Alyssa

Resume Highlights: More than 10 years working in various capacities with the Department of Energy, PG&E, and the non-profit sector

Years at SunPower:  3

Alyssa's job is all about making connections. As manager of the SunPower Foundation™, as well as the company’s corporate sustainability efforts, Alyssa spends her days reaching out to our business and non-profit partners, and working closely with employee teams. The Foundation’s goal: to develop programs and projects that bring solar energy to all corners of the globe, and inspire a new generation of solar leaders. "I try to encourage people – internally as well as externally – to get involved in our programs," Alyssa says. "There's nothing typical about my day … but that's exactly why I love my job."

One moment Alyssa may be hosting an ad hoc meeting of employees in SunPower’s break room, listening to ideas for installing a solar-powered water filtration system in Africa. The next, she's out talking to non-profit leaders who can partner in implementing project ideas, bringing her ten years of expertise in the energy industry to the task. "It's really exciting to combine our business and Foundation resources, and leverage them for the public's benefit," she says.

Alyssa is also responsible for developing SunPower's Sustainability Road map, looking at how to reduce our carbon footprint globally and engaging our employees and customers in the most environmentally responsible manner possible. Though the demands of her job keep her busy, Alyssa still finds time for a wide array of hobbies. She loves to lace up her running shoes and take her dogs along on a half-marathon training run, and hopes to complete an IronMan someday. "What I like best about being here is knowing that we're making a change," says Alyssa. "Also, I have a tremendous sense of pride for the work my colleagues do; they're a fantastic group of people who are committed to solving the critical challenge of harnessing the sun, and providing renewable resources."

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Brian

Resume Highlights: Real estate agent, world traveler

Years at SunPower:  4

Brian keeps close tabs on SunPower’s finances and cash flow. Working in the Finance group, Brian and his colleagues manage the company's worldwide cash and investments. Given the often-volatile state of the world’s economy, Brian says his job is never dull: "Foreign exchange rates change very quickly, directly affecting SunPower. And since it’s not as easy to raise money or get loans as it used to be, we have to be really wise about our cash reserves." Brian is an expert at foreign exchange rates: On vacations he often hops a plane for some far-off land. In one year alone he visited the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Austria, Ireland, Spain, and England.

At SunPower, Brian says he has the best of both worlds: working for a large company that has a more intimate feel. “Being here, I get exposure to a lot of complex issues; the kind that only large companies typically deal with," he says. “But SunPower also operates like a small company: There’s not a lot of division between management and employees. I get to interact with the senior execs on a regular basis. And, I can see the product of my analytics going to work the next day.

"A self-described "NetFlix addict," Brian admits that he's running out of new movies to rent (that don't fall into the "terrible" category). He hopes his future includes grad school and an MBA. In the meantime, he's looking forward to the challenges his career at SunPower will bring. "It's really cool to work in a place where I experience big, exciting challenges almost every day. But I also appreciate the fact that at SunPower, even the work of entry-level people is respected."

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Cliff

Resume Highlights: Environmental scientist building large-scale water-treatment plants; various customer service/operations jobs in the tech-sector

Years at SunPower:  4½ 

From his offices at SunPower’s headquarters in California, Cliff oversees hundreds of employees who are based in the Philippines. The SSO team supports all of the groups within SunPower that interact directly with our customers and dealers: the Value-Added Reseller Network, as well as the New Homes, Systems, and the Components divisions. Three shifts work around the clock, answering phones and providing helpful information to customers, resellers and installers. Soon, Cliff will take on the management of another site in Europe, which will deliver global coverage.

Along with supporting our customer-facing groups, Cliff’s team also keeps all of our back-office processes up and running, from our telephone systems to our customer relationship management software. It’s all in the name of providing the highest-quality customer service. “I’m never short on challenges, or on opportunities,” Cliff says. “We deal with micro and macro-level issues, and get a lot of visibility from the top down. Truthfully, no one ‘squirrels away’ information at SunPower; if anything, we over-share in the name of customer service!”

An avid rock-climber and surfer, Cliff doesn’t just give lip service to the need for environmental awareness: He serves as chairman of his community’s conservation and environmental health committee. And he appreciates the chance to spread the word about clean, renewable solar energy with SunPower’s internal and external customers daily. “We really are building solar for the mainstream,” he says. “I don’t think that you could find another company where people across the board are as committed to that vision, or where there’s been such widespread adoption of renewable, sustainable energy. At our headquarters office, fifty percent of the cars in our parking lot are hybrids. That awareness, that commitment; it’s the most distinguishing feature of SunPower.”

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