Our Team
LumaStream LLC has created a flexible and adaptive company culture. Team members are encouraged to explore ideas and take creative and uncommon approaches that often result in extraordinary ideas.
Through a combination of backgrounds not typically seen in the lighting manufacturing industry, such as electrical contracting, sculpture, high-tech, lighting design, architecture, and green building; our results are both surprising and uncommon. We believe this approach is the key to our innovation.
Management Team
Eric Higgs, CEO and President
Eric Higgs brings 20 years of high-tech experience, with a focus on industry changing innovation and efficient execution. Higgs has extensive experience in building early to midstage companies with an emphasis on technology, operations, and finance, and has played critical roles moving early stage companies to quickly scale and capitalize on emerging market opportunities.
Higgs started his career with KPMG Peat Marwick as an information technology consultant. He subsequently served as the Chief Information Officer of City Search, successfully leading the design, development and implementation of the operating and information infrastructure within a hyper-growth environment. Subsequently, he was Chief Operating Officer of Cerego, LLC, a company executing a radically new technology paradigm for adaptive learning. Higgs pursued a fine art career for almost a decade. His work can be found in major public installations, museums, and private collections around the world.
Higgs received a BS degree in Computer Science at the College of William and Mary and an MBA from Stanford University.
Tom RichardsÂ
Chief Operating Officer
Tom has more than 20 years in managing multiple functions in manufacturing organizations. His primary functional focus has been in sales, marketing and strategic planning. For the past 11 years, Tom was President of E Craftsmen Corporation and Power Vector. He spent more than seven years at Easy Heat primarily as Vice President Sales and Marketing. He has developed new sales channels and markets in North America and Europe and has taken the lead for strategic sourcing initiatives in Asia. Tom has executed assignments in accounting, production, human resources, strategic planning and acquisitions. His channel experience includes OEMs, retail, and wholesale electrical. He has been the catalyst for key strategic initiatives for partnerships, acquisitions and outsourcing and has a history of consistently generating revenue growth and profit.
Tom has an MBA from the University of Manitoba and a BA from the University of Saskatchewan.
Andres Wydler, Interim CFO, Clean Tech Advisor
Andres has close to two decades in business development, senior management and finance, predominantly with early stage technology firms focusing on clean tech companies. He was co-founder of smart grid firm BPL Global and helped grow the company to 120 employees. He established and managed all commercial activities and investor relations. Over the last decade, Andres has raised over $30M in equity and debt financing from first tier Venture Capital firms, investment banks, strategic investors, and economic development partners. He secured US and state government funds to augment private capital and completed acquisitions in the US, Europe, and Latin America valued at $45M. His leadership and close collaboration with CTOs resulted in distribution and development partnerships with both multi-national technology firms and technology niche players to drive the companies' rapid expansion. He co-founded an angel investment group that successfully invested in tech firms with cross-border strategies.
He developed and lectures real-world focused courses at Stanford on Clean Tech Entrepreneurship. Topics include evaluating and financing superior business opportunities, and developing effective strategic partnerships.
Andres has an MBA from Stanford University and a Law Degree University of Zurich.
Dave Tikkanen, Vice President LumaStream Canada
Director of Engineering, LumaStream, Inc.
For the past 22 years Dave Tikkanen has developed expertise in new product development, applied research management, manufacturing engineering and quality management in the field of power conversion and power technology. Over the past ten years he has lead the team of Power Vector engineers and technicians in the development of custom power supplies. He spent the bulk of his professional development at E Craftsmen and Power Vector starting as power supply engineer and through multiple promotions has worked as the Quality Manager, General Manager Power Vector and Vice President Power Vector. His responsibilities included full P&L accountability, product development roadmaps, project management, regulatory compliance and product testing, management of patents and trademarks and securing R&D funding from various government sources.
Dave has a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Waterloo and is a member of the Professional Engineers of Ontario.
