meet Our Founder

“Day 1, 1979 – I was sitting in college orientation with three hundred other high school graduates, about to enroll in Business Administration.  The speaker suddenly announced a new degree program, Solar Energy Technology, the first of its kind in the country.  I knew nothing about solar, but at the time I suddenly realized it could be much more rewarding than a mundane business degree.”  

In 1981, Maust earned one of the nation’s first degrees in solar and renewable technology. He graduated from Pennsylvania State University’s Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Department, recognized as having the largest and most prestigious engineering degree program in North America. Moving to Florida, Maust managed and later acquired the solar contracting division of an air conditioning firm.