Board of Directors
Strong governance is provided to the Continental Automated Buildings Association through its highly-active Board of Directors.
Chair
Dr. Satyen Mukherjee
Chief Scientist, Senior Director Research Strategy North America
Philips
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Dr. Satyen Mukherjee is currently a chief scientist and senior director for research strategy in North America. In this position he drives the development of a Philips Research Strategy in North America and identifies and drives cross program initiatives in research.
Prior to this he served as the ad interim managing director of Philips Research North America in 2005 following his function as the strategy developer for global Philips Research in the Integrated Circuits program. Over the years, Dr.Mukherjee has served as Department Head, Microelectronic Devices, Circuits and Systems at Philips Research, Briarcliff Manor, New York where he conducted research in a number of IC technologies, circuits and systems areas. His IC technology related research resulted in a number of high voltage and smart power IC technologies that have been transferred into production worldwide. In the power systems area his research resulted in the development of integrated power converters for dimmable fluorescent lamp ballasts, switch mode power supplies, battery chargers and displays. Additionally his research group developed several technologies and systems for wireless lighting controls.
Dr. Mukherjee holds a Ph.D. from Carleton University, Ottawa (1981) and a B.Tech degree from Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India (1976) where he was awarded the President of India Gold medal for top ranking in all branches of Engineering. From 1981 to 1984 Dr. Mukherjee worked on physics and technology of EPROMs at Intel Corporation, Santa Clara.
In 1985, while working for Exel Microelectronics, San Jose, California, he developed the world's first 512K flash memory chip using a single transistor cell (also known in the industry as the NOR or ETOX flash memory cell) for which he holds the original patent. He has numerous patents and publications in journals, technical conferences and has made several keynote speeches at several conferences. He has also served in organization committees of a number of technical conferences such as the IEDM, ISLPED. |
Vice-Chair
Dr. Morad R. Atif
General Manager, Construction
National Research Council Canada
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In January 2012, Morad Atif was appointed General Manager of NRC-Construction, the National Research council of Canada’s leading construction research and technology development agency and the custodian of the Model National Building Codes for Canada. Dr. Atif had been Director of NRC’s Indoor Environment Research Program since 1999.
He joined NRC-IRC as a research officer in 1993, after spending two years as a faculty member at Texas A&M University's College of Architecture and Department of Construction Science, where he earned a Ph.D. in Architecture and Construction Science. He also holds a Masters degree in Architectural Technology from the University of California.
The chair of several international conferences and an active contributor to many committees and associations, Dr. Atif is the Canadian representative and chair of the Executive Committee of the International Energy Agency's (IEA) Energy Conservation in Buildings and Community Systems, a collaborative research partnership of 26 countries. He also serves on the Boards of Directors of the Continental Automated Building Association, the International Council on Buildings (CIB) and Communities of Tomorrow.
Dr. Atif is the author of more than 80 publications and the recipient of many awards, including two NRC Outstanding Achievement Awards, a Presidential award from the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America and two Caudill Research Fellowships from Texas A&M University.
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At-Large Board Members
Laurie Actman
Deputy Director for the Energy Efficient Building Hub (EEB Hub)
Penn State University
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Laurie Actman serves as the Deputy Director for the Energy Efficient Building Hub (EEB Hub) in Philadelphia. In that role she helps to lead and manage The EEB Hub’s activities related to achieving a 20% reduction in energy use by average size buildings in the Philadelphia region. Previous to joining the EEB Hub, Laurie was the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Public Policy for Viridity Energy, a leading-edge smart grid and load management technology company where she developed projects and partnerships with cities, transit agencies and large energy users as well as positioned Viridity with key policymakers and elected officials. She joined Viridity in March 2010 after serving as a consultant for two years to Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, helping to launch the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and the Metropolitan Caucus. Her work through both those efforts helped lead to the region’s success in winning a $25 million Recovery through Retrofit grant from the U.S. Department of Energy for regional commercial and residential energy efficiency and retrofit activities.
