2023 Speakers

E+SD brings together experts specializing in food retail energy, refrigeration, sustainability and store design. Take a peek at last year's roster of speakers!

Paul Anderson

Group Vice President of Design and Engineering, H-E-B

Paul Anderson is Group Vice President of Design for H-E-B, LP. As Group Vice President of Design, Paul leads H-E-B’s Design, Engineering, Asset Management and Environmental Compliance teams and is responsible for providing the best retail experience for H-E-B’s Customers and Operators by designing, delivering, and maintaining efficient and innovative retail facilities that drive and support brand awareness. In addition to his time at H-E-B, Paul held positions in manufacturing, operations and design with increasing responsibilities at multiple large corporations such as; Eaton, John Deere, Hussmann and Target.

John Anton

Economics Director, Pricing and Purchasing, S&P Global Market Intelligence

John Anton is an Economics Director with the IHS Markit Pricing and Purchasing Service, leading the steel team. The outlook for steel prices is formed by close monitoring of the industry and contact with executives at steel makers and end users.  In addition to producing regular forecasts of steel production, demand and price, Mr. Anton is also responsible for managing the IHS Markit relationship with major steel buyers involved in automotive, energy and pipeline companies, retailers, and manufacturing. Clients are located in the United States, Japan, India, East Asia, and Europe.

Mr. Anton joined IHS Markit and its predecessors in 1995. Prior to that time, he was in the private practice of law, specializing in small business representation and in criminal defense work. Before attending law school, Mr. Anton worked at the Bureau of Labor Statistics as an Economist/Statistician.

Ted Atwood

Chief Compliance & Sustainability Officer, TrakRef

With a 30-year dedication to reducing refrigerant leak rates, Ted founded Global Ozone Solutions in Eastern Europe, initiating a region-wide refrigerant collection program still in operation today. He later co-founded RMS Solution in Houston, designing and manufacturing high-volume refrigerant reclamation machinery for clients globally. 

In 1996, Ted established Polar Technology, developing 11 high-yield recycling plants in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, becoming a top recycling facility and pioneering carbon market offset programs as a founding member of the Chicago Climate Exchange,  recycling over 1000 tons of refrigerants yearly. He also founded TrakRef, a blockchain-based management and compliance & sustainability software platform managing the lifecycle of refrigerants and HVAC/r systems.

A passionate environmental advocate and Rotarian, Ted has held influential roles on climate and refrigerant councils and actively contributes to numerous community, refrigerant management and climate control efforts both locally and internationally.

François Aucoin, ing. M.Sc.A.

Director of engineering, Evapco LMP

François Aucoin is a Professional Engineer who began his career in Refrigeration as the Manager of Design and Energy for a Major Supermarket Chain in Canada. He designed Refrigeration Systems, EMS system and HVAC programs for 250+ supermarkets and has engineered many energy efficiency projects.  He is currently the director of engineering at Evapco LMP, a Canadian based CO2 rack manufacturer.

Jonathan Becker

ICF

Bryan Beitler

Vice President, Special Projects, Coolsys

Mr. Beitler’s career includes 43+ years of experience in refrigeration and HVAC design, sales, energy and operations support for businesses focused on grocery retailers, cold storage, process refrigeration and other mission critical HVACR systems. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering with emphasis on refrigeration and HVAC from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Ca. Mr. Beitler participates in industry organizations such as ASHRAE, IIAR, RETA & FMI.  He is currently the President and CEO of the North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC), a non-profit organization focused on the acceleration of natural refrigerants into the marketplace.    

Ian Bester

Head of Client Partnerships & Growth, Barrows

Ian has over 15 years’ experience leading client engagements focused around the future of retail and retail innovation. Having worked and lived in London, New York and Toronto, Ian brings a global lens to the business that stretches across multiple markets and sectors, leading the “Future of Retail” & “Commerce CX” initiatives for the likes of Ford, Microsoft, Samsung, Walmart, and GSK amongst others.

Specializing in retail experience design, connected store digital solutions, and brand experience at scale, Ian believes in true partnership with clients and pushes the boundaries to drive exponential growth. Ian lives in Brooklyn, New York, and is a loving father of twin girls. He loves to travel and has an obsession with the outdoors and staying fit.

