Who we are
Tom BIshop
President
Tom Bishop is President of Sunelco and has been employed here since June of 1988. He brings 23 years of knowledge and experience to the company that is invaluable in the industry. He is an expert in solar water pumping and battery-based design. His past experience as an educator, a construction worker, log home builder and well driller’s assistant have all played into his well-rounded understanding of what it takes to make a renewable energy system work. He’s been doing this so long we’ve had to re-wire him, like one of the geriatric systems he has inherited. You might say Tom has been “Grandfathered” into the position he now holds. Tom spends his Sunelco days on the phone, as anyone that has tried to reach him knows. On other days he enjoys his second childhood, playing with his grandchildren. Tom says a person doesn’t truly understand anything until they can explain it to their grandmother.
Janelle Stauff
Sales Manager
Janelle is Sunelco’s Sales Manager and also works as a technician / system designer. She is a NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer. She has designed and implemented hundreds of Solar PV systems, ranging in size from 1 kW to 30 kW. She is well-versed in the NEC Code and experienced in best practices in the field. Her passion for renewable energy stemmed from her education and work at the University of Minnesota in Renewable Energy Policy and Sustainable Community Development. She has been working at Sunelco for 3 years. When she’s not thinking about volts and amps, she enjoys fishing on Montana’s beautiful rivers and streams, riding her horse, and taste-testing the area’s micro-brews. On a really good day, she does all three.
Beth Linkenhoker
Operations Manager
Beth is our Operations Manager, meaning that she wears many hats. She takes care of everything from accounting to HR to advertising. She has been working at Sunelco for 7 years and knows how to get things done efficiently and effectively. Her past experiences as an entrepreneur and property manager have made her business-savvy and well-qualified for dealing with the daily operation at Sunelco. Along with 2 really great adult children, she has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies, a minor in International Development and an associate’s degree in marketing. We keep her under-paid because if she had enough money she’d be out of the country most of the time – she loves to travel and experience other cultures. She is also committed to reducing her footprint and helping others do the same. A 2kw grid-tied solar array adorns her back yard and powers her 500 sq ft home.
Kent Hussell
Manager
Kent is the front line at Sunelco. He has been involved in the integration of solar systems since 1996. As an Assembler and later as Production Dept. Supervisor at Atlanta based Display Solutions and still later as Production Manager at American Signal, Kent acquired the skills required to efficiently coordinate production and integration of mobile, packaged, solar traffic signals, helping that company obtain a ISO:9001 Certification in 2008.
Moving back to Montana, where he was raised, Kent’s unique set of skills made him the perfect person to execute the processing and fulfillment of Sunelco’s orders and logistics. He is currently training for his NABCEP certification. Kent loves watching good movies and spending quality family time with his wife Jenny and their two kids. Kent’s easy-going manner and depth of knowledge, creativity and efficiency make him fun to have around. Say “Hi” to Kent the next time you call Sunelco.