Prior to working for the City of Philadelphia, Ms. Actman served as the Chief Policy Development Officer for the CEO Council for Growth and Select Greater Philadelphia, economic development affiliates of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, where she pursued policy initiatives to improve the City and region’s infrastructure, fostered increased technology transfer and commercialization and improved the quality of the region’s workforce.
She has worked with several noteworthy Philadelphia organizations including the Central Philadelphia Development Corporation and Greater Philadelphia First. Ms. Actman began her career in Washington, D.C. with The Brookings Institution and the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Ms. Actman holds a Master degree in Regional Planning from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington University, St. Louis. |
Scot Adams
CIO and Senior Vice President, Operations & Technology
Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited
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Scot Adams has worked with Cadillac Fairview since 1996. As CIO directing the IT organization, he is the senior member of the corporate Business Innovation & Technology Services unit.
Over the past 25 years, he has worked with several real estate firms in both Canada and the United States where he was responsible for implementing advanced technologies. Most recently his responsibilities have been expanded into a new role overseeing Cadillac Fairview’s National Facility Operations and Security departments focusing on integrated building technologies.
Scot is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and has served on the Advisory Board of Realcomm. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary. |
Jerine Ahmed
Senior Engineer, Design & Engineering Services
Southern California Edison Company
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Jerine Ahmed is a Senior Engineer with Southern California Edison’s Design and Engineering Services group where he works with a group of technical professionals responsible for providing comprehensive engineering and energy solutions, design expertise, and project and program management services utilizing new and emerging technologies. Prior to his current role at Edison, Jerine was the program manager for the HVAC Technologies and System Diagnostics Advocacy Program. Jerine has over twenty years of broad based energy engineering experience working for manufacturer, consulting engineer, energy services company (ESCO) and electric and natural gas utilities. Jerine has been involved in managing energy efficiency programs, emerging technology assessments, energy efficiency codes and standards, energy analysis including computer modeling, project development, and construction support in a variety of energy efficiency and demand response projects. He has worked closely with regulatory agencies, manufacturers, construction managers, consultants, and subcontractors. His broad based experience extends to energy management systems (EMS), home-area networks, lighting systems, HVAC technologies, boilers, cogeneration and renewable power projects, chillers, performance contracting among others. Prior to joining Edison, Jerine worked in Sempra Energy Utilities in their emerging technologies program and also managed the Codes and Standards Program.
Jerine is a member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and senior member of the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE). He served as a voting committee member in ASHRAE Standard 90.1 on non-residential buildings. He graduated with Honors from Assam Engineering College, India in Mechanical Engineering.
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S. Scott Burnett
Director, Global Consumer Electronics Industry
IBM
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Scott is responsible for leading IBM Strategy & Business development focused on the Consumer Electronics Industry, coordinating digital convergence efforts across IBM brands and Industries leveraging cloud computing for product & service innovation.
Scott has served in numerous capacities at IBM ranging from executive roles in the Media & Entertainment industry to business development with IBM research. As Global Marketing Director for IBM's Digital Media Group, Scott lead worldwide marketing strategy and market development for IBM Digital Media solutions.
Prior to joining IBM, Scott Burnett served as Vice President, Marketing for Liquid Audio, guiding Liquid Audio's global marketing strategy and positioning its IPO and the Liquid Audio brand as a major player in the initial market for digital music delivery via the Internet. Scott Burnett’s film and entertainment studio experience includes Vice President of Corporate Brands at Warner Bros. Studios, organizing global branding efforts across company divisions, and Vice President of Warner Bros. International Production Group as well as Director Operations, at The Walt Disney Company, managing the international release of animated productions including brand management.
Among Scott Burnett's 25+ years of marketing, brand management, business development, sales and production management experience he’s also consulted for a number of media companies. Scott is currently a member of the CEA, Consumer Electronics Association Board of Industry leaders and member of the board of directors for CABA, Continental Automated Buildings Association and Chairman of the Connected Home Council..
