Victor Ott, owner and founder of Cryogel Ice Ball Thermal Storage, started the San Diego based company in 1989.
   Ott is a co-inventor on a patent for the chiller system that is based on gas hydrate technology. "The idea for Cryogel came out of a need for a less complex approach to thermal energy storage," he said.
   The  Cryogel  process  uses  4-inch diameter ice balls for chillers. The plastic balls are filled with water and placed into storage tanks.   They freeze at night, shifting cooling loads from daytime peak hours to nighttime. That shift in energy reduces peak demand and electricity bills.
   The balls’ cool energy is released the next day for air conditioning.  In the past 12 years, Cryogel has shipped more than 18 million ice balls for chiller systems around the world.

BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY  
  Essential business philosophy:  Tenacity and integrity. Advocate of small business and entrepreneurial effort. Keep it simple and give customers a little more than what they expect.
  Best way to keep a competitive edge: Our competitive edge is based on technological superiority with a strong emphasis on the KISS principal (Keep it simple, stupid). Our main advantage is the simplicity and flexibility of our concepts and applications.
  Yardstick of success:  Of course, one must maintain financial stability but my view of real success is respect in the industry and respect from competitors.
  Business goal yet to be achieved:  Con-vincing the California Energy Commission and California Public Utilities Commission that thermal energy storage and electrical peak load shifting is a superior approach to California’s energy problems, as compared to building more power plants with their environmental costs and reliance on imported fossil fuel. Manufacturing in China and India, where the foregoing is assumed to be obvious.
Personal goals yet to be achieved: Ability to act in a more philanthropic manner toward the homeless.

JUDGMENT CALLS
  Best career decision:   MBA School.
  Worst business decision:  Becoming          involved with a penny stock company.
  Mentor:  Dr. Gustav Arrhenius, a professor at UC San Diego.
  Word that describes you: Pragmatic optimist.

TRUE CONFESSIONS
  Number of hours a week that you work:  50
  What you like best about your job: Independence.
  What you like least about your job: Dealing with bureaucracy — state and federal.
  Pet peeves: Failure of politicians to enact tort reform. Failure of local country radio stations to support local artists by playing  their material on air. Frivolous civil litigation in the construction industry.
  Most important lesson learned: What goes up must come down — don’t be arrogant about success.
  Person most interested in meeting: The president of Sony Records.
  Most respected competitor:
Calmac Manufacturing, Englewood, N.J.
  Three greatest passions: Music, music, music.

PREDILECTIONS
  Favorite cause: Calico Ridge — a country dance band; environmental protection; and reduction of dependence on foreign energy imports.
  Favorite status symbol: Worn-out cowboy boots.
  Favorite movie: "Brazil."
  Favorite restaurant: Home Town Buffet.
  Favorite place for business meetings: My office or conference room. Traveling to resort/golf meeting places is neither serious nor conducive to business.
  Favorite vacation spot: Haven’t been on vacation in years. I escape every Friday and Saturday night (see below).
  Favorite way to spend time: I am the bass player in a San Diego country dance band named Calico Ridge. We play every weekend at local country clubs, community events, casinos,
 

   Resumé

Melissa Jacobs

Title: President.

Company: Cryogel Ice Ball Thermal Storage

Address: P.O. Box 910525, San Diego

Education: Bachelor’s degree, mechanical engineering, University of Nevada, Reno; MBA, University of Santa Clara.

Family: Wife, Charlene, or "Charly."

Residence: San Diego.

Affiliations:  Licensed Engineer, California

 
private parties, etc.   My wife, Charly, is the lead singer and songwriter. Her first album "Hearts Desire" was recently released and is now getting radio airplay on 36 stations in 19 states (but not yet in San Diego). Calico Ridge was recently nominated as the No. 1  country band in San Diego and has won numerous awards over the years.
  Favorite place to go in San Diego: Cabrillo National Monument.