Art
Castanares
President / Founder
Art Castanares
has over 20 years of public-sector and private-sector
political, public policy, and marketing experience.
As founder of Manzana Energy, Mr. Castanares
crafted an innovative approach to solar energy projects
to deliver power results for governmental and non-profit
organizations. By combining his experience in public
policy with an extensive understanding of the deployment
of technology, Art has found new solutions which fit
within the unique budget constraints of clients throughout
the country.
From 2002 to 2008, Mr. Castanares served
as President of Cornerstone Strategies, a San Diego-based
strategic consulting firm serving corporate and political
clients. In addition to garnering government approvals
for major private developments, Art also earned an impressive
winning record as campaign strategist to public office
candidates and ballot measure campaigns, including successful
campaigns for Assemblywoman Lori Saldaña, San Diego
City Councilman Ben Hueso, Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl
Cox, National City Mayor Ron Morrison, and San Marcos
Mayor Jim Desmond. Additionally, Mr. Castanares has
consulted on successful local proposition campaigns,
including countywide Proposition A (TransNet tax), Proposition
G in San Marcos (big-box development) and National City's
Proposition D and Proposition M (sales tax). Today,
Mr. Castanares continues to provide day-to-day advice
and counsel to many public officials and organizations.
Mr. Castanares has also worked with
numerous other local, state, and federal campaigns since
1990, including city council, school board, and state
legislative races, as well as gubernatorial and presidential
campaigns. During 1999 and 2000, Mr. Castanares served
on official White House Advance Teams for Vice-President
Al Gore. Art has also been a delegate to 13 state party
conventions, as well as having been an elected delegate
to the Democratic National Convention in 2000.
Previously, Mr. Castanares served as
senior staff to the California State Legislature, both
in San Diego and in the State Capitol, where his experience
included policy development, budget appropriations,
legislation management, press relations, and community
outreach. Art worked closely with key legislative leaders
and staff on important legislation including the reform
and creation of local agencies, water law, the annual
state budget, fiscal policy, transportation, and infrastructure,
as well as working on four consecutive state budgets
– each over $100 billion – through both surplus and
deficit years.
Mr. Castanares has held a “SECRET” government
clearance and served as a vendor to the U.S. Department
of Defense on classified projects for research agencies
including DARPA and SPAWAR. That work helped promote
the deployment of new and emerging technologies in defense,
counter-terrorism, and cyber-security around the world.
The work-product was viewed and used by the military
Joint Chiefs of Staff, the White House National Security
Advisor, and congressional leaders.
As a former partner in an Internet-tech
company, Mr. Castanares also has extensive experience
in the high-technology industry and the deployment of
emerging technology. Art worked on the development of
many interactive sites, web video, early-stage e-commerce
portals, and online media projects.
Mr. Castanares is active with various
community organizations, including having served on
the Board of Directors of the San Diego County Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce, the Trustee Board of the Tariq
Khamisa Foundation, the Board of the Barrio Logan College
Institute, and as Chairman of the San Diego County Democratic
Party. Today he continues to serve on the Board of Managers
of the Borderview YMCA and the AYSO Region 116 Board
of Directors.
A frequent guest on television, radio,
and online news outlets as a political analyst and policy
expert, Mr. Castanares has been honored by San Diego
Metropolitan Magazine as one of the region’s “40 under
40”, a recognition of San Diego's most-promising community
and business leaders under the age of forty.
When not at work, Mr. Castanares enjoys
skydiving, flying airplanes, riding motorcycles, golfing,
and, most importantly, spending time with his family.
Art volunteers each year as Coach for his son’s Little
League Baseball team and soccer team, as well as his
daughter’s soccer team. Art, his wife, Desiree, son,
and two daughters reside in the city of Chula Vista.
Alan
"Buzz" Fink
Vice-President / Co-Founder
Mr. Fink, Manzana Energy's
co-founder, has over 28 years of sales, marketing, and
business experience working with both public and governmental
entities.
As Founder & President of Tactical Air Operations,
Inc., Mr. Fink leads the first private company to provide
airborne training to US military personnel from the
Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Army. Through the
unique public-private partnership he designed, Mr. Fink
has documented an 80% overall savings and has maintained
a 600% better safety record compared to military-led
training programs. His expertise in contracts and negotiations
with governmental agencies has proven to be effective
in achieving both cost-savings and higher efficiencies.
Mr. Fink's company was recently awarded a new, five-year
contract to continue this innovative program.
Additionally, Mr. Fink is the President & Founder
of Skydive San Diego, Inc. (SSD), a world-class skydiving
school that is in the top 5% in the country for the
number of jumps per year. Mr. Fink has marketed and
expanded SSD into the region's largest air sports company.
Mr. Fink previously served as a civilian employee to
the United States Navy, NAS North Island, as a Fleet
Recreation and Community Activities Director, managing
and marketing 15 business entities and outreach programs
reaching thousands of base personnel and their families.
A recognized aviation expert, Mr. Fink is currently
serving his 11th consecutive year as Chairman of the
City of San Diego Airports Advisory Committee. In addition
to serving as a Safety & Training Advisor for the
United States Parachute Association, Mr. Fink is also
a professional skydiver with over 6,100 skydives, including
student instruction, professional exhibition, and recreational
jumps.
Azim
Khamisa
Vice-President / Corporate Development
Mr. Khamisa
has more than 35 years of highly successful experience
in international investment banking both in the corporate
and real estate sectors of the world economy.
Throughout his career, Mr. Khamisa has served and continues
to serve on the Board of Directors of numerous companies.
With wide experience in the finance industry, he has
successfully completed more than 90 transactions in
Europe, Asia, Africa, Canada, and the United States.
Mr. Khamisa’s specialized experience includes debt and
equity finance, mergers and acquisitions, risk capital,
restructuring and refinancing, joint ventures, credit
enhancements, bond financing, letters of credit, credit
lines, mezzanine debt, and other financing and investment
structures.
In recognition of his work in structuring a multitude
of diverse and complex transactions, Mr. Khamisa has
been recognized by several publications including the
26th Edition of Who’s Who in Finance and Industry, the
10th Edition of Who’s Who in the World, and the 3rd
Edition of Who’s Who in Emerging Leaders of America.
A multi-lingual naturalized U.S. Citizen, Mr. Khamisa
was educated in Kenya and the United Kingdom (1965 -1971)
in mathematics and finance, and holds intermediate professional
qualifications in accounting, including the Association
of Certified and Corporate Accountants.
Mr. Khamisa is also an accomplished author, lecturer,
and community leader, and has received numerous awards
and recognition for his philanthropic work, including
the highest Special Community Service Award from President
Clinton and Attorney General Janet Reno. Mr. Khamisa
has been featured in the New York Times, Washington
Post, Parade Magazine, People Magazine, USA Today, NBC’s
Today Show, and KPBS’s Fresh Air program.
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