Leadership Team
John E. Waters - CEO and President
John E. Waters brings more than 25 years of entrepreneurialism, engineering experience, and advanced automotive expertise to Bright Automotive, a company ready to transform the automotive industry with proven, scalable, and highly efficient transportation solutions.
A pioneer in electric vehicles, John invented the battery pack system for General Motors’ first production electric vehicle, the EV1, and subsequent electric and hybrid electric vehicles. He also advanced and commercialized enabling battery technologies, such as lead acid, nickel metal hydride, lithium-ion, and applied them to transportation solutions. John helped launch Delphi Corporation's lithium battery business, led the joint venture of lithium battery manufacturer EnerDel, and developed lithium battery systems for the Segway® Human Transporter and the iBOT® medical device.
John launched Bright Automotive from Rocky Mountain Institute where he established the Transportation Practice a few years earlier. While at RMI, he consulted with several Fortune 100 companies, including Alcoa, Dell, and Ford Motor Company, to develop sustainable energy solutions and corporate strategies.
Jerry D. Bernier - Chief Financial Officer
Jerry Bernier understands how to transform companies by implementing best practices and processes that significantly improve efficiency, skills he acquired while serving as an executive at global manufacturing companies in a broad range of industries.
Jerry served as CFO for several organizations within the ZF Friedrichshafen AG (ZF) Group, a leading worldwide supplier of driveline and chassis technology with 119 production locations in 26 countries, including CFO of ZF Steering Systems, ZF Nacam Corporation and ZF - ZUA Autoparts. While at ZF - Brewer Automotive Components, he reduced the cost of expansion by developing and implementing a Tax Incremental Financing agreement with the local governmental agencies for multi-million investments.
Dave Lauzun - Executive VP Product Development
With over 25 years of automotive experience, Dave brings to Bright Automotive both a wealth of knowledge and a passion for changing the future of the automotive industry. A well-rounded automotive executive, his range of expertise includes Engineering Design, Program Management, Vehicle Development, and Quality.
Dave came to Bright Automotive after 24 years at Chrysler, where he most recently led the development of Chrysler’s mid-size sedans. In previous positions at Chrysler, Dave served as Program Manager for Chrysler's sedans and Quality Manager for the Jeep Team. He also held leadership positions in several design groups and manufacturing facilities at Chrysler.
Dave’s formal training includes Masters Degrees from the MIT Leaders for Manufacturing Program. This program specializes in product development and operations leadership for industrial companies.
Nigel Francis - Executive Vice President
Nigel has more than 25 years experience in the global engineering services industry. His career includes progressive experience in styling, design engineering and vehicle engineering at all levels-from component through systems to full vehicle. He has been actively involved with many global OEM's, system integrators and suppliers including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, GM, Ford, Chrysler, BAE
Systems, Magna, Eaton and Continental.
His management experience with full vehicle integration includes body-in-white, power train, electrical/electronic, chassis, and full vehicle test. Nigel also has art-to-part experience from studio-through-design engineering, and manufacturing engineering to the plant floor. He has been a visionary in the development and application of computer-aided engineering (CAE) tools for crash, occupant safety and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis. In addition, he has led dimensional engineering projects related to vehicle quality and has expert knowledge of innovative techniques for holistic approaches to vehicle lightweighting.
Michael Brylawski - Executive VP Corporate Strategy
Michael Brylawski - Currently Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategy for Bright Automotive, Inc., Mr. Brylawski brings fifteen years of experience in green mobility as an entrepreneur, consultant to Fortune 500 companies, and published researcher. In 2007, he helped CEO John Waters create Bright Automotive, managing the original consortium of Google, Alcoa, and Johnson Controls and writing the first business plan. At Bright Automotive, Mr. Brylawski works with the Leadership Team on key market, technology, and financial strategy decisions. He is also responsible for developing ancillary growth opportunities including future product portfolios, telematics, energy storage, and grid services.
Previous to Bright Automotive, Mr. Brylawski's diverse work experience included roles as Vice President at Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), where he is currently a Senior Fellow, and positions at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Boeing Aerospace. He was co-founder and Vice President at Hypercar, Inc. (now operating as Fiberforge), one of the first green automotive startups. Other work experience includes tenures at the Environmental Protection Agency's Future Studies Group and North Carolina's Advanced Energy Corporation.
Lyle W. Shuey - VP Marketing and Sales
With strong experience in engineering, marketing and sales, Lyle clearly understands customer needs and desires in the transportation sector. He has delivered strong sales growth across multiple market segments and continents while serving major customers such as Caterpillar, Cummins, GM, Harley Davidson, Honda, Mercury Marine, Navistar, and many others.
Lyle spent 17 years with Delphi Corporation focused on engine, transmission, chassis, and power products. He led multiple engineering teams, managed technical resources in North America, Europe and Asia, and implemented product programs in both domestic and foreign manufacturing facilities. He also developed and implemented key branding, advertising and promotion programs for major Delphi business sectors.
James L. McCollough - VP Operations & Supply Chain
With over 20 years of automotive experience, James McCollough has overseen local sourcing of materials and operation start-ups in Mexico, Korea, and China, as well as led product migration from other regions of the world. He has managed global sourcing initiatives to meet market and customer requirements and achieved operational excellence using leading edge technologies and processes.
Previously, James served as Vice President of Operations for Takata Corporation and held global responsibility for automotive safety electronic operations with manufacturing footprints in North America, Europe, and Asia. As Director of Operations for Eaton Corporation, he led manufacturing operations serving automotive, military, and aerospace markets. He began his career at Texas Instruments where he held various Senior Operations positions.
