Speaker Bios – 2017 Energy Summit

Cheri Holman is the Executive Director of the USGBC West Michigan Chapter, Director of the Grand Rapids 2030 District and the Michigan Battle of the Buildings.

Cheri is a LEED Accredited Professional with extensive experience and a genuine passion for energy & water conservation. Other areas of interest include indoor environmental quality, clean/renewable energy, access to healthy food and all things related to educating and promoting a healthy built environment.

Prior to her work in non-profit Cheri spent most of her career consulting & partnering with private sector corporations to reduce resource consumption within their facilities through the implementation of energy conservation technologies and improved operational practices.

Mrs. Holman is Past Chair of USGBC West Michigan Board of Directors after serving as Treasurer for 2 years. In early 2008 Cheri founded the LEED for Existing Building Advocacy Group. She served as a subject matter expert for the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) LEED for EB Operations and Maintenance test development in 2008 and the Commercial Reviewer exam test development in 2009. In 2010 & 2011 Cheri served as a Greenbuild conference session reviewer.

Mrs. Holman is a partner in Holman Heating & Cooling, a residential HVAC company based in Greenville, MI

Daniel G. Brudzynski is vice president of Gas Sales & Supply for DTE Gas, DTE Energy’s natural gas utility which provides service to 1.2 million homes and businesses in Michigan. DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include an electric utility serving 2.1 million customers in Southeastern Michigan and a natural gas utility serving 1.2 million customers in Michigan. The DTE Energy portfolio includes non-utility energy businesses focused on power and industrial projects, natural gas pipelines, gathering and storage, and energy marketing and trading. As one of Michigan’s leading corporate citizens, DTE Energy is a force for growth and prosperity in the 450 Michigan communities it serves in a variety of ways, including philanthropy, volunteerism and economic progress.

Brudzynski is responsible for the procurement and delivery of natural gas to DTE Energy’s supply customers, and the associated nomination, measurement and control functions. He also is charged with leading the sales and marketing efforts in delivering gas and related services to all customers, from residential through large industrial, including the sale of wholesale storage and transportation services to large non-franchise customers. This also includes responsibility for the CNG vehicle program and the company’s Appliance/HVAC warranty programs.

Brudzynski joined the company in 1997 as assistant controller and has served in multiple capacities. He served in a Vice President role as Corporate Controller, Treasurer and head of DTE’s Regulatory Affairs. Prior to joining the company, Brudzynski worked for Chrysler Corporation’s Controller’s Office in a variety of financial-related positions. He also worked in the commercial lending division of First of America Bank as a commercial credit analyst.

Brudzynski earned a bachelor of science degree in finance and accounting from Wayne State University and a master of business administration degree from the University of Detroit. He serves on the board of directors of Focus:HOPE.

Brett Moss is Training Director at the Net Zero Plus Electrical Training Institute in greater Los Angeles. In this role, Brett oversees the advanced electrical training for program for more than 4,000 electrical workers and journeyman each year. He is a California Certified General Electrician and credentialed California teacher for nearly three decades. Brett has also developed electrical workforce training curriculum for the Electrical Training Alliance and the National Join Apprenticeship and Training Committee.

Under Brett’s direction of the NZP ETI, apprentices and journeymen are trained to become energy solutions providers who are prepared to meet the growing demands of the building industry as it evolves toward demand for smart buildings, increased renewable energy technologies, distributed generation and energy districts.

Additionally, Brett oversees the Net Zero Plus Electrical Training Institute facility. Brett has played an integral role in the planning and financing processes for the Net Zero retrofit of the NZP ETI, one of the largest net zero commercial retrofits in North America. Brett’s building was recently featured in the PBS documentary Building Below Zero.

Ted Ykimoff is the Director of Energy Efficiency at Consumers Energy.  The company serves 1.8 million electric customers and 1.7 million natural gas customers.

Ted’s tenure at Consumers Energy spans 25 years, where he started his professional career as a Gas Conservation program manager.  Nearly 80 percent of Ted’s time at Consumers Energy was invested bringing value-added products and services to residential and business customers, including energy efficiency.  In Ted’s current role, he leads evaluation, measurement, verification, marketing, planning, design and implementation of the company’s energy waste reduction portfolio that includes 13 residential, three business and several pilot programs.  Ted holds a BA in business administration from Michigan State University.

Ted is passionate about helping others. He has volunteered more than 20 years with the United Way of Jackson and in 2017, received recognition as the United Way Volunteer of the Year for Jackson County.  Ted’s hobbies include fishing, gardening and reminding his children of valuable energy efficiency insights such as turning off lights in rooms that are not in use.

