Executive Team
Michael Garrabrant
Founder & CEO
Mr. Garrabrant is uniquely qualified to bring gas absorption heating into the mainstream, combining world-class absorption technology development with executive leadership in the high-volume water and space heating appliance manufacturing industry. He served as Director of Engineering for A.O. Smith residential products and brands (including State, Kenmore, Reliance, and Whirlpool), representing 50% of residential water heater sales in the United States. Mr. Garrabrant was VP of Engineering for American Water Heater Company before it was acquired by A.O. Smith. Previously, as VP of Engineering for Cooling Technologies, Inc., Mr. Garrabrant led the development of a high-efficiency gas-fired absorption cooling product, which was a spin-off from technology developed at Ohio State University.
Mr. Garrabrant earned his BS and MS degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Ohio State, is a registered Professional Engineer (Ohio), and has earned twelve U.S. patents. He served as the Chairman of the Gas Appliance Manufacturing Association (GAMA) Residential Water Heater Efficiency Test Harmonization Working Group and served on the Air-Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) Certification Programs & Policy Committee. Mr. Garrabrant was awarded the 2008 AHRI Richard C. Schulze Award for distinguished service and commitment to AHRI’s goals and objectives.
Douglas Coates
Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Coates has over 20 years of finance experience with experience across growth stage companies and product development and manufacturing finance. Doug has served as CFO for Sustaera and Envoy during their early stage growth. Prior to that, Doug spent 4 years at Lucid Motors as acting CFO and helped guide the team through its business planning and Series D fundraise. Doug also spent 10 years at Ford Motor Company in a variety of product development finance and manufacturing finance roles. Mr. Coates earned his MBA from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business, his MSE from the University of Pennsylvania, and his BSE from Duke University
Jack Sinkler
Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing
With decades of executive experience in the HVAC and water heating markets, Mr. Sinkler brings a wealth of industry experience, and a proven track record in developing strong partnerships, overseeing channel and go-to-market strategies, and driving profitable growth through all channel partners. He has a deep understanding of the industry’s distribution and contractor segments and is a big proponent of Team building and mentorship.
Mr. Sinkler will leverage and integrate his strategic planning and industry experience into his SMTI role. He most recently served as the Senior Director at GE Appliances, a Haier Company, where he played a key role in launching their new HVAC and water heater business into the wholesale channel. He has also held executive leadership positions with Rheem, Carrier, York/JCI, WATSCO, and American Refrigeration Supplies, where he demonstrated a keen ability to drive growth and navigate complex industry dynamics. Mr. Sinkler earned his BS in Marketing from Arizona State University, an MBA from Loyola University Chicago, and an MA in Distribution Management from DePaul University Chicago.
Dave Monk
VP of Engineering & Operations
Mr. Monk has over 30 years of product development, global operations, and leadership experience, including 20 years at Bristol Compressors and most recently at Columbus McKinnon. An innovative leader with over 25 patents and experience in lean manufacturing, Mr. Monk is responsible for leading our engineering and operations teams responsible for world-class heat pump manufacturing.
Mr. Monk, a certified Six Sigma Green Belt, earned an MBA from King College, a BSME from Virginia Tech, and Financial-Leadership Management from the Darden School of Business.
Scott Reed
VP of Regulatory & Business Affairs
Mr. Reed brings experience in regulatory affairs with multiple technology innovators in the renewable and energy-efficiency space. He has participated in regulatory efforts and has been on the ground floor of five previous start-ups. Mr. Reed has spearheaded initiatives to navigate complex regulatory landscapes, working to influence industry standards and guidelines. He won a competitive new-technology development grant from the California Energy Commission. He has served as Principal Investigator directing a project to demonstrate a combined solar- and gas-fired absorption heat pump product being developed for a major hotel chain.
Mr. Reed earned his MBA from the University of Southern California and is a member of ASHRAE and AEE. He holds current accreditations as a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and Certified Measurement and Verification Professional (CMVP).