Board of Directors
We are proud to introduce the distinguished Board of Directors of the Association for Renewable Energy Producers (APER), a dedicated group of industry leaders committed to advancing sustainable energy solutions in Puerto Rico. Each member of our board brings a wealth of expertise and a shared vision for driving innovation in renewable energy. We invite you to meet our board and discover how their leadership is shaping the future of clean, renewable power. Join us in fostering a more sustainable and energy-efficient tomorrow.
Julián Herencia
Executive Director
Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Julian earned his Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Princeton University, and master’s degrees in Manufacturing Engineering and Business Administration from Boston University. His professional career has led him to occupy operational leadership positions in companies such as Honeywell, Baxter, Covidien (now Medtronic) and Microsoft, where transcendental operational transformations were achieved.
Julián Herencia
Executive Director
Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Julian earned his Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Princeton University, and master’s degrees in Manufacturing Engineering and Business Administration from Boston University. His professional career has led him to occupy operational leadership positions in companies such as Honeywell, Baxter, Covidien (now Medtronic), and Microsoft, where transcendental operational transformations were achieved. Founded Caribbean Energy Savings, Inc. (CES), a company dedicated to energy efficiency and has been operating in Puerto Rico for more than 20 years. As a subject matter expert, CES, Inc. has significantly reduced energy consumption at its customers’ facilities and has installed energy efficiency projects across the island, United States, and Mexico. Julian’s commitment to fight climate change led him to become the Executive Director of The Renewable Energy Producers Association (APER). He has been a strong advocate for the development of the renewable energy industry in PR, and actively supported the enactment of transformational laws related to energy and energy portfolio standards in PR.
Leslie Hufstetler
President
Leslie Hufstetler is the CEO of Infinigen Renewables, a leading Independent Power Producer (IPP) based in San Juan, Puerto Rico that produces sustainable, reliable and clean solar energy. Mr. Hufstetler has led the Infinigen team and its predecessor company, Sonnedix Solar Puerto Rico for over a decade and has over 30 years of leadership experience in the renewable energy and communications industries. He has procured over 125MW of solar PPOAs and developed, constructed, and managed the operation of 75MWs of operating assets in Puerto Rico.
Leslie Hufstetler
President
Leslie Hufstetler is the CEO of Infinigen Renewables, a leading Independent Power Producer (IPP) based in San Juan, Puerto Rico that produces sustainable, reliable and clean solar energy.
Mr. Hufstetler has led the Infinigen team and its predecessor company, Sonnedix Solar Puerto Rico for over a decade and has over 30 years of leadership experience in the renewable energy and communications industries. He has procured over 125MW of solar PPOAs and developed, constructed, and managed the operation of 75MWs of operating assets in Puerto Rico.
Additionally, he leads a team of 20 development, asset management, operations, and finance officials in Puerto Rico. Prior to his role at Infinigen Renewables and its predecessor (Sonnedix Solar Puerto Rico), he served as the CEO of Accendo Energy (2010-2011) and H&G Group (1993- 2010). Mr. Hufstetler earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Puerto Rico.
Jesús Bolinaga
Vice President
Mr. Bolinaga is the current president of AES Puerto Rico, a company that consists of a Thermal Plant and a Solar Plant in Guayama, which generate 524 MW of capacity, equivalent to up to 25% of the energy consumed in Puerto Rico. Committed to the island's energy transition, AES PR is developing and building a 200 MW solar plant and a 200 MW/4-hour energy storage system awarded in Tranche 1, which is expected to come into operation by the end of 2025.
Jesús Bolinaga
Vice President
Mr. Bolinaga is the current president of AES Puerto Rico, a company that consists of a Thermal Plant and a Solar Plant in Guayama, which generate 524 MW of capacity, equivalent to up to 25% of the energy consumed in Puerto Rico. Committed to the island's energy transition, AES PR is developing and building a 200 MW solar plant and a 200 MW/4-hour energy storage system awarded in Tranche 1, which is expected to come into operation by the end of 2025.
