Willdan Energy Solutions Key Personnel

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Willdan Energy Solutions' management team includes executives from major utilities, IT companies, and the higher education arena. Other members include highly skilled energy engineers, environmental specialists, expert programmers, and dedicated support staff. We are committed to client satisfaction, regulatory compliance and resource sustainability.

Click the "plus" or name for more information on the following key personnel.

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Alok Jay Bhalla President: Jay has been working in the energy efficiency arena for over 15 years. His experience includes managing several energy efficiency programs—including the Express Efficiency Program—for California's largest utility. He has also authored several articles on energy efficiency.

Jay has extensive experience and expertise in the regulatory, data analysis, forecasting, and testimony development arenas. He has successfully created several partnerships to obtain funding and implement clients' energy efficiency projects, including the Stockton Comprehensive Energy Efficiency Program, the San Joaquin Energy IQ Program, and the Pomona Energy Efficiency Program. Jay has an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from PEC, an MBA from San Jose State University, and a certificate in project management and financial analysis from UC Berkeley.
Ashish Goel Chief Executive Officer: Intergy (now Willdan Energy Solutions) is Ashish's third successful company; the previous two involved software development. Mr. Goel has 15 years' experience in the energy, environmental, and technology industries, with key roles in energy efficiency, software, environmental studies, and general management.

