ERIC “RICK” HALPERIN, MBA, CPA
EXECUTIVE CONSULTANT, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT & INSTRUCTOR
US WEST COAST DIVISION

RENEWABLES, ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

Professional Highlights

Rick’s educational and career highlights include:

  • Working with UCSB and the California Energy Commission to produce the first formal wind mapping of the State of California.
  • Producing his senior thesis on the first wind energy assessment of Point Conception.
  • Serving as a ranger and naturalist on San Miguel Island National Monument.
  • Serving as Operations Manager for one the first wind farm installers in the Altamont Pass.
  • Working as a policy research analyst for the American Wind Energy Association in Washington DC during the organization’s infancy.
  • Being selected to participate in graduate fellowship along with MBAS students from Georgetown University at the Oxford Centre of Management Studies at Oxford University. His work was focused on exploring the solar photovoltaic market opportunities in Australia.
  • Being hired as the Nature Conservancy’s first Director of Internal Audit and later promoted to become its first Director of Finance and Planning. He conducted the strategic conservation financial planning for several major land conservation, endowment, and sustainable development program in the United States, Central America, and South America.
  • Launching an Internet company which was purchased by a major publishing company in New York. The business focused on aggregating business opportunities for woman, minority, and small businesses. It also included the earliest efforts to connect and grow Environmental Preferred Purchasing.
  • Serving for the last three years as a special project’s consultant to a solar developer focused on the affordable housing and multi-family marketplace where he has indentified and developed projects, secured tax equity financing, and helped the company expand its geographic footprint.
  • Founding and serving as interim CFO for an advanced renewable composite manufacturer currently utilizing soy to make its rigid polyurethane foam and actively exploring options to develop an algae-based formulation.
  • Along with Dr. Greg Mitchell of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography alongside the San Diego EDC, Imperial Valley EDC and CleanTECH San Diego helped to form the Regional Algae Initiative to identify and promote commercialization strategies for San Diego and Imperial Valley.
  • Currently working with San Diego Gas and Electric on site identification and project development on a waste glycerol and algae feedstock renewable energy facility based upon oxy-combustion technology.

Professional History

2006 – Present
BEKKER COMPLIANCE CONSULTING PARTNERS, LLC
Independent Consultant

Rick is an Executive Consultant and Instructor under contract with Bekker Compliance Consulting Partners, LLC (BCCP). He provides specialized consulting and education/training services, in his areas of expertise, to BCCP’s global financial clientele.

January 2004 – Present

ADVISORY1
Principal

The environment for green businesses, ideas, and projects is flourishing. Advisory1 is about capturing that green spirit and surrounding it with smart capabilities and a rich set of resources so that it may develop and thrive. Advisory1 accomplishes this through our broad-based consulting and advisory firm built around the unique skills and experience of our professional team. Our efforts are supported by a deep and vetted cross-disciplinary network of experts and service providers. Combined, these Advisory1 Solutions provide our clients with innovative insights, meaningful analysis, actionable strategies, and most importantly, results. Advisory1 notable engagements include renewable energy companies and developers including algae, solar, and wind; biodiversity and land conservation initiatives; climate change and global warming issues; and corporate sustainability efforts.

February 2009 – October 2009
MALAMA COMPOSITES
CFO

Malama Composites develops innovative high performing rigid polyurethane foam and composites from renewable bio-based and plant sources. Applications include wind blades, structurally insulated panels for the building industry, components for the automotive industry, target drones for the military, and air cargo containers for the aerospace industry.

  • Finalist – San Diego Venture Roundtable competition
  • Graduate – Connect Springboard Program
Accomplishments include:
  • Creating a corporate business plan including developing an appropriate vision, long-term strategy and company culture.
  • Developing corporate fundraising documents including investment pro-forma, 409(a) valuation, and capitalization table.
  • Establishing and managing relationships with angel investors and venture capitalists.
  • Developing new product markets and established key strategic customer and collaborator relationships.

January 2008 – October 2009
PLAN IT GREEN
Founder

Plan It Green makes it easy and affordable to add a personalized green touch to your next event, meeting, or gathering. Our services run the gamut from complete full service event coordination to our complimentary a la cart green concierge service for those looking to simply add individual green elements to an already planned event.

April 2008 – May 2009
REGIONAL ALGAE INITIATIVE
Founder and Project Manager

The Regional Algae Initiative was formed to raise awareness of the economic development opportunities across the San Diego and Imperial Valley area for investors, grant-makers, and policy leaders to share in the benefits of the region’s growing algae industry development.

Accomplishments include:
  • Developing cross-disciplinary stakeholder group lead by Cleantech San Diego, San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation, and the San Diego Center for Algae Biotechnology.
  • Developing regional algae industry business plan including regional vision, action plan, and several working groups.
  • Organizing three regional stakeholder meetings.

Education

  • The George Washington University - School of Business
    MBA Finance
    1983 – 1985
  • University of California, Santa Barbara
    BA Environmental Studies, Geography
    1978 – 1982