Meet The Senior Leadership Team
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Mychal Manolatos
Vice President
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Marc Bellaud
Director of Technical Services
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Will Stevenson
Director of Integration / Mergers & Acquisitions
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Brett Emmerton
Regional Director
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Ed Bass
Regional Director
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Tara Gamble
Customer Experience Manager
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Matt Serino
Director of Marketing
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Rebecca Higgerson
Director of Business Operations and Procurement
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Debbie Clement
Chief Financial Officer
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Kevin Tucker
Founder
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Kelly Martin
Regional Director of Human Recourses
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Frank Gomez
Director of Sales
Mychal Manolatos
Vice President
Mychal Manolatos, Vice President of SOLitude Lake Management, began his career with SOLitude in 2016 and has held many different roles within the organization. Mychal is responsible for leading SOLitude and driving the overall direction and strategy of the business. His vision for SOLitude is to enhance the company’s position as the leader in the freshwater management industry and to uphold the company’s mission to provide premium, accessible lake and pond management solutions.
Mychal earned his Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Hospitality Management from Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI. He began his professional career in 1999 and has led various teams and businesses across multiple industries, including two Fortune 500 Companies. Over the past 15+ years in management and executive-level positions, Mychal focused on customer experience, strategic growth and colleague development.
Over the years, Mychal has earned numerous honors and awards, including the Inspire Award, which recognized him as one of the Top 50 colleagues at Aramark Corporation. Additionally, Mychal is a guest instructor at many top universities across the United States, where he speaks on business start-ups and the process of building high-performing teams.
Mychal resides in Chicago with his daughter and is passionate about family, travel and sports. Though he has lived in Chicago since 2011, he remains an avid Detroit sports fan, where he spent his childhood. He also enjoys summers in Chicago while boating on Lake Michigan.
Marc Bellaud
Director of Technical Services
As Director of Technical Services, Marc Bellaud is focused on advancing SOLitude’s momentum as an industry leader by upholding our commitment to continuous education, teamwork, a superior customer experience, and premium service offerings and technologies. From leading the charge on drone applications for remote or sensitive environments to enhancing our toolbox of water quality management solutions with Oxygen Saturation Technology, Marc is passionate about bringing new technologies to SOLitude. Throughout his 27-year career, Marc has been actively involved in cultivating the science of aquatics as a good steward and widely-respected thought leader. His passion for protecting water inspires his guidance of the SOLitude team.
Marc graduated from the University of Vermont with a degree in biological sciences and a concentration in natural resources. He worked for two non-profit organizations before joining the aquatics industry in 1993. His knowledge and responsibilities as a field biologist quickly expanded, culminating in his promotion to SOLitude’s company leadership team in 2013.
Marc has extensive experience designing and leading integrated aquatic plant management programs throughout the Northeast. He has authored dozens of lake management plans and feasibility studies and is a contributing author and co-editor for the third edition of the BMP Manual produced by the Aquatic Ecosystem Research Foundation (AERF). He regularly shares his knowledge and experience as a presenter and speaker at industry conferences.
Marc is a Past-President and Director of the Northeast Aquatic Plant Management Society (NEAPMS) and has remained involved with the organization since it was initially founded. Marc also served as a Director of the New York State Aquatic Managers Association (NYSAMA). He is actively involved with several state organizations focused on lake management issues. In 2006, Marc received the SePRO Applicator of the Year award.
Marc was born and raised in New Hampshire. From an early age, he developed a love of the outdoors where he grew up skiing, fishing, playing ice hockey, and spending summers at Squam Lake, which remains one of his favorite places to visit. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife, two sons, and the family dog. He and his family are very active with sports and over the years Marc has dedicated much of his time to coaching youth hockey and assisting with their local Boy Scout troop.
Will Stevenson
Director of Integration / Mergers & Acquisitions
Will Stevenson joined SOLitude Lake Management as the Director of Integration / Mergers & Acquisitions. Previously, Will was the owner and President of Lycott Environmental based in Massachusetts. Under his tenure, Lycott expanded its services and significantly grew its operations.
