Philip H. Mosenthal, founding partner. Mr. Mosenthal has over 28 years of experience in all aspects of energy efficiency, from facility energy management to policy, planning, program design, implementation and evaluation. He specializes in program design, planning and analysis for the business, institutional and industrial sectors. Mr. Mosenthal has directly implemented programs, and assisted numerous clients throughout the U.S.A. and internationally to develop and analyze portfolios of efficiency programs, design leading edge programs, analyze integrated efficiency and supply-side resources, develop strategic models for large scale efficiency delivery, developed evaluation plans and performed process and impact evaluations. Mosenthal has also advised numerous government clients on energy policy, and led detailed analyses of efficiency opportunities and associated economic impacts to guide policy development and strategic planning. Mosenthal has provided expert testimony before numerous regulatory and legislative bodies. Mr. Mosenthal was the chief architect of Efficiency Vermont, the nation’s first and only efficiency utility, having developed the plan for Efficiency Vermont and provided all testimony and support to create it. He currently assists Efficiency Vermont with business energy services planning and implementation support and assessment since its inception in 2000. Other recent or current projects include: lead advisor to the U.S. EPA on efficiency issues for its state partnerships under its State and Local Government Branch to promote its National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency; and Commercial and Industrial Team lead to the Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Advisory Council and the Rhode Island Energy Efficiency Resource Management Council. In the latter roles Mosenthal oversees C&I planning and program efforts throughout these states delivered by the gas and electric utilities. Mosenthal has led numerous efficiency and renewable potential studies, including in China, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, New England, New Jersey, New York, Quebec, Texas and Vermont. Prior to founding Optimal Energy Mosenthal was the Chief Consultant for XENERGY’s (now KEMA’s) Mid-Atlantic office. Mosenthal has an M.S. in Energy Management and Policy and a B.A. in Architecture, both from the University of Pennsylvania.

Eric Belliveau, Partner.Mr. Belliveau brings over twenty-five years of hands-on development, sales, operations and management experience in the energy, agricultural, construction and food industries to his work in energy efficiency. He specializes in efficiency program design, implementation support, business development, and planning, particularly in the commercial and industrial sectors. Clients have included dozens of Program Administrators and efficiency stakeholders in several states and international jurisdictions, including Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, New York, New Jersey, Quebec, Manitoba, and two provinces in China.

Mr. Belliveau is the lead consultant to the New York Power Authority for assessing and improving existing commercial programs, developing a comprehensive program evaluation plan, and designing a new business customer program. For the Efficiency Maine Trust, led the team developing a three-year plan for commercial buildings sector energy efficiency programs that targeted electric, natural gas, and un-regulated fossil fuel consumption. Mr. Belliveau also served as LIPA’s lead advisor on their entire energy efficiency investment portfolio, and assisted in the formulation of the Efficiency Long Island Plan, including analysis, program designs and RFP development.

Mr. Belliveau has been a partner in Optimal Energy since 2000. He has a B.A. in International Affairs with emphasis on Economics and German from the University of Maine, 1981. He is LEED accredited.

Steven Bower, CEM, Managing Consultant. Mr. Bower joined Optimal Energy in 2006 with 16 years of experience in information systems planning, design and development. As a Managing Consultant he has primary responsibility for strategic planning and development of Optimal Energy’s efficiency investment and economic modeling tools. His work experience in information systems includes all aspects of the software development lifecycle, applied to systems ranging from small custom applications to mission-critical, web-based transaction processing systems for healthcare delivery.

Mr. Bower’s primary practice areas include cost-effectiveness analysis, efficiency potential studies and development of Technical Reference Manuals for calculating efficiency measure savings. He has served as both Technical Lead and Project Manager for various energy efficiency planning and management projects.

Mr. Bower has an M.S. in Natural Resources Planning from the University of Vermont, and B.A.’s in Physics and Computer Science (Magna Cum Laude) from Brandeis University. Prior to joining Optimal Energy in 2006, Steve was a Senior and Lead software engineer for six years, for medical software developer IDX Systems Corp. (now GE Healthcare). He also has extensive experience with Geographic Information Systems, database administration, system design, and implementation.

