SPEAKER BIO'S
GENERAL SESSION SPEAKER
Charles Evans
Economic & Financial Expert, Former President & CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Charles L. Evans is a 31-year veteran of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. As an advisor and policymaker attending FOMC meetings since 1995, his policy experiences span a broad set of episodes unique in post-war economic history. He became President and CEO in September 2007 and served for 15 years. During this time, Charlie was recognized as a significant strategic thought leader on the Federal Open Market Committee. His continued advocacy for transparent communications and forward guidance facilitated the Committee’s adoption of the Evans rule in December 2012, more explicit Committee projections for future policy rates, and enhancements to the long-run strategy of the Committee for making monetary policy.
Evans is an accomplished economic researcher, with publications in top-ranked peer-reviewed journals. His empirical research has focused on measuring the effects of monetary policy on U.S. economic activity, inflation and financial market prices. His contributions on dynamic modeling are widely cited and have been incorporated in central bank models around the world to assess policy effectiveness.
As a long-time Federal Reserve executive, he chaired Federal Reserve System committees that oversaw strategic assessments of Federal Reserve Bank operations during the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as investment activities to fund both defined benefit and defined contribution retirement plans for over 20,000 employees.
Evans has taught at the University of Chicago, the University of Michigan, and the University of South Carolina. He received a bachelor's degree with high honors in economics from the University of Virginia and a doctorate in economics from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
GENERAL SESSION MODERATOR
Nelda J. Connors
Former Director Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and CEO of Pine Grove Holdings, LLC
Nelda J. Connors is a seasoned private investor entrepreneur and shareholder-minded independent board director. She brings to board service sought-after strategic counsel based on extensive experience in the automotive, supply chain management, and diversified industrial end-markets. Nelda has held senior executive leadership positions with several international companies, including Atkore International as public company CEO, and notably, Tyco International, Eaton Corporation, and Ford Motor Company, where she led each business to profitable growth. She has lived and worked in the U.S., Europe, and Asia-Pacific.
Segueing her successful corporate career, Nelda leveraged her in-depth expertise in finance and business operations to found Pine Grove Holdings LLC in 2011, where she currently serves as chair and CEO. A privately held investment company, Pine Grove acquires and operates small to mid-market businesses in construction equipment, power generation, metals machining/manufacturing, and industrial aftermarket end-markets. Pine Grove has also invested in several fin-tech, logistic-
tech, and real estate ventures as a minority equity holder.
A strategic thinker serving actively on several boards, Nelda is a National Association of Corporate Directors Board Governance and Leadership Fellow. She currently serves on the board of public companies: Otis Worldwide, Baker Hughes Company, Zebra Technologies Corporation, and Boston Scientific Corporation (not seeking reelection). Until September 2023, she will serve as independent advisor to the board of Nissan North America, Inc., particularly, providing governance best practices.
Nelda is a founding member of the all-women-led Queen's Gambit Special Purpose Acquisition Company and was appointed by the Department of Justice as an independent quality panel member for the Takata airbag investigation, which led to the largest automotive recall in U.S. history. Previous roles include Class B director for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago during the global financial crisis and member of several other public company boards and board committees.
SPEAKERS AND BIOS
Paul Anderson
CEO, Rypos Inc.
Paul is the Chief Executive Officer at Rypos, Inc. Paul has more than 25 years in strategic sales, marketing, and general management in the United States, Canada, China, and Europe. He has a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in civil engineering from the University of Toronto and a Master of Business Administration degree with a focus on marketing and finance from York University.
Carsten Baumann
Director Strategic Initiatives, Schneider Electric
In his role as a Solution Architect, he is helping clients with their Industrial IoT and Sustainability initiatives in the Commercial & Industrial and Data Center markets that allow to achieve greater resiliency, achieve sustainability objectives and create economic benefits. Prior, he supported the Consulting and Engineering community by advising on resource-optimized energy management solutions in the data center market. He offers nearly three decades of experience in the data center, broadcast, telecommunications, AV and IT industry. His papers have been published in peer-reviewed journals and he frequently speaks on national and international venues.
Baumann, joined Schneider Electric in early 2012. He is an active member of iMasons and the Green G working group (Next G). Until 2018, he served as Treasurer and President on the board of AFCOM Southern California, was chairman for The Global Society for Asset Management (G-SAM). Baumann recently completed a program at MIT in Smart Manufacturing and holds an electrical engineering degree from the Theodor-Litt-Schule in Giessen, Germany.