Will received his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Union College in Schenectady, NY. He went on to earn his Master of Environmental Management degree from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies in New Haven, CT in 1994, as well as his Master of Business Administration degree from Babson College in Babson Park, MA in 2002. Prior to owning Lycott, Will held multiple senior management positions in marketing, operations and sales for companies focusing in the software and real estate markets.
Will currently serves as the President of the Northeast Aquatic Plant Management Society, as well as on the advisory boards for Massachusetts Audubon and the Nashua River Watershed Association. He is also Vice President of Timber Owners of New England and on the board of directors of Wildlife Conservation Trust, in New Hampshire. These organizations manage several thousand acres of forest and recreation lands in New Hampshire, where he and his family spend time hiking, fishing and biking. When not focused on environmental activities, he can be found on the local ambulance where he is both and EMT and the Assistant Director of Finance.
Brett Emmerton
Regional Director
Brett Emmerton is SOLitude’s Regional Director and leads Operations in the South region. He comes to SOLitude with almost 15 years of experience in various leadership roles to include the military, commercial pest control, and food safety industries in various geographies across the country. He is responsible for supporting the day-to-day operations of his teams while executing the strategic goals of the business. People development is a primary passion for him.
Brett served in the United States Marine Corps in both Reserve and Active Duty capacities until he was discharged as a Sergeant (E-5) in 2008. His assignments include having served as a unit training non-commissioned officer in charge, armorer, and crew-served weapons instructor.
Brett was born and raised in South Africa before immigrating to the United States in 1994. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and double majored in International Business and Peace, War, and Defense. Brett was an active member of sports teams growing up, to include rugby, swimming and springboard diving. He actively enjoys destination trips for skiing and open water diving.
Brett resides in South Carolina with his wife Karen and three children (son Nathan, and identical twin daughters Caroline and Claire). The family enjoys time together outdoors hiking and traveling, or any excuse for water sports and activities.
Ed Bass
Regional Director
Ed Bass leads Operations in the North and West territories for SOLitude. Ed has more than 30 years of experience in mid and senior level leadership roles in the transportation, warehousing and specialized logistics industry, leading large operational, sales and account management teams with great success.
As a business owner throughout the 1990s Ed successfully operated a 48 state truckload business that grew to over 450 tractor trailers, employing over 500 Colleagues including administration staff, Drivers, Sales, Account Management and dock operations teams.
Before coming to Solitude Ed spent the previous 15 years with Iron Mountain Records and Information Management where he held several leadership roles including District General Manager overseeing the Texas and Oklahoma operations. Director of Transportation for Iron Mountains North American operations consisting of 95 Districts operating over 3,000 routes per day in a service industry. Most recently for the previous 7 years, Ed held a Regional Director role in the companies Secure Destruction business unit with direct responsibility for 42 transportation depots and 8 shred plants operating in 22 states. In this role Ed and his team of over 600 Colleagues achieved a number of recognition awards including Region of the Year for exceptional financial, customer satisfaction, operational excellence and safety performance in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Raised in New Mexico Ed spent all of his free time outdoors hunting, fishing and camping where at a young age he gained a deep appreciation for the outdoors. Today he and his wife and high school sweetheart, Tonya live on a large lake southeast of Dallas Texas where they spend much of their spare time outdoors and on the boat with family and friends.
Tara Gamble
Customer Experience Manager
Tara Gamble is a Customer Experience Manager serving SOLitude’s clients nationwide. She is responsible for helping her team drive SOLitude’s customer-centric culture as SOLitude continues to grow.
Tara graduated from Northcentral University with a Doctorate in Business Administration. In addition, she has over two decades of leadership experience supervising and managing diverse teams. She has been able to build strong and effective relationships throughout her career that have resulted in unprecedented results in sales and service.
Before joining SOLitude, Tara spent three and a half years with Advantage car rental and 21 years with Avis Budget Group in numerous locations throughout the Pacific Northwest, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, California, and Arizona. In her various roles, Tara focused on revenue management, leadership development, customer service, sales, and team building.
