Speakers - Smart Energy Decisions

Meet the Innovations Summit Speakers

Ali Ahmed, Green Strategies LLC, principal

Recognized as a sustainability and energy leader, Ali Ahmed, founder and principal of Green Strategies LLC, has managed more than 50 global energy and sustainability programs.With more than 20 years of experience, Ali combines an uncommon level of technical depth, combined with an understanding of business operations to create value-added, high-NPV energy and sustainability programs. His areas of expertise include demand-side energy management, the Internet of Things, building and industrial automation, energy procurement, renewable energy and sustainable transportation solutions. 

Prior to starting Green Strategies, Ali led the energy and sustainability team at Cisco Systems and worked as a consultant, engineer and engagement manager at Deloitte Consulting, Honeywell and Rockwell Automation. Ali is a Certified Energy Manager and Auditor from the Association of Energy Engineers and a LEED Accredited Professional from the U.S. Green Building Council.

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Mary Curtiss, HP, global head of energy & sustainability

Mary Curtiss has more than 20 years of experience in the construction and sustainability industry. As HP’s Global head of energy and sustainability, she is responsible for developing and driving the strategy for all matters related to renewable energy, sustainability and energy efficiency in the global portfolio. Mary is also involved in a number of industry-leading forums in the San Francisco Bay Area to drive improved efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. Before HP, Mary was Siemens' National Director for Enterprise Efficiency, where she worked with external clients on energy program solutions and Siemens' global energy efficiency program to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.

Mary also spent time at JLL, where she led business development and program execution for their sustainability business, and managed a team of 30 energy and sustainability professionals to optimize corporate portfolios. During her time there, she also helped establish JLL's Women's Network. Mary received a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Iowa State University and a Master’s in Business Administration from Santa Clara University. In her free time, she loves spending time with her three boys exploring California's forests and beaches.

Bruce Frandsen, Equinix, Inc., senior manager, global utilities & sustainability

Bruce Frandsen has a total of 33 years of diversified leadership experience in energy risk management/procurement, sustainability, facilities engineering, and maintenance management fields. The past 2 ½ years he has been with Equinix years managing their corporate strategy on everything energy related encompassing a global footprint of 188 data center sites in 24 countries and total annual energy spend exceeding $450 million. With an average organic consumption growth of 10%-plus annually, the company has a long established proactive energy efficiency program to minimize the growth and set standards for new construction and retrofit projects.

Bruce's primary focus is procurement strategy for all energy including efforts to achieve Equinix's long-term aspirational goal of powering their sites with 100% clean and renewable energy. Prior to Equinix, Bruce spent 13 years with Schneider Electric Professional Services as a Client Manager leading a portfolio of global clients to value-added energy risk management strategies and solutions. The 17 years before joining Schneider were with a large pharmaceutical manufacturing company serving in advancing leadership and management roles including management of all energy related activities across multiple sites and facilities. Bruce has a BS Degree in Mining Engineering and resides in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Robin Haugen, Toyota Motor North America Inc., general manager plant & environmental engineering

Robin Haugen is the general manager of plant and environmental engineering at Toyota Motor North America Inc. in Georgetown, Ky. She is responsible for North America Manufacturing and R&D facility construction, corporate environmental and facility engineering and North America energy and water Management. One of the primary components of her mission is to lead the manufacturing organization to achieve Toyota's Environmental Challenge 2050 that contains six specific goals to eliminate CO2 completely from the production and operation of vehicles toward manufacturing that is a net positive to the environment and society. Robin joined Toyota in 1991 as a senior architectural engineer at the Technical Center Headquarters in Ann Arbor, Mich. Robin continued at TTC with growing responsibilities in business and engineering management. During this time, Robin was promoted to plant engineering manager, general manager of business services and senior executive administrator (2005).

Robin's responsibility expanded from TTC into her current role as general manager of plant and environmental engineering (2006). Prior to joining TTC, Robin held various engineering and management positions at a Detroit-area architectural and engineering firm consulting with GM, Ford and Chrysler at various engine and vehicle assembly facilities across the United States. Projects included engine plant manufacturing upgrade and consolidation; energy management; and safety control systems. Her early career was spent at Bechtel Power Corp. in power plant construction and start up across the US. Robin holds a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Michigan State University and is a registered engineer in the state of Michigan. She has completed several executive development programs at the University of Southern California and University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business.

JT Hufnagel, Corning Inc., global energy operations manager

J.T.  Hufnagel is the global energy operations manager at Corning Inc. Based at Corning's headquarters in Corning, N.Y.  J.T. has held his current position since June 2014. His key responsibilities include corporate energy analytics, deploying Corning's energy strategy, managing the corporate energy efficiency capital allocation, and serving as division energy manager for Corning's business services division.

J.T.  joined Corning in 2001 and held various positions within the company's business services division until 2006 when he became the division capital specialist. In this role, he had responsibilities for division capital planning and asset management, as well as capital reporting for corporate staffs. He holds a Bachelor's degree in economics from Penn State University. J.T. serves on the market leadership advisory board for the U.S. Green Building Council New York Community. J.T.  lives in Corning with his wife and two sons, and enjoys coaching youth sports teams.

Jeffrey Myrdek,  CBRE Group Inc., global director of energy & sustainability for Cisco

As the global director of energy and sustainability on Cisco's account, Jeffery leads a staff of energy professionals focused on driving a global energy management project pipeline and supply side utility management. This includes more than 22 million square feet of office, data center and engineering space. The energy and sustainability program has been able to generate savings and implement innovative projects that drive Cisco's vison and strategy. Recently completed projects include Cisco's $14 million in development and execution of energy projects in fiscal year 2016, which will yield an annualized reduction in energy cost of $5.8 million.

Prior to joining his current client, Jeffery was an energy manager on the Bank of America account. He provided program oversight of their energy and sustainability projects for more than 21 million square feet of retail, offices and critical facilities in the Northeastern U.S. In addition to his many certifications, Jeffrey earned a Master of Science in facility management, a bachelor's in business management and a technical degree in HVAC. Jeffrey has won several professional awards for his efforts from the Association of Energy Engineers and the Association of Facilities Engineering and is a board member of the New Hampshire chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council.

Cindy Quan, Goldman Sachs & Co., VP environment, social & governance team

Cindy is a vice president in the environment, social and governance, or ESG, team in Corporate Services and Real Estate at Goldman Sachs & Co. Cindy is the global head of ESG and currently oversees the firm's global sustainability and social initiatives including the green building portfolio, the firm's energy and carbon reduction strategy and the local community engagement and vendor diversity program. She was responsible for the LEED Gold Certification of the World Headquarters building at 200 West Street in Battery Park City in New York City.
Cindy is currently a board member of CoreNet NY and the chair of the external relations committee. Cindy is also an active member of U.S. Green Building Council's National Market Advisory Committee. Cindy received her executive MBA at Columbia University and London Business Schools in 2014. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Cindy graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Facilities Management and Policy Analysis from Cornell University.

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