With more than 25 years of experience in the electricity sector, Mr. Bolinaga has held management positions in more than ten companies in the energy sector in seven different countries. He has managed energy production companies of different technologies such as natural gas, coal, oil fuel, wind, sun and biomass. In addition, through the use of energy efficiency, he implemented changes in the production of steam, hot and cold water for the tourism industry in the Dominican Republic. Also, he led the production of carbon credits with more than 1,500 biodigesters and a landfill in Mexico, Brazil and El Salvador.
Mr. Bolinaga led the transformation of the Bavaro-Punta Cana company into an intelligent and fully digital distributor (Smart Grid), providing benefits to customers, the environment and generating significant savings for the company.
He holds a Master of Business Administration from Bournemoth University in England. He is married and the father of 3 young adults.
Walter Pedreira
Treasurer
Walter R. Pedreira, PE is a Puerto Rico licensed professional engineer with over 35 years of experience in manufacturing, project management, business management and sales. He has contributed to the development of the Puerto Rico Renewable Energy (RE) market through his two (2) companies: Caribbean Renewable Technologies, Inc. (CRT) and Coquí Power, LLC (CP). In the past 19 years Mr. Pedreira has been involved in the development, design, permitting and installation of over 482 MW of utility scale solar photovoltaic projects (PV) in Puerto Rico alone.
Walter Pedreira
Treasurer
Walter R. Pedreira, PE is a Puerto Rico licensed professional engineer with over 35 years of experience in manufacturing, project management, business management, and sales. He has contributed to the development of the Puerto Rico Renewable Energy (RE) market through his two (2) companies: Caribbean Renewable Technologies, Inc. (CRT) and Coquí Power, LLC (CP). In the past 19 years Mr. Pedreira has been involved in the development, design, permitting and installation of over 482 MW of utility-scale solar photovoltaic projects (PV) in Puerto Rico alone. The first of such endeavors was San Fermín Solar Farm: a 27mW-DC utility scale solar photovoltaic project that has been in operation and interconnected to LUMA’s network since 2014. It was the first utility scale project to comply with PREPA’s stringent Minimum Technical Requirements (MTRs) which included frequency and voltage ramp and ride-through control. In the Commercial and Industrial space, Mr. Pedreira has completed PV projects for customers such as Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, Tiendas Capri, Caribbean Cinemas, Total Petroleum Corp., Mendez & Company, and Borinquen Container Corporation among others.
Mr. Pedreira is one of four founding members of the “Asociación de Contratistas y Consultores de Energía Renovable de Puerto Rico” (ACONER-PR); a non-profit organization created with the purpose of assisting in the development of the Puerto Rico emerging RE market. In September of 2009, Mr. Pedreira’s company, Caribbean Renewable Technologies Inc. was honored at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in Washington, D.C. as one of the top 30 Hispanic companies in the US leading the way in the Green Economy. Mr. Pedreira currently serves as Treasurer on the board of APER-PR (Asociación de Productores de Energía Renovable de Puerto Rico).
Mr. Pedreira has a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering and a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Some of Mr. Pedreira’s experience includes work as Regional Manager in the Caribbean for ADC Telecommunications, Project Engineer for the US Navy’s Naval Surface Warfare Center, and Manufacturing Engineer for Solarex, a pioneer in the development of solar photovoltaic technology for satellites and land-based applications. While working with ADC Telecom, Mr. Pedreira served the market in the Dominican Republic for close to 10 years, by providing fiber optic transmission and connectivity equipment to companies such as Codetel, Tricom, and Centennial.
Sebastián Villaveces
Secretary
Sebastián serves as Convergent’s Chief Development Officer and leads the company’s legal and development functions. Sebastián is committed to advancing the clean energy transition and brings over a decade of experience as a transactional lawyer in which he advised on projects and transactions in 15 jurisdictions throughout the Americas, including Puerto Rico.
Sebastián Villaveces
Secretary
Sebastián serves as Convergent’s Chief Development Officer and leads the company’s legal and development functions. Sebastián is committed to advancing the clean energy transition and brings over a decade of experience as a transactional lawyer in which he advised on projects and transactions in 15 jurisdictions throughout the Americas, including Puerto Rico.
