THE OREGON CHAPTER

(2002 to 2012)

Well, it was finally time to move to Eugene in the Fall of 2002 so I took a Joe Biden train from Flint, Michigan to Portland, Oregon.  When I arrived in Portland, I was met with open arms by David Sawyer*.  We had a beer then he paid for my bus ride down to Eugene where I started the Oregon Chapter of my story.  When I reported to the University of Oregon, I started apprenticing under a man named Andrew Ragland*.  Andrew and I were co-lecturers for a Managerial Accounting course. 

Andrew kindly introduced me to a deal maker named Joshua Proudfoot*, who was a Partner at Good Company.  Josh Proudfoot was a Board member on the Sustainable Business Symposium and I suddenly became the volunteer Project Manager of the future Fall 2003 conference, Josh and I starting talking about ideas.  Josh always talked about his other business partner, a man named Dag Hinrichs*.  Andrew said Dag was from the LA film scene.  Josh Skov*, the other Partner at Good Company, told me Dag was his cousin.  Shit was pretty weird in Eugene and I liked it that way. 

2003: A Rave with Sawyer in the Columbia River Gorge.
2002: The early days of Good Company in Eugene.

In June 2003, I graduated with a Master’s Degree in Accounting with an emphasis in Sustainability, Public Policy, and I took lots of MBA classes since I was on a full ride academic scholarship.  In the Fall of 2003, I headed North to Portland to honor a deal I’d signed with PriceWaterhouse Coopers (PwC) in the Fall of 2001 while I was in undergraduate school. Diamond Dave* taught me to always honor my Word.  I worked for several years at PwC in the Energy audit practice.  Energy seemed to be the relevant Industry sector in the Northwest.  I did not find auditing, commuting, or 50-hour work weeks that fun so in the Spring of 2005, I quit.  I negotiated a $4k advance from Diamond Dave* and I started my first business, sbEdge (“Small Business Edge”). I formed, named, and branded that business while painting with David Sawyer*.  We painted his entire house white, every surface.  “Clean lines Roche” is what David kept saying, “Clean lines allow for clean thinking”.  

SbEdge allowed me to work independently and select my projects while also catering to my life pursuits at the time: riding pow, riding road bikes, and rock climbing.  I ended up taking Sarbanes Oxley engagements that allowed me to work with multi-national corporations located all over the US and Europe.  The sbEdge circuit was designed as follows: Fall was Europe, Winter riding pow on Mt Hood, Spring climbing at Smith Rock, Summer was Washougal River, then I’d do my work circuit again.  I liked this circuit but I was bored of doing accounting-type work.  I wanted to do business.  I wanted to do deals.  I should develop business deals.  So I quit and rode my bike over to see Spence*.  Well, Spence is Spence and he Spenced Me*.  I walked away with two months of reading material on Complexity Theory, Economics and everything in between.  I spent a few months full-time reading Spence’s book list.  I learned some things.

2005: sbEdge was created to consult on Sarbanes Oxley.

That summer of 2007, I took a drive down to Rhythm’s property in Northern California.  I spent a few weeks working in the dirt and learning the art of long-form conversation.  On the drive back, I called Proudfoot*.  He told me to call Dag*.  Dag had “the gig” at Vestas and he was building a team.  I also made another call to Hutch*.  Hutch was working at Black Diamond Equipment (“BD”) and he told me about an opening there in the Accounting department.

I started into talks with both companies: Black Diamond Equipment and Vestas Wind Systems.  I really wanted to work at BD and was crushed when the BD CFO elected to go with a man named JoFo over me.  It was hard but he let me down easy and told me to keep in touch.  I did.  Meanwhile, I continued talks with Dag.  Dag secured a meeting for me with himself and Christian Venderby*, the Vestas Chief Financial Officer.  It didn’t work out but Dag passed me off to Chris Rogers* and Bob Z.  They ended up hiring me as a Business Developer.  None of us really knew what that was but eventually we figured out that we were just a bunch of Deal Makers that loved to negotiate, close, and swear at one another…preferably over strong IPAs.  Dogs not Cats. Big Dogs.

I spent a little over 5 years at Vestas doing utility scale wind energy deals typically ranging between $100M to $800M in capital investment. During that time, I worked with talented Deal Makers like David Hardy* and Frank Pizzileo*, apprenticed under Ed Rogan* and Mike Eden*, two of the most talented Renewable Energy attorneys in the country, and problem-solved with engineers from every discipline of study: mechanical, electrical, and civil.  I even met a beautiful Danish woman that taught me about power politics and how to be a killer at the negotiating table.  It was a highly intellectual and professional environment where we worked together to create renewable energy projects all over the United States.

Lake Winds Energy:  Tribute to the late Darren Owens.

Despite loving my work and the professional camaraderie, I left in the Winter of 2011.  Chris Rogers* picked Brian Hopkins* over me for a key promotion.  Now, I love Brian and he was the better pick for leading a team but I was pissed none-the-less so I accepted a role running a business development team for Jon Thomsen’s* shop across town called Ecova, formerly Ecos Consulting.  I spent around 11 months there but then got my head bit off by an industry Outsider CEO so I willingly tested a cobra strike move on the way out the door that day.  I accepted a severance package. Time for something new, I wonder what’s going on at BD?  This thought re-cast the Utah Chapter.