Jim Briceno, PE
Electrical Engineer, ASCO (Schneider Electric)
Jim started his career 25 years ago working at the ASCO Power Technologies headquarters located in Florham Park, NJ. His bilingual skills enabled him to travel and provide technical and marketing expertise to international subsidiaries working on emergency power applications. He was promoted to Field Sales Engineer and relocated to South Florida where he and his wife raised his two children. His daughter is a third-year student at the University of Florida studying public relations. His son recently graduated from the University of Florida and is now a software engineer at a large technology company in Silicon Valley. As a Senior Field Sales Engineer he provided emergency power distribution expertise to generator dealers, electrical distributors and consulting engineering firms establishing a significant installed base with major projects at airports, healthcare facilities, data centers, and high-rise buildings. In his latest role as Executive Sales Consulting Engineer Specialist, he covers major consulting engineering firms in the State of Florida providing Sustainable and Smart Solutions for LV and MV emergency power systems, power monitoring solutions, SCADA and microgrid applications. Jim holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology and in his spare time he enjoys fishing, biking, paddle boarding and traveling.
Lisa Carter
Vice President, CD & Power
Lisa Carter is the Vice President at CD & Power and has worked there for over 30 years. Lisa graduated from Cal State University long long ago… Little did she know that her degree in Small Business Management would be utilized building CD + Power. She has been instrumental in growing CD & Power to be the largest independent generator business in Northern California. She is the mother of 4 and enjoys hiking with her husband Steve.
Joseph Dickinson
Ring Power Corporation
Joseph graduated from the University of Florida with a BSME and began his career with Ring Power Corporation in 2014 as an outside sales engineer for their generator fuel tank and enclosure manufacturer. Following, he shifted to project management in their power systems division. From healthcare to water and wastewater, Joseph integrated electric power generation equipment on various projects. His engagement to clients and engineers led him to his current role as Ring Power’s electric power engineering consultant. Joseph currently works out of their Riverview, Florida office and supports project design and development with engineers across the country. In Joseph’s free time he enjoys being outdoors with his wife and son.
Sterling Dixon
Power Rental Service Manager, Entech Sales
Sterling Dixon is the Power Rental Service Manager at Entech Sales and Service based out of Garland Texas. Sterlings natural mechanical abilities and passion for high horsepower engines led him to the United States Airforce where he joined to be an Aerospace Propulsions Mechanic on the C130H Hercules. From there he cross trained to become an F35 Crew Chief. After his time in the Airforce Sterling returned to the civilian world as a GM mechanic working his way up to Shop Foreman in no time at all. Sterlings desire to continue to grow led to him working for Entech Sales and Service in the Power Rental Division. Since joining Entech Sterling has gone on to embrace the power generation industry and is now an EGSA Certified Journeyman Technician.
Bryan Dusza
National Sales Manager, Rypos Inc.
Bryan Dusza is the National Sales Manager at Rypos, Inc. Bryan has 20+ years of experience leading high-performing sales growth in the power generation industry, most recently with Nixon Power Services, the largest Kohler Power distributor in North America. Bryan has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Shana Duthie
Principal, Duthie Consulting Group
Shana Duthie helps her clients create customer experiences that drive growth, understanding the importance of an integrated sales, operations, and marketing approach. Shana firmly believes in the importance of creating unique and personalized experiences, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach. She emphasizes effective communication and encourages individuals to take responsibility for their work. During her tenure As the Head of Sales and Marketing at Duthie Power Services, Shana played a crucial role in expanding the sales and account management teams and transformed the company into a customer-centric brand. While at MDLIVE - a nationwide telemedicine company - Shana spearheaded customer communications efforts, architecting their initial customer service experience. This included coordinating multiple call centers, social media, and all online communications arenas. Additionally, she developed the strategy for MDLIVE clients to increase engagement with their employee populations as their telemedicine offerings expanded. Prior to MDLIVE, Shana held key executive positions in Sales/Marketing as well as Finance/Operations in start-up and early-stage company environments, including being on the founding Executive team of GreatCall, one of the first wireless MVNOs. Shana is an expert in technology and wireless markets and has developed customer experience strategies for a variety of companies as they expand into different technology sectors. In today's multi-channel communication environment, social media has become a crucial component of customer outreach, increasing the need for robust training and better communication skills.
Randy Gross
Head of Sales and QA, Duthie Power Services
For the past twelve years, Randy Gross has been a leader at Duthie Power Services in the Service and Sales Departments, overseeing immense growth in both technician and administrative personnel as well as creating Duthie Power’s Quality Assurance program. Randy understands the challenges and opportunities when leading a team of Technicians and Sales Engineers, as he has worked at all levels of service from his early days in automotive dealerships to his current position as Duthie Power’s Head of Sales and Quality Assurance. Beyond Duthie’s headquarters, Randy Gross is working with Long Beach City College to expand their Generator Technician School Program to ensure the future of the power generation industry.
Carlos Jimenez, PE, CBCP
Principal, BR+A Consulting Engineers
Carlos Jimenez PE, CBCP joined BR+A Consulting Engineers in 2012, bringing a wealth of experience in Electrical Engineering, particularly in the areas of power generation and distribution, lighting, communications and data systems, as well as life safety and security systems. His project portfolio spans diverse sectors, encompassing healthcare, higher education, aviation and government facilities while effectively managing projects for both public and private institutions.
