About Us

Chris Koczaja serves as LightWave Solar’s President and CEO, leading the company in its pursuit to deliver quality solar power solutions across the residential, commercial, industrial, municipal and utility sectors. Chris holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and has over 20 years of engineering and management experience in the energy sector including Chief Operating Officer for PHG Energy, and engineering and sales positions with Caterpillar and Michelin. His work has included distributed energy development, novel waste to energy project design and construction, and process improvements, as well as achievement of Six Sigma Black Belt Certification. Chris serves on the board of Amicus Solar Cooperative and is President of the Tennessee Solar Energy Industries Association (TenneSEIA).

Steve Johnson is the Founder of LightWave Solar. He is a NABCEP Certified Solar PV Professional and has been in the electrical construction business for over 40 years with experience in solar PV dating back to 1998. He holds a TN Electrical Contractors License and is responsible for the first solar interconnections with over 40 electrical distributors. Steve co-founded the Tennessee Solar Energy Industries Association (TenneSEIA) as well as the Amicus Solar Cooperative, a consortium of top U.S. solar companies who share best practices and pool buying power. Steve lives in Cane Ridge with his wife, Carla, where they have a 10kW solar system which powers their home and EV.

Rob Bomar joined LightWave Solar in 2013 with 25 years of management experience with high growth companies in the greater Nashville area, including 10+ years in the electronic payments industry and 10+ years in public accounting with Price Waterhouse. His responsibilities at LightWave Solar include accounting and financial management, human resource administration, risk management and general administration. Rob enjoys golf, SEC sports, trivia contests and time with his family and golden retriever.

JP Plumlee first met LightWave Solar in 2007 when he helped install the first commercial solar project in Knoxville, Tennessee, at Mellow Mushroom. JP joined LightWave Solar full-time in 2011, and he currently develops solar PV projects for commercial, industrial and municipal clients. JP has worked in the renewable energy industry for over 10 years, holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of Tennessee and completed his NABCEP PV Technical Sales certification. JP and his lovely wife Jessica installed a 3 kW solar array on their home in Nashville.

Matthew Angell is a professional Project Manager with over 25 years of combined experience in Construction Management, Project Management, and United States Naval Nuclear Operations. As Project Manager, Matthew has been accountable for more than 39 MW DC of Photovoltaic systems, including fixed tilt, commercial roof tops, carports, and single axis tracker systems. Past clients include the Denver International Airport, Fresno Yosemite International Airport, Valley Center Municipal Water District, IKEA, Frito Lay, L’Oreal and PSEG.

Matthew holds a Bachelor of Science Construction Management degree from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California. Additionally, he has a Photovoltaic Design & Installation Certificate from Solar Energy International in Carbondale, Colorado, an OSHA 30-Hour and 10-Hour Construction Safety and Health Certificate, and he holds a General Contractors Class B License in the state of California. While serving in the United States Navy on a nuclear submarine, Matthew had the honor of receiving several esteemed medals and awards including the Naval Good Conduct Award, Captain’s Citation, Naval Expeditionary Medal, and Naval Wartime Medal.

Ken Cohen has 20+ years’ experience in electrical estimating and project management, largely for the building and renovation of large hospitals. He holds a Master Electrician License and is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professional. Ken has been on the LightWave Solar team since 2015 and is responsible for estimating project budgets and negotiating subcontractor contracts.

Evan Fitzgerald has been working in the construction field for 10+ years including 6+ years in the renewable energy field. While in college Evan began installing solar, and he quickly saw that he wanted to make solar his career. After Graduation from MTSU in 2012 with a Bachelors in Commercial Construction Management, he joined the LightWave team in 2013 as an installer and is now a Project Manager. In his spare time he enjoys various outdoor activities and working on cars.

Daniel Hodge has worked on the LightWave Solar team since 2013, starting his solar career as an installation technician. Now, Daniel is Lead Solar Technician and works hard to ensure quality construction of residential and commercial solar systems across the region. Daniel received his NABCEP PV Installation Professional certification in 2014 and holds an OSHA 10-hour certification in construction safety as well as a certification in CPR/First Aid.

Karl Jaeger’s solar career began in the 5th grade when he rigged up a small solar panel that lifted various size weights as a test of the power of the sun based on light levels and air temperature. An admitted Yankee, he is a Mechanical Engineering graduate of Michigan State University, where he played collegiate volleyball. Karl holds a Master Electrician License as well as a NABCEP PV Installation Certification since 2007. Before he joined LightWave in 2009, he installed over 300 solar systems in Colorado. Karl believes that solar and renewable energy are solutions to a lot of problems facing America and the world. He enjoys spending time with his daughter Kallie.

Brandon Johnson has been with LightWave Solar since 2013 and has served in roles such as project manager, foreman, and lead solar installer. Brandon has overseen many large ground mount and carport PV installations for entities like FedEx and the TN Army National Guard, acting as the site foreman and primary safety officer for LightWave Solar. In 2017 Brandon received his OSHA 30 certification. Prior to joining LightWave, Brandon worked as an industrial and commercial electrician for a Tennessee based construction firm. Brandon also has many additional years of experience in the construction and logistics industries and received his Limited License Electrician certification in 2011 from the Tennessee College of Applied Technology. Brandon holds an active certification in CPR/First Aid.

