David F. Taggart

Current

• Sr. Director, Power Applications Development at OptiSolar, Inc.
• Chairman, External Advisory Board at Materials Engineering Department, Cal Poly, SLO

Past

• Director, Systems Integration at OptiSolar, Inc.
• President at Interleaf Composites Engineering
• Consultant: Product Development at PowerLight Corporation (now SunPower, Inc.)

• Architect and General Contractor at My personal residence (Self-employed)
• Vice President of Engineering and Technology, CTO at Hypercar, Inc. (currently dba FiberForge)
• Director, Applications Engineering at CytecFiberite, Inc.
• Product Development Manager at Fiberite, Inc.
• Program Manager at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works
• Director, LightSpeed Program at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works
• Lead Design and Analysis Engineer at Alliant TechSystems (Hercules Aerospace)
• Research Associate at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

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Education

• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

Recommended

5 people have recommended David F.

Connections

135 connections

Industry

Renewables & Environment

Websites

• OptiSolar
• Interleaf Composites
• the LightSpeed Foundation

David F. Taggart’s Summary

Program Manager/Executive for challenging technology development or systems engineering efforts with a twenty-two year track record of creating, building and leading dynamic teams that deliver breakthrough results to meet end objectives. I am a disciplined and creative hands-on leader who has efficiently lead diverse aerospace, marine, automotive, energy, and advanced materials technology programs. This broad technology base has enabled me to bring different perspectives and innovation together to win new business, marshal resources and technologies, and build powerful teams that deliver results.

David F. Taggart’s Specialties:

I build and lead development teams faced with systems-level challenges and no obvious answers. Often, the challenge is breakthrough reduction in cost or weight, or system efficiency, and is often viewed as high-risk. Programs I have lead include mobile systems such as aircraft, automobiles, or surface ships, and static systems such as photovoltaic power plants.
Specific technical expertise is integrated design and application of advanced composite materials and structures.

David F. Taggart’s Experience

• Sr. Director, Power Applications Development

  OptiSolar, Inc.

  (Renewables & Environment industry)

  June 2008 — Present (4 months)

  OptiSolar is an independent power producer committed to delivering affordable, clean, renewable electricity from our large-scale solar farms using our innovative thin-film silicon PV panels. We're making solar energy competitive with other forms of electricity generation...and changing the energy equation.
  
  Moving beyond the Systems Integration role at start-up, I now am building and lead the Power Applications Group responsible for the definition, development, qualification, and certification of OptiSolar's diverse power applications, representing industry’s lowest cost solutions for PV power plant component costs, installation, operation, and maintenance.

• Chairman, External Advisory Board

  Materials Engineering Department, Cal Poly, SLO

  (Educational Institution; 11-50 employees; Education Management industry)

  May 2002 — Present (6 years 5 months)

  I have had a long and fond relationship with the Materials Engineering Department at Cal Poly, where I graduated with a BS in 1985. I currently serve as Chairman of the External Advisory Board to assist the Materials Engineering department staff with reinventing their curriculum and departmental focus to integrate project-based learning, product design and development, leadership, and sustainable engineering principles into their department culture and teaching plans.

• Director, Systems Integration

  OptiSolar, Inc.

  (Renewables & Environment industry)

  August 2006 — June 2008 (1 year 11 months)

  As the Director of Systems Integration and part of the start-up management team, I put together and lead a team of engineers in designing large scale integrated photovoltaic power plants for least cost installation and operation. The Systems Integration Team employed a high degree of standardization and simplification, high volume practices and processes, and modularity to achieve challenging cost objectives. We work in an environment conducive to innovation and rapid development rooted in the Skunk Works program management philosophy of quick, quiet, and on time.

• President

  Interleaf Composites Engineering

  (Public Company; 1-10 employees; Aviation & Aerospace industry)

  August 2003 — October 2006 (3 years 3 months)

  Interleaf Composites Engineering, LLC, (www.interleafcomposites.com) is a professional consultancy committed to immediate and sustainable improvements in the energy efficiency of mobile platforms via intelligent integration of advanced materials, systems engineering, and structural design. Clients are primarily start-up and early phase technology companies from the renewable energy sector including PowerLight, Inc. (now SunPower, Inc.) and OptiSolar, Inc., from the automotive sector including Tesla Motors and a series of start-ups, and from other industries including Poco Graphite and PetriTech.
  
