Focus the Nation 4/18/2009

South Florida’s Energy Future

Focusing – Together!Focusing – Together!

Sponsors

• Boca Raton.Com – Russell Spadaccini

• Office Depot

• Siemens

• NextEra Energy (FP & L)• NextEra Energy (FP & L)

• Chartwell’s & Chic-N-Grill

• FAU Student Government Association

• FAU Mission Green Student Association

Welcome

President Frank Brogan

Florida Atlantic University Mayor Susan Whelchel

City of Boca RatonFlorida Atlantic University City of Boca Raton

President Kevin Ross

Lynn University

President Dennis Gallon

Palm Beach Community College

Moderator Ayden Maher, Vice President,

FAU Mission Green Student Association

THE PANEL

• Earlier this year, Mr. Murley was appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist as Chair of the Florida Energy & Climate Commission. One of the programs administered by the Commission is the Renewable Energy and Energy-Efficient Technologies Grant Program, designed to stimulate capital investment in Florida and promote and enhance the statewide utilization of renewable energy and energy efficient

James F. Murley, Esq.Chair, Florida Energy & Climate

Commission

Executive Director, FAU Center for Urban

and Environmental Solutions (CUES)

enhance the statewide utilization of renewable energy and energy efficient technologies. The Commission will award $15 million in grant funding to eligible projects in early 2009, with at least $8 million for bioenergy projects.

• The State this year received 205 grant proposals, including 145 applications for renewable energy and energy efficient technologies and 60 applications for bioenergy projects. Together, the 205 grant proposals seek almost $280 million in grant funding and provide almost $1.7 billion in cost share for the projects.

• Over the last two years, Florida has provided more than $52 million in grant funding to encourage investment in the state as well as promote and enhance the use of alternative and renewable energy technologies.

Leonard Berry, Ph.D

Director, Florida Center for Environmental Studies (CES)

Born in England, Dr. Berry studied tropical environments in East and South Asia, and later in Eastern Africa, with 12 years residence in that area in various university positions. In Africa he developed an interest in natural resource management and rural development applied problems, including work on regional planning problems for the government of Tanzania. Since coming to the United States in 1970, he has worked on government of Tanzania. Since coming to the United States in 1970, he has worked on environmental and development training programs for USAID, UNSO, and UNEP; and worked for the World Bank in a number of capacities. Current interests include effective information systems for natural resource management and environmental education.

In 1994 he was appointed Director of the Florida Center for Environmental Studies. The mission of the Center is to collect, analyze, and promote the use of scientifically sound information concerning tropical and sub-tropical, freshwater and estuary ecosystems. Its role is to bring the full resources of the Florida State University System to bear on the critical environmental management issues of the state and of tropical, subtropical, ecosystems worldwide.

Dr. Berry has authored/edited 18 books and over 200 professional papers and reports.

Mr. Yalmaz SiddiquiEnvironmental Strategy Advisor

• Yalmaz Siddiqui is responsible for developing Office Depot’s environmental strategy and integrating its wide-ranging environmental initiatives into the organization. These industry-leading environmental programs span all parts of the company -- from the supply chain, to internal operations, to business and consumer markets.

• Mr. Siddiqui’s role includes increasing understanding of environmental issues and • Mr. Siddiqui’s role includes increasing understanding of environmental issues and opportunities among suppliers, customers, and associates. His responsibilities include the improvement of the environmental performance of Office Depot and its range of stakeholders.

• Siddiqui joined Office Depot from IBM Business Consulting in Toronto where he was a Senior Consultant in Customer Relationship Management, and author of the first global study on the environmental purchasing of wood and paper products. Before joining IBM, Siddiqui was a management consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he focused on the forest, paper and packaging industries.

• He holds a Master’s Degree in Environment & Development from Cambridge University in England, and a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Marketing & International Business from McGill University in Canada.

Marc CraddockAccount Executive for Energy SolutionsSiemens Building Technologies

Born in New York, Mr. Craddock was raised in South Florida and studied Philosophy and Religion at Flagler College in St. Augustine. Mr. Craddock spent time working with both the California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG) and the Florida Public Interest Research Group (FPIRG) raising environmental awareness and lobbying for the passage of the Bottle Bill and the Toxic Truth Act.