Scott received an MBA from the University of San Francisco in 1985 and Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1981. As an Associate Professor, he taught marketing at the University of San Francisco.
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Brian Casey
Vice President & General Manager,
Cable & Custom Electronics
Honeywell International, Inc.
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Brian Casey joined the leadership team of the Honeywell Security Group in January 2009, and is responsible for serving low voltage security, commercial and industrial HVAC markets.
Prior to joining Honeywell, Casey held leadership positions at Rockwell Automation, Schneider Electric, Vickers/Eaton, and Comtrol, with nearly 30 years experience in the commercial, industrial, and automation markets. He has contributed to multiple international standard developments including IEEE 802 (Networks), ISA S88 (Batch Control) and ISO 61131 (Automation).
Casey earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Milwaukee School of Engineering, Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1988. He is a senior member of ISA, and served on the board of directors for Interest Group SERCOS and ICS.
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Jonathan C. Cluts
Director Consumer Prototyping and Strategy
Microsoft Corporation
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As director of consumer prototyping and strategy at Microsoft Corp., Jonathan Cluts leads the group that creates prototypes of consumer technologies that look out five to ten years in the future. The team conceives tangible realizations of ideas and technologies that they believe will enhance consumers' productivity, lifestyle and entertainment. As part of its charter, the team also creates, manages and operates the Microsoft Home, a prototyping facility located on the company's Redmond, Wash., campus.
Cluts has worked at Microsoft for over 10 years. He has worked in the Usability, Kids, MSN and Systems groups and for the Prototyping Team twice. He was the first full-time program manager for the Prototyping Team when Microsoft initiated its consumer and interactive television efforts under Craig Mundie.
Before joining Microsoft, Cluts worked in the music business; he owned and managed several recording studios in addition to producing and performing music. He also taught computer classes and worked for Tandy and several smaller computer companies. Cluts studied music and audio engineering at Indiana University and received a bachelor's degree in liberal arts from the University of Washington. He is married to a former Microsoft employee and they have a 10-year-old son.
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Xavier Datin
Senior Vice President, LifeSpace Business
Schneider Electric
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Xavier Datin has over 20 years of experience in strategy, sales, marketing, business development, also R&D and industrial management, through assignments in Asia, Europe and North America.
In June 2012, Xavier was named Senior Vice President LifeSpace business for North America and relocated from Hong Kong to Chicago. In this role, Xavier is responsible for developing solutions to improve home and building efficiency that use innovation to combine lifestyle, comfort and energy efficiency.
Xavier joined Schneider Electric in 1990, serving most recently as Senior Vice President LifeSpace Business Asia Pacific. During his tenure, business grew for six consecutive years. Prior positions include CEO of Clipsal, a subsidiary of Schneider Electric and Business Directement Director for Schneider Electric in China, based in Beijing.
Xavier has a computer science degree from Ecole Centrale de Lyon, France and a Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He resides in the Chicago area.
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Michel Dostie
Manager, Expertise in End-use Technologies
Hydro-Québec
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Michel Dostie is Manager, Expertise in End-use Technologies at Hydro-Québec, who is in charge of the utility's energy-use technology research lab.
Focusing on energy-use technologies, LTE - the Hydro-Québec research institute's energy technology laboratory - puts technological innovation to work for the company's customers. Located in Shawinigan, the laboratory brings together the expertise of some 60 specialists in building energetics and industrial energetics.
As Québec’s leading research facility in technological innovation with respect to energy efficiency, the LTE has a wide variety of equipment and specialized testing methods. Through its research into new technologies and performance evaluations of promising options, the laboratory meets the need of Hydro-Québec’s customers (residential, commercial, institutional and industrial) to become more efficient in the way they consume energy or to develop special applications.
The laboratory’s services are offered outside the company. Do business with energy-use leaders.
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Larry J. Ehlinger
Senior Director of Advanced Engineering and Quality
Pella Corporation
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Larry J. Ehlinger is Senior Director of Advanced Engineering and Quality for Pella Corporation. He is responsible for overseeing the engineering, quality, and business development technology functions at Pella along with the new product engineering processes.