Frank Blake

2023 E+SD Conference Chair & Director of Facilities Maintenance and Energy, Price Chopper/Market 32

Frank Blake is Director of Facilities Maintenance and Energy for Price Chopper/Market 32, a regional supermarket chain with 135 stores in the Northeastern US. He is responsible for oversight of facility maintenance, maintenance budgets, electrical and refrigeration support for design, maintenance CAP projects and EMS controls. He offers continuous support of operations through refrigeration, general maintenance and all store efficiency upgrades.

Frank joined Price Chopper/Market 32 in 2008 as an Electrical Specialist, responsible for electrical systems and controls, design assistance, lighting, generators, managed facilities, CAP projects, implementation of energy-efficiency opportunities, utility budgets and incentive programs. He assumed his new role in October 2017 and was officially promoted to the position of Director of Facilities and Energy in May 2018.

Thom Blischok

Chairman and CEO at The Dialogic Group, LLC

Thom Blischok is Chairman and CEO of The Dialogic Group. LLC, a growth and results-driven professional services firm serving both the Retail and CPG industries. His record of achievements include advising major retailers on growth and market re-positioning strategies in the Drug, Apparel, Convenience Store, Grocery, Dollar, e-Commerce, Mass, Specialty, and Club retail sectors with special emphasis on improving merchandising, marketing, supply chain, and technology capabilities.

Jennifer Butsch

Director, Regulatory Affairs, Copeland

Jennifer has been involved in regulatory affairs across multiple industries for more than 20 years. In her current role, she is responsible for managing activities related to policies, regulations, codes and standards as they apply to the air conditioning and refrigeration markets. She is involved in several industry organizations, including AHRI and ASHRAE. Jennifer earned her bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Wright State University and has an M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix.

Will Carroll

Vice President, Business Development at Dalkia Energy Solutions

Aakash Chandarana

GM, Smart Building Controls + IoT Solutions, EMC

As General Manager of the IoT Solutions business unit, Aakash leads product development and delivery capabilities to help customers realize the value of their existing investments and understand, navigate and implement smart building and IoT technologies.

Previously, Chandarana was Vice President of Commercial and Industrial Customer Solutions at Xcel Energy where he was responsible for developing, implementing and managing products and services, including energy efficiency initiatives for medium to large business customers. He holds degrees in business management and biology as well as a law degree from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Brent Cheshire

Manager, End User Services, Cold Chain, Copeland

In his role as Copeland's manager of end user services for cold chain, Brent takes a holistic approach to helping customers solve problems. His responsibilities include, but are not limited to: technical SME engagement coordination among our Technical Support, ProAct, Customer Success, Solution Sales, and Product Management teams. In addition, Brent has responsibilities in driving various Copeland CO2 programs and initiatives.

Among 12 years of Copeland service, Brent has more than 11 years of CO2 experience, including over 280 transcritical CO2 system startups across multiple end users and OEMs. Previously, he worked for eight years on our Field Services and Application Engineering teams with varying responsibilities that included: startup and commissioning services; troubleshooting; product selection and site implementation; and customer training. In addition, he has nine years of refrigeration technician experience.

Brent earned a bachelor’s degree in refrigeration and HVAC technologies from the Sydney Institute of TAFE.

Peter Cooke

Co-Founder, Ratio Institute

Peter Cooke has over twenty years experience in developing sustainability tools and programs for businesses, government, academia, and non-profits. He co-founded Ratio Institute to develop tools and resources for food retailers. He has worked with over 1,000 grocery stores since 2012 and performed sustainability audits at over 600 grocery stores. Peter is ISO 14001 Lead Auditor certified, Commercial Energy Auditor trained, Building Operator Certified, and Hazardous Waste Operations certified. 

Nicholas Doherty

Senior Design Engineer and Project Manager, Cushing Terrell

Associate Principal Nicholas Doherty is a Senior Design Engineer and Project Manager with Cushing Terrell, a multidisciplinary design services firm, specializing in retail and leading-edge refrigeration services.  