Tara currently resides in Mesa, AZ, but she often returns to where she was raised and learned to love the great outdoors—Jackson Hole, WY. Outside of work, Tara can be found hiking the Grand Tetons, snowmobiling in Alaska, swimming in her backyard pool or watching movies at home with her two children.
Matt Serino
Director of Marketing
With over a decade of professional marketing experience, Matt leads SOLitude’s lead generation strategy and team of marketing professionals. Through his creative thinking and passion for innovation in digital marketing, he is focused on implementing new initiatives that enhance the SOLitude brand and help grow the business.
Matt graduated from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA in 2006, and earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing and a minor in art. After college, he held an internship in the creative department of a prominent advertising agency in Virginia Beach. Matt then spent six years as Marketing Manager for the Hermitage Museum & Gardens, a non-profit arts organization in Norfolk, VA. Before joining SOLitude in 2016, he was a member of the marketing department at Sentara Healthcare and supported the growth and branding of medical group practices throughout Virginia and Northeast North Carolina.
Matt is a native of Virginia Beach and lives at the Oceanfront with his wife and two children. He loves spending time in and around the ocean with his family, whether that’s riding bikes down the boardwalk, playing on the beach, swimming or surfing. Matt also enjoys snowboarding, hiking and camping. He’s a huge fan of both baseball and live music, and travels the country to see his favorite teams and bands play.
Rebecca Higgerson
Director of Business Operations and Procurement
Rebecca Higgerson joined the SOLitude Lake Management team as the company’s Service and Inventory Manager and was quickly promoted to Director of Operations. In this role, she is responsible for managing and overseeing our field service operations, as well as our vendor relations, purchasing, and procurement activities.
Becky brings with her 25 years of finance, purchasing and leadership experience. Becky is a graduate of Old Dominion University and holds a Bachelors degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. Becky’s early career consisted of finance-related positions before becoming the Controller for a game company in Norfolk for ten years where she managed the finances and operations for the company. For the eight years, prior to coming to SOLitude, she was the Director of Purchasing for a large national company headquartered in Virginia Beach that provides tactical equipment, services, procurement, and support solutions to the local, state and federal government. While there, Becky built and managed a purchasing team of 18 people and managed $1.3 billion in purchases a year. She was responsible for vendor contract negotiations, and implemented a Supplier On Time Delivery program for several hundred preferred suppliers that made a huge impact on improving the overall operations of the company.
Becky is a native of southeastern Virginia. She and her husband live in Chesapeake with their Norfolk terrier, Rugby. When she is not spending time with one of her 14 nieces and nephews, Becky enjoys being outdoors running, walking, biking, stand up paddle boarding, and boating.
Debbie Clement
Chief Financial Officer
Debbie Clement, CPA, is SOLitude’s chief financial officer with more than 25 years of experience as a financial executive. As CFO, Debbie has oversight of the company’s accounting and finance operations and coordinates the preparation of financial statements, reports, analyses and budgets. She also assists with the integration of companies that have been acquired.
Debbie is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Arkansas State University, holding a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration, Accounting. In addition to her extensive finance and accounting experience, Debbie brings experience in managing various HR functions, including payroll, employee benefits, and retirement plans.
When she is not working, Debbie enjoys spending time with her husband, two daughters and sweet dog, Mako Jo. For years, Debbie was the ultimate softball mom, spending her summers and falls traveling with both daughter’s teams. Now that they are both in college, she will have time to pursue other hobbies.
Debbie believes in giving back to the community that has so enriched her life, and particularly enjoys organizing charitable/giving events for local organizations/charities such as the Arkansas Foodbank and Our House Shelter.