Jeffrey Loiter, Managing Consultant. Mr. Loiter has over 14 years of consulting experience in energy and natural resource issues. His energy experience includes policy, planning, and program design; efficiency potential studies; research on renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies; and energy markets. Mr. Loiter has assisted with the design and development of statewide and utility-specific efficiency programs in Maine, Maryland, New York, and Massachusetts. In doing so, he strives to develop solutions that fit the needs and circumstances of the clients’ customers by building from existing programs in these jurisdictions and incorporating best-practice strategies for addressing specific customer segments and markets.

Mr. Loiter works primarily in the commercial sector. For the Efficiency Maine Trust, he developed a three-year plan for commercial buildings sector energy efficiency programs. These programs targeted electric, natural gas, and un-regulated fossil fuel consumption. He currently supports program implementation and on-going program design and development for Orange and Rockland Utilities in New York, and provides the Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Advisory Council with program planning and implementation guidance and technical analysis.

Other recent projects include: developing regulatory filings for utilities; conducting electric and gas efficiency potential analyses; developing M&V plans; representing clients in the ISO-NE Forward Capacity Market; conducting critical reviews of utility integrated resource plans and DSM plans; and testifying on energy policy and IRP issues. He is the co-author of two published U.S. EPA National Action Plan Guides:  Guide for Conducting Energy Efficiency Potential Studies and the Clean Energy Fund Manual.  Mr. Loiter has an MS in Technology and Policy from the Massachusetts Institute for Technology (1997) and a BS with distinction in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Cornell University (1991).

Thomas Lyle, Managing Consultant. Mr. Lyle has over 17 years of professional experience in the utility sector. The primary focus of Mr. Lyle’s practice is to work collaboratively with clients to develop and implement climate-friendly public policies that result in positive economic benefits. Specifically, Mr. Lyle specializes in energy efficiency program design, planning and implementation, evaluation planning, and integrated resource planning.  Over the years, Mr. Lyle has been instrumental in assisting clients and stakeholder advisory committees with program planning, budgeting and implementation, best practice reviews, program and portfolio evaluation, and risk management. Mr. Lyle has also been a key advisor to renewable energy program managers in the Northeast.  In this capacity, Mr. Lyle helped to redesign programs and implementation strategies that resulted in the program exceeding their goals. Prior to joining Optimal, Mr. Lyle was a Hearing Officer for the Vermont Public Service Board (“VPSB”). As a Hearing Officer, he was responsible for conducting technical hearings, case-load management and writing Board Orders in accordance with State law.  During Mr. Lyle’s tenure at the VPSB, he diplomatically resolved disputes over a diverse set of public policy issues related to utility revenue requirements, rate design, transmission siting, alternative resource configurations, Gas and Electric DSM programs and Performance-Based Regulation.  As a Managing Consultant, Mr. Lyle is also responsible for developing cutting-edge policy reports and implementation plans that help clients meet their energy challenges.

Mike Guerard, Managing Consultant. Mr. Guerard has over 20 years of experience in the energy efficiency, green building and the renewable energy industry.  He has developed and managed a wide-range of energy efficiency programs throughout New England and the Pacific Northwest; renewable energy and green building initiatives; and building science training and education forums. In addition to overseeing dozens of internal staff covering the field delivery, technical enhancements, marketing and administration of efficiency programs, he has worked collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders including utility staff, government officials, state building code and energy office staff, and leading building scientists to achieve positive program results and significant energy savings. Since joining Optimal Energy, Inc. in July, 2008, he has provided critical cross-program development and implementation for a wide range of clients. He has a B.A from the University of Rhode Island.