  There has been a resurgence of interest in improving automotive efficiency and ICE is particularly well placed to support these endeavors building upon patented technologies for volume production and structural integration of advanced composite structures, and past experience leading whole-vehicle, systems-level development programs.

• Consultant: Product Development

  PowerLight Corporation (now SunPower, Inc.)

  (Public Company; 501-1000 employees; Renewables & Environment industry)

  2003 — 2004 (1 year)

  Worked within the product development team to lead the development of the T10 Solar Roof Tile for large commercial rooftop PV power systems. This lightweight product presented several aerodynamic challenges, the solutions to which resulted in patented innovations.

• Architect and General Contractor

  My personal residence (Self-employed)

  (Self-Employed; Construction industry)

  December 2002 — December 2003 (1 year 1 month)

  During this hiatus, I designed, planned, and performed an extensive rebuild of our home bringing the living area up from 1140 sq. ft. to over 2400 sq. ft. and more than doubling the appraised value of what is essentially a new “arts and crafts” style home. I performed the majority of the work myself including the building's design, floor plans, foundation, rough carpentry, rough electrical, and all finish work including int/ext. carpentry, electrical, plumbing, hardwood/tile flooring, kitchen/bathroom cabinetry and tile.

• Vice President of Engineering and Technology, CTO

  Hypercar, Inc. (currently dba FiberForge)

  (Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Automotive industry)

  January 1999 — December 2002 (4 years)

  Co-founded this high technology start-up with a founding mission to compel the automobile industry to adopt a new way to design and produce automobiles that were desirable, efficient and clean. Employing a vehicle architecture and design development processes that built upon my aerospace and materials background, I was responsible for all product and technology development.
  
  Upon assembling and leading an international engineering team based in F1 Alley in England, the "Foundation Platform" technology was developed to enable the production of automobiles meeting or exceeding today's size, comfort, quality, safety, and performance standards, but with zero emissions and superior economy. The key to achieving this level of performance was the application of an effective systems integration strategy in a Skunk Works style product development program, to integrate carbon composite structures, fully digital information management and vehicle control, and hybrid-electric propulsion.

• Director, Applications Engineering

  CytecFiberite, Inc.

  (Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Aviation & Aerospace industry)

  January 1998 — January 1999 (1 year 1 month)

  Based on an unsolicited proposal I submitted to the new Cytec-based management, my primary responsibility was to create and grow a company-wide applications engineering capability to support the growth of the military and aerospace business via new applications of advanced materials.

• Product Development Manager

  Fiberite, Inc.

  (Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Defense & Space industry)

  February 1997 — January 1998 (1 year)

  Recruited by James Ashton and Jon DeVault, my primary responsibility was to leverage recently acquired materials technology into the production of large Naval surface ships thus establishing new markets for composite structures and our materials technologies. Success required a "high-producibility" material system and the ability to enroll companies in the adoption of novel design and manufacturing solutions for their structural applications. In addition to defining the organization and business plan of the new business group, I implemented an overall development and validation program that would identify key application requirements and generate the required information and substantiation to allow customers to rapidly transition to, and exploit, our new advanced materials in their products.

• Program Manager

  Lockheed Martin Skunk Works

  (Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Aviation & Aerospace industry)

  1989 — 1997 (8 years)

  For over fifty years the Lockheed Skunk Works has been the nation's premier advanced aircraft development resource.
  1994-97: Program Manager for DARPA's $22M Integrated Airframe Technology for Affordability (IATA) program awarded from 200 entries.
  1996-1997: Structure Test Team Leader for the X-33 Program.
  1989-97: Program Manager for several techdev programs including:
  - the Integrated Inlet and Fuselage program for the Joint Strike Fighter (F35) which built Lockheed's first fiber-placed structure
  - the Advanced Edge program which developed and demonstrated a 16-foot flightworthy aerocuff low observable edge, a first for the industry.
  - the CFSV program responsible for integrating the concept development, design and analysis, and manufacturing aspects of an advanced composite low observable inlet structure for the Air Force's F-22 Raptor fighter.
  - Structural joint design and devleopment for DARPA's Tier III Darkstar program.