In the Spring of 2012, my life in Portland blew up literally and figuratively.  In several weeks’ time, I watched my alpine climbing partner, Brian Lawrence*, take a gear ripping 25-foot ground fall while sticking the landing like a man, but despite his grit it resulted in an open compound fracture.  Well, guess we weren’t going to do the NW Regular route of Half Dome that year?  A few days later, I got wacked at Ecova by the above-mentioned Industry Outsider CEO.  Then I ended my long-term relationship with a mesmerizing, magnetic Danish woman who had been an incredible partner for the past four years of my life.  David Sawyer* put his hand on my shoulder and said “Roche.  You can leave.  Just leave.  Move forward.”  He liberated me that day and helped me evolve forward despite life’s setbacks.

Objectives: The Regular Northwest  Face of Half Dome.
2012:  Sawyer at his home in Forest Park, Portland
2012: Flint, the loyal Rhodesian Ridgeback.

So I hit the road with my Rhodesian Ridgeback, Flint, and we made our way to Utah.  It was time to start the Utah chapter.

The Utah Chapter

*Cast of Characters in order of Appearance 

David Sawyer: Sawyer is dead but he is remembered every day because of the craft he brought to the world and the proteges he developed.  Sawyer was a thought leader, visionary, and the founder of Converge. David Sawyer was my Rave partner for over 20 years. Sawyer believed in me and showed me who I am in the world.

Andrew Ragland: Andrew is an Executive Finance Director.  Andrew studied mathematics then layered an MBA in Accounting and Finance over top of that base.  We have a 20+ running history of business modeling jam sessions.  Andrew taught me the dark art of reverse-engineering best outcomes.

Josh Proudfoot: Josh is one of the founders of Good Company.  Josh thrived for 20+ in sustainability and environmental consulting before he sold the firm to Parametrix in 2023.  Proudfoot showed me how deal making works.

Dag Hinrichs: Dag is one of the founders of Good Company.  Dag’s current focus is in GTM Strategy and AI Automation.  Dag goes fast, everywhere at all times.  Dag is a Disruptor, a Futurist, and the best Front Man I have ever seen.  Dag is my Sparring partner of over 20 years. Dag brought me into the Energy Game, brought me into the Equity Game, and he taught me how to hunt Big Game.

Josh Skov: Skov is one of the founders of Good Company.  Skov is a Berkeley trained economist and a long-time faculty member at the Lundquist College of Business.  I love trading intel with Skov and hate it when he’s guarding me at basketball.

“Diamond Dave”: My dad is an Irishmen, a bullshitter and a storyteller.  He served in Vietnam and never asked for anything in return.  I never saw my dad answer to no man but himself.  My dad taught me how to put one’s focus first and how to win. My dad loves the deal making and leadership of Donald Trump.

“Spence”: Matthew Spence is a Partner and original member of Converge.  Spence is from Harvard.  Spence is deeply fascinated by Complexity Theory.  Spence taught me the importance of a ground wire and how to synthesize.

“Spenced Me”:  Spenced Me is a term that David Sawyer coined where Spence would mind bend our professional networking group known as IPA.  IPA stood for Independent Professionals Association or for India Pale Ale.  We loved both equally.  The original IPA members were David Sawyer, Matthew Spence, Dag Hinrichs, Nick Viele, Justin Lewis, and myself.

“Rhythm”:  Rhythm is the owner of Ukonom Designs and BreatheNMask Respirator.  But he is also an Arborist, a Horticulturist, and a back to the land-er.  Rhythm taught me the art of long-form conversation.

“Hutch”: Hutch is a top-shelf IT professional in Salt Lake City.  He is an inspiration and positive influence to countless aspiring young climbers in Salt Lake City.  Hutch has been my climbing and backcountry ski partner for over 30 years. Hutch taught me brotherhood.

Christian Venderby: Christian is a long-standing Executive Vice President at Vestas.  Christian sets the bar for how a financial leader should operate in a complex global entity.

Chris Rogers: Rogers is the President of Steelhead Americas and the only Deal Guy I fear. He controls pace and many other aspects in the Deal.  Chris is probably the most accomplished Deal closer in the past 20 years in the Wind Game.  Rumor has it Rogers owns a music venue in Portland where he has creative control over the beers on tap and which bluegrass bands are on the ticket.

David Hardy:  Dave Hardy is a hitter.  He is currently the Global Chief Commercial officer at GE Vernova.  Dave was so kind to give me an I Squared Capital introduction on a hydrogen deal in 2023.  I really appreciate Dave always taking my phone calls.  Dave taught me about ambition.

Frank Pizzileo: Frank Pizzileo is the Head of the Utility Sector at Aggreko.  Frank and I did the Lake Winds Energy Park together with a legend named Darren Owens.  Frank taught me about win-win deals.

Ed Rogan: Ed is an Equity Partner at Reed Smith with an emphasis on Energy and Infrastructure.  I have loved each interaction with Ed these past 15 years. Ed taught me what an invincible work ethic can do.

Mike Eden: Mike Eden is a mythical attorney figure who paired Berkeley with Cornell. Mike babysat me on my first $200M deal. Mike Eden is “the Deal attorney” and a connoisseur of cigarettes. Mike taught me composure under duress.

Brian Hopkins: Hopkins is long-standing Commercial business leader in the Energy industry and a powerful outdoor mountain athlete.  Hopkins taught me how to design and lead small, high performing teams.

Jon Thomsen: Jon is the CEO of Atmosera.  Jon let me run a multi-faceted team doing business development in the Energy efficiency space.  Jon has a strong, proven track record.

Brian Lawrence: Brian Lawrence is a Partner at North Ridge Wealth Advisors.  Brian has been my primary alpine climbing partner and financial advisor for over 15 years.  Brian taught me that pain is fake news, it is a fleeting moment.