- Based In
- Austin, Texas
- Education
- BS Mechanical Engineering & BS Business Administration, Lawrence Technological University; MBA, Eastern Michigan University; Lean & Six Sigma certified
- Recognition
- Ernst & Young "EV100" — 2012 & 2013
- Connect
- LinkedIn Profile →
John brings over 35 years of blended experience in product engineering, operations, and executive leadership — starting with 16 years in automotive engineering at General Motors and Ford, followed by 10 years of increasing responsibility at multi-billion-dollar automotive suppliers including GKN, Collins & Aikman, and Magna Corporation.
He then moved to Tesla Motors, where he was selected as the first Head of the Model S program and future factory operations. While at Tesla, John helped secure the $462 million U.S. Department of Energy loan, completing the technical, market, and financial diligence that launched Tesla as a manufacturer.
Inspired by Tesla, John later founded and ran his own startup, ALTe Technologies, for over six years, achieving a $100 million valuation. Forbes magazine selected ALTe for its "America's Most Promising Companies" award. After exiting the company through a joint venture and a 4-factory, $200 million deal he brokered in China, John served as a C-level consultant to client firms in the electric vehicle, vehicle-to-grid, renewable-powered charging infrastructure, energy storage, and cleantech industries across China, the USA, Australia, and the EU — including NIO Corporation, Helix Motors, and EnerBlu.
Building on intimate, real-world performance experience across multiple competing electrochemical battery chemistries, John expanded his expertise into the emerging long-duration energy storage (LDES) market. That work continues today — accelerating solutions for electric utilities and large load customers to cooperatively expand grid capacity and the role of energy storage within it, while minimizing negative economic impact.
Career Timeline
General Motors & Ford
Automotive product engineering.
GKN · Collins & Aikman · Magna Corporation
Increasing responsibility at multi-billion-revenue automotive suppliers.
First Head of Model S Program & Factory Operations
Led technical, market, and financial diligence behind Tesla's $462M DOE loan.
Founder, ALTe Technologies
Built the company to a $100M valuation; named a Forbes "America's Most Promising Company." Exited via JV and a 4-factory, $200M deal in China.
C-Level Advisory — NIO, Helix Motors, EnerBlu & more
Advised EV, vehicle-to-grid, charging infrastructure, storage, and cleantech companies across China, the USA, Australia, and the EU. Named to Ernst & Young's "EV100."
EnerBlu
Completed a lithium titanate storage product portfolio and led diligence with Citibank and SoftBank Energy for a $500M investment.
Founder, WENEXXUS
Advising utilities, grid operators, and large load customers on grid capacity, storage, and hydrogen infrastructure strategy.