John founded VERA in 1978 to provide wind power and program management services to electric utility companies.

John has experience performing technical due diligence and risk assessment across a variety of technologies, financial and corporate structuring and capitalization, project and venture capital financing, and many financial and economic analytical techniques related to investment analysis.

In addition to wind technologies, John provides experience in evaluating and managing investments in hydroelectric, solar, natural gas, wood, landfill gas, and other power generation and energy efficiency technologies.

John is also an active member of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). Since the mid-1990’s, John has made many presentations and contributed several papers to the annual AWEA WINDPOWER Conferences and also to the Northeast Sustainable Energy RENEW Conferences. At WINDPOWER ’97, AWEA presented Mr. Zimmerman with a Special Recognition Award for the “critical role he played in bringing wind energy development to the Northeast.”

John holds an Environmental Administration degree from Johnson State College and a Master in Business Administration degree from the University of Vermont.






Martha N. Staskus, Vice President

Martha has been with VERA since 1991. She coordinates database management, GIS mapping, performance monitoring, and outreach activities associated with the company’s wind energy consulting services.

She assisted with the management of many development aspects of Green Mountain Power Company’s Searsburg Wind Power Facility and was directly responsible for the coordination of the public outreach and education functions around this installation. She continues to provide wind resource and performance monitoring technical support at Searsburg.

Martha wrote and edited Wind Power News – a periodic newsletter chronicling the development of the Searsburg project, and Vermont Wind Power News – a newsletter focusing on wind power development plans in Vermont. She is also responsible for managing VERA’s Northeast wind power development work, as well as GIS-based analytical and site screening work for Noble Environmental Power

Martha did graduate work in the Landscape Architecture Masters Program at the University of Pennsylvania and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Sciences from the University of Vermont. She is currently serving on the Board of Directors of Renewable Energy Vermont.






Zackary M. Irons, Wind Resource Analyst

Zack analyzes meteorological and energy production data collected by VERA. He prepares performance monitoring and wind resource assessment reports for the Searsburg Wind Facility and the Vermont Small-Wind Demonstration Program, as well as for local land owners interested in wind energy. He also specializes in visual studies using programs such as WindPro and various GIS and analytical software packages to produce photosimulations and viewshed analyses.

Zack has conducted atmospheric research and analysis in New England and in the Gulf Coast since attaining his Master of Science degree in Earth Science from the University of New Hampshire in 2003 . During his academic career, he studied atmospheric and climate science in California, New Zealand, Hawaii, Indonesia, and New Hampshire. He is glad to have the opportunity to be a part of a proactive solution to global environmental issues, right here in New England.







Beth S. Brown, Coordinator

Beth is responsible for coordinating virtually all activities at VERA. She schedules outreach programs including tours of the Searsburg Wind Facility, prepares invoices, organizes meetings and generally keeps the office flowing properly. She has extensive administrative experience from working in nonprofit organizations, local law firms, art centers, and environmental companies.

Beth moved to Vermont, after graduating from USC with degrees in Communications and Film, to enjoy the more peaceful aspects of life. Her career objective has always been to use her administrative skill at a company that is working toward a greater good.







Ella A. Thodal, Research Assistant

The newest member of VERA, Ella is involved in data analysis, permitting, performance monitoring and outreach. Ella is graduate of Bowdoin College where she studied mathematics and Italian. Ella enjoys traveling and has spent time living in Mexico and Italy. She is happy to be involved in such a dynamic, growing field in her home state.