Meet the Team: Lucy

Life hasn't always been easy for our CCO (Chief Canine Officer) Lucy, but customers and team members alike are glad that her journey has brought her to our HQ.

Lucy showed up on the front porch of our CEO Shariff Shakir's mom around 2011. Badly malnourished and showing signs of abuse, Lucy's first job was to get better. With patience, TLC, and a good vet, Shariff's mom was able to restore her to good health before gently encouraging Shariff to take her home with him. "I think the last email before I caved was, 'What do you want to name your dog or I will pick and you won't like it,'" says Shariff. Lucy and Shariff have been together ever since.

Lucy's first fur-ray into the working world was as an Emotional Support Animal at an addiction clinic managed by Shariff. Her gentle nature made her a natural in an environment where calmness is key. These days, Lucy is happy trotting around our HQ and interacting with staff and visitors. Given her rough background, she can be a little shy at first, but she loves boosting morale, and it doesn't hurt that some of our staff keep treats in their desks for her.

Whether you want a little emotional support during design and contract signing, or you just want to tell Lucy what a good girl she is, we hope you'll come by the HQ to meet her!

Meet the Team: Michael "MNKE" Bennett

"Always faithful." For Crew Chief Michael "MNKE" Bennett, this motto of the United States Marine Corps. has been a constant motivation in serving both country and community, and one reason we love having him on board.

Mike hails from Lake Villa, a village in Northern Illinois with a tiny population and a great big outdoors. In 2001, Mike's world got a whole lot bigger when he joined the Marines, where he spent 4 years stationed all across the globe. Like many service members of his generation, he finished his military career with a tour of duty in Iraq in 2005. After departing the Marines, Mike settled back in Illinois, this time in Herrin, another small town with an abundance of nature. He quickly got involved in the community, volunteering for the local VFW and Marine Corps. League.

Drawing from his experience in fast-paced and dynamic work environments, Mike joined our team in 2018 and quickly excelled. By 2020 he was tapped for Crew Chief, putting his leadership skills to work as well. Mike adheres to the thinking that, "The only constant in the job is change," and he's right! Being able to think on his feet and quickly adapt has made Mike a natural in an industry that is always growing and developing.

When he's not busy leading our crew and getting the job done, Mike enjoys kayaking, buzzing around on his electric motorcycle, and putting his travel trailer to good use.

Meet the Team: Seanna Calcaterra

This member of our solar family is someone for whom family means everything. We are thrilled to introduce Seanna Calcaterra as our Project Manager and "Solar Sister."

Seanna was born and raised right here in Southern Illinois, and counts herself lucky to be surrounded by a close group of relatives. She lives with her husband and their beloved two dogs and cat, and is further encircled by a tight-knit group of parents, grandparents, siblings, niblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and lifelong family friends. When Seanna and her husband decided to get married, they knew the perfect time, place, and occasion to bring everyone together for their wedding would be at the annual family reunion. They were blessed to have the whole wedding put on by their family, too!

Like many Southern Illinoisans, both natives and transplants, Seanna adores the natural beauty of our forests and foothills. When she's not hosting a family game night, of course, she loves to spend time outdoors, whether simply relaxing in the backyard watching hummingbirds visit her plants, enjoying a backyard cookout, hiking, kayaking, or occasionally primitive camping.

Seanna comes to us from the world of money matters, with eight years of experience in banking and one in finance. She is excited to put those skills to use helping to create a greener future for the broader family of fellow Southern Illinoisans. "I'm proud to work for an ever-growing company that cares about the environment, its employees, and the local community that it serves," says Seanna, and we are proud to have her aboard.

Seanna is the proud owner of a 13.14 kW SolarEdge system which is helping to reduce her Ameren bills while contributing to a greener future! 

Meet the Team: Gena Harper

It's all about small towns and big families for our Office Manager Gena Harper, and that has made her a perfect addition to our team.

Gena was born and raised in a wide spot in the road not far from here called Harco, and has always loved coming from a small town where everyone knows everyone. A close-knit group of family and friends is still her greatest joy in life, and a big part of why she fits in here so well. AES Solar is devoted to our community of small, Southern Illinois towns, and to bringing our neighbors into our solar family, making Gena particularly well-suited to be a face of the company. Gena says, "I am excited to be able to work for such a wonderful company, a company that cares for their employees, clients, and our surrounding communities."

Prior to joining us, Gena spent thirteen years working in Human Resources and Accounts Payable for an ophthalmologist. Always happy to take on a new challenge, she has quickly shown us that she is enthusiastic to help us and our community make the future greener. In her down time, Gena enjoys hiking, cooking, and of course, spending time with family, friends, and her "fur babies," Skye and Hulk.

We are all lucky to have Gena as part of our solar family, and we think you'll love her too. Give us a call at 618-988-0888, or visit our HQ at 1804 Supply Rd. in Carterville to meet her for yourself!