Nick leads teams within the CT Retail Service Group and is currently the Director of the Refrigeration Engineering Team.  Nick is an advocate for growth and development, striving to create an education-filled environment for all members of a project. He truly believes the strength of his refrigeration team will ensure the design development of new technologies for Cushing Terrell clients and the overall industry.

Nicholas Doherty holds a B.S. degree from Montana State University. He has developed 18 years of specific experience in this field while at Cushing Terrell and continues to be a leading consultant in the retail refrigeration industry worldwide.

Shawn DuBravac

Futurist, Trendcaster, NYT Best-Selling Author, Founder and President of the Avrio Institute

Acclaimed futurist and trendcaster, Dr. Shawn DuBravac is author of the New York Times Best Seller Digital Destiny: How the New Age of Data Will Transform the Way We Work, Live, and Communicate, which explores how the world’s mass adoption of digital technologies portends the beginning of a new era for humanity in the realms of business, healthcare, finance, transportation, and culture. Dr. DuBravac delivers pragmatic and provocative insights on the trends, technologies, and paradigms transforming business and society along with actionable strategies that organizations in every industry can apply.

Todd Ernest

Founder & CEO, Climate Pros LLC

Todd Ernest is a Refrigeration Pipefitter, serial Entrepreneur, Investor and Successful business leader who is experienced in new technologies in the R/HVAC industry. With a focus on software solutions for commercial and multi-site customers. Todd has demonstrated the ability to find solutions, others thought not possible with new technologies, ideas and a clear vision. He has Proven track record of building management teams for a decentralized business model while serving some of the country’s largest companies. 

Todd founded and successfully built Climate Pros into a nationwide powerhouse in the Refrigeration and HVAC industry. In 17 years, the business grew from just Todd to a company now operating in 44 states with 32 branch locations nationwide and has over 1700 employees. The goal is simple, “Positively disrupt the industry while creating a great company for great people!” Todd is passionate about his faith, his family and the great people he works with. His mission is to help people get what they want from their career in the R/HVAC industry and to build an amazing company, “where people matter”. Climate Pros services over 10,000 sites and many of the country’s largest blue chip grocery retailers and wholesale clubs. Prior to starting Climate Pros, Todd was a technician in the field of  commercial refrigeration and HVAC. Todd started in the field at a young age with Hussmann and then worked for a couple other companies as he built his career in the refrigeration space. Todd completed his business education at Harvard Business School. He is a well-respected thought leader, published author and speaker for the industry and entrepreneur community.

Matthew Gorman

Manager of Energy and Engineering, Harris Teeter

Matthew Gorman, CEM, is the Manager of Energy and Engineering for Harris Teeter Supermarkets. Harris Teeter, based in Charlotte, NC, is a chain spanning 7 states across the South Atlantic with 258 locations and counting. He began his career in the industry back in 2005 as a refrigeration/HVAC technician. His current responsibilities include spearheading energy conservation projects, continued commissioning, working start to finish with design engineers on new stores and remodels, testing new technology, and overseeing lighting maintenance and utilities.

Andy S. Harig

Vice President, Tax, Trade, Sustainability & Policy Development, FMI

Andrew S. Harig currently serves as Vice President, Tax, Trade, Sustainability & Policy Development at FMI-The Food Industry Association. In this position, he is responsible for lobbying Congress and the Administration on behalf of FMI members, with a primary focus on agriculture, taxes, trade, sustainability, food waste, and pensions. Prior to joining FMI, Andy was an associate trade advisor and speechwriter for the Senate Finance Committee under its Chairman, Max Baucus (D-MT).  From 1999-2001, he was the senior research associate for the Global Economic Policy Project at the New America Foundation, a Washington, DC-based think tank. Andy holds a B.A. from the College of William and Mary and an M.A. from DePaul University in Chicago, IL.


Dustin Herner

Energy & Sustainability Manager, Weis Markets, Inc.

Dustin Herner, CEM is Energy & Sustainability Manager for Weis Markets, Inc, a mid-Atlantic retail grocery chain of 197 stores. Since joining Weis Markets in 2013, Dustin is one of the driving forces behind Weis' commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability.  Weis has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 55% and diverted 56% of its waste from landfills.  Since 2015, Weis is one of the first grocers in North America to produce an annual sustainability report.  Dustin is one of the main drivers of Weis By Nature Annual Report.  Dustin is driving a zero-waste program and is also responsible for community and employee engagement.  He holds a bachelor's degree in Energy, Business, and Finance from Pennsylvania State University and is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM).

