Team

 

Bill Tarr

Bill is a partner at Aquillian, and focuses on business development, deal sourcing, and strategic partnerships.

Since 2004, Bill has developed an extensive network comprised of both mission-oriented investors, as well as industry leaders in the areas Aquillian covers. These relationships facilitate Aquillian’s capital advisory work, and also enhance the firm’s deal flow and due diligence capabilities. Collectively, this network allows Aquillian’s capital advisory clients to access a highly targeted group of investors, while also providing Aquillian’s investor group an early look at the very best in sustainability-related investments.

Before founding Aquillian, Bill was a management consultant with Origo Global Business Partners. At Origo, Bill co-developed and launched the Social Enterprise Services business division, and managed a variety of sustainability oriented consulting projects for international foundations, corporations, and sustainable development think tanks. Prior to Origo, Bill was a program director for New Sector Alliance, an Accenture backed management consulting initiative. At New Sector, Bill sourced and managed a number of consulting projects serving Bay Area social and sustainable enterprises. Before working in management consulting, Bill was the business development and product marketing manager for Octopus Software, where he orchestrated a $200 Million acquisition opportunity by a top six software company.

Prior to pursuing his business endeavors, Bill spent a year abroad serving as a high school teacher and micro enterprise consultant in Ebeye, Republic of Marshall Islands. In his free time, Bill hikes, surfs, plays golf, and serves on the advisory board of Juma Ventures, a non-profit organization that mentors at-risk youth to build their own for-profit social enterprises. Bill received his BA in Political Science from Dartmouth College and holds FINRA series 7 and 66 licenses.

 

James Everett

James is a partner at Aquillian, and takes primary responsibility for Aquillian’s strategy across the sustainability space. As part of that role, he leads the firm's research and due diligence of investment opportunities.  

James is committed to the integration of economic and ecological sustainability, believing that green ideas have increased potential for scale and impact when they are directed toward practical solutions of business problems. He has been a student of sustainability for the past twenty years.

Before joining Aquillian, James was Conservation Finance Manager for the Pacific Forest Trust. Among other responsibilities, he conducted financial analysis of forestland acquisition opportunities and led marketing of carbon offsets generated from sustainable forest management. James also managed integrated conservation and development projects as a Natural Resource Management Specialist for the World Conservation Union in Iran.

Previously, James worked in commercial finance with GATX Capital, where he conducted financial analysis and due diligence on investments in rail, air, marine, distributed power generation, telecommunications, and natural resources; worked in timberland investment and management with Wagner Forest Management; led a research and demonstration center for sustainability and renewable energy; worked for a photovoltaic systems integrator on installation of some of the first grid-tied PV systems in the San Francisco Bay Area; co-led a university recycling program; and has run his own arboricultural consulting business.

He holds a Master of Forestry degree from Yale University and a BS in Environmental Policy and Management from Humboldt State University, and completed the UC Berkeley Venture Capital Executive Program. He holds FINRA series 7 and 66 licenses. He is an avid backpacker, gardener, and native plant enthusiast, and lives with his wife Aghaghia in San Rafael, CA.

 

Devin Whatley

Devin is a partner at Aquillian, and oversees the firms operations, while also working with investors to understand the more sophisticated nuances of clean tech private equity investing.

Devin comes to Aquillian from Accessor Capital Management, an award-winning, boutique mutual fund where he worked as a relationship manager and sales professional.  At Accessor, he called on RIA’s, bank trust departments, and due diligence teams at the world’s largest investment firms.  Devin began his career, however, in Hollywood, where he spent eight years producing big budget TV commercials (Adidas, Toys-R-Us, Maytag), and music videos (Creed, Cyndi Lauper, Motley Crue).  While honing his operations skills as the producer of more than 50 commercials and music videos, he nurtured a growing fascination for environmental sustainability, and became a passionate student of emerging green business opportunities.

Looking for a way to use his various skills as a “triple-bottom-line” entrepreneur, in 2000 Devin launched an organic food business. Originally operated as a gourmet home delivery service, the company catered to members of the entertainment industry elite, including Sting, Woody Harrelson, Alicia Silverstone, and Cher. By expanding into packaged foods, Devin grew the firm to a $1 million revenue operation within three years with distribution throughout Southern California. His company was also the first in California to use biodegradable corn-plastic packaging. Eventually, he sold the company to a larger natural food manufacturer in the region.

Devin is a CFA charterholder, and is also currently earning an MBA from Wharton‘s Program for Executives. He graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from UCLA’s Honors Division, where he was both an Alumni Scholar and Regents Scholar, earning a joint degree in Business and East Asian Studies. He holds FINRA series 7 and 66 licenses. Devin is an outdoor enthusiast, competitive swimmer, and has been an avid surfer for more than 20 years. He was married in India in 2008, and has moved back to the Bay Area where he grew up and now lives with his wife and yellow Labrador, Scout.

 

Robert Steiner

As an Advisor to Aquillian, Rob assists in identifying, evaluating, and monitoring clean technology investment opportunities within the traditional and alternative assets classes. With a specific sector focus on water, Rob connects Aquillian to a number of industry leaders within the water value chain and conducts due diligence in analysis of water technologies, business models and potential investment opportunities.

