Board of Directors
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Gary McChesney
Chairman

Matt Bell

Alan Hope
Alan Hope, a native of Little Rock, is the president and owner of Powers of Arkansas, which started in 1985. He is a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering. A LEED Accredited Professional, Class A HVACR license holder, and Certified Energy Manager with more than 29 years of experience meeting the building HVAC, Controls and Service needs of higher education, healthcare, K-12 schools, commercial and industrial customers. Alan’s extensive experience with energy management systems, operations and maintenance, building automation and control systems, energy strategies, business, design, contracting, service and construction of varied facilities afford expertise for each Customer. In 2010, he was a finalist in the Arkansas Business “Business Executive of the Year” and Powers of Arkansas received the “Arkansas Business of the Year” (Cat III 76-300 employees). Powers was the “Siemens Field Office of the Year” for both 2010 and 2011. With over 100 employees, Powers is the Arkansas Company for Building HVAC, Controls, and Service.

Douglas Hutchings

Heather Nelson
Heather Nelson is co-founder + president of Seal Solar, a solar design and install firm she co-founded with Josh Davenport in 2012. A corporate lender for some of the nation’s largest banks for nearly two decades, she has helped Seal Solar become one of Arkansas’s leading solar businesses. Under her leadership, the firm has completed more than 475, or approximately one in five, solar projects in the state. Today, its team of over 45 certified professionals offers turn-key solutions to homeowners, businesses, government entities and farmers across Arkansas.
Heather is also on the UA Little Rock Foundation Fund Board, Junior Achievement of Arkansas, and the Arkansas Advanced Energy Association Distributed Generation Task Force. She previously served two terms on the National Board of Directors for the Arkansas Alumni Association and as president of the Sam M. Walton College of Business Alumni Society.
An Arkansas native, Heather holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas Sam M.
Walton College of Business and an MBA from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Alex Ray

Keaton Smith
Keaton Smith is a Relationship Manager and Vice President with IBERIABANK, specializing in real estate finance as well as C&I lending, cash flow optimization, risk mitigation and business strategy. He is a graduate of the Leadership Fayetteville and Leadership Springdale programs and was named to the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal’s Fast 15 list of young professionals. In addition to AAEA, Keaton serves on the board of the Community Development Corporation of Bentonville/Bella Vista, contributes to the City of Fayetteville’s Innovation Council and Millennial Advisory Council, serves on the steering committees of the NWA chapter of the Urban Land Institute and the Fayetteville chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby, and chairs the board of Partners for Better Housing. Keaton is a University of Arkansas alumnus who is passionate about the Razorbacks, economic development, creative placemaking, addressing structural issues that solve big problems, and bluegrass music.

David Stitt
David has worked in the construction industry for over 25 years, which included 7 years as a softwood lumber trader. Stitt has a BA in Economics from Iowa State University, has earned the Certified Green Professional (CGP) designation by the National Association of Home Builders, currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Ozark Natural Science Center, and is a member of the US Green Building Council.
David is married and has 2 daughters that attend Heritage High School in Rogers.
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About Arkansas Advanced Energy Association
AAEA is dedicated to growing Arkansas’s economy through expanded utilization of advanced energy technologies, including energy efficiency, demand response, natural gas electric generation, solar, wind, hydro, nuclear, electric vehicles, alternative fuels and smart grid.