Candela Adds to Growing Team: Louis DeRosa, Alfonso Tovar, Dewey Klurfield and Gabriel Cortes
Louis DeRosa: Senior Manager, Project Execution
Alfonso Tovar: Senior Manager, Engineering
Dewey Klurfield: Manager, Development
Gabriel Cortes: Senior Associate, Project Finance
Candela is experiencing an exciting and busy 2021, with growth not only of investments and projects, but of its people. We previously announced a number of recent key hires, and we’re thrilled to share that our team continues to grow. We’d like to welcome Louis DeRosa, Alfonso Tovar, Dewey Klurfield and Gabriel Cortes to Candela. Each brings impressive skill sets to elevate particular disciplines for executing our project pipeline - from financing, to logistics. All join us from strong backgrounds, working previously for well-known companies and on significant projects in the renewable energy space.
Previously at First Solar, Louis DeRosa rejoins former colleagues at Candela as Senior Manager, Project Execution, where he is responsible for screening suitable sites for potential environmental concerns, overseeing environmental analysis during permitting, and obtaining all permits and clearances required to finance and construct development projects. During his time at First Solar, he oversaw entitlement permitting over 1,000 MW of solar projects in Nevada, Arizona, Utah and California, and permitted and acted as the compliance manager for projects such as Cuyama (Santa Barbara, 40 MW) and the California Flats Solar Project (Monterey and San Luis Obispo, 280 MW). He holds a Master of Science degree from Stanford University.
Alfonso Tovar has been hired as Senior Manager, Engineering, where he will lead planning, design and optimization of photovoltaic and storage-integrated utility-scale projects from inception to “shovel ready” status on behalf of the EPC team. Specifically, his extensive background in module and battery procurement will be critical to the construction of the Front Range Midway and 7V projects slated for start of construction in Q3. He has over 15 years of experience in the solar industry in the United States and Latin America, working most recently with Leidos. He’s contributed to over 200 projects over the course of his career, and worked as a technical advisor on more than 2 GW of projects in Mexico, the United States and Chile. He holds a Master of Science degree from the University of California, Merced.
Dewey Klurfield is Candela’s new Manager, Development, a role where he will advance Candela’s project development efforts, focusing on California. Prior to joining Candela, Dewey led Michigan development for Cypress Creek Renewables and also worked on the structured finance team where he helped close several pre-NTP sales and one fully-structured tax equity deal. In his early career, he was a civil-servant for the U.S. government where he served as an Investment Officer at USAID and a Capital Markets Analyst at Export-Import Bank of the United States. He holds a Master of Science degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, and a Bachelor of Art in Economics from Skidmore College.
Gabriel Cortes joins Candela as a Senior Associate, Project Finance, where he focuses on financial modeling, financial due diligence, management approvals and financing efforts for Candela’s solar and solar plus storage development portfolio. He previously worked at NextEra Energy Resources, providing valuation and financial support for the investment in solar, solar plus storage and other renewable technologies across the U.S. and has over ten years working in finance positions. He holds a Master of Science degree from the University of Notre Dame and a Bachelor of Science from Elmira College. He is also a CFA® charterholder.
It’s been a momentous time at Candela, and we look forward to more milestones with our growing team as we create the solar company of the future.
Welcome Louis, Alfonso, Dewey and Gabriel. We’re excited to move Candela forward with you.
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