Michael Gaydos, AIA , Vice-President of Market Development
Michael is leading the implementation of LumaStream's low voltage distribution model for residential and commercial applications. He liaises with the Architecture and Lighting Design communities, builders and contractors that specify and install lighting. Michael has been working in the field of architecture for 22 years and has worked on a wide variety of projects including government, commercial, retail and high-end residential. After graduating he played a key role in the creation and production of the architectural plans for the renovation of the Pentagon, the world's largest low-rise office building. He created CAD programs and helped introduce new techniques to efficiently execute jobs of this scale to other architects. Subsequently he created customized CAD software specifically developed for designing rooftop telecomm cell towers. Michael left the corporate world of architecture 11 years ago to pursue his passion in residential architecture. As owner of his own firm, he has enjoyed helping clients realize their dreams in the custom homes and the major renovations and additions he designs. Some of his work has appeared in both Washingtonian Magazine and Luxury Homes Magazine.
Michael graduated from the College of William and Mary with honors earning a B.S. in Computer Science and a minor in Fine Arts. He received an academic scholarship to Virginia Tech where he earned a Master of Architecture degree.
Chris Booth, Vice-President of Design
For the past three years, Chris has served as Studio Manager for Higgs Sculpture Studio, Inc., working collaboratively with Eric Higgs to create large-scale sculptures and to execute the complex infrastructure requirements of public art installations. Chris offers a variety of skills, ranging from electrical knowledge and artistic training to hands-on design, contracting and inspection experience. His diverse expertise is matched by an insatiable curiosity and brilliance for improvements on how things should work. His combined talents are the force that drives him to design and make products that, put simply, "work right." Chris has a proven record of translating his technical and mechanical vision into elegant, practical design solutions. As Vice President of Design, Chris is responsible for translating the latest technology and materials into innovative, beautiful, and robust fixture and system designs.
Chris received his B.A. in Fine Art from the University of South Florida.
Bernd Dahlheimer
Director of Sales and Business Development Europe, Middle East and Africa
Bernd Dahlheimer has more than 20 years experience in international sales management, tactical and strategic marketing, business development and business unit management in high tech companies in the fields of semiconductors, optoelectronics, LED technology and solid state lighting.
He started his career as a Field Sales Engineer at Jermyn, a semiconductor distributor (today part of Avnet). He joined Hewlett Packard´sSemiconductor Products Group, were he served in a variety of sales and marketing management functions, such as Director of the European Marketing and Technical Center. Bernd was instrumental in helping to get the first high power LED activities successfully launched as well as getting Lumileds started, at that time a joint venture of HP and Philips. Hewlett Packard spun off the technology groups into Agilent Technologies www.agilent.com where Dahlheimer was the leader of a worldwide sales force for global accounts and strategic organizational projects. As Executive Vice President he served as head of the ASSP business unit at ZMD www.zmdi.com . Dahlheimer started his own business for consulting, sales and marketing services and interim management, where he helped innovative high tech companies to develop their business in Europe and worldwide.
Bernd earned his Masters of Electronics Engineering in Darmstadt, Germany.
Theo Prodromitis Renaud
Director of Sales and Marketing
Theo has over 20 years' experience as a recognized expert in Sales and Marketing Communications and Sales Management for business-to-business sales. She has been a productivity trainer for Fortune 500 companies including Fleet Mortgage and created a sales training program for the Florida Restaurant Association. She brings LumaStream expertise in Construction Intelligence, lead generation, management and market analysis. Theo owned a market research company for close to a decade that specialized in the auto industry.
Theo managed a wholesale distribution business and redeployed human resources to optimize sales, marketing and operations resources to generate significant EBITDA results. She managed 135 independent sales representatives while running her own, branded personal care products. In addition, she developed a national incentive, sales and profitability program for an international chain of 1400 salons. Theo gained expertise in compliance with government environmental standards for product development working with California manufacturers.
Theo earned a Bachelors degree in Political Science at the University of South Florida where she was a delegate meeting with the Under Secretary of the United States.