Prior to joining Aquillian, Rob served as the Executive Director for the WaterLeaders Foundation, a Bay area nonprofit that is dedicated to providing appropriate, sustainable safe water solutions to the developing world. Prior to his work in the private sector, Rob was an officer in the US Public Health Service and served within the Department of Health and Human Services, specifically within the Office of the Secretary, the Office of the Surgeon General and the Office of Global Health Affairs.

Rob holds a Masters degree in Public Health from George Washington University with a concentration in Global Health Policy and a BS from the School of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan.

Rob is currently the Founder and CEO of RS Advisors, a water-focused business and investment consultancy focused exclusively on alternative investment opportunities. He also serves on the Advisory Board of A Child’s Right, a global nonprofit providing safe drinking water solutions to orphanages and schools worldwide.

Although a proud native of Michigan, Rob now lives with his growing family in Coronado, CA.

 

Geoffrey Eisenberg

Geoff conducts much of Aquillian’s manager Due Diligence analysis, with a particular focus on Clean Technology Venture Capital and Private Equity, Renewable Energy Project Finance, and Sustainable Marketable Alternatives. Geoff believes that Cleantech and Sustainable Energy are driven by irreversible global demand, but that successful investing in this space requires a disciplined and thorough approach to manager selection and asset allocation.

Prior to joining Aquillian, Geoff worked as a Senior Consulting Associate in the Boston office of Cambridge Associates, a global institutional investment consulting firm. While at Cambridge Associates he provided investment counsel to institutional, pension and ultra high net-worth clients. Geoff also conducted due diligence on Marketable, Hedge Fund, and Venture Capital/Private Equity investment managers; and helped clients build diversified and sophisticated portfolios in all asset classes. At Cambridge Associates, Geoff also initiated the firm’s most recent white paper on Cleantech investing for institutional clients, and conducted extensive research on the Cleantech industry, including company and Venture Capital/Private Equity fund analysis.

A native of New England, Geoff now lives in New Haven, CT. He is an avid backcountry skier and mountaineer, and has explored peaks around the world from the Canadian Rockies to the Alps. Geoff earned a BA from Bates College in Maine.

 

John Gearen

John is responsible for sector knowledge in transportation, building on his domestic and international venture and sector experience to develop a map of early stage opportunity across the sector. Together with Rob Steiner, John is responsible for Base of the Pyramid sector knowledge, drawing on experience at the intersection of the energy sector and economic development.

Prior to work at Aquillian, John consulted to a number of corporate and philanthropic clients during his years at Michigan, including project work in Europe, Central America, and Asia. Included in this is work as a Portfolio Associate for Acumen Fund in India, reviewing dozens of business plans and interviewing entrepreneurs while building a pipeline of prioritized energy sector investments. Previously, John worked in Sales and Engineering departments at PostX Corporation, a software startup acquired by Cisco via Ironport. He was responsible for technical sales to Fortune 500 companies in the financial and health care verticals.

John has lived and worked in appropriate technology and micro-enterprise in Brazil, India, Ecuador, and Peru. He is interested in economic development especially via breakthrough technologies and business models. John lives with his wife and daughter in Berkeley, and is hanging up his ultimate Frisbee cleats to focus free time on windsurfing and hiking. John has an MBA and an MS in Natural Resources & Environment from the University of Michigan, and a ScB from Brown University.

 

Brian Dunn

Brian is an advisory board member, and the CEO or Growth Capital Services.

Previously, Brian served as the first staff member of Investors' Circle, a national angel investment group that has facilitated more than $130 million in investment capital. He evaluated thousands of early stage investment opportunities and gained exposure to a tremendous network of professionals that continue to be incredibly helpful. Brian managed Investors' Circle through a key inflection point, and is credited with laying the groundwork for its current success.

In his earlier years and in the free time he has remaining, Brian travels the world. He has canoed the Congo, Yukon, and Amazon; bicycled solo from San Francisco to New York; and stepped on the soil of over ninety countries and all fifty states. Brian now lives in San Francisco with his wife and daughter. He swims frequently in the Bay's cold waters, and serves on the board of Save the Bay, the oldest and largest organization working to protect, restore and celebrate San Francisco Bay. Brian has FINRA Series 7, Series 24, Series 27, Series 63, and Series 65 registrations. He earned a BA from UC Berkeley, an MA in International Economics from Johns Hopkins University, and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business.

Pratima Maharaj

Pratima manages Aquillian's financial, operational, and day-to-day business implementation. Pratima joined Aquillian Investments to more fully explore the opportunities presented by sustainable investment and clean technology.

Prior to Aquillian, Pratima worked at USinternetworking, an AT&T Company based in Milpitas, CA. There, she served as Executive Assistant and Office Manager for the VP of Sales and other high level directors throughout the company. She supported a team of 45 people, preparing reports and correspondence and carrying out general administrative functions. She previously worked at E*Trade Financial as a Financial Services Representative, providing customer service and problem solving skills to educate customers in a timely, efficient, and professional manner.

While Pratima hails from Fiji, she now lives in Millbrae, CA with her husband. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a Minor in Finance from Golden Gate University in Sacramento, CA.