In addition to his technical and overall management expertise, Carlos excels as Project Manager, adeptly coordinating all MEP disciplines and fostering clear communication among team members. His leadership ensures seamless integration and efficient project execution.
In his role as Principal at BR+A’s Miami office, he plays a pivotal role in driving organizational success and maintaining high standards of excellence.
Carlos holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas, and MBA studies from the University of Dallas.
William Kaewert
CEO/CTO, SENS (Stored Energy Systems, LLC)
William Kaewert is CEO and CTO of Colorado-based Stored Energy Systems LLC (SENS), an industry leading supplier of non-stop DC power systems that are an essential part of the nation’s critical infrastructure. Bill received his bachelor’s degree in history from Dartmouth College and MBA from Boston University. He has served on the board of directors of several economic development organizations including the Electrical Generation Systems Association (EGSA), and co-founded Resilient Utilities Now, a non-profit working to improve US resilience against long-duration electric system failures. He is an active member of InfraGard, a partnership of private industry and the FBI to protect United States critical infrastructures from deliberate attack.
Bob Kelly
Sr. Sales Application Engineer, Cummins
Bob currently serves in a Business Development and Sales Application Engineer role with Cummins Sales and Service North America, covering Florida and parts of the Southern Region. Based in Fort Myers, FL. Bob has been part of the Cummins family for over 15 years holding positions in Power Generation Sales and Management. Prior to his time with Cummins, Bob served in the electrical manufacturing and wholesale distribution industry and served as a consultant to the National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) Education Foundation. He is a current supporting member of FHEA and IAEI. An alumnus of Florida Technological University, Bob holds bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and undergraduate degrees in business-related fields.
Joe Kendall, PE
Schneider Electric
Joe is a Florida transplant originally from the Philadelphia/South Jersey area. While attending college at Drexel University, he worked as a chemical plant maintenance engineer, specializing in process automation controls. After acquiring his BSEE in 2015, Joe was hired as a PCS Application Engineer at ASCO Power Technologies in Florham Park, NJ, where he supported ASCO’s Paralleling Switchgear division. In the midst of 2017 Hurricane Irma’s aftermath, Joe moved to Orlando where he began working as a Field Sales Engineer. Having observed the profound impacts of the Category 4 storm, Joe decided to focus his career on the continuous enhancement of standby and emergency power systems. Over the past seven years, Joe has made substantial power design contributions on several high-profile projects in Florida and beyond. Recently married, Joe happily resides in Maitland, FL with his wife, Jessie. He enjoys a multitude of hobbies such as playing piano and working on his motorcycle.
Andrew Knox
Vice President of Sales & Marketing, MSI Data
Andrew Knox is the VP of Sales and Marketing at MSI Data. He’s focused on driving both brand awareness & sales growth strategies to propel MSI Data to new heights. Andrew prioritizes channel partnerships, brand awareness, everything field service software and management, and helping our clients gain visibility & maximize profitability.
Rebecca Lore
Product Manager, Lex Products
Rebecca’s love for concerts led her to attend Full Sail University for Show Production and Touring. After graduating she worked in entertainment lighting for theater companies and concert tours around the world. Once deciding to stop touring, she began her career at Lex Products in a technical Inside Sales position. With years of hands-on experience combined with the desire to be her best, Rebecca became a trusted advisor to customers and colleagues. Her passion for sharing knowledge, nurturing customer needs and professional development, led her to further advancements in Sales Management at Lex Products. During this time, she attended Full Sail University for a 2nd degree. This time graduating Valedictorian of her class for Entertainment Business.
In 2016, she was promoted to Industrial Product Manager. Rebecca is thriving in her 15th year at Lex Products. Being an active driver in product and market development, technical education of power distribution systems (internal / external), and customer engagement, Rebecca’s core value is Igniting Passion in Others.
Jennifer Nekuda, PE
Engineered Solutions Manager, Kohler Energy
Jennifer Nekuda, PE is a licensed electrical professional engineer with 25 years’ experience in electrical engineering – 12 years in consulting engineering and 13 years in manufacturing. Currently, Jen is an Engineered Solutions Manager with Kohler Energy, where she works in partnership with specifiers, contractors, and customers to develop backup power solutions for a variety of applications – including, electrical and water utilities, and commercial and industrial applications. She speaks regularly at engineering seminars and industry events on a variety of topics.
Jen is a graduate from Wichita State University (Go Shockers) with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, The University of Kansas (Go Jayhawks) with a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering and a Master of Engineering in Project Management. For fun, Jen teaches technical courses at Park University in Kansas City and likes to garden, chase rainbows and sunsets, and go on Lewis and Clark adventures.