Advisory Board
Steve Crimi, Chairman of the Board
Steve Crimi brings 25 years of experience in the low voltage and electrical fields as a Certified Master Electrician, and has spent the last 20 years specializing specifically in lighting. He has successfully operated two electrical contracting companies and is a recognized pioneer in the emerging field of solid-state lighting. Steve demonstrates commitment to energy efficiency through his service to the industry. He chaired the Energy Opportunities Committee in 2001-2002 for the national Independent Electrical Contractors Association and served as a consultant for Global Energy Group Inc. Steve is responsible for spearheading the formation of a new 'Green Opportunities Committee' for his local IEC chapter in 2009. He has extensive training from the Department of Energy Solid-state lighting division and extensive LED lighting system installation experience.
Paul Kallames, Industry Expert
Paul Kallmes is a well-established and recognized authority on the management of intellectual property in the LED industry and other technology sectors. Having worked for Color Kinetics as licensing manager for its extensive patent portfolio and for Lighting Science Group as IP Strategist and general manager of its Custom Solutions Business Unit, he has first-hand experience with all the ways in which IP is used in the LED industry. In addition to IP, he has extensive experience in the design and manufacturing of complex LED light fixtures. He is currently engaged as a consultant to companies developing and deploying patent portfolios and designing the next generation of LED fixtures.
Georgianna Nichols, former Executive with CenterPoint Energy
Georgianna Nichols retired in 2008 from CenterPoint Energy after 25 years. She held various executive positions from marketing to operations in both the electric and natural gas divisions.
Georgianna retired as president and chief operating officer where she provided the vision and strategic direction for the financial, operational and market success of CenterPoint Energy's Houston Electric and Gas LDC divisions.
Georgianna has served on the board of directors for the Houston Downtown Alliance and Society for the Performing Arts. She also served as Chairman on the Advisory Council for the University of Idaho and has been active in American Leadership Forum Class of 2003, Leadership Texas, The Committee of 200 and the Greater Houston Partnership's Executive Women's Partnership program. She is a former director on the executive committee of the Buffalo Bayou Partnership and life member of the Houston Chamber of Commerce.
In July 2002, Texas Executive Women and The Houston Chronicle named Georgianna as one
of Houston's 10 Women on the Move. Additionally, she is a YWCA Outstanding Woman of
Achievement - Business 2003 Award winner and the 2006 recipient of the Strong, Smart and
Bold Award from Girls Incorporated of Greater Houston.
Georgianna currently serves on the Advisory Board for the University of Idaho's Utility
Executive Summit. She is a 1977 graduate of the University of South Florida where she is an Adjunct Professor and serves on the College of Business Advisory Board as an Executive in Residence. Married with three children and six grandchildren, she resides in her hometown of St. Petersburg, Florida.
Don Wright, Manufacturing Advisor
Don brings 37 years of experience with a focus on manufacturing efficiency, product Quality Control and Just-In-Time production. He is the CEO and President of Universal Stenciling and Marking Systems, Inc., a world leader in their class of products.
Don began his career serving in the Navy on a nuclear submarine with a focus on sonar electronics. After separation from the Navy in 1973, Don co-founded Nautek, Inc., which established two production facilities for the manufacture of scuba diving equipment and accessories. In 1975 he purchased Universal Fountain Brush Company, an industrial products manufacturing business, which had been owned by the Wright family since 1904. The business was incorporated several years later and the name changed to Universal Stenciling & Marking Systems, Inc. As President & CEO, he transformed the business from an assembly operation to a self-sufficient manufacturing facility. He added an in-house engineering and product design department utilizing CAD/CAM systems and a fully equipped CNC production plant, which produces all of the parts used in its products. The company now holds numerous patents on proprietary industrial printing system designs with international product distribution.