Billy Jones has worked in and around the building trades his entire life and has been a licensed electrician for nearly 40 years. He is a NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional and has designed and built several hundred PV installations throughout the Southeast. He has also worked as an installation contractor for other solar companies and began working with the LightWave team in 2015 as a subcontractor installing residential and small commercial PV systems, primarily in east Tennessee. More recently, Billy joined the LightWave team as project manager for two solar parking canopy projects at the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee campus in Chattanooga. He holds active OSHA 30 and CPR/First Aid certifications. In his spare time, Billy enjoys woodworking, time spent with family, and traveling with his wife Rita.

Kelly Marett is a Nashville native and a LEED Accredited Professional for Green Building Operations and Maintenance. Kelly graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Coastal Carolina University in 2010, where she was one of the founding members of their now robust Eco-Reps organization. After some time teaching English in Spain, where she was inspired even more by European sustainability measures, Kelly returned to Nashville to receive a Master’s Degree in Sustainable Practice from Lipscomb University in 2013. Kelly joined the LightWave Solar team in 2015 and earned her NABCEP PV Associate certification in 2019.

Rachael McCulley is a Nashville native and longtime environmental enthusiast. She went to college at East Tennessee State University and majored in Environmental Education. Her love for both the environment and teaching has taken her many places and provided her an array of experiences in environmental and education-based jobs. She lives in a home powered by solar, and one day thought she’d like to see more homes powered by solar. So, her solar career began! She recently acquired her FAA Remote Pilot License and is working toward her NABCEP-certification. Rachael looks forward to the day solar and other renewables power everything we do and use.

Andrew McFadyen is a native Nashvillian who enjoys bringing energy independence to homes across the region. He is a proud family man with three children and appreciates the demands of everyday life. His primary goal as a solar consultant is to provide systems for families and individuals that alleviate some of these demands. A graduate of Virginia Tech, with a MFA from Southern Illinois University, Andrew is a writer who is passionate about building a cleaner, better-designed world.

Silas McRae has been with LightWave since 2017 and has experience servicing and installing PV systems from .5kW- 2MW. Prior to working at LightWave, Silas worked for SolarCity as a Crew Lead gaining experience in installation and maintenance with over 400 jobs installed. Silas received a bachelors degree in Appropriate Technology from Appalachian State University focusing on solar, wind and hydro as well as receiving a certification in GIS. Silas is a Drone Pilot and holds active OSHA 30, NFPA70E, and CPR/First Aid certifications.

Drew Norfleet is from Jackson, Mississippi. His passion for sustainability and renewable energy began in college working on a battery powered vehicle and developed further working in Yellowstone National Park. He believes in solar for its clean production, as well as for the independence and locally sourced power it produces. He began his solar career in 2014, installing in Western North Carolina. Drew joined LightWave Solar in 2016 as a Solar Installer, and he is now a Project Development Specialist planning to earn his NABCEP PV Sales Certification. In his free time, Drew loves to travel, hike, read and camp.

Matt’s fascination with solar began in early childhood when he found himself amazed by the concept that light was powering his solar calculator. His senior project in college was spent with a team developing a solar tracker and consequently solidifying his desire for a career in solar. Graduating from SUNYIT with an Electrical Engineering degree, Matt eventually found his way onto the LightWave Solar team. His first position was in the field where he acquired hands on experience installing solar. Now, as a NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional, he utilizes that field experience in his current position as Design Engineer. Matt’s other interests include cars, healthy living, and playing Golf.

Joe Pizzini has worked on the LightWave Solar team since 2008, serving in roles such as lead installer and solar electrician, with more than 15 MW of solar systems installed. Currently, Joe is Superintendent and oversees quality construction of residential and commercial solar projects across the region. Joe is a Journeyman Electrician licensed under the City of Murfreesboro, City of Chattanooga and in the jurisdiction of Southaven, Mississippi. Joe holds an OSHA 30 certificate for construction safety as well as an active certification in CPR/First Aid. Joe earned a degree in Finance from the University of Tennessee – Knoxville, and has experience in account auditing and mortgage consulting. As an avid outdoorsman, Joe has always had a desire to work in a field that protects the environment, and he finds the solar industry a good fit.

John Robinson is LightWave’s PreConstruction Manager, making sure that our larger projects are set up for success prior to construction mobilization. Originally joining the LightWave team in 2011 as a Sales Intern, John has held various roles within the company in Sales and Operations since that time. John has a Masters of Science degree in Appropriate Technology and Environmental Design from Appalachian State University, where his concentrations were Renewable Energy and Building Science. When not at work, John enjoys relaxing with a good cup of coffee or beer, reading, seeing live music, and exploring the natural beauty to be found around middle TN with his wife Liz.

D.J. serves as the Director of Business Development, leading our sales consultants as well as managing developer partnerships. D.J. holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Technology from Eastern Illinois University, with post graduate work in business leadership.

As an executive with 21 years of experience in the semiconductor industry, D.J. lead various roles in marketing, project management and strategy. Needing to become more aligned with his passion for clean energy and climate change, he changed to a career in solar energy.

Since 2009 D.J. has led sales, operations, and management teams at residential, commercial, and industrial solar engineering & installation companies based in Texas and now Tennessee. D.J. joined LightWave Solar in 2020 and is proud to be a part of the LightWave team.