Milwaukee-based ZBB Energy Corp. has hired Brad Hansen as president and chief operating officer. He will also become a board member.
Hansen replaces Charles Stankiewicz, who previously served as COO and a director. Stankiewicz will help Hansen through the transition.
ZBB has a joint venture with Chinese company Anhui Meineng Energy, where Hansen has served as chief executive officer since December 2011. He led the organization and development of that company.
Hansen also serves as managing partner of the boutique private equity fund he founded in 2010, PowerSav Inc., which specializes in China government policy supported markets. He previously led global sales and site operation organizations for the solar product line at Applied Materials Inc., where he worked from 1989 to 2010.
He has in-depth experience in the international renewable energy industry. Hansen holds a bachelor’s in manufacturing engineering from Brigham Young University and an MBA from Seattle University.
ZBB issued Hansen inducement stock options to purchase 260,000 shares of company common stock at $1.72 per share. The options will vest and become exercisable in three equal annual installments, the company said.
Hansen will report to CEO Eric Apfelbach. He will lead manufacturing, research and development, engineering, human resources, and sales and marketing, while continuing to manage Meineng to increase the efficiency of the partnership.
“I’m excited to be joining ZBB and having the opportunity to help grow ZBB and Meineng together,” Hansen said. “The synergies align perfectly and will help to accelerate the development of the next generation electronics and battery systems.”
“We are very pleased that Brad is joining our team at ZBB,” Apfelbach said. “His intimate knowledge of our products, operational expertise, extensive customer knowledge in the renewable space, as well as his proven leadership capability means he can provide immediate value to ZBB. I look forward to working with Brad to accelerate the growth of both ZBB and Meineng and expand the synergies that exist between the two companies.”
