Optimum Energy has appointed Larry Stapleton, formerly vice president of sales and marketing, to lead the company as president. He replaces Bert Valdman, who will remain closely involved with the HVAC optimization technology company as an active board member.
“I know Larry will run with this opportunity, and I’m confident that he and the rest of Optimum Energy’s talented management team can take the company to the next level,” said Valdman. “I look forward to working closely with them during this transition.”
Stapleton’s succession is part of Optimum Energy’s long-term plan and reflects the company’s management strength, depth and maturity. Optimum Energy’s core technical team has been in place since the company’s inception 10 years ago, and Stapleton has a history of global sales leadership, along with 25 years of experience in engineering, marketing and product development.
Before joining Optimum Energy, Stapleton was president of Ballard Fuel Cell Systems, where he led its U.S. subsidiary, Ballard Power. Prior to Ballard, he led worldwide sales and marketing for the software firm BSQUARE, increasing sales from less than $30 million to more than $100 million in five years.
Under Stapleton’s sales leadership, the company has expanded its active customer installation base by 136 percent in less than three years and successfully launched a new product, OptimumEDGE, that makes sophisticated optimization technology accessible to facilities with smaller HVAC plants.
“I’m excited to build on this strong momentum,” said Stapleton, “and to lead our team in delivering transformative HVAC optimization solutions that change the way people think about energy.”