Marrone has more than 15 years experience representing private and public companies, including several Fortune 100 companies in various capacities. Marrone concentrates his practice on solar development, structured finance, land use, and providing general counsel to small and midsized businesses. His broad legal experience and entrepreneurial background enable him to bring a fresh approach to representing companies, offering businesses a new way of working together toward goals.
In the area of solar development and renewable energy, Marrone developed and implemented a business model for the finance, design, build, operation, and maintenance of solar installations on industrial buildings. He provides comprehensive legal counsel to companies for their nationwide commercial, industrial, residential, and farm installations. He has been involved in the contracting, finance, and/or development of more than 120MW of solar installations across the United States.
MidJersey Business: Describe your morning routine, before you arrive at work.
R.M.: My two year old wakes us up at 5:45—yes, 5:45—every morning. I check my emails while I make coffee and fill up my water bottle. I get in a 30-minute workout (I am on the elliptical, my wife the treadmill). Then another quick check of emails and a shower and get dressed. At 6:50 I help my wife finish getting our three daughters dressed. I go downstairs, check email messages yet again, grab the paper, cut fresh fruit for the family. Eat breakfast, check emails (of course), then pack up to leave. I then drop off my oldest at St. Gregory the Great Academy and head into the office.
MJB: Fill in the blank: Most people don’t know that I _______________.
R.M.: Cofounded FunniBonz Barbeque Sauce Company (funnibonz.com). FunniBonz was my third entrepreneurial venture and one I started with my best friend from high school, Jim Barbour, almost seven years ago. People questioned how a BBQ sauce from New Jersey could ever be successful, but we broke down the typical problems the BBQ sauce industry faces in achieving broad appeal and are now carried nationwide. We are the only BBQ sauce that is both in Whole Foods and all natural markets, and in major retail chains like ShopRite, Sam’s Club, and Bed Bath & Beyond.
MJB: How do you wind down at the end of a busy day or week?
R.M.: My biggest stress reliefs are my wife and daughters. No matter how busy I am, the first things I put on my calendar are breakfast and dinner with my family. I have no issue working until all hours of the night, but I always carve out a chunk of time to spend with my wife and kids every evening for dinner unless a work event dictates otherwise.
MJB: Biggest pet peeve?
R.M.: It is a toss-up between tardiness and utter incompetence. We all know the cliché “time is money.” Well, both of the aforementioned are nothing but black holes for our time, which we work so hard to manage in order to have a quality family life.
MJB: What leisure activities occupy your time away from the office?
R.M.: First and foremost is spending time with my family. Otherwise, I love wine and cooking. There is nothing more enjoyable than spending an evening trying good wine with my wife while we cook a new recipe together.
MJB: Stranded on a desert island, name the three items you need to survive.
R.M.: My wife. My kids. Lots of suntan lotion. We’ll figure everything else out together.
MJB: If you could learn any skill, what would it be?
R.M.: Play the piano really well. I took lessons as a child but never really picked it up well enough to be able to just sit down and play. I have great admiration for that type of talent.