Valerie Brader is the Executive Director of the Michigan Agency for Energy. Her service with the administration began in 2011 and prior to this role, she served as Deputy Legal Counsel and Senior Policy Advisor to Governor Snyder, including work on the City of Detroit bankruptcy case. Before her service in state government she was a member (partner) at Bodman PLC, practicing primarily environmental and corporate law (with a specialization in assisting new or expanding businesses, from incorporation to securing permits and tax credits). A Rhodes Scholar and published author in both the legal and scientific presses, Brader previously worked as the career law clerk for the Hon. John Feikens of the Eastern District of Michigan, as an environmental consultant to the EPA and Department of Defense, and for Gov. Phil Batt (R-Idaho) on environmental and natural resource issues. Brader, who was the youngest person in the country to be selected to assist a federal court under the “Special Master” rule, was selected by Crain’s Detroit Business as one of the “40 under 40” in Metro Detroit, by Michigan Lawyer’s Weekly as a “rising star,” and by the Joyce Ivy Foundation as its Leader of the Year.

Brader received her AB magna cum laude in government from Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges, has two masters degrees from the University of Oxford (an MSc in Environmental Change and Management and an MSt in Historical Studies), and a J.D. magna cum laude from Georgetown Law Center. Brader was the past winner of the Harvard College Women’s Leadership Award and was first-runner up in the Pacific Legal Foundation’s national writing competition. Brader served as an officer of the Women’s Caring Program, Harvard Club of Eastern Michigan and Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Mary Templeton is a senior consultant with Public Sector Consultants (PSC) and the executive director of Michigan Saves, a multimillion dollar nonprofit organization managed by PSC that provides financing solutions for energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements. In this capacity, she designs financing programs; oversees organizational governance issues, operations, fundraising, marketing, human resource, technology, and programmatic strategies; and is responsible for the fiscal management of the organization.

John Adams has worked for the DTE Energy Efficiency Program for Business for the past three years.  He currently works as an Energy Advisor with the commercial and industrial customers and contractors to help assist them in receiving rebates and incentives for energy upgrades that they have done at their facilities.

John attended 2 years at Northern Michigan University before he transferred to the Port Huron complete schooling in 2007.  He achieved Suma Cum Laude while receiving his degree in Alternative Energy and Renewable Resources.

Once out of college he per cured a position working with a government grant program installing and designing Alternative energy systems for Oakland and Livingston counties.  He was a project manager for that program until the grant was closed in 2013.

Mike graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Engineering from Calvin College in 2012. While at Calvin, Mike fulfilled a leadership role in Calvin’s green revolving fund, CERF as well as other sustainability related organizations. After graduation, Mike began working as an energy engineer for Midwest Energy Group. In 2015 he received the Certified Energy Manager (CEM) designation from the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) and in 2016 he received the Certified Procurement Professional (CEP) from AEE. Mike has a passion for energy efficiency solutions and tracking energy usage.

Eddie T.L. Tadlock, Assistant General Manager of DeVos Place/DeVos Performance Hall/ Van Andel Arena (SMG), is an entrepreneurial executive with years of comprehensive facility management experience in operating stadiums, arenas, theaters, and convention facilities.

Eddie is the curator in residence for Artprize at DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena. In addition he coordinates Art Exhibitions throughout the year at DeVos Place, partnering with Kendal College of Art and Design, Michigan State University, Grand Valley State University and the Bonifas Art Center.

He currently serves on several boards to include the Grand Rapids Art Museum, Friends of Grand Rapids Parks, Diversity in Arts and Music Festival, Community Sustainability Partnership, 2030 District, Boy Scouts of America, President Ford Council,  West Michigan Jazz Society and the City of Grand Rapids As Hoc Art Advisory Board. He is a self-described jazz junky, orchid-lover, art collector, Kulture Vulture blogger, Marine, Certified Tourism Ambassador and bibliophile.

Al is the Global Energy Manager for General Motors Company –focusing on energy and utility budgets, metrics, benchmarking, efficiency projects, water and carbon reporting. He has worked at GM for over 35 years, including 5 years in Europe and Asia, 10 years with Saturn Corporation in Spring Hill, TN, and previously worked for a manufacturer of air pollution control equipment in R&D. Al is a registered Professional Engineer and Certified Energy Manager. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from Oakland University – Rochester, MI and a Master’s of Science degree in Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and recently became a GM Technical Fellow. He coauthored a book titled “Analytics for Smart Energy Management” http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319327280

After graduating from Ferris State University Allen began his facility career with Old Kent Bank.  Working in various positions within the Property Management Department,  Allen was involved in mergers and acquisitions as Old Kent Bank expanded to Indiana, Chicago, and Northern Michigan.   His responsibilities included the construction and facility oversight of over 400 facilities and 4,000,000 sq. ft. of office, retail, and data centers.

