Suniva snags solar veteran Gregory Mihalik from SunPower to run PV module operations

(UPDATE) PV cell manufacturer Suniva has brought solar manufacturing veteran Gregory Mihalik onboard as its new VP of module operations. He will oversee all aspects of module design and manufacturing and will join Suniva’s executive management committee.

Company chief marketing officer, Bryan Ashley, told PV-Tech that the announcement of Mihalik's does not mean the company is getting into internal, captive panel manufacturing, but "that we are very serious about the module business and optimizing them for our solar-cell technology. For now, Greg will work with our current contract manufacturers that assemble our modules to our specifications." 

"Our production strategy for now is to continue to focus our own resources on the higher value cell-manufacturing process, which is the real IP and heart of the module, and to bring our new technology to market as soon as possible," he added.

Mihalik joins Suniva after three years with SunPower in the Philippines, where he managed the company's internal and contract module operations worldwide, completing construction of a 500MW site and expanding operations from a single line of 30MW to 10 lines totaling 400MW. He also increased SunPower’s contract manufacturing capacity from 40MW per year in Asia to 400MW in Asia, Europe and North America.

Previously, Mihalik has held executive leadership positions in operations and engineering at SolarWorld, Shell Solar, and Siemens Solar. 

“As a seasoned veteran of solar module operations, Greg brings invaluable experience to the powerful executive management team we’ve assembled at Suniva,” said Suniva CEO John Baumstark. “Suniva has hired the best management in the business, and we are poised to deliver even higher solar cell and module efficiencies at an affordable cost. Greg’s operations expertise and module experience will further advance our efforts and enable us to rapidly increase our module production.”

“Suniva has assembled one of the solar industry’s most qualified executive management teams–and I’m thrilled to join them,” said Mihalik. “During Suniva’s next stage of expansion, I look forward to collaborating with the Suniva team to further develop the company’s solar module business worldwide–and to ensure Suniva produces world-class quality modules with innovative and cost-effective materials and processes.”