Bob Lantis - President
Bob Lantis founded CleanTech Inventures, Inc. with a vision to create the next generation of green (i.e., sustainable) building energy & resources management systems. The "Industrial Age" method of installing separate systems that do not intelligently and efficiently work in harmony with one another is by necessity becoming obsolete. For example, previously there was little attention given to the benefits of integrating the various systems and functions required for efficiently maintaining a comfortable living and working environment. Some of these needs are tap water, wastewater, storm water drainage, landscaping, heating, cooling, ventilation, insulation, and water & air remediation technologies.
Believing that the new frontier of our post-modern age requires smarter planning and the integration of both human and ecological needs, Mr. Lantis made a commitment to leverage his experience and talents into an organization that would help create for clients a tangible synergy among what were previously disparate systems. His ground-breaking product innovation expertise is supported by over 30 years of progressive and multi-disciplinary experience in the broader field of high technology, including:
More than 15 years developing ultraviolet (UV) light technologies for water and air remediation.
More than 10 years developing photo-reactor technologies for biological processes
Over 25 years developing UV products for photochemical processing of materials.
More than 15 years developing high power excimer laser UV systems.
Over 25 years of high-voltage pulsed power and electro-optics industry work.
Awards and Distinctions:
Water Quality Association Certified Water Specialist
Accredited Professional by the American Rain Catchment Systems Association (2008)
TiE-Smith Fellow in Entrepreneurship, Smith School of Business, University of Maryland (2006).
Frost & Sullivan 2004 Product Innovation of the Year Award, Advanced Water Treatment Sector
Holder of several UV remediation patents and/or patents pending
Selected as one of "Life's Leaders" as featured by New Life Journal, April 2008
Past affiliations:
Co-founder, LightStream Technologies (1998-2006)
Served as Vice President, Chief Technology Officer, and Director.
While affiliated with LightStream, Mr. Lantis conceived, developed, patented, and produced unique ultraviolet (UV) disinfection technologies targeted at municipal water treatment applications. His very first product for LightStream introduced the industry’s first (and to-date, only) large-scale water disinfection photo-reactor product that provides performance-based, real-time and Constant Optimum Dose operation. By delivering a new generation of pulsed UV lamp-based disinfection, this new technology overcame the disadvantages of the continuous-wave lamp-based systems (including toxic mercury and imprecise prediction-based operation), thereby meriting the prestigious Frost & Sullivan 2004 Product Innovation Award for the advanced water treatment market sector.
Significantly, Lantis achieved this with out-sourced contractors and essentially no direct engineering staff.
Independent Consultant to the Laser Industry (1997-1998)
Supporting clients around the world, provided existing and new optoelectronics products development, UV & photo-biological processes and products feasibility studies, business technology development and production planning, and technical research.
Tissue Technologies (Albuquerque, NM) (1996-1997)
Director of Manufacturing
Responsible for plan and implementation of the new company’s infrared laser product manufacturing side, including: facilities, training, manufacturing, product support, and regulations & processes for FDA approval, ISO-9001 & CEMark. Completed the ISO-9001 and CEMark certifications within 4 months of project kick-off, preceded by full volume manufacturing operation inside of 4 months.
Lasertechnics (Albuquerque, NM) (1993-1996)
Manufacturing Manager
Responsible for production and materials organizations at a time of rapid business expansion, led a tripling in yearly throughput volume while increasing inventory turn by a factor of five, and reducing unit labor time by 40%.
Lasertechnics (Albuquerque, NM) (1986-1988, 1990-1993)
Chief Engineer, Excimer Laser Products Development
Managed the development program for commercialization of high power and efficiency excimer UV lasers (electric discharge and e-beam, x-ray preionized). Initial work partially funded via EPA Phase 2 SBIR grant. Provided engineering support to pulsed and CW CO2 industrial laser products. Managed laser product technical, UV applications, and products programs/alliances interface with industry.
XMR (Sunnyvale, CA) (1988-1990)
Laser R&D Engineer
Development of new UV and x-ray preionized industrial excimer laser products. Technical evaluation, design improvement, and support of existing products. Products alliance liaison with Siemens Corp., KWU. Doubled the electrical-optical pulse efficiency of UV-based semiconductor processing products, thereby eliminating premature failure problems.
Northrop Corporation, Electronics Division (Hawthorne, CA) (1984-1986)
Test Engineer
Development of unique high power and efficiency excimer laser demonstrator system (including ancillary subsystems) intended for space-based deployment, under contract to US Naval Ocean Systems Center. DOE Secret clearance.
Helionetics/HLX Laser Division (San Diego, CA) (1981-1984)
Associate Engineer
Development of commercial high power excimer laser systems and ancillary subsystems, including rail spark gaps, water-dielectric Blumlein transmission lines, thyratron switches, halogen gas and high vacuum processing, UV and x-ray preionization, optics protection, materials compatibility issues. DOE Secret clearance.
Superconducting Helium Electronics (SHE) Corp. (San Diego, CA) (1977-1981)
Senior Technician
Manufacturing, development, and support of custom cryogenic equipment used for low-temperature physics research, including He3/He4 dilution refrigeration and “weak link”-based Super Quantum Interference Devices (SQUIDs).
Education:
Mr. Lantis’ eclectic educational background includes majors in Music Education at West Chester State University, Electronics at Mesa College, and Physics and Certificate in Management studies at the University of California, San Diego.
He is a 2006 TiE-Smith Fellow in Entrepreneurship, Smith School of Business, University of Maryland.
Published Articles:
Mr. Lantis has authored or co-authored several technical papers and articles:
Comparative Disinfection Efficiency of Pulsed and Continuous-Wave UV Irradiation Technologies
Bohrerova, Z; Shemer, H; Linden, K.G.; Lantis, R.M.
Pulsed UV: Realities of Enhanced Disinfection
Bohrerova, Z; Shemer, H; Lantis, B; Impellitteri, C; Linden, K.G.
“Pulsed” Systems Provide Latest Advance in UV Disinfection
Lantis, Robert; Zanardi, Chris.
Industrial WaterWorld
May, 2003
Pulsing to a New Beat
Lantis, Robert; Zanardi, Chris.
Pollution Engineering
August, 2003
Magnetically Switched Voltage Multipliers for High-PRF, Megavolt Pulsed Power
Rothe, D.E.; Lantis, R.M.
Power Modulator Symposium, 1992.
Conference Record of 1992
Current Professional Memberships & Affiliations:
Water Quality Association
Western North Carolina Green Building Council
American Rainwater Catchment Association (ARCSA): certified practitioner
Charter Director, ARCSA SouthEast region
Water Environment Federation
American Water Works Association
Ashevillage Institute, Building Convergance Water & Air Action Group
National Resources Defense Council
Sierra Club
TiE-Carolinas (The Indus Entrepreneurs)
Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Nuclear & Plasma Sciences Society for Pulsed Power Science & Technology
International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA)
Past Professional Memberships & Affiliations:
TiE-DC
American Institute for Physics
International Society for Optical Engineering
Optical Society of America
Laser Electro-optics Society (LEOS)
Laser Institute of America
American Management Association
American Society for Quality
American Vacuum Society
Toastmasters International