On April 19, 2024, NeoVolta Inc. entered into an employment agreement with Ardes Johnson pursuant to which Mr. Johnson agreed to serve as the Company?s chief executive officer commencing April 29, 2024. Brent Willson, the founder of the Company and former chief executive officer will remain as Chairman of the Board and chief technology officer. Johnson joins NeoVolta from Meyer Burger Americas, where, as President and General Manager, he spearheaded the company?s successful transition to module sales in the U.S. Under his leadership, Meyer Burger?s expansion in the Americas has achieved a multi-gigawatt backlog of over $1 billion dollars and is scaling to 2 gigawatts per year of manufacturing in just 18 months.

Prior to Meyer Burger, Johnson held various leadership roles in the energy space. However, his tenure at Tesla stands out as particularly noteworthy. As Director of Americas Sales and Marketing for Tesla?s Energy Products division, Johnson was instrumental in the development and success of Tesla?s energy storage solutions, where he and his team launched the partner channel program for the PowerWall and PowerPack products in the Utility, Residential and Commercial Markets.

His leadership helped secure a landmark 80 MWh storage contract with Southern California Edison. This achievement was part of a broader strategy that significantly expanded Tesla's energy storage footprint across North America. Johnson's background also includes strategic roles at SolarWorld Americas and General Electric, where he demonstrated his ability to drive profitability and innovation in highly competitive markets.

His extensive experience is supported by a strong academic foundation, including a Master of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University, a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Texas Tech University and serving as a Naval Nuclear Officer aboard the USS Harry S Truman.