Meet The Team

Management Team

Andy Cooper

Co-Chief Executive Officer

Andy Cooper

Co-Chief Executive Officer

Andy co-founded Unison Energy in 2012 and has an extensive background in venture management, investment banking, and capital markets. As an entrepreneurially minded executive, Andy has started, grown, managed and sold multiple companies:

As Founder and Co-CEO of Unison Site Management, has built and sold $1 billion+ portfolio of cellular site easements to investors such as Goldman Sachs, Global Tower Systems and American Tower.
As a Founder, CFO, and EVP Business Development of Avesta Technologies, an enterprise, information and technology management software company, purchased by Visual Networks in 2000.
Andy is active on multiple boards, including Prospect Capital Corporation (NASDAQ “PSEC”).

Prior to his current ventures, Andy served as Managing Director with The Carlyle Group, focused on North American venture investments. He also spent fourteen years with Morgan Stanley & Company, his last role as a principal of Morgan Stanley Venture Partners, focusing on late-stage venture investments, consolidations and buy-outs. Andy was the lead partner and a director of CSG Systems (“CSGS”), Protection One Alarm (“ALRM”), LionBridge Technologies (“LIOX”), and Weblink Wireless (“WLNKA”), among others. Before joining the venture group at Morgan Stanley, he worked in the company’s Debt Capital Markets and Mergers & Acquisitions divisions in New York and Tokyo. He has a B.A. from Duke University.

Tim Lukes

Co-Chief Executive Officer

Tim Lukes

Co-Chief Executive Officer

Tim co-founded Unison Energy in 2012 with over thirty years of experience in service operations and sales. Prior to Unison, Tim worked with large commercial REITs to develop their alternative energy and on-site generation programs. As an associate Principal at McKinsey & Company, Tim has led restructuring of service operations for Global 100 enterprises. Among his notable achievements:

Restructured 4,000 employee services unit of $2 billion high tech equipment manufacturer to improve call center operations, increase dispatch efficiency and tech utilization, implement front-line performance management tools and processes, and increase remote problem resolution to increase up-time in mission-critical applications (e.g., bank data processing) and reduce field service response times. Also reduced costs by 15-20% while increasing customer satisfaction.
Created end-to-end lean operating platform for field services, remote support, software development, and data center operations for $20 billion IT systems integrator to reduce outsourcing costs, decrease problem resolution times.
Rebuilt service operations model for commercial unit of ADT by creating service metrics, improving field service fix rates, increasing dispatch efficiency, and developing remote problem resolution capability in a lean structure nationwide. Dramatically reduced problem resolution backlog and installation time.

As a leader in McKinsey’s service operations and sales practices, Tim has published multiple articles in the McKinsey Quarterly on distributed service operations and sales. Prior to McKinsey, Tim was the Founder and CEO of CPG Solutions, an IT services company. He serves on the Board of Community Partnership for Homeless and holds an MPP from Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government.

Steve Putonen

Chief Financial Officer

Steve Putonen

Chief Financial Officer

Steve joined Unison Energy in 2018 with a background in public accounting, retail, real estate and financial services. As a highly skilled, hands-on financial executive, Steve has expertise in building high-performance accounting departments and providing oversite of accounting, finance and tax matters while increasing profitability and implementing process optimization.

Led finance efforts on two $200 million debt securitizations through Deutsche Bank, and $125 million in other debt facilities through Deutsche Bank and UBS. Managed over $100 million in warehouse lines through Countrywide Financial while CFO of a mortgage company.
As Chief Accounting Officer/Treasurer of Unison Site Management, led finance activities including the sale of over $1 billion of cellular site easements to investors such as Goldman Sachs, Global Tower Partners and American Tower.
As a former Director of Financial Planning and Analysis, Stephen lead a team of 7 in all financial planning and forecasting functions including managing the business planning cycle and all financial reporting and analysis processes that supported over $3.0 billion of annual revenues.

Prior to his current position, Stephen led the accounting and finance efforts for the Eastern region of a national building products distributer with 600 branches in 50 states and over $7.0 billion revenues and over 8,500 employees. Stephen also led the financial planning and analysis activities of a national retailer with over $3.0 billion in revenue and 200 stores in 20 states, and has held progressively responsible positions in diverse public, privately held, and PE backed organizations as well as managing financial, compliance and tax engagements while in public accounting. Stephen is a CPA and has a B.A. from Towson University – graduated cum laude.

John Cagnina

Chief Information Officer

John Cagnina

Chief Information Officer

John has been with Unison Energy since its founding in 2012 and administers the technology sector for our company. Some of his accomplishments include:

Authored, built, and maintains Unison Energy’s large-scale CHP monitoring and data acquisition platform.
Designed and developed Unison Energy’s proprietary Utility/Tariff database that generates utility bills across a nationwide list of electric and gas tariffs.
Coordinates and manages all aspects of IT project management, network infrastructure and application services to support Unison Energy’s operations.

Prior to joining Unison Energy, John was the IT/Operations director for Unison Site Management, a specialty finance company in the real estate and cellular telecommunications industry. John’s focus is leveraging technology in driving revenue and building efficient / cost-effective processes.

Jack Sins

Vice President Business Development

Jack Sins

Vice President Business Development

Jack has been Vice President of Business Development at Unison Energy since 2012 and continues to lead sales efforts, with approximately 15MW of CHP installations along the East Coast, with a concentration in Maryland / Pepco territory. Targeting the healthcare, hospitality, educational, and industrial markets, Jack’s role is to develop long-term relationships, educate our customer, and coordinate sales efforts among the Unison Energy team in bringing potential projects to fruition.

