Dr. Bradley O’Mara passed away September 26, 2026 at Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake at sixty-nine years of age. Brad was born October 26, 1956, in Lincoln, Nebraska, to Vaden and Joan (Bettenhausen) O’Mara.
He devoted much of his professional life to engineering, research, entrepreneurship and the advancement of solar energy technology. After earning his bachelor’s degree in electronic engineering from the Oregon Institute of Technology in 1981, Brad began his career in semiconductor research and development in Silicon Valley. His early work in electronics and power conversion ultimately led to a career spanning more than three decades in the photovoltaic and renewable energy industry.
Brad was a pioneer in the development of electronic systems that helped make solar power more practical and efficient. Throughout his career, he worked as a designer, researcher, inventor, consultant and business leader, developing numerous solar-powered products and technologies used in residential, commercial and utility applications. His work included research for the U.S. Department of Energy, the development of solar lighting and power-conversion systems, and involvement in photovoltaic projects and products used throughout the United States and internationally. His innovations contributed to the growing acceptance of solar energy as a reliable source of electrical power.
Education and continued learning were important throughout Brad’s life. He earned a Ph.D. in Electronic Engineering in 2001 from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, where his doctoral research focused on photovoltaic science and engineering. He later continued his work in solar energy development, consulting and investment through Maxim Sun Energy, the company he founded in Spirit Lake.
Brad made his home in the Spirit Lake/Okoboji area with his family, while continuing to pursue the work that had become a lifelong passion. His contributions to the development of solar energy technology reached far beyond northwest Iowa.
Brad is survived by his wife, Inna O’Mara of Spirit Lake; sons, Maximilian (Maxim) and Stanislav (Stanley); brother, Douglas O’Mara of South Dakota; and his friends especially his life-long friends, the Naviaux family (Bill, Carol, Tom, Johnny and Jim). He was preceded in death by his grandparents and parents.
There will not be any formal services at this time.
Arrangements were under the care of Turner Jenness Funeral Home.