Ehlinger joined Pella Corporation is October 2002 as Director of Manufacturing Engineering, responsible for custom machine design and build, corporate process engineering, and the company’s continuous process improvement engineering function.
Prior to joining Pella, Larry spend seventeen years with Rockwell Automation, where he held positions of increasing responsibility in finance, engineering management, electronic assembly management, and plant management.
Ehlinger received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1986 from Iowa State University and a Master of Science degree in Engineering Management from the Milwaukee School of Engineering in 2001.
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Eric Fournier
Director, System Business Unit
Watt Stopper/Legrand
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Eric Fournier joined Watt Stopper/Legrand in 2006. As Director of the System Business Unit, he is responsible for strategic directions and profitability of energy efficient lighting control solutions that seamlessly integrate with building automation systems..
He is a LEED Accredited Professional and IES member with over fifteen years of experience in the lighting control industry. Fournier started his career with Lutron Electronics, where he held various positions including sustaining engineering, new product development, product management and corporate business analysis.
Over the years, he brought to market multiple categories of lighting controls including dimmers, occupancy sensors and intelligent lighting control systems for residential and commercial markets in North America, Europe and Latin America.
Fournier earned a MS in Mechanical Engineering from ENIT, France. He has authored a number of lighting control published articles and has conducted presentations to lighting designers, electrical engineers, installers and system integrators at LIGHTFAIR International and company sponsored training and education programs.
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Bob Gohn is senior research director leading Navigant Research’s smart buildings practice including responsibility for research content management, client consulting engagements, and key industry relationships. His research responsibilities include advisory services in building automation, energy efficient lighting, energy management, green buildings, and smart building technologies.
Gohn joined Navigant Research, formerly Pike Research, in 2009 and developed Pike Research’s Smart Grid practice, contributing leading analysis of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), smart grid communications, and home area networking (HAN) markets. In his current role leading the Smart Building practice, Gohn’s personal research areas include building automation, controls and communications, and building-to-grid technologies and services.
Gohn has over 30 years of experience in engineering, strategic marketing, corporate strategy, market research, and executive leadership. Before joining Navigant Research, Gohn worked with companies ranging from successful startups to multinational corporations, including such companies as Ember Corporation, Freescale Semiconductor, Motorola, C-Port Corporation, 3Com, and Standard Microsystems. He has led numerous client engagements and is a regular speaker at industry conferences in addition to being frequently quoted in the press. Gohn holds a BEEE from Stony Brook University and an MSEE from Polytechnic University (now part of NYU).
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Jeff Hamilton has been involved with digital control system solutions for the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) industry for over twenty five years. He joined Trane, now a part of Ingersoll Rand, in 2003 and serves as Product Manager and Integrated Solutions Program Manager for Ingersoll Rand’s Global Controls & Smart Products business headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota. His primary responsibilities include the strategic direction, development, marketing, and management of programs related to Trane control products and integrated controls solutions.
Prior to his current position, Jeff spent ten years with McQuay International, most recently as Director of Control Systems Technology and Product Management, two years with Johnson Controls, Inc., and sixteen years with Honeywell, Inc.
Jeff holds a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical/Industrial Engineering from the University of Minnesota and a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE), and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air- Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
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Elizabeth Jacobs
Director of Marketing for the Building Technologies Division
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Elizabeth Jacobs is Director of Marketing for the Building Technologies Division of Siemens Industry, Inc. She is responsible for market strategy for BT’s Control Products & Systems and Fire Life Safety business units.
Jacobs joined Siemens in 2005 with responsibility for product, channel and market development for BT’s energy management comfort systems. In 2007 Liz assumed responsibility for market development efforts for BT’s Fire Life Safety business unit as well, helping to launch the company’s emergency notification offering which integrates multiple communication devices and networks with its fire systems to provide an integrated emergency communication platform for customers.