David Bardaglio, CMA. Mr. Bardaglio recently joined Optimal Energy Inc. in the role of Chief Financial Officer and Managing Consultant. Mr. Bardaglio has over 28 years experience directing the finance, accounting, information technology and administrative operations for both for-profit and non-profit organizations. For the past twelve years he was the Financial Director at the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (VEIC). During Mr. Bardaglio's tenure at VEIC he designed and maintained all of the finance, accounting and reporting systems that were instrumental in the creation and ongoing success of Efficiency Vermont, the nation's first energy efficiency utility. Mr. Bardaglio manages all of Optimal Energy, Inc.'s internal finance, accounting and administrative operations. In addition to his CFO role, Mr. Bardaglio provides a range of budgeting, accounting, finance and reporting systems support to Optimal Energy clients. He received his B.S. in Business Administration from Bucknell University (1980) and became a Certified Management Accountant in 1996.

Gabe Arnold, PE, LC, CEM, Senior Consultant. Mr. Arnold joined Optimal Energy in 2011. Gabe comes to Optimal from VEIC, where for the past 10 years he was responsible for design and implementation of Efficiency Vermont’s Commercial Lighting Programs. Gabe is a nationally recognized expert in the field of energy-efficient lighting and brings a wealth of experience in lighting technologies, markets, and strategies to reduce lighting energy-use in both commercial and residential markets. Gabe speaks regularly at local and national conferences on energy-efficient lighting technologies and program approaches. He also served on the Board of the National Council for Qualifications of Lighting Professionals and helped create and co-chaired the DesignLights Consortium Qualified Products List Initiative for utility-supported commercial LED products. Gabe is a registered Professional Engineer, Lighting Certified by the NCQLP, and a Certified Energy Manager.

Matt Socks, CEM, Consultant. Mr. Socks joined Optimal Energy in 2007 and has served a leading role conducting efficiency program engineering, economic analysis, and implementation assessments for clients across North America. With a background in mechanical engineering, Mr. Socks possesses particular expertise in the fields of efficiency measure research methodology and characterization practices. He has been a primary contributor to energy efficiency potential analyses for the New York Power Authority, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Efficiency Vermont, and American Municipal Power Ohio. Mr. Socks has served as technical lead in the development of energy efficiency savings estimation methodologies for numerous clients including the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, the Long Island Power Authority, the New York Power Authority, Norwich Public Utilities, Efficiency Vermont, the Public Utilities Commission Ohio, and the Public Service Commissions of Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. Many of these projects required using novel approaches to address issues such as data availability, program delivery mechanisms, and the unique needs of each client. Mr. Socks holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Clifford McDonald, Senior Analyst.  Mr. McDonald has over 3 years of experience with various policy and technical issues relating to energy efficiency, renewable energy, and LEED certification. His energy experience includes measure characterizations, potential studies, cost effectiveness screenings, cash flow analysis with various incentive strategies, M&V protocol development, program design, and implementation support. Recent projects at Optimal include developing an operations manual for Long Island’s efficiency programs, analyzing the electric-sector GHG emission reductions under the NY State Climate Action Plan, writing best practice guides for data centers and commercial leased spaces, and recommending savings reporting requirements to NYPA. Cliff has a B.S. in Physics from Middlebury College.

Alek Antczak, Analyst. Mr. Antczak performs analysis and research in support of clients throughout the U.S and Canada. Recent projects include analyses of incentive buy-down strategies and market characterizations in the commercial and industrial sectors for Efficiency Vermont, analysis of legislative mechanisms and financing structures for several utilities in the southeastern U.S., as well as ongoing program analysis and support for the municipal energy efficiency cooperative in Connecticut, CMEEC. Alek works closely with the Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Advisory Council in a variety of roles, including program data analysis and information virtualization. He has completed coursework for a Master’s of Science degree in Natural Resources from the University of Vermont and is preparing to defend his thesis.

Sam Huntington, Analyst. Mr. Huntington is a recent graduate of Colby College. While at Colby, Sam studied mathematical science with a concentration in applied mathematics. His main areas of focus were in mathematical modeling and writing code for computer modeling projects. During that time, Sam also worked as an installation contractor on LEED certified homes. Since joining Optimal, he has utilized his mathematics background on forecasting projects for the Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Advisory Council as well as providing support on the compilation of a statewide technical reference manual for the council.

April Clodgo, Office Manager. Mrs. Clodgo provides Optimal and its clients with coordination, editing, presentation, bookkeeping and computer support.