Southern Illinois is known to its residents as a community of transplants, and AES Solar is happy that our incoming COO Jason Shoot has been, like so many others, beguiled to stay by our beautiful region and the people he has met here.

Originally from the small mid-state town of Mt. Zion, Jason transferred to SIU in 1995, where he met his wife Sarah. Soon after, the couple put down roots, starting a family and buying a local farm. “We have a beautiful home on beautiful land surrounded by a lot more beautiful land. There are amazing places to go when I want to be with family and friends, or when I want to be alone, and it’s centrally located when we all want to get away,” says Jason. He also appreciates getting to be near old friends from college, and new ones he has made since then.

Jason’s family, farm, and friends still bring him a lot of joy. In his free time he enjoys working his farm, traveling with Sarah and daughters Dagan and Talia, and indulging in the legendary hiking and mushroom hunting in the area. When he’s not appreciating the outdoors, Jason loves listing to Cubs games, music, and podcasts about news, as well as binging a good TV series. He also enjoys going to art shows and second-hand shops with his wife, and enjoying good food and beer. His zest for life comes down to a daily, conscious effort to “appreciate the past, enjoy the present, and look forward to the future.”

Jason was offered the position of COO at AES Solar shortly after the new year, and while he is still transitioning into the position, he has already found much to love. He takes pleasure in how comfortable he feels when he is here, thanks in no small part to his great boss and co-workers. He relishes the challenge of working for a company that is rapidly growing in an industry that it booming, and finds that it helps him face his fears and apprehension about who he is and what really makes him happy, “Being committed to an evolving technology which can positively impact our region and the world.”