MEET OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM

Transcription

1 MEET OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM

2 MATTHEW LANFEAR CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Matt is an energy management and procurement executive with over 20 years of experience in developing energy management plans for small business entrepreneurs, product development, business operations, and strategy. With an appreciation for the energy industry s volatility, Matt enjoys the challenge of remaining nimble and reactive to the market, with the ability to adapt and overcome challenges and shifts in the paradigm swiftly. Headquartered in New York, Matt is currently President and CEO at Great Eastern Energy, an energy supplier of natural gas, electricity and energy solutions in NY, NJ and MA. Matt values the ownership his employees take at Great Eastern Energy and strives to help them cultivate a healthy balance between work and life. Matt s primary goals for Great Eastern Energy include helping customers work towards long-term sustainability and success in energy management, and ensuring the Great Eastern Energy office fosters a nurturing environment for his employees. The company s motto is THRIVE and Matt brings this value to both his employees and customers. Prior to Great Eastern Energy, Matt was VP of Industrial Services at Crown Energy, where he continues to consult today. He s also a Managing Member of Enhanced Energy Service where his primary focus is advising the leadership team of the company s existing consumer energy portfolio. Deeply vested in community outreach, Matt is engaged in several non-profit organizations including sitting on the board for both Hamburg Finance Academy and Willow Bend Club. Matt also enjoys spending his time away from work with his family in the outdoors, be in at the lake or on the slopes.

3 ALLAN BRENNER MANAGING MEMBER, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER As managing member, Allan has a 50% interest in Great Eastern Energy. He graduated from Hofstra University in 1974 with a degree in Accounting and earned his CPA certification two years later. In 1986, after gaining experience at firms such as KPMG, he was asked to step in and run his family s oil supply and service business. He successfully ran and built the company until he sold it in Since then, Allan has focused his time exclusively on Great Eastern Energy. With 28 years of experience in the industry, his financial acumen has proven to be an invaluable asset to the company. As a life-long resident of the New York area, he understands the business climate of the market and how to get things done. With their two grown children off conquering the world, Allan and his wife reside on Long Island with their three cats. RON LUKAS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Ron Lukas has over 40 years experience in the energy industry, including executive responsibility at KeySpan over a number of areas in both the regulated and unregulated divisions of the business. On the regulated side, these include Regulatory Strategy and Relations and Supply Procurement and Planning for KeySpan s gas LDCs. On the unregulated side these include responsibility for the company s Electric Wholesale Trading business and the electric and gas Retail Commodity businesses. Prior to retiring from KeySpan, Ron played a major role in obtaining approval for the $12 billion acquisition by National Grid of KeySpan. Also in that capacity, he provided testimony and directed the rate case team which was responsible for obtaining a $350 million annual rate relief settlement and analyzing gas supply synergies. This was critical in order to set major benchmarks used to measure the public interest benefits related to the acquisition. Ron earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering at City College of New York. As a born and bred New Yorker, he has always taken an active role in industry and community groups. He headed the residential and commercial demand task group for the 2003 National Petroleum Council report, has been a Policy Co-Chair of Gas / Electric issues for the National Energy Marketers Association, has served as Chairman of the AGA C&I Market Research Committee as well as the New York State Rate Group, and has also served as a Trustee and Secretary on the Board of the Brooklyn Children s Museum.

4 SCOTT LASHELLE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, GAS OPERATIONS Scott LaShelle graduated in 1985 from Georgetown University with a BS in Foreign Service. He was then recruited by JP Morgan into their training program and worked for six years in various capital markets positions until moving to JP Morgan s energy derivatives desk in In this capacity, he was responsible for origination of oil and gas deals. In 1998, Scott joined Sempra Energy Trading s derivatives desk, eventually moving to Sempra s East Gas desk in 2000, where he managed the desk from He continued in the same role when RBS took over in 2008, until leaving in 2010 when he was offered an opportunity with Freepoint Commodities to comanage East Gas business. The newest member of Great Eastern Energy s executive board, Scott joined the company in Scott lives in New Canaan, CT with his wife, their three children and two dogs. He is an active member of his community serving as Utility Commissioner for the Town of New Canaan. VIRGINIE GLAENZER EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING Virginie Glaenzer is no stranger to the landscape of social media and digital marketing. A driven veteran of marketing, social media, digital and mobile, she brings a strong and diverse skill set. Through the development and execution of highly successful integrated communication channel plans and platforms, she is a leader in traditional and non-traditional media strategies with a strong emphasis on social media and mobile. With over 20 years of experience in the U.S. and international markets, much of it in management, sales, and marketing for many high tech companies, Virginie is a seasoned business expert in SaaS and new technologies, founding two software start-ups and establishing authority as an entrepreneur, social media, mobile, and digital marketing maven. Virginie holds a master degree from HEC, one of France s top 3 business schools, as well as a Major in Management, and a Minor in Business Administration.

