We are building the next great American
energy company
The Mattur
Team
Kaleim Manji
Co-founder,
Chairman and CEO
Kris Kesler
Co-founder,
Board Member & CTO
Kevin Weed
Head of R&D,
Engineering, and AI
Chris Shill
Lead Electrical Engineer
Austin Motley
Lead Mechanical Engineer
Jacob Fenton
Lead Power Engineer
Board
Tim Crown
Board Member
David Tedesco
Board Member
Jay Petkunas
Board Member
Technology Partners
Kaleim Manji
Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO
Kaleim is an entrepreneur with a focus on strategy, innovation, and execution.
At Mattur, he’s committed to advancing renewable power solutions and significantly lowering the cost of clean energy. Named one of Phoenix Business Journal’s Top 40 under 40, Kaleim previously served as CEO of Spear Education, leading two successful private equity transactions and repositioning the company as a tech-driven organization. He remains on Spear’s board and is also a board member and a principal shareholder at Imagen Dental Partners, one of the nation’s fastest growing healthcare organizations. Kaleim holds an M.B.A. from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.
Kris Kesler
Co-Founder, Board Member & CTO
Kris leads Mattur’s engineering and design initiatives, bringing over two decades of inventive engineering prowess and expertise in mechanical design.
His career spans the energy, automotive, agriculture, architecture, and defense industries. He specializes in implementing systems for prototyping, testing, and manufacturing and has seen over 35,000 individual parts from conception through to production. Prior to Mattur, Kris founded Bobe Water & Fire Features, where he scaled the company into a leading global supplier, resulting in a successful acquisition in 2018.
Ben Gringeri
Chief Operating Officer
Ben is responsible for Mattur’s go-to-market, manufacturing, supply chain, regulatory, finance, accounting, legal, and HR.
Ben most recently served as COO at Altitude AI. Previously, Ben was VP of Finance & Strategy at Cobalt Robotics and a Consultant at Bain & Company. He also held roles at Mars Corporation and Procter & Gamble. Ben holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Brigham Young University.
Kevin Weed
Head of R&D, Engineering & AI
Kevin leads Mattur’s highly innovative electrical and software engineering initiatives, leveraging a strong background in computing.
He began his career at Orbital ATK and Northrup Grumman, where he developed power electronics and firmware for propulsion systems and played a key role in digital design for Landsat 9, working with clients such as NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey. Later, he joined Blue Origin to work on electronic power controls for their lunar lander. Kevin holds a Master’s in Computer Science from Georgia Tech, specializing in big data and system architecture, and a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering from Arizona State University.
Chris Shill
Lead Electrical Engineer
Chris leads Mattur’s electrical engineering efforts, designing electronics architecture and overseeing automated test systems.
With 22 years of experience spanning Spectrum Astro, General Dynamics, Orbital, ATK, and Northrup Grumman, Chris has specialized in designing real-time, closed-loop simulators and automated test systems for space flight hardware. He has worked closely with NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the U.S. Geological Survey. Chris holds a Bachelor’s in Electronics Engineering Technology from Arizona State University.
Austin Motley
Lead Mechanical Engineer
Austin joined Mattur with over 12 years of experience in mechanical engineering, including roles as a Principal Propulsion Engineer at Northrop Grumman and as a Senior Mechanical Engineer at Orbital ATK.
He specializes in the development, qualification, and testing of pneumatic, hydraulic, and ordnance systems for aerospace applications, including space launch vehicles and target systems. Austin has a proven track record in product development, process improvement, and system integration, having worked on numerous high-profile projects throughout his career. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Arizona State University.
Jacob Fenton
Lead Power Engineer
Jacob is an accomplished electrical Engineer with 23 years of experience developing high reliability, complex avionics, and electrical systems.
Prior to joining Mattur, Jacob has held various managerial and design roles at Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, INTECON, and IMC Magnetics. He has led multi-million-dollar programs, managed cross-functional teams, and developed cutting-edge technologies for critical aerospace and defense applications. Jacob earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Arizona State University.
Tim Crown
Board Member
Tim Crown has a long history of throwing his energy into emerging businesses that are focused on solutions for a better future.
He is Principal of AZ Crown Investments, an organization that provides early-stage funding and mentorship to promising startups in industries such as technology, healthcare, and consumer products. Tim’s own entrepreneurial spirit also runs deep. With his brother, he co-founded Insight Enterprises, Inc., growing the venture into a publicly traded Fortune 500 company. Driven to make positive change, he serves on the boards of numerous organizations and supports various philanthropic initiatives.
David Tedesco
Board Member
David Tedesco founded his first software business at age 15, becoming an entrepreneur at a time when many students are applying for their first jobs.
Since then, he has built, invested in, or acquired every business he has been involved with. Today, he is the Chief Executive Officer of Outlier, which he founded in 2005 and grew to be one of the biggest private companies in the US. An active member of the board of directors of many private and public companies, this alumnus of Harvard Business School is also a lifelong philanthropist who supports Autism Speaks, The Nature Conservatory, the YMCA, United Way, and several other organizations focused on making positive change.
Jay Petkunas
Board Member
Jay Petkunas is a seasoned operator who believes that execution is the link between aspirations and results.
Jay was a consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers before he ran the international operations of a NASDAQ 100 company. In 2006, Jay joined The Wolff Company, an Arizona-based real estate private equity firm that has since raised nine discretionary funds, has invested in more than 50,000 multifamily units, and has grown from $200 million to more than $4 billion of AUM during his tenure. Jay sits on the boards of numerous companies across a variety of industries. He also serves on the boards of multiple philanthropic and civic organizations, including the Arizona State Retirement System and Make-A-Wish Arizona.