Ashish has recently been managing the delivery of IT applications for the CPUC and SCE—packages such as the Energy Efficiency Groupware Application (EEGA), and PEPMA, a proposal evaluation and management tool. He managed the 2004–2005 third-party energy efficiency programs for San Joaquin County and for the City of Pomona, and the SCE IDEEA LACCD-SBCCD Community College program. He has experience in geographic information systems, and he has conducted environmental analyses for and reported his findings to the Department of Defense and the Environmental Protection Agency. He has an undergraduate degree in chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, and a master's degree in environmental engineering from Clemson University.
Ben Bradford Regional Vice President, Northern California: Mr. Bradford serves as a regional vice president for Willdan Energy Solutions. At Willdan Ben has occupied senior roles in program management, administration, and marketing, while successfully developing, managing, and implementing numerous utility programs throughout California, Texas, and New York. Ben has helped hospitals, data centers, schools, small and large commercial entities, municipalities, and industrials implement cost-effective energy efficiency strategies that have delivered millions of kilowatt hour savings. Ben draws on several years of strategic management and consulting experience in the IT and healthcare industries. Ben obtained his MBA and BS in business from the California State University system.
Tony Coonce Regional Vice President, Southern California: With over 27 years of experience in the energy efficiency (EE) industry, Tony provides operations and program management for all of Willdan Energy Solution's EE programs that are managed from the Monrovia office. Before joining Willdan, Mr. Coonce had supervisory and management roles in EE at Sempra Energy, San Diego Gas and Electric, and Southern California Edison, and he served as principal marketing engineer at Commonwealth Edison. He has a BA in business management from North Central College.
Bob Harrison Regional Vice President, New York: Mr. Harrison is a veteran of the engineering, procurement, and construction industries. He has built and operated processing facilities in the energy, refining, petrochemical, and industrial gas sectors since 1983. Bob has broad experience in mechanical and electrical operations and project execution—from both an engineering and construction perspective—and a builder's mentality. By combining a detailed analysis of operations with meticulous research into customer needs, he ensures the highest level of customer satisfaction. Bob has an MS in mechanical engineering from Polytechnic University, New York, and a BS in mechanical engineering from the University of Buffalo, New York.
Josh Milberg Regional Vice President, Midwest States: Josh is responsible for Midwest operations at Willdan Energy Solutions. He has significant experience in strategy, finance, environmental policy, economics, and organizational development. Before joining Willdan, Josh served as the first deputy commissioner of the Department of Environment for the City of Chicago. Josh is often invited to speak at international conferences on topics such as energy efficiency building retrofit strategies, electric vehicle infrastructure, smart grids, environmentally sustainable economic development, and how cities can develop and implement robust climate plans. Josh graduated from Claremont McKenna College, and received his MBA with from the Yale School of Management.
Rich Fox, PE Vice President of Engineering: A skilled mechanical engineer, Rich has over five years of analysis and design experience in the energy industry, delivering lighting and other product designs that were ready for production. A licensed professional engineer, Rich is the project manager for IDEEA, the City of Pomona, and the San Joaquin IQ energy efficiency programs. He has a strong design background and broad knowledge of manufacturing processes, as well as experience in project management, project data organization and analysis, decision and risk analysis, electrical analysis, and problem solving. As a former project engineer for Hubbell, he designed energy-efficient lighting products using sources such as compact fluorescent and high-intensity discharging lamps. His mechanical engineering degree is from UC Davis.
Tom Kouris Vice President, National Direct Installation Programs: Tom is a senior vice president of direct install (DI) programs for Willdan Energy Solutions. In this role, he oversees programs involving retrofits and upgraded lighting, refrigeration, and other mechanical measures implemented in support of Willdan's utility clients. He is currently overseeing six programs in three states; his responsibilities include Willdan's largest client, Con Edison in New York. Other utilities whose DI programs he oversees include Orange & Rockland Utility, San Diego Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, and Puget Sound Energy. Mr. Kouris has a BS in civil engineering from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
Thomas Hudgens Vice President, National Data Centers: Thomas has over 10 years of experience with data centers and mission-critical facilities. He oversees a national data center team that performs engineering services and manages energy efficiency programs. Tapping his unique understanding of data center operations, Thomas specializes in achieving energy efficiency through IT infrastructure optimization, system software, utility incentive programs, and mechanical and electrical infrastructure. He directs teams that manage utility incentive programs for NYSERDA, ComEd, APS, Southern California Edison, and Silicon Valley Power.
Lloyd Kass Vice President of Operations, New York: Lloyd has extensive experience developing and leading energy efficiency programs. He spent more than 10 years in New York City government, most recently as energy director of the public housing authority—where he led the planning and implementation of energy efficiency building retrofits for a portfolio of 2,600 multifamily buildings. In addition to his Willdan duties, Lloyd currently serves as an adjunct associate professor at Columbia University's School of International & Public Affairs, teaching and advising graduate students in an environmental science and policy program. He has an MPA from Columbia, and is an accredited CEM (certified energy manager).
Shannon Koffman Director of Business Development, Northern California: Shannon's career in high technology has evolved into a focus on using clean technology to create energy efficiency solutions. He spent the first decade of his career serving Fortune 500 clients in the technology industry, with a functional focus on customer-centric business strategy and transformation, service business development, introduction of new technologies, and organizational optimization. He now helps clients translate strategic plans into tangible results through focused execution. Mr. Koffman received a BS in industrial and systems engineering and economics from Ohio State University.
Paul Whitelaw Senior Vice President, Business Development, West Coast: Mr. Whitelaw has 15 years of operational and business development management experience, including project and program management experience. He joined Willdan's financial services division in 1996. His original responsibilities entailed financial analysis and project management for special assessment financing districts, but his duties expanded to encompass overseeing the division's growth and developing new business with local government clients. Mr. Whitelaw now focuses on development of the energy efficiency and related services that Willdan Energy Solutions provides to government clients. He holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Point Loma Nazarene University, and an MBS from the University of California, Irvine.
Jake Berlin Business Development, East Coast: Jake oversees business development activities for Willdan Energy Solutions on the East Coast. He is responsible for the exploration, development, and execution of new business opportunities, with a particular focus on the New York City market. Mr. Berlin has years of experience in the fields of energy efficiency, sustainability, and environmental business. He served as chief financial officer of Rentricity, a company that focused on energy recovery within water infrastructure; led environmental sustainability efforts at the nation's largest private university; and founded a recycled biodiesel fuel company. Mr. Berlin holds an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business, and a BA from Brown University.
Jayleen Sun Marketing and PR: Ms. Sun has more than 16 years of experience in marketing, public relations, community outreach, and creative design for the technical industries, particularly engineering and architecture. Jayleen currently oversees corporate communications for Willdan Group, Inc., and its four operating divisions—engineering, energy, public finance, and homeland security. She also manages marketing activities for Willdan Energy Solutions and its energy efficiency programs. Jayleen specializes in corporate branding/identity and communications; multimedia design and Web site development; and proposal marketing and graphic design. Her skills encompass e-mail marketing and social media marketing, as well as investor relations.

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