David B. Busch - VP Design
Dave Busch is a world-class industrial design professional who has, until now, been ahead of his time. His extensive background in all aspects of interior and exterior vehicle development, lightweighting and aerodynamics will help Bright Automotive create vehicles that reduce carbon emissions and capture energy savings.
While serving as Principal Designer and Sustainability pioneer for Johnson Controls, Inc (JCI), he spearheaded JCI's work with the Rocky Mountain Institute to develop a clean-sheet approach to a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). He successfully launched the JCI Vehicle-to-Grid initiative to reduce electrical demand in residential and commercial buildings, a company-wide program that spanned JCI's Automotive Experience, Building Efficiency and Power Solutions divisions.
Prior to JCI, Dave was a structural engineering designer at AeroVironment, where he contributed to several fuel efficient land and air vehicle designs such as the GM Sunraycer, GM Impact (EV1 prototype) and a 65 million year old flying Pterodactyl replica - all of which are located at the National Museum of American History and Smithsonian Institution Air and Space Museum.
Hadrian A. Rori - VP Vehicle Engineering
Hadrian is a senior automotive executive with over 24 years of design and development experience. His expertise lies in Chassis, Drivetrain, Vehicle Development and Dynamics. He is responsible for all Chassis, Interior, Body and Electrical systems for Bright Automotive Products. He is also responsible for overall Vehicle Development in the role of "Chief Engineer."
In addition to launching several award winning vehicles throughout his career, Hadrian was responsible for the Chassis, Powertrain and Frame development for the Plymouth Prowler program. The Prowler was a "retro" styled vehicle that utilized state-of-the-art aluminum materials to provide light weight and high levels of style and performance.
Hadrian is passionate about sustainability, product quality and customer satisfaction. He has a track record for launching new products that meet high quality and performance levels while attaining cost and weight objectives.
Dave Crecelius - VP Powertrain Systems Engineering 
With a passion for hybrid and electric propulsion, Dave Crecelius over the past two decades has been at the forefront of electrifying vehicle powertrains. From pioneering development of integrated starter-alternators to advanced controls development for engines and propulsion motors, Dave has led the integration of power electronics, battery packs, internal combustion engines, and electric machines.
Dave has recently held positions as VP of Engineering for Sun Power Technologies, a premium provider of advanced electrical solutions, and Director of Systems Technology at Light Engineering, where he led the development of integrated variable speed power generation equipment.
Prior to these entrepreneurial endeavors, Dave held senior positions at General Motors Delco Remy Division and Delphi Corporation where he managed the Department of Energy's (DoE) Advanced Electric Motor Drive (AEMD) Program and developed advance electric and hybrid propulsion system concepts for General Motors EV1 program.
Jeff Ronning - VP Hybrid Technology
More than a decade ago, when most people had never heard the words "plug-in hybrid," Jeff Ronning was pioneering the architecture with research papers and designs that helped make these game-changing automobiles a reality.
Jeff has extensive experience in automotive systems development, thermal and fluid dynamics, and chemical modeling tools rooted in physical validation. While at General Motors, he was part of the team that developed the electric-propulsion system for the EV1, as well as other hybrid vehicle programs. He also performed hybrid vehicle and fuel cell system simulations and designed high-performance, liquid-cooled heat sinks for power electronics at Delphi.
More recently, Jeff was a Senior Consultant at Rocky Mountain Institute, providing advanced systems engineering and design concept validation in multiple industries and market sectors. There he developed design parameters for two plug-in hybrids and performed research in "Vehicle-to-Grid" (V2G) systems. He also served on the energy and emissions working group for the Automotive X-Prize.
Lou Bailoni - VP Consulting
Currently Vice President of Consulting for Bright Automotive, Mr. Bailoni has over 25 years of broad automotive management consulting and research experience. His experience covers strategy development and execution, due diligence and operational improvement for OEMs, suppliers, financial institutions and government agencies.
Previously, Mr. Bailoni was Vice President of Ricardo Strategic Consulting where he helped to establish and grow the management consulting practice at Ricardo plc, a leading global automotive engineering consultancy. Strategy projects included advanced technology development and innovation, market entry, product strategy and acquisition due diligence.
Sean Conway - Director of Special Projects
Currently Director of Special Projects for Bright Automotive, Inc. Mr. Conway has 20 years of diverse experience in developing large-scale automotive products. His expertise covers the entire vehicle development cycle: styling, packaging, voice-of-customer development, engineering design, full vehicle testing, manufacturing, quality, marketing and public relations.
In his current role, Mr. Conway is responsible for vehicle development activities for Bright Automotive products and services. Along with extensive automotive experience, Mr. Conway brings a passion for customer satisfaction and the positive environmental impact in all types of Plug-in Vehicles.
Reuben Munger - Chairman
Reuben Munger is a seasoned investment professional, Founder and Managing Partner of Vision Ridge Partners. Previously, Reuben served as Managing Director at The Baupost Group, L.L.C., a $16 billion investment firm, where he oversaw the firm's European equity investing and participation on the Trading Room Operations Committee.
He was also responsible for investments in telecommunications, media, shipping and other various special situations in the United States, Canada and Asia. During his decade long tenure at Baupost, the firm grew from under $1 billion in assets under management to over $12 billion. Earlier in his career, he was a consultant to Texas Pacific Group and an investment banker with James D. Wolfensohn, Inc.