Maria Crimi Speth, Legal Counsel
Ms. Speth, a partner in the law firm of Jaburg & Wilk, P.C., practices in the areas of intellectual property, Internet law, and commercial litigation, representing clients throughout the United States. She focuses her practice on assisting businesses in protecting their trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, information technology, and other intellectual property. Ms. Speth has represented clients in numerous published and precedent setting cases, including People v. Cisco, 514 N.Y.S.2d 796 (App. Div. 1987), Time Warner Cable of New York City, a Div. of Time Warner Entertainment Co., Brown v. 3M, 265 F.3d 1349 (Fed. Cir. 2001), cert. denied, 122 S.Ct. 1436 (2002); MCW, Inc. v. Badbusinessbureau.com, LLC, 2004 WL 833595 (N.D. Tex.). Ms. Speth is a certified member of The Million Dollar Advocates Forum. She has authored numerous articles on the topics of litigation and intellectual property, and voted best business attorney in Arizona by the readers of Arizona Women's News in 2000. She is on the faculty of the internationally acclaimed IBI Forum, and has been a guest speaker on television and radio shows addressing intellectual property protection topics.
Ms. Speth received her B.A., cum laude in 1985 from Hofstra University and received her J.D. in 1988 from Hofstra University School of Law.
Jeff Wolfe, Operations
Jeff's focus is in the Management of Technological Innovation and Entrepreneurship. After completing his degree, he spent several years in Washington D.C. developing strategic information technology plans for complex government organizations, including the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Department of Agriculture, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Jeff later moved to his hometown of Los Angeles where he managed large technology organizations as part of the executive team at two Internet companies, Citysearch and Overture. In each case, He was instrumental in the development of best practices for managing the rapidly changing technological environment, helping those two organizations succeed during their transition from "start-ups" to more mature publicly traded companies.
Jeff graduated from the Management and Technology program at the University of Pennsylvania where he earned an engineering degree from the Moore School of Engineering and a business degree from the Wharton School.
Thomas A. Swidler, Finance, M&A and Business Advisor
Thomas A. Swidler is Managing Member of Tavistock Capital LLC.
Thomas A. Swidler is Managing Member of Tavistock Capital LLC. Tom has over 35 years of experience in the financial services industry, most of which has been in a senior executive capacity. He has also provided management, financial, and IT consulting services to other senior executives in large corporations and firms including Phillips, Thompson, Visa, NTT, Orrick, Morrison Foerster, and Apax Partners. His subject matter expertise is in business, finance and marketing strategy, planning and execution, with particular in-depth knowledge of all aspects of M&A and strategic partnerships, from plan development through due diligence and integration, and risk management. Prior to founding Tavistock Capital, Tom's experience included: Vice President IBM; Partner, The Secura Group / Andersen Consulting; Director, Capital Markets for Deloitte & Touche; numerous senior executive positions over 12 years with the Bank of America including Area General Manager of Far East. Tom was also CEO of two German financial institutions, one in asset based lending and the other in investment banking.
Tom served in the U.S. Army and Reserves, primarily in Germany, for six years. When he returned to the United States, he joined the Reserve of the California National Guard, the State Military Reserve, from which he retired in 2006 as Brigadier General (CA) and Commander. For this service he was awarded the Order of California.
Tom was educated at Yale University and completed IT Executive Training at Stanford Business School. He often lectures and has published numerous papers including the award winning, "Why Two Out of Three Acquisitions Don't Need to Fail".
Dan Mathers
Dan Mathers is President & CEO, IronBit Inc. He has 25 years of experience leading technology businesses and has led all sizes of businesses from multiple start-ups and early stage companies to large divisions of multi-nationals. These businesses have created more than $1 billion in shareholder value.
Dan is the IAF Investment Director for Southwestern Ontario, and is responsible for driving all of the investments in the region. He is also a part of the executive team at P&P Optica, a very promising growth company in Waterloo Region. In addition, Dan is currently a member of the Boards of Directors for several for-profit and not-for-profit organizations.