In 2001 Old Kent Bank merged with Fifth Third Bank and Allen accepted the position of Vice President, Regional Facility Manager for Michigan.

Allen is a Certified Facility Manager and LEED Green Associate.  In 2015 Allen led the Fifth Third 200 Monroe location to a 2^nd place title in the Michigan Battle of the Buildings.

DeVon Miller is the Building Commissioning Administrator at Western Michigan University.  DeVon is new to Facilities Management but has over 15 years of experience in project management including energy conservation, building automation systems, building commissioning and is a Commissioning Process Management Professional and LEED Accredited Professional with ASHRAE and Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) respectively.  He holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University.

David Shaw graduated from Bucknell University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.  His 35-year career in Facilities Engineering has included mechanical systems design, troubleshooting, operations supervision, energy management, and engineering investigations.  David is currently the Energy Manger for the University of Michigan Medical School buildings.  He is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Michigan and an Association of Energy Engineers Certified Energy Manager.

Terry Pahl has served as the Energy Department Manager for Grand Valley State University since 1999 and has over 35 years of mechanical engineering experience.  His GVSU responsibilities include formulating utility budgets, estimates, and projections, along with monitoring approximately 450 utility accounts and the generation of utility usage data. He has coordinated the purchase and the efficient usage of utilities that approach $7.5 M+ yearly. He has directed the implementation of energy savings projects and procedures that provide a full range of savings for the University. Prior to coming to GVSU Mr. Pahl worked for a multi-discipline engineering consulting firm for 14 years.

Terry received a B.S in Education at Western Michigan University in 1978 and a B.S in Engineering – Mechanical Concentration at Calvin College in1994. He is a Michigan Registered Professional Engineer, a Certified Energy Manager and LEED AP certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. He is a member of MSPE, ASHRAE, AEE, WMUSGBC.

Mr. Pahl assisted the university in attaining its first LEED Gold certified building and the first ever Energy Star Award for a university dorm in Michigan. In 2016 Terry was named Energy Engineer of the Year, Region III, by the Association of Energy Engineers in 2016.

Dan has been the Director of Engineering for JW Marriott since 2013 and the Assistant Director for Amway Hotel Corporation since 2015.  Prior to that, Dan worked as a Project Supervisor for Pioneer Construction for 13 years.  Dan studied Journeyman Tool & Die maker & Journeyman Machine Tool Builder while attending Grand Rapids Community College.  He later went on to study Construction Quality Management with Army Corps of Engineers. He has experience in construction management, contract management, value engineering and strategic planning

Sara Damm has been the Sustainability Coordinator in the Department of Public Works for the County of Muskegon for 4 years. In this position, she focuses on recycling expansion and education, community beautification, parks and recreation, energy conservation, renewable energy development, and grant management. Sara chairs the Muskegon County Environmental Coordinating Council, is on the Leadership Committee for the Muskegon Area Sustainability Coalition, member of the Waste Task Force of the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum, member of the Michigan Recycling Coalition, and she is staff to the Friends of the Muskegon County Parks Advisory Committee and the Solid Waste Planning Committee.

Prior to working at the County of Muskegon, Sara was the Project Manager at Grand Valley State University’s (GVSU) Annis Water Resources Institute (AWRI) in Muskegon where she spent her days sampling stormwater and measuring its impacts on an urbanized watershed.

Sara was also the co-author of a research project that studied the impacts of a potential offshore wind farm in the West Michigan region, which was published in Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 2015.

Sara was born and raised in Muskegon, traveled after high school, and came back to Muskegon to finish college at GVSU where she earned her Bachelors of Science in Natural Resources Management. Her goal has always been to help Muskegon become a place for future generations to ENJOY and to be PROUD to call home.

Doug Selby is a building science expert and CEO of Meadowlark Design+Build, a nationally known green design/build construction company. A graduate of Michigan State University’s Chemistry Department, Doug worked as a pharmaceutical chemist and cancer researcher before leaving the laboratory to become a builder, eventually co-founding Meadowlark in 2004.

Today the company employs 45 people – architects, designers, craftsmen, carpenters and support staff. Focusing on sustainable building practices and cutting edge technology, Meadowlark strives for the apex of sustainability – buildings that make more energy than they use, return water cleaner than it came to the building, and have a positive environmental impact on the surrounding land and community.