Our SOLitude Family

James Brown

James Brown

Field Operations Manager

James Brown is a Field Operations Manager serving Solitude in the St Louis and Nashville areas. He helps oversee the maintenance and installation of floating fountains and submersed diffused aeration systems to help improve water quality and circulate client waterbodies.

James earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Public Safety and Emergency Management from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, AZ, in 20213. He has extensive experience leading small and large teams in various operation environments ranging from emergency operations security, logistics, and customer service.

James has been serving in the military for the last 22 years. He started his military career in the Army serving as a reconnaissance specialist. Since 2002 he has been serving with the Arizona National Guard. Most of the time was spent in a military law enforcement capacity, with an emphasis on Force Protection. Most recently he has been serving as an Operations Manager for a Civil Engineer Unit. His job there involved the maintenance, restoration, and sustainment of National Guard Facilities. James has deployed to the middle east four separate times in support of military operations.

Raised in Phoenix, Arizona James spent all his time outdoors playing soccer, baseball, football. He taught martial arts in the Phoenix area for over 15 years. James recently earned his 4th degree black belt in Taekwondo. James and his wife, Lydia are raising their 4 kids, two boys and two girls.

Doug Wells

Operations Manager, Aquatic Specialist

Doug Wells is an Operations Manager and Aquatic Specialist serving Illinois. Doug has over a decade of experience in the aquatics industry and has managed hundreds of lakes and stormwater ponds for HOAs and private residences across the Chicagoland area. He holds numerous certifications and has extensive knowledge of sustainable management solutions like aeration, shoreline buffers, and more. He has a passion for providing a solution to our customers and educating them on their waterbody. 

Doug has a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from the University of South Mississippi. He resides in a southwest suburb of Chicago with his wife, three children, and two dogs.

Ashlee Haviland

Project Manager, Aquatic Specialist

Ashlee Haviland is a Project Manager and Aquatic Specialist in Illinois. She has extensive experience in the lake and pond management industry. She enjoys building holistic and effective lake and watershed management plans, as well as water quality monitoring programs that help clients achieve the goals they have for their waterboides.

Ashlee has a Master’s in Environmental Science and previously worked at Indiana Division of Fish and Wildlife. She is a licensed applicator, Certified Lake Manager, and is a member of the Indiana Lake Management Society, North Americal Lake Management Society, Society of Lake Management Professionals, and Women of Aquatics.

Ashlee is married to her husband of 15 years and has three dogs and a cat. In her free time, Ashley enjoys vacations, concerts, working out, and family time.

jennifer-bonzani

Jennifer Bonzani

Business Development Consultant (Southern IL, MO, KS, NE)

Jennifer Bonzani is an Aquatic Specialist and Business Development Consultant who focuses on building relationships with property management companies and private property owners. She has extensive knowledge about the science of lake and pond management and takes pride in working with HOAs and residential groups to beautify their water resources, increase property values, and enhance the overall enjoyment of the community. Jennifer graduated from Lindenwood University with a Bachelor of Science degree and presents regularly to stakeholders and community members.

Chris Broch (IL, WI)

Business Development Consultant

Chris is a Business Development Consultant and Aquatic Specialist in Chicago, IL. Chris works with clients to build custom management plans for their lakes, stormwater ponds, and fisheries. He enjoys helping clients achieve the goals of their waterbody whether that be algal bloom management or aquatic weed control. Chris is passionate about the outdoors and dedicated to promoting eco-friendly and holistic strategies that help enhance aquatic environments while staying within budget.

Prior to joining SOLitude, Chris worked in consultative sales in higher education and the food industry. Chris has a Bachelor of Arts from Carthage College.

Chris lives near two large bodies of water in Illinois and enjoys spending time on the water with his family. Chris is also a long-time member of “The Lumberjacks”, a non for profit environmental Ecology Group in Evanston, IL, where he works on restoring the canal banks that lead into Lake Michigan.

Pete Filpansick

Business Development Consultant (MI)

Pete is the Business Development Consultant for Michigan. He enjoys traveling throughout the state to serve our customers. Pete was first certified as an applicator in 2004 and began completing lake and pond management plans in 2007. He has spent his entire career helping improve the water quality of Michigan waterbodies.

Pete has a B.S. in Biology from the University of Michigan and is currently working toward his M.B.A. from Kettering University.  He also volunteers in many several industry organizations and is the current Secretary of the Midwest Aquatic Plant Management Society.

Amy Kay

Business Development Consultant (MN, WI)

Amy Kay is a Business Development Consultant for Minnesota and Wisconsin. Her area of expertise is working with lake groups, consultants, industry, academia, and government agencies to develop and execute effective lake and pond management plans. She has over 15 years of experience in the aquatic plant management industry. Her involvement includes AIS research and control projects in California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, and Wisconsin. She is the Founder and President of Women of Aquatics, President-Elect of the Midwest Aquatic Plant Management Society, and special representative to the Aquatic Plant Management Society.

Amy resides in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with her 8-year-old rescue dog, Colt, and spends any free time with him and her family that live close by.

Jay Bagley

Business Development Consultant (TN)

Jay Bagley is a Business Development Consultant based out of SOLitude’s Nashville, TN office. He helps ensure the goals of SOLitude’s Midwestern clients are exceeded and serves as a helpful resource for colleagues in the execution of large and high-profile water resource management projects.

Prior to joining SOLitude, Jay worked in the industry with a private firm that served clients in Georgia and South Carolina. Jay has several SePRO and Aquamaster certifications and maintains close relationships with many industry partners valued by SOLitude.

Outside of work, Jay enjoys spending time outdoors and can often be found hunting and fishing.

We Work Together To Offer Exceptional Service

SOLitude was built by the hard work, dedication & passion of aquatic experts in lake management to find solutions for communities and clients.

A Great Experience

SOLitude makes the work seamless. They send monthly notices so you know they have been on site and recommend products or services you may not have considered, but will help reduce maintenance in the long run. Our local SOLitude representative is always quick to respond, very helpful, and stands by their products and services. Overall, working with them is a great experience and recommended highly.

Diane Rehkop

Community Manager, MO

#1 Choice for Lake Management

Great client relations and very professional & knowledgable service teams. #1 choice for lake/pond clean-up, treatment, and removal of invasive species (among other services).

Rachel Peoples

Private Landowner, IL

Fully Met My Needs – Outstanding!

Finding a company in St Louis to service central Illinois residents is quite difficult, but SOLitude fully met my needs to repair my fountain. The service crew was very friendly, efficient, and professional. I would definitely use SOLitude again, and I have already referred a neighbor to them. OUTSTANDING!

Linda Kuehn

Private Landowner, St. Louis, IL

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