Our Team
Michael Zuritis
President
Michael Zuritis is the President and co-founder of Solar Foundations USA. Since the company's inception in 2009, Michael has been passionate about providing innovative solutions for residential and light commercial ground mount structures. With a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State, he continues to lead product development at Solar Foundations, holding 17 patents for SFUSA's groundbreaking products.
Michael also pioneered the "Solar Foundations Racking as a Service" concept, bringing the design and project management benefits typical of large-scale projects to the residential market. This scalable service approach allows SFUSA to better support clients throughout all project phases. By providing comprehensive information, clients can make informed decisions on cost optimization and custom design configurations.
Paul Lapinski
Vice President
Paul Lapinski is both Head of Manufacturing Logistics and oversees Solar Foundations’ Training and Qualification Program for installation crews. He has years of experience in helical pile installation working with Michael Zuritis. After graduating from Temple University, Paul began work in various Production Management positions involving budget control, scheduling, and operations crew management. Prior to founding SFUSA with partner Michael Zuritis, Paul also worked as a Project Consultant for Artec Associates, specializing in the construction of major performing arts venues around the world.
Paul supervises the qualification program for the installers and provides final certification for the crews. He measures program delivery quality, which ensures continuous improvement, maintenance and modification for the training program in order to maintain pace with business growth. Paul is responsible for ensuring every SFUSA crew member can consistently provide the best in class service on every solar array installed.
James Douglas
Director of Engineering
James Douglas is the Director of Engineering for Solar Foundations USA. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a B.S. in Civil Engineering both from Cornell University, James has previous work experience as a Structural Engineer for a NY based AE Firm and as a Project Lead and acting Facilities Design Engineering Manager for Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory. He is currently a licensed engineer in 18 states primarily along the east coast.
James is responsible for ensuring every solar array design conforms to each state’s Building Code requirements and remains within the tested design parameters of each solar component. With over 6 years of designing solar arrays, James oversees an Engineering Department that provides complete engineering services with a focus on working with customers to achieve the best value and lowest possible cost per watt basis for each customer’s unique needs.
James oversees every project from beginning to end, including project scheduling, selecting, supervising and deploying the installation teams and the appropriate materials for each job. He works with each crew to make sure every job is handled quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively regardless of project conditions.
John Bollentin
Project Coordinator & Designer
John Bollentin is a Project Coordinator and Assistant Designer for Solar Foundations USA. John holds an A.A.S. in Architectural Design and comes to us with years of experience in the field of architecture. John’s proficiency in project management, coordination, and design is a natural fit within the SFUSA team. John has vast experience with both our manufacturing and installation processes which is an asset when it comes to planning and coordinating our projects. He also has spent years as a professional photographer and has photographed many of our projects and products.
John is responsible for working with clients to develop standard and custom project designs, drafting for the Engineering Department, and coordinating with clients to ensure a smooth process from start to finish.
Michael Gohl
Project Manager & Designer
Michael Gohl is a Project Manager and Designer for Solar Foundations USA. He holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Clarkson University and has previous work experience as a Construction Superintendent with a nationwide general contractor. Michael also has prior work experience on the SFUSA shop floor, producing array components while also gaining field experience installing ground mount structures.
Michael is responsible for designing and estimating SFUSA ground mount structures that best fit our client's needs while making the designs as cost-effective as possible. Michael also works with our certified field crews on a daily basis to ensure our clients are kept informed of their project status and to resolve any field identified issues that may arise.
Lisa French, CPA
Controller
Lisa French is the Controller for Solar Foundations USA. She is a graduate of Siena College with a B.S. in Business Administration and an emphasis in Accounting. Lisa began her career in public accounting at an accounting firm in Albany, NY with a concentration in the construction and manufacturing industries. This is also when she acquired her Certified Public Accountant license. Lisa furthered her career as an accounting manager with a large, multi-state construction company. From there she pursued her career as a self-employed CPA servicing various companies and individuals with accounting and tax related matters.
Lisa worked with Solar Foundations USA as a consultant for six years prior to coming on-board to head up the Accounting Department. Lisa maintains all areas of accounting for construction, manufacturing and tax aspects for the Company. This includes the establishment and maintenance of cost basis calculations and analysis with an overall review of performance on jobs.
Catelyn Linendoll
Assistant Project Coordinator
Catelyn Linendoll is the Assistant Project Coordinator and Marketer for Solar Foundations USA. She is a graduate of the University of New York at Plattsburgh with a B.S. in Business Administrations, Supply Chain Minor, and a Digital Marketing advanced certification. Catelyn developed project coordination skills through her previous job as an automotive technician and team leader.
Catelyn is responsible for assisting in developing project designs, managing the project database, and ensuring timely completion of project installation reports and filing of project completion documentation. Catelyn also assists in posting online content on the company’s website and social media accounts.
