Description

New York City Regional Meeting

Wednesday, April 30, 2025

Location: Etc. Venues/Convene

601 Lexington Ave, New York, New York 10022

Introduction: 

This meeting is to strategize an approach for each state being considered. It is recognized that some states have more/less activity than others. The people/companies listed below are not expected to be presenters, but discussion leaders. 

This meeting is for full and affiliate member company employees only*, except where NAESCO has specifically invited a key ally for our industry. Space is limited to 75 people and 2 representatives per company.

*To participate in a members-only meeting, the participating individual needs to have an email address with the member company domain.

Agenda (all times Eastern Time): 

11:00 AM - Discussions with Cater Strickland, Chief Sustainability Officer at the State University of New York, and Craig Gruber, President of Innoventive Power LLC, will take place during lunch. They will give a brief talk on current developments and share updates. Please bring your questions, as this will be an informal opportunity to engage with them.

Craig Gruber, BS BME, MSEE, President, Innoventive Power LLC

Craig Gruber co-founded Innoventive Power LLC in 2001 as a vehicle to bring the benefits of electric demand response to commercial and industrial customers and to improve efficiency and resiliency for energy users.  Craig is widely regarded as thought leader and known for his innovative approach to solving complex challenges in the energy sector.

Known for driving innovation, Craig and his company, have had the opportunity to work on multiple leading-edge projects which have helped start the build out of the “Smart Grid”.  Craig has expertise in Measurement & Verification, project management, business development and leadership.  

As a board member and immediate past President of the New York Chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers, Craig is committed to expanding the knowledge base of the professional energy community in the NY metro area.  He has previously served as Secretary and Vice President and has proudly been a part of the chapter’s growth and continued success.

Craig has a BS in Biomedical Engineering and a Masters in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He currently lives in New Jersey with his wife, Brenda Amarant, and enjoys the outdoors.  Craig is a multiple Ironman race finisher and a multiple Boston Marathon qualifier.

Carter H. Strickland, Jr., Chief Sustainability Officer, State University of New York

Carter is the Chief Sustainability Officer at the State University of New York, where he focuses on strategic planning, infrastructure development, and program creation. With over 30 years of experience across government, nonprofit, and private sectors, Carter has been a leader in implementing tangible solutions to environmental issues and is a recognized subject matter expert in water, air, energy, natural climate solutions, climate risk assessment, and green business development, with a proven track record of driving organizational change, creating partnerships and policies, and building infrastructure. Previous posts include Mid-Atlantic Regional Vice President and New York State Director for the Trust for Public Land, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, advisor for Closed Loop Partner’s organics recycling business, policy advisor to NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a litigator and professor at the Rutgers Environmental Law Clinic, prosecutor with the Office of the New York Attorney General Environmental Protection Bureau, and a board member of the Land Trust Alliance (New York), Billion Oyster Project, Natural Areas Conservancy, and Regional Plan Association. Carter teaches a graduate seminar on environmental infrastructure for sustainable cities at Columbia University, serves as co-chair of the infrastructure working group of the New York Panel on Climate Change (5th Assessment), and is a member of the NYC Sustainability Advisory Board, Clean Power Institute Advisory Board, and Town of Gardiner Community Preservation Advisory Board.

12:00 PM Lunch All - Sponsored by ESPEN Technology!

1:00-4:30 PM State Discussions (More Information Coming Soon!)

Maine - Kerri Warms, EEI

Vermont - Michael Davey, EEI

New Hampshire - Michael Davey, EEI

New York - Regina Durga, Centrica

Connecticut - Ron Garrison, Centrica

Rhode Island - All

Pennsylvania - Alyssa Wingenfield, McClure

New Jersey - Ken Hughes, Constellation and Valerie Moran, DCO

Maryland - Wendell Rawlings, Johnson Controls

Delaware - All

Massachusetts - Daniel Smith, Ameresco

4:30 PM Wrap Up All 

5:00 - 7:00 PM Networking Social Event in Dos Caminos - Lexington Ave at 480 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10167 - Sponsored by Blue Energy Group and Walker Reid Strategies!

Sponsorship Contact:

Please email Michelle Yoon at michelle.yoon@naesco.org for sponsorship information.

Hotel Information: 

NAESCO does not have a specific hotel for this event. Please search for hotels near the meeting location.