William Solar

William Solar

Business Development and Technology

Midstream, Upstream
 
United States, Canada

1. What is your profession? Or if you are retired, what was your profession?

B.Sc. Electronics Engineer, background in Business Development, Manufacturing, Operations, and Product Development

2. What are your areas of expertise?

Midstream: Corporate Development and Technology

Upstream: Technology, Sales

Upstream Areas: Onshore

3. Current employer:

Top secret information

4. Previous employers:
 

Opsens Solutions - V.P. Business Development and Operations, Valesco Battery Systems - President, Enerlec - Field Sales Engineer - Western Canada, Exacta Control - Manager of Manufacturing

5. How did you end up in the Energy Industry?

I ended up in the energy industry twice. The first time was upon graduation from post secondary school. I had been working with an automation company (gas compressor controls was a main division) while attending school, and they offered me a leadership role at graduation. I then transitioned to high tech for a few years. After selling the company I ran I was offered a role with a technology start up company focused on oil and gas applications and have been in it since.  

6. Why do you like working with Start-Ups?

Start ups offer unique rewards and challenges. They are technology drivers, nibble, and driven. I really enjoy an entrepreneurial environment where decisions matter and people are passionate about success.

Okay, now for some fun things about Mr. Solar…

7. What are three of your interests outside of work?

  • I enjoy playing hockey

  • Spending time in the mountains

  • Hanging out with the family

8.  What are your top 3 accomplishments (personal or professional)?  Don’t be shy!  Give ‘em to us.

  • Taking over a startup at 29 that I ended up selling a few years later. I thought it was going to be easy.....I was never so wrong.

  • When I coached my kid's hockey team to a city championship. It was such a fun year and I still have kids from the team come and say thanks (5 years later).

  • Raising 3 great kids (although my wife really deserves most of that credit).

9.  If I were a superhero, my superpower would be               .

Speed. Some days it would be nice to have an "extra couple of gears". Would also significantly improve my hockey game.

10. When I was 5, I was pretty sure I'd be a                 when I grew up.

A lawyer. That quickly changed however when I learned I didn't like to read very much.

11. If I weren't so damn good at what I do now, I'd probably be                 .

Fly fishing in the mountains.

12.  My favorite song is               by            .

"Boy inside the Man" - Tom Cochrane, but the version with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.

13.  If I won the lottery tomorrow, I'd          .

R&D company. Not sure what we would research and develop yet, but it would be cool.

14.  The best piece of advice I've ever been given is                              .

My first mentor was an Engineer (graduated in 1945), farmer, and entrepreneur. Whenever I had employee "challenges" he'd say, "There are no bad horses, only bad jockeys". Of course his other piece of advise when all else failed was, "You can lead a horse to water, but can't make it drink".