Dane Olsen
Director of Operations, Generator Solutions, Inc.
Dane Olson is the Director of Operations at Generator Solutions, Inc., the manufacturer of the Gen-Tracker generator monitoring system. With 15 years’ experience in remote monitoring for onsite power, and a passion for customer service, he has developed unique skills that translate to frequent and equal engagement with project design and sales, field service support, customer training, and dealer development. His passion and expertise has helped solidify Gen-Tracker as the premier solution for generator monitoring and the system of choice for service technicians and generator owner/operators all across the country. Most recently, Dane served as the Vice Chair of the Dealer/Distributor Committee and Chair for the Technician of the Year Award.
Jon Pinney
Learning & Development Manager, Buckeye Power Sales
After exiting service from The Army, Jon was hired at Buckeye Power Sales in 1989 as an entry-level field service technician. Jon is an EGSA certified Journeyman technician and a Kohler Industrial certified technician. Jon Returned to BPS in 2003 as a senior technician. Shortly after that, he started developing a training program for the new entry-level technicians. In 2005 Jon was promoted to Service Manager of the Twinsburg (Cleveland) branch. His commitment to training the next generation of technicians is now an even higher priority. In 2022 he became the Learning and Development Manager for BPS. Of the 37 years Jon has been in the generator industry, over 25 years has been with Buckeye Power Sales.
Marty Riesberg
Lead Instructor, NEXT Leadership Academy
Mr. Riesberg began his electrical training at Western Iowa Technical Community College. He was subsequently accepted into the Omaha Joint Electrical Apprenticeship and Training Committee’s Inside Program. Upon completing the program, he continued working as a Journeyman Inside Wireman. Marty was named the Assistant Training Director for the Omaha Electrical JATC in 2001. He served as an instructor for the JATC for seven years and has been a member of IBEW LU 22 for over 30 years. In 2006, Marty joined the NJATC (now the electrical training ALLIANCE) to create a Building Automation curriculum and had many roles including the Director of Curriculum Development. In that capacity, he was responsible for all the curricula used across four different programs at approximately 300 local training centers. Currently, Marty oversees the electrical training of ALLIANCE’s Training Partner Program. This program is responsible for in excess of $25 Million in partnership activity.
Marty is a Lead Instructor for the NEXT Construction Leadership Academy. Since joining NEXT in 2019, he has guided Face-to-Face sessions in many states across the country as well as led live webinar classes and the development of training materials to support the NEXT curriculum. He holds a Masters Degree in Leadership from Georgetown University and a Bachelor's from the National Labor College, in addition to having completed the electrical apprenticeship.
Mariano Rojas
Cummins
Mariano is a Senior Sales Application Engineer with Cummins Sales and Service North America – based in Orlando, FL. He has been part of the Cummins family since 2006 and has held roles as Switchgear Systems Engineer, Regional Sales Manager, Power Generation Sales Engineer, and Business Development Manager.
Eric Solanyk
Genset Power Solutions Director​, SENS (Stored Energy Systems, LLC)
Eric Solanyk is the Genset Power Solutions Director with Stored Energy Systems (SENS). He received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and is an inventor of 4 design patents. Eric has designed precision electromechanical and industrial DC power systems that are now protecting mission-critical infrastructure in datacenter, power generation, utilities, switchgear, and energy applications around the world.
Ian Walch
Director Energy Solutions and Partnerships, Enchanted Rock
Ian Walch currently leads Strategic Partnerships and Solution at Enchanted Rock and brings over 10 years of experience in the power and gas markets to the firm. In his current role Ian is responsible for developing new channels and solutions to help grow Enchanted Rock nationwide. Prior to joining Enchanted Rock Ian lead the Demand Response sales team at Centrica Business Solutions U.S. managing clients across 4 different ISO’s. Ian also spent 8 years at Constellation Energy developing new products and selling multiple energy solutions from lighting, HVAC, Solar, CHP to power and gas agreements. Ian has a Bachelor of Science from Bentley University and an MBA from Northeast University.
Tom Wein
Executive Director of Education, EGSA
With over 40 years of combined HVACR and Power Generation experience, Tom has an exceptionally strong training background and has set up numerous technician training and workforce development programs globally for the military, tech schools, power generation manufacturers, and both RV and HVAC industries. After the military, Tom established and grew a successful electrical and HVAC service-based contracting company with business spanning three states. He is a Master Training Specialist, EGSA certified journeyman technician, Technician Excellence instructor, holds a Universal EPA certification, is active in EGSA’s technician certification, education, and load bank committees. Awarded Educator of the Year for 2023 and was part of the team earning the APEX training award for 2022 and 2023. Tom specializes in developing “thinking technicians” and proficient maintenance personnel by creating customized training plans and task-oriented hands-on training programs for all personnel.