Team Q&A: Reuben Macapinlac – Senior Client Success Manager

From his love of nature to his sustainability efforts connecting utilities with the demand flexibility solutions they need to enhance their behind-the-meter DER strategies to meet rising demand & lower operational costs, join us in welcoming our new Senior Client Success Manager, Reuben Macapinlac, to the Virtual Peaker team!

How did your previous life prepare you for Virtual Peaker?

Before joining Virtual Peaker, I spent a couple of years as a Lead Customer Success Manager at Energy Exemplar, an enterprise SaaS company that provides energy modeling, simulation, and forecasting tools. I partnered with several ISO clients across North America and large investor-owned utilities on both coasts, managing their onboarding, training, customer satisfaction, and product expansion for complex, enterprise-scale accounts. That experience gave me deep exposure to grid operations, regulatory dynamics, and the strategic pressures utilities face.

I also stepped into leadership responsibilities as the interim Head of the Customer Success team in North America, where I learned how critical cross-functional alignment and trust are, especially when navigating escalations or complex implementations.

Prior to that, I spent nearly six years at Hawaiian Electric as a Key Account Manager supporting large commercial and industrial customers. I worked as a liaison between our internal team and our largest retail and hotel industry customers on demand-side management and demand response programs, giving me firsthand utility experience that naturally aligns with the DER and flexibility work we do at Virtual Peaker.

Tell us about your role at Virtual Peaker.

I joined Virtual Peaker in late January as a Senior Client Success Manager within the Customer Solutions team. My focus is partnering closely with our clients to ensure our platform delivers measurable outcomes, whether that’s improving peak load management, increasing demand response participation, or strengthening overall grid resilience.

A big priority for me is long-term retention and thoughtful product expansion. That means not just supporting customers reactively, but proactively identifying opportunities where our platform can drive additional value over time.

I also work cross-functionally with product, engineering, and implementation teams to ensure high satisfaction with our customers. Clear alignment internally is critical to delivering a seamless experience externally. My goal is simple: make the customer journey smooth, strategic, and impactful while building trusted partnerships that last.

How do you personally engage in sustainability efforts?

In regards to sustainability, I am always mindful of how and when I use electricity at home, especially during peak demand periods. Simple habits like adjusting thermostat settings or shifting laundry and cooking to daytime hours since I work from home have been small but intentional choices for me.

I’ve also driven a hybrid vehicle for over ten years and previously owned a Nissan Leaf (EV) before that. My next car, you guessed it, will be an EV as well once I install a charger at home.

When I lived in Hawaii, I volunteered with local preservation groups such as the Friends of Hanauma Bay, helping educate visitors on responsible practices at beaches and hiking trails. Since I love outdoor activities, whether hiking or snowboarding, this reinforces why conservation matters to me. I’m hoping to get involved with a similar organization here in Los Angeles in the near future.

What can you tell us about yourself?

I grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii and have spent about 25 years in total living in the islands. Somewhere between those years, I also lived in the Bay Area for a decade. More recently, I have been living in west LA since 2023 and am really enjoying my time here.

Growing up in Hawaii naturally wired me to love the outdoors, specifically hiking, beach activities, and just being near the ocean in general even if my current lack of a tan might suggest otherwise. I even enjoy snowboarding (odd for a Hawaii kid) and I try to hit up the slopes at least once a season. I also love traveling internationally (up to about 25 countries so far) and trying new restaurants wherever I go. I’m a self-proclaimed movie buff and will happily watch just about anything, from big blockbusters to indie films. Fitness is another constant in my life, especially HIIT workouts that keep me grounded and disciplined.

Lastly, I am naturally very curious in general. I enjoy reading and learning about almost anything: economics, psychology, technology, or random/useless facts that might come in handy at a trivia night.

About The Author

Bill is a serial entrepreneur with a PhD from UC Berkeley in Controls and Artificial Intelligence and 10 years of experience with high performance residential energy management and connected appliances. He was previously at GE as an Advanced Systems Engineer in the Connected Home Software Group, but left that role in May 2014 to pursue entrepreneurship full time.

Bill grew up in Louisville and returned with his family in 2010 after a long stint in the San Francisco Bay Area. He loves Louisville and is working to make it a better and more attractive city for high tech startups.

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