• Director, LightSpeed Program

  Lockheed Martin Skunk Works

  (Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Education Management industry)

  June 1992 — February 1997 (4 years 9 months)

  Reporting to the President of the Skunk Works, I founded and performed as Director of the LightSpeed Program. Designed to provide a breakthrough in what is possible for a young person's future, the LightSpeed Workshops take place over a weekend and are geared for students going into the 7th-9th grades having an interest in math, science, or technology. Produced entirely by Skunk Works volunteers and supported by leading advanced technology companies, the LightSpeed Workshops expose young people to the magic of advanced technology in a way that inspires them to consider exciting possibilities for their futures. LightSpeed participants tour facilities housing the latest developments in advanced technology, participate on teams investigating rockets to invent engineering principles, meet guest speakers such as engineers, astronauts, and pilots, and engage in interactive inquiries designed to empower the students to take responsibility for their future and act on that which inspires them.

• Lead Design and Analysis Engineer

  Alliant TechSystems (Hercules Aerospace)

  (Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Aviation & Aerospace industry)

  June 1987 — October 1989 (2 years 5 months)

  Reporting directly to the Manager of the Advanced Composite Structures Group, I performed as development lead on a variety of military and commercial programs in the Aerospace Composite Structures Company of ATK. Responsibilities included all aspects of design, analysis, and production of advanced composite structures. Specific responsibilities included the generation of customer requirements, materials specification, design, analysis, producibility, and manufacturing definition. Executed preliminary and detailed analyses to include geometry definition, loads definition, laminate design, and full-up FEA. Manufacturing and producibility was heavily emphasized during all phases of product development. Programs I supported included the DARPA Pegasus, the V-22 tilt rotor, an all composite electric van, C-130 components, and the SRAM missile.

• Research Associate

  Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

  (Educational Institution; 201-500 employees; Defense & Space industry)

  June 1985 — June 1987 (2 years 1 month)

  RPI is one of the nation's leading advanced materials research centers, and builds upon a 175-year history of education excellence. Reporting to Dr. Russell J. Diefendorf, the Materials Department Head and in support of contracted research, I was responsible for planning and conducting research to improve the properties of ceramic matrix composites (carbon/carbon) and their constitutive reinforcements. Various approaches were developed and demonstrated including the use of chemical vapor deposition and high temperature carbonization.

David F. Taggart’s Education

• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

  MS, Materials Engineering, 1985 — 1987

  RPI Research Assistantship and Full Tuition Scholarship
  American Ceramic Society Scholarship

• California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

  BS, Metallurgical Engineering, 1982 — 1985

  Dean's and President's Honor Lists
  American Society for Metals Scholarship

Additional Information

David F. Taggart’s Websites:

• OptiSolar
• Interleaf Composites
• the LightSpeed Foundation

David F. Taggart’s Interests:

I am very interested in the application of advanced technology to solve pressing societal and environmental challenges, using the "magic" of advanced technology to inspire young people to consider "inventing" their future and empowering them to make that future real, the manipulation and application of advanced composites and materials in general, home design and construction, carpentry, aerospace, cars, England, Scotland, soccer, flying, my family.

David F. Taggart’s Groups:

SAMPE
AIAA
IEEE

•    Link Silicon Valley, LLC
•    Rensselaer Alumni Association (RPI)
•    CleanTech
•    The Air Force Association
•    Green
•    Composites Industry Forum
•    Cal Poly Alumni Association
•    Skunk Works Alumni

David F. Taggart’s Honors:

2007 Hypercar awarded "2007 Technology Pioneer" by the World Economic Forum
2006 Guest Lecturer "Breakthrough Product Development", Cal Poly, SLO
2005 World Technology Network's Finalist for Environment Award
2004 Taggart patents named by Newsweek as "one of 10 innovations that may change the way we live"
2004 Invited Lecturer "Engineering Sustainability into Design", Cal Poly, SLO
2003 World Technology Network's Environment Award for "extraordinary achievement on a global scale"
2002 Invited Lecturer "Efficient Product Development" IDEO, Palo Alto
2002 Invited SAMPE keynote leader on the topic "Expanding the Application of Advanced Materials"
2001 American Plastic Council exclusive presentation on advanced materials in automotive structures
2001 DOT Volpe Invited Speaker: Enabling Technologies and Transportation Innovation
2000 Invited speaker to Astronaut Richard Truly and the Defense Science Board Task Force on Improving the Fuel Efficiency of Warfighting Platforms

David F. Taggart’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• career opportunities
• new ventures
• job inquiries
• getting back in touch