Press Release

GoSolarMarin Founder Lisa Max Joins TOBIN & Associates

New Role as Director of Community Initiatives For San Rafael-based Communications/Marketing Firm

San Rafael—April 20, 2015—Lisa Max, founder of GoSolarMarin, today was named director of community initiatives for TOBIN & Associates (www.garytobin.com)  by the firm’s principal Gary Tobin.

In her newly-created position, Max will monitor community programs and manage TOBIN’s activities with nonprofits, NGO’s and businesses in Northern California.  Founded in 1995, TOBIN currently has clients in Marin, Alameda and Santa Clara counties.

Max founded GoSolarMarin in 2007 and turned it into the largest community solar project in California history over the next three years.  As a result of her efforts, nearly 200 homes and businesses adopted solar power for their energy needs as she created a competitive bidding process which produced a reduction in system costs of up to 35 percent.

Currently, she is a volunteer for Guide Dogs for the Blind and the Marin Humane Society and serves on the boards of Lincoln San Rafael Hill Neighborhood Association, the Marin Women’s Political Action Committee (MWPAC) and Sustainable San Rafael.  Previously, she was a member of the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce Green Committee and was named the 2009 Green Entrepreneur of the Year for her GoSolarMarin work by the Marin Green Business Forum.  She has also been recognized as a Second Half Champion by Wells Fargo Financial Advisors.

Prior to moving to California, Max worked as a commercial real estate broker with HelmsleySpear Real Estate in New York and owned several properties as well as StorLockNY, Inc. Her ability to work through the arcane regulations of New York City also were instrumental in turning  a “dirt pile” in Manhattan’s Union Square  into  a landmarked and city-maintained dog park.

“Lisa’s involvement with the community and her knowledge of political and environmental issues in the Bay Area,” said Tobin, “will be invaluable to our clients.  She has the ability to articulate the need to balance the interests of organizations with the larger community.”

About TOBIN & Associates

TOBIN & Associates, headquartered for nearly a decade in New York City, has operated from offices in San Rafael since 2004. Since its inception, TOBIN & Associates has worked for a limited number of clients at any one time and providing a clear transition path for clients to create and to enhance in-house expertise.

Tobin’s personal business history includes senior corporate communications positions with major global corporations, including Heublein Inc. (California wine unit); MCI Communications (as corporate spokesperson); American Express (head of North American public relations) and First Data Corp (SVP of Corporate Communications).  He began his career as a journalist with the Palo Alto (CA) Times and later at the San Francisco Chronicle.  Current clients of the firm include Breakaway Funding LLC (Sausalito), Claremont Rug Company (Oakland) and Compact Imaging (Mountain View).

He has directed communications activities for IPOs involving First Data Corp, MoneyGram Payment Systems, The Sabre Group and ANC Car Rental.