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Professional Team
Executive Management
Kendra A. McQuilton
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERKendra is responsible for all high-level management including setting and communicating the company’s strategic direction, balancing resources, ensuring the company’s values are applied from top to bottom, making decisions related to human resources, legal, and financial matters, and overseeing and delivering the company’s performance.
Larry Borgese
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICERLarry is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of the business and plays an important role in ensuring ECG’s operations maintain the high standards of quality and efficiency that we are known for.
David M. Newman, PE, CEM, LEED-AP, CEA
VICE PRESIDENT, ENGINEERINGDavid has over 20 years of diverse experience in engineering project management and providing engineering services to industrial manufacturing, institutional, commercial and governmental clients.
O. Von Banks
NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENTVon has over 16 years of experience in construction and development on the local, state and federal levels. His primary focus is on county, local and state government facilities and institutions.
Aldo Mazzaferro, PE, CEM, CEA
DIRECTOR OF TECHNICAL SERVICESAldo is responsible for overseeing all technical aspects of ECG’s projects. He ensures the successful completion of each project by providing technical oversight to each client’s satisfaction and through the management of ECG’s energy engineering team. Aldo’s team is primarily responsible for conducting energy benchmarking studies, analyzing site-specific project proposals, and providing technical guidance to our customers in project development, contract negotiations and the implementation phase.
Dr. Chuck Russo
DIRECTOR OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENTDr. Russo has over 38 years of experience in education, including 15 years as a Superintendent of Schools in New York. He also served as President of the Suffolk County School Superintendent’s Association and SCOPE Education Services.As Director of Student Engagement, Dr. Russo is responsible for giving students and staff a voice in the building improvement process, and helping school districts leverage their EPCs to enhance the educational experience through curricular and extra-curricular content and programming.
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PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
Justin Benoit
PROJECT ENGINEERJustin is responsible for aiding with technical aspects of projects from conception to completion including mechanical, electrical and plumbing design. As a project engineer, he is involved in all facets from new project development to support in the design and construction phases. Justin holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Binghamton University.
Michael Sahm, Ph.D.
MECHANICAL AND ENERGY ENGINEER/PROJECT MANAGERMichael is a mechanical engineer specialized in delivering practical integrated energy systems solutions for applications ranging from building scale to eco-city concept design and development. He is experienced in advanced technology application, strategy development, solar and fuel cell systems, integrated building systems, measurement verification, critical quantitative data, and specializes in energy efficiency. Michael has a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Stanford University.
Michael Carlson
PROJECT ENGINEERMichael is responsible for energy benchmarking studies, analysis of RFP responses from ESCOs, overseeing the development of Comprehensive Energy Audits, and representing ECG at all meetings throughout the Energy Performance Contract project to which he is assigned. Michael is a graduate of Binghamton University with a BS in Mechanical Engineering.
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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Michael Ford
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGERMike has over 40 years experience in education, fifteen years as the Superintendent of the Phelps-Clifton Springs Central School District. He is a past president of the National Staff Development Council (now Learning Forward) and serves on the board of the National Center for Education, Research, and Technology. He has served on the educational leadership faculties of the University of Rochester and SUNY Brockport and was on the faculty of the Superintendents Development Program through SUNY Oswego. Mike was the recipient of the Appreciation Award in 2014 and the Distinguished Service Award in 2015 from the New York State Council of School Superintendents (NYSCOSS).
He currently serves as consultant to numerous districts conducting board and administrative retreats and leads the NYSCOSS Leadership Coaching initiative.
His guiding mantra has always focused on “What’s Best for Kids.”
Gregg Diefenbach
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGERGregg has more than three decades of financial experience, is the former Capital Region BOCES’ Deputy Director of Administrative and Management Services, and was previously an Associate in the Educational Management Services Division at the New York State Education Department. Gregg’s background also includes diverse experience in both the school districts (School Business Administrator, Internal Auditor, and State Aid Planner) and private sector (International Banking and Stock Brokerage). He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from SUNY Plattsburgh, a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from the University at Albany and is a NYS Certified School Business Administrator as well as a NYS Registered School Business Administrator.
Bill Bassett, Ed.D.
PROGAM MANAGER/DEVELOPER (New York)Bill brings extensive knowledge to ECG through his 35-year career in public education. Bill is able to appreciate the goals and challenges school leaders face and has an understanding of energy efficiency and conservation through his experience working on energy projects and renovations as a school superintendent. Bill supports ECG’s business development and client relations efforts.
Steve Vavrek
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT (Connecticut Municipalities)Steve has over 20 years of experience as an elected official. He implemented various energy conservation measures as the first selectman of Monroe, CT, and looks forward to working with your city or town to bring the benefits of energy performance contracting projects to your community.
Herb Chessler
Educational Finance SpecialistHerb has over 35 years of experience in school district finance, 20 of which were as the Chief School Business Official. Herb also served on the Board of Directors of ASBO NY and as the President of ASBO NY for the 2014-15 year. As Educational Finance Specialist for The ECG Group, Herb will play an integral role in every EPC project that ECG oversees. He will review the cash flow pro-forma for each project, attend client meetings, and ensure that each client has a full understanding of and strong level of comfort with the project’s financial foundation.
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ENGINEERING/ARCHITECTURE
Matthew Kazubowski, RA
VP OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNMatthew has 20 years of diverse experience in architectural design in commercial, institutional and school construction management, including 15 years with the New York State Education Department.
His areas of expertise include: comprehensive architectural building evaluations, construction site inspections, architectural & engineering project reviews, construction documents, architectural design of various school projects, and work coordination with project managers in the field. He has excellent graphic presentation skills and computer-based training (AutoCAD – 3D software, Adobe).
Matthew also coordinates and oversees site construction meetings and inspections.
Matthew has worked with ECG on multiple educational and municipal Energy Performance Projects throughout Tri-State area and Pennsylvania. His experience extends to architectural and technical aspects of EPC projects as well as comprehensive evaluation of EPC proposals.
Matthew holds a Master of Architecture & Urbanism from the Cracow University of Technology. He is licensed as a Registered Architect in the states of New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts.
Elisa Cotelo
PROJECT DESIGNERElisa’s primary roles at ECG include architectural drafting, state code research, construction documents, meeting minutes, field inspections, and assisting with overall project management. She is highly experienced in computer-based drawing (i.e., AutoCAD). Additionally, she has studied urban planning in France, Denmark, Iceland and Sweden with a focus in geothermal energy.
Harold Friedman
MECHANICAL ENGINEERHarold has 30 years of experience in the design of mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering systems. Harold has further expertise in heating, ventilating and air conditioning, plumbing, electrical, fire protection systems, filtration, recirculation, medical, geothermal, boiler plants, cogeneration, solar and domestic hot water, and building management control systems.
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CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT & ADMINISTRATION
Kim Kirsch
DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIONKim provides executive-level support to ECG’s management team and oversees the firm’s day-to-day administrative operations. She handles all of ECG’s sensitive administrative tasks including bookkeeping, scheduling appointments, maintaining licenses and certifications, and preparing regulatory agency documents and proposal packages.
Greg Anderson
CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL/PROJECT MANAGERGreg handles field supervision for ECG’s projects. He provides ECG’s clients with project management, building inspections and construction reports, leveraging his experience as a fire chief and fire marshal and expertise in hazmat awareness and operations, building construction and emergency preparedness.