5 NATE KESSMAN VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Nate is a graduate of Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, where he studied the Culinary Arts and earned a Bachelor s Degree in Business Management. It was during college that Nate cut his teeth (and fingers) in the restaurant industry. A talented chef, with the ability to take the heat, little did Nate know that he was developing transferable skills for his date with destiny. It was only after a chance encounter in 2002 that Nate was introduced to the endless possibilities waiting outside the restaurant world, and found his true calling in sales. Serving as an account executive for both National City and Merrill Lynch, Nate exceeded all expectations and quickly reached President s Club status for his efforts. In late 2010, a chance encounter with one of Great Eastern Energy s founding partners would lead to an offer as Director of Business Development. Focusing on customer loyalty and service, Nate has used a team approach to help grow new markets and improve the customer experience. This has proven to be so successful that Nate was promoted to Vice President of Business Development before the end of his first year. Nate currently resides in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York with his wife and two children. ARTHUR DEBOWSKI SR. VICE PRESIDENT, SALES Arthur came to the United States from his native Poland in Upon arriving in this country, he began what would turn out to be an illustrious career in sales, at the spice company, McCormick & Company. Simultaneously, he put himself through school at St. John s University, graduating in 1996 with a B.S. in Marketing. It was then that Arthur decided to explore sales opportunities in the newly deregulated energy market. As a result, he joined Norstar Energy, a subsidiary of Orange & Rockland Utilities. He also gained experience in commercial sales working for Equitable Gas and Hess Corp. before making Great Eastern Energy his permanent home in Arthur is responsible for initiating and maintaining GEE s relationships with its biggest customers including a hospital and several large housing cooperatives.

6 JANA SHAW VICE PRESIDENT, GAS SUPPLY & OPERATIONS At the ripe old age of 23, Jana started her career in the oil and gas industry, dispatching jet fuel to airlines for the largest downstream direct distributor in North America and overseas via worldwide suppliers. That introduction into operations spawned a professional addiction to operations/ troubleshooting that led her from jet fuel into other refined products crude oil and ultimately natural gas. Jana met Allan and Matt in 2002 while working for a company that managed their assets and operations. The three had an instant connection that ultimately led to Jana s joining the Great Eastern Energy team in Jana continues to manage GEE s natural gas assets and operations with technology that (thankfully) far exceeds the old days of pagers, telex, fax and late night trips to the office to ensure product delivery. Jana works out of our Houston office but makes frequent trips to NYC in order to meet with the NY team and take in a Broadway show or two. ROBYN FRANK GENERAL COUNSEL Robyn Frank practiced law for over 15 years before joining the Great Eastern Energy Executive Team as General Counsel. She started out as a litigator in both the federal and state courts, and eventually founded and became the managing partner of Tancer & Muskat, a general practice firm in NYC. In 1999, Robyn took a break from the practice of law to become a legal recruiter with AKA Associates, with a focus on in-house placement. She did this for 5 years until she left to help her husband establish and run a new business in the fitness industry that is now entering its 10th year. In 2009, Robyn began her tenure at Great Eastern Energy. She is responsible for all HR, legal and regulatory issues. Robyn received her B.A. in Social Sciences from Ohio State University and her J.D. from the Washington College of Law at American University. She is a Member in Good Standing of the New York State Bar. Robyn and her husband live in Atlantic Beach, NY. They also have two wonderful children but have recently achieved empty nests status and are thoroughly enjoying it!

7 JEFFREY LEVIN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, SALES Jeffrey Levin is the EVP of Sales for Great Eastern Energy. With more than 20 years of experience in energy and energy related services, Jeff oversees all Great Eastern Energy sales activities in US North East. With a core focus on helping customers make their businesses better, Jeff has been able to successfully lead and manage sales teams across North America. Prior to joining Great Eastern Energy, Jeff was with Direct Energy as head of their North American Sales and with Osram Sylvania as a general manger of their Lighting Services division. Jeff currently resides in the greater New York area with his wife and two children.