Frank H. Pearl, Chairman and Founder
Frank Pearl is the Chairman and CEO of Perseus, founded in 1995 and its predecessor Rappahannock Investment Company, founded in 1991. Mr. Pearl has been involved for over 25 years with leveraged acquisitions of operating companies, as well as the acquisition and financing of biotechnology and energy technology investments.
Perseus' investments in energy technology include: biogas, equipment to eliminate short duration power disturbances, software to enhance the ability of companies to conserve energy and lower their energy bills, the development and manufacturing of photovoltaic(PV) modules in the production of solar power used in remote power and emerging grid-connected markets, vehicular natural gas production, power conversion and storage systems that support reliable electrical grid generation from forms of renewable energy, wind power and low-emissions hydrogen generation.
Mr. Pearl practiced law in the District of Columbia and New York from 1969 until 1984. In 1984, Mr. Pearl joined Wesray Capital Corporation as a principal and managing director and in that capacity was involved in negotiating, structuring, and supervising numerous successful corporate acquisitions and divestitures. During this period, Mr. Pearl was a principal with substantial responsibility for over a dozen operating companies, including Wilson Sporting Goods, Avis Rent-a-Car, and Western Auto Supply.
Mr. Pearl serves as chairman of the Jennie Zoline Foundation, a private foundation that he established in 1987 to be operated for scientific, literary, educational, and other purposes. Mr. Pearl has served as a member of the Board of Trustees of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, as a member of the Board of Trustees of Rockefeller University, and the Alliance to Save Energy. He is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of the Brookings Institution and a member of the Board of Directors of the Peterson Institute for International Economics. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and is a participating member of the American Friends of Bilderberg.
Michael B. Gerrard, Esquire, Environmental Law
Michael B. Gerrard is a partner with Arnold & Porter LLP and heads its environmental practice. He has practiced environmental and energy law since 1979 and has tried numerous cases and argued many appeals in federal and state courts and administrative tribunals. He was chair of the American Bar Association's 10,000-member Section of Environment, Energy and Natural Resources. Gerrard has also taught environmental law as a member of the adjunct faculties of Columbia Law School and the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. Gerrard is author or editor of seven books, two of which were named Best Law Book of the Year by the Association of American Publishers: Environmental Law Practice Guide and Brownfields Law and Practice: The Cleanup and Redevelopment of Contaminated Land. His most recent book, published in 2007 by the American Bar Association, is Global Climate Change and U.S. Law.
Dr. Ren Orans, Engineering and Energy Economics
Dr. Ren Orans founded the California-based consulting firm, Energy and Environmental Economics (E3) in 1993. The firm specializes in energy economics and is a nationally recognized expert in the fields of electricity pricing, integrated resource planning and regulatory theory and finance. Dr. Orans is a leading expert on transmission pricing, small-scale generation demand side management and utility transmission and distribution systems. He is well known for his expertise in least-cost solutions to capacity shortages or reliability problems by evaluating the cost-effectiveness of distributed resources. Dr. Orans is the author of numerous research papers. He holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Stanford University and a BA in Economics from the University of California (Berkeley).
W. Scott Johnson, Esquire, Government Relations
Scott Johnson is a founding director of Hancock, Daniel, Johnson & Nagle, P.C. He is based in the Richmond office and holds the highest attorney rating, (AV) by Martindale-Hubbell. Mr. Johnson heads the governmental affairs practice team. He routinely appears before the Virginia General Assembly to advise on a broad number of issues. Mr. Johnson's current client base includes: the Medical Society of Virginia, Allergan, Amgen, the Virginia Health Care Association, HCA (Hospital Corporation of America), International Paper Company, Comcast Cable Company, Community Loans of America, Industrial Development Authority of Frederick County, Virginia, and Archstone-Smith Company.
Charles R. Duvall, Jr., Government Relations
Chuck Duvall is the principal of Lindl Corporation, which has provided public affairs expertise to a diverse client base since the mid-1970's. The current client base for Lindl Corporation includes: 7-Eleven, Inc., Virginia Wine Wholesalers Association, Inc., Virginia Beverage Association, S&M Brands, Inc., Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation, HCA (Hospital Corporation of American), Comcast Cable Company, Community Loans of America, Industrial Development Authority of Frederick County, Virginia, and Archstone-Smith Company.
Lana Westfall, Project Manager/Consultant
Lana Westfall held the position of Director of Constituent and Legislative Services for Virginia State Senator Russ Potts for eleven years. She served as a campaign advisor and strategist on his campaigns for re-election, as well as the 2005 Governor's race. Senator Potts represented the 27th Senate District from 1992-2008, which includes the City of Winchester and the counties of Frederick, Clarke, Fauquier and Loudoun, with a constituency of over 200,000.
Jeannie Adams, Virginia Law
Jeannie Adams serves as director with the Central Virginia office of Hancock, Daniel, Johnson & Nagle and coordinates the Administrative Law Team. Ms. Adams represents businesses, authorities, hospitals, nursing facilities, ambulatory surgery centers, and other licensed health care practitioners in administrative and regulatory matters before State agencies and the State Corporation Commission.
As a representative of businesses and authorities on energy issues before the State Corporation Commission, her recent successes include representing the Frederick County IDA in defeating an $85 million rate increase sought by Allegheny Power.