Oscar Velázquez
Director
Oscar Velazquez is the Facility Manager for Pattern Santa Isabel in Puerto Rico. Oscar is responsible for the 95-megawatt Windfarm along with its 44 Siemens 2.3MWs turbines and supporting staff. He oversees day-to-day operations, Maintenance Oversight, Performance Monitoring, Budget and Resource Management, Regulatory Compliance, Stakeholders Communications and Health and Safety.
Oscar Velázquez
Director
Oscar Velazquez is the Facility Manager for Pattern Santa Isabel in Puerto Rico. Oscar is responsible for the 95-megawatt Windfarm along with its 44 Siemens 2.3MWs turbines and supporting staff. He oversees day-to-day operations, Maintenance Oversight, Performance Monitoring, Budget and Resource Management, Regulatory Compliance, Stakeholders Communications and Health and Safety.
With over 20 years of experience in construction, oil and gas and renewable industry. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a master’s degree in engineering management from the Puerto Rico Polytechnic University and active member of the Puerto Rico Professional College of Engineers and Land Surveyors.
Mario Tomasini
Director
A highly recognized Puerto Rican entrepreneur with more than 25 years of professional experience, Mr. Tomasini is one of the top executive leaders in the field of renewable energy development. In 2009, he co-founded CIRO Energy Group and has been instrumental in developing some of the largest distributed generation and utility-scale solar projects on the island.
Mario Tomasini
Director
A highly recognized Puerto Rican entrepreneur with more than 25 years of professional experience, Mr. Tomasini is one of the top executive leaders in the field of renewable energy development. In 2009, he co-founded CIRO Energy Group and has been instrumental in developing some of the largest distributed generation and utility-scale solar projects on the island.
Mr. Tomasini has overseen the development and consulting for projects exceeding 365 MW in Puerto Rico, the United States, and Latin America. He has been pivotal in the establishment of a significant renewable energy asset portfolio, which includes the largest photovoltaic project with a battery energy storage system in the Caribbean, CIRO One Salinas. Currently, he is immersed in advanced technology integration for micro-grid solutions, sustainable smart cities and community-related initiatives. This focus showcases his commitment to advancing renewable energy across various sectors.
Previously, Mr. Tomasini has provided consulting services to government and private entities regarding financial and operational matters, mergers and acquisitions, corporate and business process restructuring, compliance with state and federal regulations, and project management, among other initiatives that aim to enhance profitability and value creation. He has also served as an auditor and financial analyst for wholesale, retail, and financial services companies.
His educational background includes two bachelor's degrees in Accounting and Finance and master’s degree in International Commerce from the University of Puerto Rico, and a Financial Management Certification from Cornell University.
He is an active member of the board of the Renewable Energy Producers Association (APER)
Adrian Stella
President Ex-Oficio
Mr. Adrian Stella Arroyo has served as the Stella Group's President and Chief Executive Officer since 1990. With 30 years of experience in the real estate sector and responsible for the overall leadership and day-to-day management of the Stella Group, Mr. Stella has been instrumental in identifying and the successful pursuit of strategic opportunities that have led to the consistent growth of the Stella Group. His efforts resulted in the successful completion of multiple real estate developments and the prosperous administration of a diversified portfolio of commercial and residential properties.
Adrian Stella
President Ex-Oficio
Mr. Adrian Stella Arroyo has served as the Stella Group's President and Chief Executive Officer since 1990. With 30 years of experience in the real estate sector and responsible for the overall leadership and day-to-day management of the Stella Group, Mr. Stella has been instrumental in identifying and the successful pursuit of strategic opportunities that have led to the consistent growth of the Stella Group. His efforts resulted in the successful completion of multiple real estate developments and the prosperous administration of a diversified portfolio of commercial and residential properties.
Mr. Stella’s responsibilities as President of the company include strategic planning, the overall management of legal, accounting, government affairs, and executive-level activities for all projects. As part of the Stella Group team, he has overseen more than a dozen successful real estate developments, providing hands-on supervisory services to each project as General Manager. Mr. Stella studied Business and Finance at Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Florida.