Kevin Tucker
Founder
Kevin Tucker started SOLitude Lake Management in 1998 to focus on the growing need for adequate management of lakes and stormwater retention ponds and the preservation of our natural resources. He is an active member of many leading trade and professional organizations and remains committed to improving the technology, products and services used to deliver value-added and ecologically balanced solutions to the communities and water resources we serve. Kevin and the SOLitude Lake Management staff work with various leading aquatic product manufacturers to perform case studies and field research for many of the new products being introduced to the market. Kevin has been a speaker at many trade and professional shows and conferences, and sits on the Board of multiple trade and professional associations. He is a regularly published author and has been featured in numerous newspapers, businesses and trade publications.
Kevin is a graduate of James Madison University and holds a degree in business management with a concentration in finance. He is a graduate of the Dale Carnegie leadership training course, as well as various industry and technical course curriculums for aquatics, lake management, limnology, environmental science, fisheries management and GPS mapping and bathymetry. Kevin is widely recognized as an expert in the management of lakes, ponds and other freshwater systems, as well as the management of invasive aquatic plants. He is a founding member of the Society of Lake Management Professionals, an organization dedicated to the management and preservation of fresh water resources, and the accreditation of the professionals who serve this industry. Kevin currently serves on the Board for the Center of Entrepreneurship at James Madison University, is a guest lecturer, and has also served as an Entrepreneur in Residence.
Kevin maintains many industry accreditations and is a Certified Aquatics Pesticide Applicator in eight states, a SePRO Steward of Water and Certified Preferred Applicator, Sales and Service certifications from AquaMaster, Vertex, Otterbine, Aqua Control, and Kasco, and is a certified GPS Mapping Network Partner.
Kevin is a member of numerous associations dedicated to the improvement of our industry, our water resources and our clients’ needs, including CAI (Community Associations Institute), NALMS (North American Lake Management Society), APMS (The Aquatic Plant Management Society), AERF (Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation), RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment), WSSA (Weed Science Society of America), GCSAA (Golf Course Superintendents Association of America), various Turfgrass Councils, American Fisheries Society and EO (Entrepreneurs Organization).
Kevin is a father, husband and avid outdoorsman. He is a native of southeastern Virginia, and has spent much of his life on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where he nurtured his passion for the ocean and all that it offers. His love of water and the natural environment is what has fueled his passion for his work and his play. If not in the ocean, you will find Kevin in the mountains, on a river, by a waterfall or on a trail. He enjoys surfing, kayaking, whitewater rafting, mountain biking, hiking, camping, skiing, snowboarding and most every sport.
Kelly Martin
Regional Director of Human Recourses
Kelly Martin, Regional Director of Human Resources, has nearly 26 years of experience developing and driving the talent strategy for high profile organizations. At SOLitude, she is passionate about cultivating experienced and innovative teams that reinforce the company as an industry thought leader. Her commitment to building trust across diverse groups is evident in her rapport with colleagues and dedication to positioning them to achieve long-term success.
Kelly graduated from Assumption College with a liberal arts degree. She went on to serve in a variety of human resources positions – most notably with Staples, SimpliVity, and Brookfield Renewable Energy. She joined the SOLitude team in 2016 and quickly became a knowledgeable asset to the company.
Kelly was born and raised in Massachusetts and is a huge fan of all Boston sports teams. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her two children, Meghan and Matthew, and their three dogs, McKinely, Mookie and Sadie.
Frank Gomez
Director of Sales
Frank Gomez is the Director of Sales for SOLitude. He is responsible for driving growth in SOLitude’s footprint with a focus on organic growth and increased market share. Frank has more than 20 years of prior experience leading sales teams to both personal and professional growth while working for companies like Cintas, AmeriPride, most recently, 7 years in the Rentokil Pest Division, where he helped lead the West field sales team to consistent year over year growth and multiple President’s Club winners throughout the years.
Originally from Los Angeles, Frank graduated from Long Beach State University with a Business Degree in Marketing. He is a very active professional serving as a mentor and motivational speaker to many of Southern California’s UC/CSU campuses. He also stays active competing in local Crossfit events.
Frank spends the majority of his free time with his family. Frank has been married to his college sweetheart for 24 years and has 3 beautiful teenage daughters. His youngest steals every minute she can as she loves playing golf with her dad.
