Delivering Clean Energy to the Global Supply Chain

Greg Robinson is a clean energy entrepreneur who has worked across the entire stack of the energy transition from structural and electrical designs to renewable power trading to working with some of the largest companies in the world to meet their sustainability goals.

Greg and the team started Aston to create the fastest path to clean energy for the global supply chain. Prior to Aston, he founded and led Drift, a venture-backed, FERC-licensed retail power company that created the first 24x7 commercial carbon-free energy contract. He began his career at Questar Energy Systems, a tech company focused on building a network of distributed low cost, high performance, solar systems. Greg received a B.S. in Physics from the University of Washington.

Ed McKenzie is a platform and engineering expert with significant technology project experience at Microsoft, Google, and Deloitte Digital. Prior to Aston, Ed co-founded Drift, a VC-backed, FERC licensed retail power company that used physical renewable power contracts (not virtual) to create the first 24x7 commercial carbon-free energy contract. Prior to this, Ed designed and built software and hardware controls for a remotely controlled 2-axis solar tracking system to support solar development efforts at Questar Energy Systems, a tech company focused on building a large network of distributed low cost, high performance, smart solar systems. Ed received a B.S. from Cornell University.

Kha Dang has spent his career focused on Securities law, M&A and Corporate Finance. Prior to Aston, Kha served as General Counsel of Drift where he was responsible for FERC compliance and helped design the first 24x7 commercial carbon-free energy contract. Previously, Kha was a Partner at Perkins Coie LLP where he spent nearly two decades and served as a key member of the Emerging Companies and Venture Capital practice group. Kha serves on the board of the Washington Technology Industry Association. He received his J.D. from Seattle University School of Law and a B.A. in English from the University of Washington. 

Jim Lumsden has spent over 40 years in investment banking and private equity. He serves on the NC Pension Board ($17B) and has 40+ private transactions including land and real estate - including as the Managing Partner of Magnolia Development, the team that successfully completed the Macalloy EPA Super Fund site reclamation and secured a $100mm+ Tax Increment Financing. Jim has served on numerous corporate and public boards, including as Chairman of the North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation and as the Chairman of the Raleigh Arts Commission. Jim received an MBA and a B.A. in History from the University of North Carolina.

Michael Marshall is a seasoned financial executive who has spent over 20 years as a senior partner and CFO and served as a member of Investment and Management committees of the Halifax Group, a private equity LBO fund with ~ $1.5B under management invested in 40 portfolio companies totaling nearly $6B in total transactions. Prior to this, Michael led the Middle Market Advisory Services assurance practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers and spent nearly a decade at KPMG. Michael holds a B.A. in Accounting from North Carolina State University.

Dena Cook is a business builder, a global communications leader, and a strategic storyteller. She is the co-founder of Signal, an integrated communications firm that helps companies build their brands and transform their businesses by reaching stakeholders with tailored messages. She previously was EVP and Global Head of PR at Mattel, Chief Communications Officer at Age of Learning, and spent 14 years as CEO of Brew Media Relations, a global corporate communications firm. Dena was twice-named to The Holmes Report’s “Influence 100” of the most influential in-house communications executives and Business Insider has ranked her #1 on its annual list of the “51 Best PR People in Tech”.

Lee specializes in the ITC & Tax Equity Partner portion of the capital stack. In the 2 years prior to joining Aston, Lee structured and closed over $2B in renewable project finance.  He has spent the past two decades underwriting, structuring, and closing complex business, energy and real estate deals. Lee received a B.A. in History & International Relations with an emphasis in Economics  from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his J.D. from University of Missouri - Kansas City.

Chris Kaiser serves as a transaction underwriter and coordinator for Aston. He is responsible for orchestrating and organizing full project details from property rights to legal contracts to key financial documents. Prior to this, Chris worked with Lee Ullman on $2B in renewable project finance. Chris has earned multiple degrees from University of Kansas including his J.D., B.A. in Political Science, and B.S. in Biology.    

4 years in decentralized finance & digital assets at Brevan Howard Digital, Galaxy Digital, and founder of Metaverse Corp. 10 years in traditional finance focused on algorithmic sales and trading at Fidelity and Jefferies.