Today, Jacobs and her marketing team concentrate on understanding the growing needs of commercial building owners and operators in the areas of energy management, demand response, smart consumption and intelligent response. Her team also provides direction to Siemens on the integration of building systems such as building automation, fire, security, and lighting.
Prior to joining Siemens, Jacobs was Director of Marketing for W.W. Grainger. She also spent 12 years in the financial services industry holding various marketing positions of increasing responsibilities. Jacobs is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.
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Grant Kroeger
Senior Marketing Manager
Qualcomm Incorporated
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Grant Kroeger is a Senior Manager of Marketing for the Industry Relations team at Qualcomm. Based in San Diego and possessing more than 15 years of experience in telecommunications, Mr. Kroeger is responsible for driving the vision of mobile computing and communication technologies that enhance the connected consumer experience to targeted industry audiences. He is also responsible for building a set of influential industry communities that help reinforce Qualcomm’s future vision.
Mr. Kroeger joined Qualcomm after graduating from Colorado State University with a BFA degree and concentration in Graphic Design & Business. During his 15 years at Qualcomm, he has held a variety of positions including Manager of the Corporate Communications creative team, corporate operation & budget lead, and Corporate Communications & Marketing generalist.
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Stephen J. Nardi
President /CEO RealView, LLC
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Having been a national corporate real estate developer for over 40 years and then Chairman/CEO of a New York Stock Exchange Real Estate Investment Trust owning and developing millions of square feet of office and industrial property in the Chicago metropolitan area and across the country, Stephen J. Nardi is recognized the importance of electronic life/safety programs. As a result, after the sale of the REIT, he heads RealView, LLC, a Chicago based software company offering mobile inspections and mobile life/safety programs to Fire Departments, Universities/Colleges, Hi-rise Office Building Owners/Managers, Hotels, Hi-rise Residential, Assisted Living and others. He is a strong advocate of fire/emergency pre-incident planning and routine inspections accomplished religiously for all facilities.
He is a member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), The Center for Campus Fire Safety, Chicago Real Estate Board (CRB), National Association of Realtors (NAR), the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR), National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), Urban Land Institute (ULI), Chicago Development Council (CDC). He also serves on the Council of Regents of Loyola University Chicago.
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Barry Rogers
President and Chief Executive Officer
SecurTek Monitoring Solutions
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Barry Rogers is President and Chief Executive Officer of SecurTek, a growing Western Canada based company that operates three ULC certified monitoring stations located in Yorkton, Sask., Winnipeg, Man. and Aurora, Ontario. In addition to operating these three central stations, providing a wide range of services, SecurTek has a national dealer program that continues to grow annually.
Barry has been responsible for providing leadership and direction for all aspects of SecurTek activities including the launch and growth of video monitoring services. SecurTek provides a full suite of monitored services including; intrusion, environmental and fire safety; video monitoring; home automation and interactive solutions; guard service, medical alert and a full range of services supported including IP, GSM, CDMA and Satellite based communications.
Barry is a member of the Canadian Security Association (CANASA) National Monitoring Committee board. CANASA is the recognized voice of security in Canada and is dedicated to promoting the interests of its members and the safety of all Canadians.
Prior to his appointment at SecurTek, Barry worked for over two decades in a variety of customer service related fields for SaskTel, a leading telecommunications provider in Canada. |
Tom Semler
Manager, Conservation & Demand Management
Hydro One Networks Inc.
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Tom Semler is the Manager of Conservation and Demand Management (CDM) for Hydro One Networks, Ontario’s largest electricity utility. In his role Mr. Semler is responsible for the development and management of innovative customer CDM programs that focus on the commercial and industrial sector. Prior to joining Hydro One Networks, Mr. Semler held various positions of responsibility in the technical as well as marketing areas for companies such as Osram Sylvania, and electricity utilities located in Ontario.
Mr. Semler started his career in the building technologies industry with Tridel Corporation, where he was responsible for the integration of building automation systems as well as the delivery of value added energy services within the luxury condominium market.
