Time: 3:00 - 4:30 PM

NAESCO Affiliate Members Only

Room: Marlborough AB

Special Session: Meet and Greet the Chief Sustainability Officer of DoD

Time: 4:30 - 6:00 PM

Exhibit Hall in Churchill CD

Time: 6:00 - 9:00 PM

By Invitation Only

Location TBD

7:00 - 8:00 AM

Exhibit Hall in Churchill CD

8:00 - 10:00 AM

NAESCO Board Members Only

Room: Fulton (3rd Floor)

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

NAESCO Member Exhibitors Only

Exhibit Hall in Churchill CD

12:00 - 1:00 PM

TBD

1:00 - 2:00 PM

NAESCO Members Only

Room: Churchill B

2:00 - 2:05 PM

Room: Churchill B

Wes Walker is CEO of Veregy, a national energy services company focused on accelerating the energy transition in the United States. He has over twenty years of experience in the energy and sustainability industry, including executive leadership roles at a multi-national ESCO, an electrical and water contracting company and one of the nation’s largest electrical utility companies. Wes holds a Master of Business Administration with a focus on finance from Illinois State University and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University. Additionally, he is the Board Chair with NAESCO and a former Board member with the Alliance to Save Energy.

3:15 - 3:35 PM

Exhibit Hall in Churchill CD

3:35 - 4:50 PM

Charles McGinnis is currently Vice President of Sustainable Infrastructure / Energy Solutions for Johnson Controls North America and former Chairman of the Board for NAESCO. He has a track record for helping organizations accomplish their mission by deploying high performance teams to solve complex engineering and financial challenges and is adroit at growing people and organizations to deliver customer-focused innovation. Charles lives for challenges using a combined knowledge of North American markets, specific customer needs, employee development, technical applications for buildings and field-based delivery models. He provides a unique ability to shape markets through strategy, legislation and government affairs. Charles has managed or supervised businesses implementing over $6B in P3/PC and infrastructure/energy projects delivering in excess of $900M in verifiable energy savings over his 31-year tenure.

As IMT’s Managing Director of Programs, Alex oversees all programmatic work across policy, community engagement, and private sector implementation. He leads the execution of IMT’s organizational strategy and sets the programmatic pathway for IMT to realize broad adoption of building regulations at the city, state, and federal levels; new utility regulatory models that center investments in people and that improve the health and wellbeing of citizens; and engagement with real estate and other business operations to embody commitments to equity and the environment. Alex has more than 15 years experience working on urban sustainability and building decarbonization. He began his career working in real estate development before pursuing a Master’s degree in Sustainable Design from Jefferson University. Alex is a LEED AP BD+C and holds a BA in English from the University of Vermont.

Greg Nichols is the Deputy Chief Resilience Officer for the City of New Orleans. He leads and coordinates the implementation of the Resilient New Orleans strategy as well as the City’s Climate Action Plan. In a previous role managing public facilities for the city, Greg led the implementation of 39 energy efficiency projects which reduced energy use in city buildings by 23% over a three-year period and hopes to broaden that success to the city’s efforts to build a stronger, more inclusive and resilient city.

Greg Nichols leads the Office of Resilience and Sustainability for the City of New Orleans, where he coordinates the strategy, funding and implementation of the Resilient New Orleans and Climate Action Plans. Those plans include strategies to reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions from energy use, transportation, and waste, as well as improving the city’s ability to withstand our changing climate in order to build a stronger, more inclusive and resilient city.

5:00 - 5:30 PM

9:00 - 9:30 AM

Room: Churchill B

LaToya Cantrell, Mayor of New Orleans

On May 7, 2018, LaToya Cantrell made history as New Orleans’ first woman mayor in its 300-year history. After that historic victory, Mayor Cantrell was inaugurated to a second term on January 10, 2022. Her passion for the City of Yes and her dedication to its residents remains stronger than ever.