Shawn Holzschuh

Director of Refrigeration, Target Corporation

Shawn Holzschuh is the Director of Refrigeration for Target Corporation. Shawn leads a team in Property Management with a mission to maintain safe, fresh food for all team members and guests through the development of innovative, data driven solutions that leverage smart building technologies.  Solutions that balance expense and capital while maintaining environmental compliance through the lens of total cost of ownership. 

Shawn Holzschuh holds a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Minnesota and a PE license in the State of Minnesota.  He has over 20 years of experience in the Design, Construction, Commissioning and Operations of retail locations.

Jeffrey Jerome

Sr. Product Manager, Baltimore Gas & Electric Co.

Jeff Jerome is a Sr. Product Manager for C&I Energy Efficiency programs at Baltimore Gas and Electric. He has won numerous awards for creating products that simplify and enhance the user experience and was a seminal influence in Smart Home technology.  Jeff holds a both a BS in Electrical Engineering and an MBA and is the author of the book Evolution Ended.

Sarah Johnston

Managing Director Marketing and Carbon Management, Calpine Energy Solutions

As the MD of Marketing and Carbon Management, Sarah leads the effort to ensure that the renewable energy solutions the Calpine Energy Solutions brings to the market are both innovative and effective. Sarah has nearly 15 years of experience analyzing data on macro economic trends, energy markets, and the broader ESG landscape. She confers with customers in working with the advanced risk analytics, reviews results reports, and provides guidance in creating and executing electricity procurement strategies. Sarah holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Elmhurst College, a graduate certificate in Corporate Sustainability and Innovation from Harvard University.

Tom Koulopoulos

Tom Koulopoulos is Chairman and founder of Delphi Group, a 30-year-old Boston-based think tank named one of the fastest growing private companies by Inc. Magazine, and the founding partner of Acrovantage Ventures, which invests in early-stage technology startups. He is also the author of 13 books, an inventor with several patents, an Inc.com columnist, the past Executive Director of the Babson College Center for Business Innovation, the past director of the Dell Innovation Lab, and a professor at Boston University.

His insights have received wide praise from luminaries such as the late Peter Drucker, the father of modern management; Dee Hock, founder of Visa International; and Tom Peters, who called his writing, “a brilliant vision of where we must take our enterprises to survive and thrive.” His Inc. column is read by over one million people yearly.

Mr. Koulopoulos’ thirteen books include his most recent, Reimagining Healthcare, The Bottomless Cloud, Revealing the Invisible, The Gen Z Effect, and Cloud Surfing. His upcoming book, Gigatrends, looks at the seven tech trends that are shaping the future of how we live, work, and play.

Tom’s keynotes blend humor, insight, and a cutting-edge view of the future in a way that’s customized to each audience. According to Tom’s mentor, Peter Drucker, Tom’s writing “makes you question not only the way you run your business but the way you run yourself.”

Dustin Lilya

Principal, DC Engineering

Dustin is a Principal mechanical engineer at DC engineering, leading a team of 55 professional engineers, designer/drafters and outside consultants to provide nationally recognized refrigeration design, commissioning and energy saving solutions to clients.  Dustin is the former chair of the ASHRAE Refrigeration Committee and  works to promote low GWP refrigerant adoption. 

Prior experience includes  engineering support for construction and re-build of float glass manufacturing lines.  Provided design support for rebuilds of the Menomonie, WI and Durant, OK facilities.  Provided design leadership for a new factory in Chehalis, WA. Additionally, he worked in NAND and DRAM manufacturing as a diffusion process engineer providing system support for vertical thermal oxide reactors.

Richard Lord

Sr Fellow, ASHRAE Fellow, Carrier Corporation

Charlie Lowe

Director of Refrigeration, K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc.

