketing for Citigroup and Director Marketing for Powerex. She brings an understanding of both the physical and financial aspects of energy transactions from her success with agreements including wind energy, transmission, ancillary services, thermal generation, energy exchanges, and long term power delivery.

Ms. Hutchinson has an Electrical Engineering degree from the University of Vancouver. She has offices in both Seattle and Portland.

Rich Rayhill, Vice President - Mr. Rayhill is responsible for permitting, environmental studies, site acquisition and legal analysis. He works with landowners and federal, state and local regulatory agencies to obtain permits for wind development projects in the Northwest. Mr. Rayhill has seventeen years of experience in the Northwest legal profession, including seven years as staff attorney for two Idaho federal judges. His areas of expertise include litigation, contracts, real estate law, environmental law, planning and zoning, and legislative lobbying. He has a Bachelor's degree in history from Middlebury College and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Idaho.

Robert Zdebski, Vice President of Development, Construction and Procurement - Mr. Zdebski leads turbine procurement, late stage development, construction and operations. He was previously vice president of business development at Vestas Americas, the world’s leading supplier of wind power solutions, where he was responsible for managing the company’s business development activities. Mr. Zdebski started his energy career as a field engineer with Dresser-Rand and has commissioned and worked on steam, gas, geothermal and hydro plants all over the world. His career at Dresser-Rand included leading the application engineering group for the Electric Machinery division focusing on large motors and generators. Robert holds a B.S. in Aeronautics from St. Louis University.