In her first term as Mayor, the Cantrell Administration was pivotal in negotiations to pass Fair Share legislation, securing $200M over five years for infrastructure, as well as getting voter approval in 2019 for a Short-Term Rental Visitors Tax and $500M Bond Authorization. In 2020, she also became laser-focused on protecting the public health and safety of the city’s residents throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as demonstrating first-hand her commitment to creating a more equitable and safer New Orleans for all residents.

In 2021, the City of New Orleans, under Mayor Cantrell's leadership, achieved a critical milestone in selecting a developer for the former Six Flags site in New Orleans East, which has sat dormant for over 16 years as a result of Hurricane Katrina. This symbolized the administration's larger approach to leveraging City-owned assets and creating a more equitable and vibrant economy for all New Orleans residents and businesses.

Throughout her second term, Mayor Cantrell remains focused on the issues of public safety, infrastructure, affordable housing and improving the quality of life for all New Orleans residents.

9:30 - 11:00 AM

Room: Churchill B

Speakers

Jeff Flathman is an Owner/Principal and President of Energy Solutions Professionals, exuding a passion for the Energy Services industry that spans over 30 years. Throughout his career, he has embraced diverse roles in energy engineering, project/construction/ performance management, business development, financial and funding analyses, and served as an executive team leader.

Jeff has vast experience in the ESCO "MUSH" markets (municipal, university, school, hospital), encompassing a wide array of environments, including correctional, residential, commercial, and industrial facilities. Over the years, he has been instrumental in assisting and managing the successful development, design, implementation, and verification of energy service projects for more than 150 organizations.

Luke Gomes is the FOA Manager for the Schools & Nonprofits Program (S&NP) within the Department of Energy. He serves as a strategic lead for program design and funding deployment as well as a technical lead in the areas of solar energy and electrical integration. Luke is incredibly passionate about improving the built environment for our students, teachers, and community serving institutions. One of his near-term goals is to maximize additionality for S&NP stakeholders by establishing partnerships, identifying alternative funding streams, and leveraging public/private opportunities. Luke joined the Department in 2009 working with local communities through formula grants to improve the energy efficiency of public infrastructure. Since that time, he has worked in the areas of project management, enterprise risk management, business intelligence, and most recently as the Technology Manager for the Connected Communities portfolio within the Emerging Technologies Program of DOEs Building Technology Office. Luke has a B.S. in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Colorado and is a board-certified Master Electrician.

Exhibit Hall in Churchill CD

12:00 - 1:00 PM

1:00 - 1:30 PM

1:30 - 3:00 PM

Room: Churchill B

A session explaining all the TLAs (three letter acronyms) circling around the IRA, specifically the future of the tax credit structure, the ability of local governments to utilize the tax credits, the ability to capture the base credit plus adders, the utilization of the direct pay option from Treasury, and the capturing of the 179D Tax Deduction. This session will delve into the structuring guidance the industry has received to date and what developers and financers are doing now, without the benefit of final guidance from Treasury.

Charles Zitnik, D.A. Davidson (moderator)

Charlie Zitnik has been licensed in the securities industry since 1982. He has been with D.A. Davidson & Co. since 2006 when the fixed income group of his predecessor firm, Kirkpatrick Pettis, was acquired by D.A. Davidson & Co. Charlie is focused on energy savings performance contract financing and essential purpose infrastructure financing on a national basis. He carries extensive experience structuring financing with revenue streams including property tax, sales tax, development fees, property/sales tax increment, public improvement fees, energy consumption savings, and various combinations of these revenue streams. Charlie's expertise is often called upon early in the life cycle of projects to assist clients in long-range public finance planning.

Rob Harry is a Partner at Stinson LLP based out of the St. Louis, Missouri office. He obtained is undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Missouri. Rob represents clients regarding the development and financing of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, with a focus on project finance using combinations of sponsor equity, pre-development finance, construction debt, permanent debt, and tax equity. He also advises clients on the real estate components of project development and acquisition.