Charlie is responsible for the operational readiness and the energy efficient operation of the refrigeration, lighting, electrical, plumbing, and food processing equipment systems installed in K-VA-T’s Food City and Super Dollar stores. He also is the General Manager for Computer Cable Systems, LLC. K-VA-T Food Stores has 145 Supermarkets and 105 Fuel Locations in Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia. Charlie is based out of K-VA-T's Corporate Support Center located in Abingdon, Virginia.

Scott Martin

Senior Director of Industry Relations and Compliance, Dover Food Retail

Scott Martin currently serves as Senior Director of Industry Relations and Compliance for Hillphoenix, A Dover Company, located in Conyers, Georgia.   A third generation Refrigeration Engineer, Scott received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Southern Polytechnic State University in 1985.  Scott has held a wide variety of industry roles including Product Manager, Director of Engineering and R&D, and most recently Director of Sustainable Technologies.  Today, Scott’s focus reflects a strong Hillphoenix commitment to providing product and technology answers that help retailers supply higher quality food products while advancing efforts toward environmental stewardship.

James McClendon

Director of Energy Efficiency, Walmart Inc.

Willis McCullough

Director of Strategic Account / Business Development, Unison Energy

Willis is currently the Director of Strategic Accounts at Unison Energy since 2012 and has over 100 CHP installations across the Country from California to New York. Willis has customers in healthcare, hospitality, distribution, grocery, agriculture, food processing, and large industrial markets. Willis has developed long-term relationships, initial concept design for customers, education for customers, and channel partners. 

Prior to Unison Energy he was the Director of Strategic Account at SOL, Inc. Prior to SOL, Inc, he spent 14 years with United Technologies Corporation (UTC).  Willis spent 5 years at UTC Power with 9 years at Carrier Corporation where he held multiple roles form Carrier Commercial Refrigeration/Carrier Commercial Systems Engineering Integration Manager to acting as the main conduit for the UTC Research Center and all the Carrier Companies to communicate and develop integrated platforms with sales and marketing strategy support.  He acted as United Technologies Research Center liaison for Microturbine CHP beta testing and fuel Cell development.  Willis held multiple positions at industrial process plants, nuclear power plants, and Industrial equipment up to total plant sales.  Willis is a US Navy Nuclear Fleet Veteran and served as Engineering Supervisor on nuclear powered submarines.

• BS New York State University in Nuclear Technology and a Business minor
• Masters in Nuclear Science from New York State University

Robert McGarrity, P.E.

Vice President of Facilities, Publix Supermarkets

Michael W. McMahon

Vice President Sales, Phoenix Energy Technologies

Michael McMahon oversees the Phoenix Energy Technologies sales department by driving go to market sales initiatives and also helps develop internal efficiencies that maximize results. He is experienced with bringing new technologies to market and most notable for working with growth companies to scale in complex markets. Prior to Phoenix Energy Technologies, Michael was general manager for an international virgin company and led the 12-year high-tech company to first profitability and scalability in the U.S. and European markets.

Dan O'Brien

President, Zero Zone, Inc.

Dan O’Brien is President of Zero Zone, Inc.  He has worked for Zero Zone for 29 years and has held various positions within the company, from engineering to operations to sales management. Dan uses his knowledge to help customers find unique solutions for their refrigeration and merchandising solutions while balancing their overall operational costs. In addition, Dan’s 29 years in the industry supports his expertise in responsive and innovative ideas for the retail industry.

Dan has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University and an MBA from the University of Minnesota.

John Pennekamp, AIA

Associate, BRR Architecture

John Pennekamp, AIA is an Associate at BRR Architecture, based in the firm's Philadelphia office. Since joining the firm in 2015, he has amassed strong experience collaborating with a variety of grocery and retail clients; he currently serves as a program manager for multiple clients. His capabilities as project manager have led many clients, stakeholders, engineers and jurisdictions towards successful project outcomes. John's experience includes a variety of project types ranging from large ground-up retail to multi-story urban sites for BRR's clients.  John graduated from Drury University with a Master of Architecture. 

Derrek Reitz

Sustainability Specialist, Weis Markets

As Sustainability Specialist, Derrek Reitz spearheads Weis Markets waste and GHG emissions quantification and reduction initiatives. Derrek engages with store associates, customers, and community partners to gain feedback on sustainability programs and issues. He leverages these stakeholder insights and supporting data to identify opportunities, implement changes, and continuously improve sustainability efforts throughout the mid-Atlantic region.