Mr. Craddock helped establish and was part owner the ECO Store, Inc. in Orlando, Mr. Craddock helped establish and was part owner the ECO Store, Inc. in Orlando, Florida, a company marketing environmentally friendly products to consumers and businesses. In the 1990s he worked in the energy efficient lighting field holding positions ranging from installer to marketing director, and eventually president of his own efficient lighting design and retrofit company.

Mr. Craddock spent three years with Honeywell as an Energy Analyst. During this time he received his certification as an Energy Manager (CEM) through the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE).

Since 2004, Mr. Craddock has been employed by Siemens Building Technologies, inc. where he leads a team responsible for developing Guaranteed Energy Performance Contracts in the Education marketplace.

Mr. Jack A. RistauDirector, Business Development

• Jack Ristau has over three decades of experience in developing, constructing, and operating municipal infrastructure facilities, including solid waste management and energy recovery projects in the United States and overseas. Since joining Wheelabrator in 1984, he has been responsible for and directed resource recovery business development activities in the northeastern and resource recovery business development activities in the northeastern and southeastern portions of the United States.

• In addition, Mr. Ristau also directed international waste-to-energy project developments in Hong Kong, Singapore, Guam and Taiwan. His international experience includes business development work in Mexico, Turkey, United Kingdom, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Jamaica, and Barbados.

• Currently, Mr. Ristau is Director of Business Development and manages waste-to-energy project opportunities in the United States and Canada, supervising proposal development and customer contract negotiations.

Mr. Joe Naroditsky Executive Director and Co-founder Faiths United for Sustainable Energy

• Joe Naroditsky is executive director and co-founder of Faiths United for Sustainable Energy (FUSE), an interfaith, non-profit organization that works to educate and mobilize faith communities to act on the harmful effects of our society’s dependence on fossil fuels. He has been working on energy, climate, and sustainability issues since 2006 and is a Fellow of the Green climate, and sustainability issues since 2006 and is a Fellow of the Green for All Academy in partnership with the We Campaign. Joe has been a religious school educator for nearly 15 years and spent 4 years as Director of Neighborhood Initiatives and Local Public Policy Coordinator for SCOPE, a non-profit organization in Sarasota, FL.

• Joe received a BA in Anthropology from New College of Florida and has served as an evaluator for the HOPE VI federal housing program and as a mentor for several local leadership development programs. Joe enjoyed a diverse upbringing, with the sights, sounds, and tastes of Spanish, Russian, Israeli, and Arab culture – a childhood that molded his broad approach to understanding differences among people as a way to resolve conflict and build community.

Mr. Alexander Van MeclFounder/ PresidentFAU Mission Green Student Association

• Alexander Van Mecl came to Florida Atlantic University – Boca Raton in August of 2008. He is pursuing a degree in Public Communications with a minor in Environmental Studies. In the short time Alex has been at FAU, he has engaged in efforts to mobilize the student body, as well as the local community, in becoming more involved in the Mission Green campaign, which began in 2007.

In February, 2009, he founded the Mission Green Student Association and developed In February, 2009, he founded the Mission Green Student Association and developed the critical relationships necessary for the club's growing impact. In light of the “green” movement on campus, he has been able to inspire and motivate hundreds of students to get engaged in making FAU a more eco-friendly institution.

Along with his studies, he is a member of the campus-wide Sustainability Committee, Housing Sustainability Sub-Committee, and the Community Engagement Sub-Committee.

Just recently, Alex has been hired by the Housing and Residential Life Department to take on the project of improving the entire housing recycling program, which he anticipates will be fully operational at the beginning of the Fall 09 semester.

Questions to the Panel

• In terms of sustainable development today, which and for

what reason do you consider to be the most promising

careers and job opportunities?

• How can academia, business, and government work together

as a community to reduce our ecological footprint, advocate as a community to reduce our ecological footprint, advocate

for policy change, become more equitable, and develop

sustainable business and employment opportunities?

• Which are some of the more successful solutions currently

being implemented to make businesses, institutions, and

communities more energy efficient and carbon neutral, more

equitable, and more prosperous?

ShowcaseShowcase

South Florida’s Energy Future

Focusing – Together!Focusing – Together!