David Diaz is the Managing Partner for Walker Reid Strategies, a prominent firm specializing in Energy Efficiency and Specialty Tax Services. With over 20 years of experience in the construction and real estate industry, he established himself as a seasoned expert in enhancing energy efficiency in commercial buildings. 

A thought leader in his field, David actively engages with various organizations related to energy efficiency. Within Walker Reid Strategies, he assumes a pivotal role in overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Energy Tax Incentive Practice. His responsibilities encompass guiding clients through the intricacies of energy tax incentives, including the §179D Tax Deduction and §45L Residential Tax Credit. By helping CPAs, architects, engineers, ESCO’s and building owners navigate the energy implications and tax consequences of these incentives, David empowers them to maximize their energy efficiency efforts while optimizing their financial benefits.

Josh Howes, Blue Energy Group

Josh Howes was born and raised in Kentucky. After graduating from the University of Kentucky, he and his wife Becky moved back to Louisville where they have raised their 5 children. He is the owner of Blue Energy Group which is an engineering firm that specializes in 179D tax deduction certifications along with other energy tax incentives as well as MEP design. Josh is a Professional Engineer licensed in all 50 states and has been an advocate and leader in all things related to the 179D tax code since 2011. In his spare time Josh enjoys spending time with family, competing in Crossfit competitions, and is co-owner of Watch Hill Proper, a bourbon bar and restaurant.

3:45 - 4:45 PM

Room: Churchill B

This panel will address various common thoughts and concerns over the current push toward electrification. There are many questions about technologies, financial cost and practicality of electrification in and around energy performance contracts, especially in federal projects where a main goal is electrification. How do we get there? What additional supplemental funds might be available? How are other ESCOs handling the potential financial impact on projects? How are technologies evolving to help electrify buildings? These are questions that need to be tackled and this panel will help start that discussion.

Joe Barger is currently Vice-President of the ESCO Division for Powersmiths International. He has been in the energy business for 20 years serving in numerous capacities for Siemens and ABM. Joe has  extensive experience and perspective having served as an ESCO Account Executive, Sales Manager, National Business Development Manager and General Manager in various regions around the country and in all markets. Now as a supplier into the ESCO Market, he manages a team devoted to serving ESCO and Energy Services companies by providing electrical solutions ECMs to their end users. Joe has a BA in Business Administration from Central Michigan University and resides in the Detroit Metropolitan Area.

Ken Sandler, PhD, is a Sustainability and Green Building Advisor to the General Services Administration’s Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings. He has shaped federal research, policy and communications on sustainability through his work at five different agencies – EPA, GSA, CEQ, DOE and HUD – over 32 years. Ken currently is co-leader of: GSA’s federal building decarbonization initiatives; the Interagency Sustainability Working Group; and GSA’s Green Building Advisory Committee, which has produced influential policy papers on issues including building-to-grid integration, embodied carbon and decarbonization. Ken has spent over two decades helping to shape the green building field from the federal level. In 2003, he drafted a report on federal green buildings for the White House Council on Environmental Quality that served as the basis for federal legislation.

As the Vice President of Clean Technology Solutions, Jason is responsible for the development, design and execution of clean energy efficiency and energy security projects for Federal customers. In his 25 years of providing energy services, he successfully developed over $1 billion in performance contracts that generated more than $2 billion in guaranteed energy and water cost savings over the project term. As a licensed Professional Engineer and Certified Energy Manager, Jason has an extensive background in providing clean energy solutions, energy auditing, and project development for complex projects that provide deep energy retrofit savings for Federal clients.

Mike Porter, McKinstry

Mike has more than 25 years of experience in consulting, design, construction, and facilities optimization. His background includes the development and management of many businesses in the energy, facility, general contracting, and technical services space, giving him valuable insight and the ability to provide leadership direction toward the success of various projects, developments, and outcomes. At McKinstry, Mike is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction of our energy, EcoDistrict, and facility solutions offerings. He often leads the change necessary to accomplish socially and financially responsible outcomes for the businesses and communities McKinstry serves.

4:45 - 6:00 PM

Time and Location TBD