Clay Rohrer

Director of Connected Solutions, Hussmann Corporation

Clay has 23+ years of experience in refrigeration with roles ranging from engineering, innovation, service, controls, marketing, and business development.  Clay has been with Hussmann 16 combined years and currently is focused on transforming the refrigeration industry from emergency break fix to a performance-based approach using data to drive higher performance.  

Ben Rosenzweig, PE

Vice President & General Manager, CoolSys Energy Design

Ben Rosenzweig, PE is a consulting engineer passionate about bringing sustainable and decarbonized, integrated MEP and Refrigeration system designs to the built environment through innovative remodel and new construction design and development philosophies. He manages CoolSys Energy Design (CED), a nationwide consulting engineering firm built on over 40 years of food retail engineering expertise which is also part of the larger CoolSys enterprise. CED has a rich history focused on energy and emissions reduction, sustainability, innovative refrigeration system designs, and an unstoppable drive to solve the most challenging problems. Ben is a graduate of the College of Engineering and Applied Science at Lehigh University with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. He is also a licensed engineer in 35 states.

Bernhard Schweitzer

CEO and Owner, Schweitzer

There‘s barely something Bernhard Schweitzer does not know about shopfitting. Growing up he spends a lot of time in the family business , one of the worldwide leading design & shopfitting companies. His career within the firm starts at an early stage during his business sciences studies at the renowned Bocconi university in Milan, getting to know the retail business from scratch. His first task involved taking the lead of the retail design agency Interstore. Schweitzer accounts for the international orientation of the whole company which soon results in important projects on national and international scale. Since 2006 Bernhard has started operating as CEO, Schweitzer has grown at a double-digit percentage and has been expanded to operational sites in North America, China and Europe. 

Michal Shepard, CEM, CSDP, CEA

Director of Maintenance, Energy and Engineering, Harris Teeter

Michal Shepard CEM, CEA, CSDP - Harris Teeter in Charlotte NC, as the Director of Maintenance, Energy, and Engineering (2004- Present).  

He has 40+ years’ experience in the supermarket industry concentrating on facility maintenance, HVAC&R, lighting, equipment selection, procurement, engineering and energy disciplines. He has CEM, CEA and CSDP accreditation from Association of Energy Engineers. 

Abtar Singh

President, Singh360 Inc.

Abtar Singh specializes in facility management systems, performance monitoring and energy conservation solutions for the supermarket industry. He is the founder and owner of Singh360, a full-service energy management company. The company provides turnkey energy technology implementation such as EMS, VFD, ECM, LED, demand control, kitchen hood control, and more. The company also provides energy audit, new store commissioning, and retro-commissioning services. He also founded kWh360 Inc, a mobile app and cloud-based energy-efficiency software company for the supermarket. Abtar has worked his entire career to reduce operating expense by improving building management technologies and processes. He is an expert in design, engineering, and modeling of air-conditioning and refrigeration systems. He is also an expert in enterprise software technologies and data warehousing. He holds more than 45 patents in related technologies. Abtar has also worked as vice president of product management and engineering at Emerson Climate Technologies, where he spearheaded the development of many technologies that improve energy efficiency in supermarkets, including digital compressors, electronic stepper valves, remote monitoring and energy management systems. His passion is to simplify refrigeration and HVAC design and to integrate sustainable technologies within supermarkets and other commercial facilities.

Michael Slater, CEM

Engineer IV, Frontier Energy Food Service Technology Center

Michael Slater, CEM is a research engineer with Frontier Energy specializing in hot water systems for commercial foodservice applications. He has a wealth of laboratory and field research experience with various decarbonizing technologies for the commercial food service industry including heat pump water heaters, exhaust heat recovery dishmachines, induction cooktops, and high efficiency electric cooking appliances.

Morgan Smith

Program & Communications Director, North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC)

Morgan is the Program & Communications Director at the NASRC. She has a background in sustainability and communications, with a particular interest in aligning sustainable behaviors with the goals of  individuals and businesses. 

