Former Open Mountain Energy CTO John Casteel and former Baseload Capital investment lead Jonathan Verlander join a team of PhD geoscientists, licensed geologists, and drilling and policy experts.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Nov. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ --Hexagon Energy, a renewable energy developer working across geothermal, solar, and BESS, today announced the appointment of two senior leaders to guide the next phase of its geothermal development and growth. John Casteel joins as Vice President of Geothermal Resource, and Jonathan Verlander joins as Vice President, Investment & Capital Markets. Together, the appointments bring deep subsurface expertise and geothermal investment experience to one of the most technically accomplished teams among independent geothermal developers.
Casteel brings nearly 20 years of geothermal exploration and development experience across five western states, most recently at Open Mountain Energy, serving in roles as Resource Development Manager and Chief Technology Officer, where he led geoscience and resource development projects, drilling, and worked closely with engineering, construction, and operations teams in active and developing geothermal fields. Rising from geologist and mudlogger to senior project geologist, he has experience building 3D well-field and geologic models, leading advanced seismic analyses, developing successful well-targeting strategies, and navigating federal and state permitting processes. At Hexagon, he will lead resource assessment and planning across the geothermal portfolio.
"I am very excited to become a member of the impressive and growing Hexagon Energy team, and, for one, I am looking forward to the challenging but rewarding work of sleuthing new geothermal energy projects out of the ground all across the Western US," says Casteel.
Verlander joins Hexagon as Vice President, Investment & Capital Markets from Baseload Capital, where he served as Head of Investment Evaluation. Earlier in his career, he was an investment banker serving clients in the US and EMEA, where he structured several first-of-a-kind financing facilities for development projects. With a PhD in Geology from Oxford and experience spanning geoscience, oil and gas, and energy finance, Verlander brings a rare combination of subsurface and capital markets expertise. At Hexagon, he will support investment strategy and geothermal project finance.
"For geothermal to fulfill its potential, it needs developers who have built projects at scale before. Hexagon has spent a decade taking utility-scale projects from early development to financial close, and we are now bringing that experience to a significant geothermal portfolio, backed by a highly talented geothermal team. It's a very exciting time to be joining the organization," says Verlander.
Casteel and Verlander are the latest additions to a growing geothermal team whose experiences span the full geothermal development lifecycle, having built their careers prior to joining Hexagon at leading geothermal developers, service companies, and research institutions. Other recent hires include:
Owen Callahan, PhD, LG, Senior Geoscientist, has more than 17 years of experience in geothermal research and exploration, including roles in DOE-funded EGS projects at The Geysers and Newberry volcano.
Reece Carpenter, Geothermal Project Developer, focuses on community engagement and local permitting in the PNW, with prior experience at the Department of Energy.
Jaime Johnson, PG, ASP, Senior Project Manager, brings more than 15 years of energy infrastructure project management from Urban Grid and FirstEnergy.
Cary Lindsey, PhD, Geothermal Development Manager, has more than 15 years in geothermal, is a USGS Mendenhall Scholar, and led the National Geothermal Academy at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Hannah Pauling, Project Geologist, focuses on geothermal resource evaluation and play fairway analysis, and previously worked at NLR.
Kerry Rohrmeier, PhD, AICP, Director of Policy, leads geothermal policy and government affairs, and previously worked at Ormat Technologies.
Carmen Winn, PhD, Project Geologist, specializes in geothermal exploration and enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) modeling, with prior experience at Geologica Geothermal and Sandia National Laboratories.
"I'm incredibly proud of the geothermal team we've built," said Drew Price, Co-founder, President, and Chief Development Officer at Hexagon Energy. "They bring deep expertise that makes us smarter and more capable, but just as importantly, they're committed to developing projects the right way, with honesty, transparency, and genuine care for the communities where we work. Our team now covers the full geothermal development lifecycle, positioning us to turn a deep portfolio into projects ready to build. We're thrilled and humbled that these talented individuals chose to join us."
These hires join Hexagon's established development, engineering, GIS, and commercial teams that have successfully developed power projects across the United States since 2015.
Media Contact
Emily Pendergraft, Hexagon Energy, 1 4342078374, [email protected], https://hexagon-energy.com/
SOURCE Hexagon Energy
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