A Certified Engineering Technologist and part time instructor at Ryerson University in Toronto, where he teaches Lighting Energy Management, Tom Semler has been active in the CDM and related fields for the past 24 years.
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Deke Smith is the Executive Director for the Building Seismic Safety Council and the buildingSMART alliance™ at the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS). Deke was instrumental in the beginnings of the NIBS Construction Criteria Base, now the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG). He initiated both the National CAD Standard and the National BIM Standard.
He retired December 2006 after 30 years as a Designer and Director with the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Deputy CIO at the Army Research Laboratory, and Chief Architect for the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations and Environment in supporting DoD’s 540,000 facilities. After 22 years as a volunteer, he joined the staff of the Institute as an employee in early 2007. He was a winner of the 1996 Federal 100 award, 1997 NIBS Member Award the 2006 CAD Society Leadership award in 2010 he was selected as one of the InfoComm 100. Deke is a 1973 graduate of Virginia Tech and holds a BArch, he has done post graduate work at the National Defense University. He is a registered architect in the state of Virginia and a Fellow in the American Institute of Architects. He is co-author of “Building Information Modeling: A Strategic Implementation Guide” published in 2009 by Wiley.
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Mark Trayer
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Mark Trayer currently works as a Principal Engineer within the Standards &Technology Enabling Group in Samsung Electronics helping drive the Samsung Smart Ecosystem vision. Research and development areas are primarily in the area of the Smart Home. Mark is the Samsung voting member in SGIP, he is also part of the AHAM Smart Grid Task Force, the UPnP Smart Grid Task Force and the CEA Smart Grid Working Group. He is the author and co-author of a number of papers primarily focusing on Smart Energy that have been published in IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid and IEEE GreenCom.
Mark has been part of the Samsung R&D team since 2005, working across a diverse set of technologies, from Core Network VoIP systems through to Smart Homes and Smart Energy. As such Mark has developed a depth of experience that encompasses multiple facets of the evolved Consumer Experience from Voice over IP, to personal and service provider content sharing and networking, to connected homes and the Smart Grid.
Prior to joining Samsung, Mark spent 16 years working for the Nortel in both the UK and the US; primarily targeting Carrier Grade voice and multimedia core network technologies.
Mark received the B.Eng(Hons) degree in Electronic, Communication and Computer Engineering from the University of Bradford in 1989.
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Helene Vaillancourt
Executive Vice President, Science and Engineering
CSA Group
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Vaillancourt was appointed Executive Vice President, Science & Engineering, CSA Group in April 2010. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing CSA laboratories worldwide to ensure they are brought to the latest technologies. She also leads the CSA core technical team that supports certification and testing capabilities and training, and develops new capabilities in emerging areas. She champions cross functional teams that are working on improving operational efficiencies and leads the team that ensures the integrity of the CSA mark is protected.
Vaillancourt joined CSA in October 1999 as the Team Leader, Certification Services for the Montreal office of CSA International. The certification team grew during those years and, after six years in her role, Vaillancourt was promoted Operations Manager for the Montreal office. From her first days with CSA International she has been involved in numerous internal projects that aimed at improving consistency and service offerings in certification.
Prior to joining CSA International, Vaillancourt was with CRIQ (Centre de recherche industrielle du Québec) as the Team Coordinator for the Mechanical Laboratory, where custom testing services were offered to evaluate the static and dynamic resistance of new product designs in a variety of sizes, starting from metallic storage boxes to subway truck frames..
Vaillancourt started her career with the Industrial Material Institute of the National Research Council of Canada. As a Research Officer, she led many experimental projects in material processing, residual stresses and finite element analysis.
Born in Rimouski, Quebec, Vaillancourt graduated in mechanical engineering from Laval University. She obtained her MASc in mechanical engineering from École Polytechnique in Montreal by doing research in the field of biomechanics. She also earned her doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of Toronto. Her research in the field of dentistry had both numerical and experimental aspects.
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