Meet the
GENISYS Team
Jerry Handsaker President/CEO
Jerry founded Innovative Lighting over 25 years ago. He now holds over 25 patents and counting in the area of LED lighting. He is responsible for amassing a creative team from multiple disciplines to advance the
interconnectability of lighting with other building controls and smart home devices. Him & his wife Janet enjoy traveling together and soaking up warm Arizona sunshine whenever possible.
Harry Aller Chief Technology Officer
Already an accomplished entrepreneur, Harry joined the Innovative Lighting team as the owner of several Iowa-based technology companies. An integration master, Harry now pushes GENISYS beyond the boundaries of existing lighting systems toward groundbreaking objectives. His office is a popular place, always full of new technologies, gadgets, and delightful candies.
Harry is also an audiophile (with good musical taste, mercifully) who enjoys all manner of technology outside of lighting and will, one day, unify them all. When not peering into the innards of gadgets or the programming of software, Harry likes spending time with his family, playing the drums, building things, and automating as many things as possible in his home to drive his wife crazy.
Wendell Strong GENISYS PoE Lighting Manager
Wendell is a three decade veteran of the Commercial Lighting Industry and serves as the GENISYS PoE Lighting Manager for Innovative Lighting, an Iowa based LED fixture manufacturer of over 20 years. He has served as President and Executive Board member of the National Association of Independent Lighting Distributors and helped create Lighting Specialist training programs used by both Manufacturers and Distributors alike.
Wendell has been recognized as an expert witness in lighting by the Arizona Superior Court and is a former Certified Lighting Efficiency Professional and Member of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America. Wendell is currently serving as a Board Member of IAEE, the Iowa Association of Energy Efficiency.
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David Andersen Director of Engineering
Mr. Andersen has been with Innovative Lighting for seven years overseeing the Engineering Department and coordinating the work on multiple light fixture projects involving mechanical, electrical, and optical design aspects. David’s mastery of electronic devices, especially lighting, knows no bounds and the GENISYS team is fortunate to have him at the helm of Engineering.
David has both his B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Iowa State University and enjoys life in central Iowa with his wife and two children. The diversity of culture that ISU offers provides adventure for David in the form of new foods, people, and customs. When he needs more exploration, though, David enjoys traveling throughout the world.
Eric Arnold Electrical Engineer
A human Swiss Army knife, Eric is often called upon to handle engineering tasks throughout the Innovative Lighting product line. Officially, he’s an electrical engineer, hard at work designing the parts and pieces of the GENISYS system with the GENISYS team.
Eric is a native Iowan and is an Iowa State University alumnus. When he isn’t rooting on the Cyclones, Eric enjoys riding his motorcycle, going camping, and hanging out with his family.
Michele Iris Marketing Specialist
Michele creates all the "artsy fartsy" bells & whistles for GENISYS. Everything from photos, graphics, & videos, to branding and strategy. It's almost as if she is a specialist at marketing or something (or so she says).
Michele enjoys spending time riding bike, kayaking, and searching for the best ranch dressing on planet earth. When she's not obsessing over Aaron Rodgers & the Green Bay Packers, she also enjoys spending time with family, friends, and Netflixin' it up with Dwight Schrute.
Jason Manley Project Manager
Jason has been with Innovative Lighting for 5 years and also holds the position of Regional Sales Manager for Innovative Lighting's AC Lighting Division. When GENISYS was introduced, though, Jason's passion for new technology (the guy has a new phone every 3 months) kept him close to the product and was eventually brought on as the Project Manager. Jason's knowledge of lighting, lighting software, and overseeing of lighting installations make him an invaluable member of the Innovative and GENISYS teams.
When outside of the office, Jason can be found working on or dreaming about any number of Honda products, including but not limited to his project Acura, Africa Twin motorcycle, Honda Hawk motorcycle, and any other motorcycle he bought that week.
Rodney Barto Software Engineer
Rodney started with Innovative Lighting as an intern and quickly won over the staff with his software skillset and small-town Iowa charm. A problem solver who always insists that "anything is possible", Rodney's work on GENISYS Software has been outsanding.
Chicken nugget enthusiast, Bieber Believer, and unexpected gearhead all define Rodney when he is not working on PoE lighting software. Rodney has remodeled a 2001 Dodge Ram and loves to spend time driving or working on his 1973 Plymouth Duster.