BA Duke University (1989)
MBA Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth (1995)

Prior to Unison, Jack worked in business development at EnerNOC, as well as prior roles in finance and commercial real estate.

Adam Nogiec

Director Applications Engineering

Adam Nogiec

Director Applications Engineering

Adam joined Unison Energy in 2016 and leads our engineering team with years of experience in combined heat and power engineering, project management and operations utilizing reciprocating engines and fuel cells. Adam coordinates all aspects of project engineering from initial feasibility study to commercial operation, including civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and controls. He is also responsible for developing relationships with utility interconnection teams and incentive program administrators. Some of his accomplishments include:

Commissioned over 12MW of CHP in the last 2 years at Unison Energy.
Participated in the design, installation, commissioning and operation of more than 80MW of fuel cells in the US and the Republic of Korea between 2010 and 2016.
Managed the construction profit & loss center for Doosan Fuel Cell America with annual budget exceeding $100 million.

Prior to his current position Adam held roles of increasing responsibility at Doosan Fuel Cell America, Clearedge Power and UTC Power. Adam is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and Building Commissioning Professional (CBCP) by the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE). He holds an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Connecticut.

David Schmalacker

Director CHP Engineering

David Schmalacker

Director CHP Engineering

David has over 14 years of experience in combined heat and power engineering, commissioning and operations utilizing reciprocating engines. David has participated in commissioning and design of hundreds of cogeneration systems all over the world (Europe, North America, Japan, Africa). David supports the engineering, feasibility and O&M team.

Bachelor of Science Degree in industrial engineering and economics from SRH Hochschule Heidelberg, Germany
Controls Engineer degree

Prior joining Unison, David worked for 2G Energy AG for 12 years, an internationally leading manufacturer of combined heat and power systems.

Kirk Arneson

Director Project Management

Kirk Arneson

Director Project Management

Kirk has over twenty years of experience in combined heat and power project engineering, applications, and program management and project and construction management utilizing aero derivative turbines and fuel cells. Kirk coordinates all aspects of project and construction management from the execution of the Energy Services Agreement to commercial operation, including site engineering, permitting, utility agreements, construction, installation, and commissioning. Some of his accomplishments include:

Responsible for 16 executed projects totaling over 52MW’s and revenues in excess of $400M in the past 5 years.
Personally responsible for all phases of project execution on North America’s largest fuel cell power plant (nominally 15MW and more than $100M).
Managed over 50 combined cycle power plant installations over the past 17 years.

Prior to his current position Kirk held roles of increasing responsibility at FuelCell Energy, GE Aero Energy Products and NASA - JSC.

Executive Board

Matt Carbone

Managing Partner AIMPERA Capital Partners LLC

Matt Carbone

Managing Partner AIMPERA Capital Partners LLC

Managing Partner AIMPERA Capital Partners, LLC

Matt Carbone co-founded AIM in 2006 and has nearly 30 years of experience in private equity and corporate finance. He has led and actively managed investments in industries such as waste management, temperature controlled warehousing, distributed energy, telecom infrastructure and manufactured housing communities. Prior to co-founding AIM, he founded and led Wit Soundview’s West Coast operations growth to more than 100 employees and was responsible for building and managing the firm’s investment banking operations. Earlier, Matt worked in the investment banking divisions of Smith Barney and Morgan Stanley. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience from Amherst College and received his MBA from Harvard Business School.

Joe Clemente

Vice President AIMPERA Capital Partners LLC

Joe Clemente

Vice President AIMPERA Capital Partners LLC

Vice President AIMPERA Capital Partners, LLC

Joe joined AIM in 2013 from Empire Petroleum Partners, an AIM Fund I portfolio company, where he was Director of Business Development. Previously, he was an Associate in the Global Natural Resources Investment Banking Group at Barclays in New York City. Earlier, he was selected to support the build-out of the firm’s Global Metals & Mining Group in Toronto. Joe began his career as an Analyst in Lehman Brothers’ Capital Markets Division. Joe received a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Economics from Lehigh University and an MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Joe is a CFA Charterholder.

Jim Henry

Retired Partner PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC)

Daniel Singer

Executive Vice President Hunt Companies, Inc

Daniel Singer

Executive Vice President Hunt Companies, Inc

Mr. Singer currently serves as Co-Chief Operating Officer and Head of Risk Management for Hunt Capital Holdings. In this role, Mr. Singer is responsible for identifying, negotiating, structuring and managing strategic opportunities for Hunt and its affiliates. He serves on the Hunt Companies Inc. finance and executive committees and on the board of several Hunt affiliates. Mr. Singer has more than 30 years’ experience in the financial services industry, including senior roles in fixed income capital markets, real estate finance, and investment management.
Prior to joining Hunt, Mr. Singer was the co-founder and Managing Partner of Forsyth Street Asset Management, a specialty investment advisor focused on opportunistic strategies in public finance, real estate, affordable housing and renewable energy finance. He also spent 25 years at Lehman Brothers, serving as a Managing Director in senior roles in the Fixed Income Division and the Global Real Estate Group.
Mr. Singer received his BA in Economics from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut.

Tyler Van Gundy

Senior Vice President at Hunt Companies, Inc