Prior to her role at NASRC, she managed forest management programs for landowners at the American Forest Foundation. Morgan holds an M.S. in Environmental Education from SUNY ESF, an M.P.A from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, and a B.S. in Environmental Science from SUNY Fredonia.

Mike Sweeney

Global Offering Manager, Honeywell

Mike Sweeney is the global platform leader for Honeywell's Commercial Refrigeration segment. He drives the global product roadmap, strategy, and commercial execution of new HFO refrigerant development within the commercial refrigeration vertical. Mike has spent his career in the chemicals industry holding various positions in sales, marketing, and other commercial functions.

Jonathan Tan

Co-founder, Ratio Institute

Jonathan has more than 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur and a business executive for both Fortune 500 and privately held companies. His career began with driving energy efficiency at food manufacturing and food packaging plants. He transitioned to energy-efficiency work at food retail outlets in the early 2000’s, focusing on refrigeration, HVAC, and lighting. Jonathan holds a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Studies from Saint Louis University, a Master’s in Business Administration and Management from Pepperdine University, and has completed continuing education units at the University of Oxford.

Nicholas Torres

Commercial Refrigeration Sales Manager, Evapco

Nicholas Torres is the Commercial Refrigeration Sales Manager for EVAPCO, Inc.  He has worked for EVAPCO for the past 17 years, including a 12 year assignment leading EVAPCO's sales and marketing activities in the Asia/Pacific region.  Nick utilizes this vast and unique experience set to help customers develop innovative solutions utilizing the full spectrum of refrigeration products EVAPCO manufactures within its portfolio. Nick has a B.S. In Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, and an M.B.A. from the Pennsylvania State University.

Ron P. Vogl, Jr.

Global Technical Service Manager, Honeywell Refrigerants

Ron Vogl is the Global Technical Marketing Manager for Honeywell. A graduate of the State University of New York, he has accrued over forty years of experience touching all facets of the industry as a wholesaler, sales engineer, contractor, business owner, energy auditor, designer and consultant. Ron has designed, sold and installed mechanical systems ranging in complexity, including industrial process refrigeration plants and supermarkets. As the owner of a mechanical contracting company, Ron specialized in the design of environmental chambers, cold clean rooms and explosion proof systems for use by the pharmaceutical, chemical and food production industries. 

For nine years, Ron worked as a research/development and technical service engineer for Honeywell-Genetron Refrigerants, concentrating on next- generation refrigerants and their application. 

Jay Welu

Senior Vice President, Retail Services, Hussmann Corporation

Jay is SVP of Hussmann's Retail Services Group.  He leads the StoreConnect Technology group, NA Branch Operations, Aftermarket Solutions, Aperion Digital Solutions, and the Latin America business for Hussmann.   He brings over 20 years of experience in the food retail space, and over 30 years in commercial and industrial industries.  His focus over the last several years has been to bring different technology solutions to the market to assist in solving the real problems that retailers face today.   He is also passionate around leveraging data to move the industry from a break-fix to a predictive analytics mentality, especially as it relates to supporting environmental challenges and sustainability activities. 

Jay is a graduate of the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY with a BS in Engineering.

Jeanine Wilson

Project Executive, CM&B

A 15-year veteran of the construction industry, Jeanine Wilson is a Project Executive at CM&B, a Northeast-based construction management firm. In her role with the firm, Jeanine is responsible for planning and executing large-scale urban grocery projects in New York City including Whole Foods Market Union Square, NoMad, and One Wall Street. Jeanine has a proven track record of effective risk mitigation, problem resolution, and budget and resource management. As a leader in the firm, Jeanine mentors junior members of the team, providing advice and guidance on developing the professional and interpersonal skills needed to succeed in the construction industry. Outside of the office, Jeanine is actively involved with the Council of Urban Real Estate (C.U.R.E.). 

Danielle Wright

Executive Director, North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council

Danielle Wright is the executive director of the North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC), a nonprofit dedicated to advancing climate-friendly natural refrigerants. Prior to her current role, she developed and implemented large-scale utility energy efficiency programs with a specific focus on optimizing the performance of refrigeration systems in order to reduce costs and increase sustainability of grocery stores.