If you have read one of our blogs, liked one of our posts on Facebook or Twitter, or scrolled through our photos on Instagram lately, you’ve seen the handiwork of Jon Diefenbach, who handles our social media and marketing. Though he prefers to work behind the scenes, he loves to spread the word about solar and keep our fans informed on the latest happenings in the world of renewable energy.
Jon was born a couple hours away in St. Charles, MO, and grew up in various small towns throughout the state. He found his way to Carbondale in 2009 purely by happenstance. His partner was studying at SIU, and after countless long weekend drives down to see her, he eventually decided to pack up and move here.
Though Jon and his partner eventually moved back to St. Charles, where he now works for us remotely, Carbondale still holds a special place in his heart, and probably always will. Despite living in the Midwest all his life, Jon never met anyone quite like the people of Southern Illinois, and he loves their combination of social awareness, progressive thinking, friendliness, and chill. He says it always feels like something important is going on in Carbondale, even though it also feels wonderfully remote.
Jon’s favorite thing about working in solar is that he gets to wake up every morning and do something that he knows helps to make the world a better place in some small way. “If I can I turn on even just one new person to renewable energy and green living, my day is worth it,” he says. Working at AES Solar in particular is a blast for Jon. He loves the flexibility of being able to work from home (and save on gas!) while still making a difference, and is thankful for his kind coworkers every day.
In his free time, Jon is an avid tabletop gamer, and enjoys running and playing in the many Dungeons and Dragons campaigns he is currently involved in. He also enjoys painting miniature figurines and constantly learning more about the mechanics and lore of the game. Aside from gaming, Jon is a dedicated bookworm, cinephile, and trivia buff, and strives to learn something new every day.