First Solar Appoints Raffi Garabedian CTO

First Solar, Inc. announced the retirement of Dave Eaglesham, chief technology officer, and the appointment of Raffi Garabedian as his successor. Garabedian joined First Solar in 2008 as director of disruptive technologies, and was promoted to vice president of advanced technologies in 2010, overseeing the company’s advanced research and development (R&D) operations in Santa Clara, CA.

Eaglesham joined First Solar in 2006, and during his six years as First Solar’s top technologist, the company’s R&D group has achieved multiple world records for cadmium-telluride (CdTe) cell and module efficiency.

“We thank Dave for his tremendous contribution to our success and his unwavering commitment to our mission, and we wish him the very best,” said Mike Ahearn, First Solar’s chairman. “Raffi is an experienced technology leader with a proven track record in our R&D organization, and we are confident in his ability to execute and extend our technology roadmap going forward.”

“I am very proud of what we have achieved, not only in the lab, but on production lines and in solar power plants around the world,” said Eaglesham. “Raffi has been an integral part of our success, and I am very confident in his ability to lead our R&D program and to carry on our tradition of innovation.”

Garabedian earned a BSEE degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic University, and an MSEE degree from the University of California at Davis. Prior to joining First Solar, he was founder and CEO of Touchdown Technologies, a semiconductor test equipment company. Prior to that, Garabedian worked in the semiconductor and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) industries for over 15 years, developing new products ranging from automotive sensors to telecommunications switching systems, and holds more than 20 issued patents in these fields.

First Solar utilizes a continuous manufacturing process which transforms a sheet of glass into a complete solar module in less than 2.5 hours.