LoCaTion: Wallingford
TiTLe: Co-founder,
President, and CEO
Company:
Proton OnSite
Founded: 1996
Web:
www.protononsite.com
inFo:
Friedland met with
President Barack
Obama last summer to
emphasize the need for
more alternative vehicles
than just electric cars.
Proton advocates for fuel
cell cars.
Green Warrior: rob Friedland
Photo | Pablo robleS
Friedland
leading
Proton OnSite
to new heights
By John a. Lahtinen
T
he time is coming for
Rob Friedland.
The co-founder of
Proton Onsite, which makes
equipment for others to produce
their own gases like hydrogen is
well-positioned for more profits
as more renewable technologies
gain acceptance in the global
market.
"A few years ago, when the
government was negative to
hydrogen energy technology, the
finance communities largely ig-
nored the technology," said Fri-
eldand. "But now the worm has
turned somewhat, and we're
hearing different things from
the government. Publicly, there
is more of a focus on sustain-
able energy, so the investment
industry is more excited."
Even though Proton strug-
gled for its first decade — land-
ing on the auction block in 2008
— the company reached profit-
ability for the first time in 2011
and interest in the company's
products continues to grow.
"Rob's got both technical and
business acumen," said Mark
Schiller, Proton's vice president
of business development. "We
often see leaders who are very
technically astute but cannot run
a business. Rob can do both."
Green
Fact:
Proton has
a hydrogen
fueling station
for fuel cell
vehicles in its
parking lot.
SourCe: Proton
onSite
16 ConneCtiCut Green Guide • Summer 2014 www.CtGreenGuide.com
