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Introduction

On Thursday, November 8, 2018 at The Ballroom at McKay Towers in downtown Grand Rapids, the West Michigan Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council held their Annual Party and First Leadership Awards Ceremony for both members and guests.  The event honored individuals and corporations for their achievements to bring healthier, more sustainable buildings to Michigan communities. More on that later.

The evening was a celebration and pre-holiday gathering for everyone in attendance.  Live music added to the warm ambience spreading throughout the room. Whether the location or time of year, the event was not your run-of-the-mill awards ceremony.  It felt more like a community celebration … as it should be. After all, the West Michigan, as well as this regional USGBC chapter, have much to celebrate.

Grand Rapids Leading State in Sustainability Movement

With much focus on sustainability from developers, building owners,  support from city government, foundations and other non-profits, It’s no surprise the West Michigan region is leading the state in the push to make their buildings, and environment in general, more sustainable.

Consider three separate sustainable movements happening in West Michigan :  1. Battle of the Buildings success with over $7.6 Million in utility savings last year and over 200 Million square feet involved this year;   2. A new Grand Rapids 2030 District with 150,000 square feet of buildings under audit and more than double the square footage of audits scheduled for next year; and 3.  Grand Rapids’ selection of as a Zero Carbon Cities Pilot Project. Having covered sustainability initiatives and movements throughout Michigan over the last several years, there is very little to compare to the sheer breadth and depth of Grand Rapids sustainability initiatives and successes.    With that said, the keynote speaker gave the audience some additional food for thought.

Key Points To a Truly Thought Provoking Keynote

The guest speaker for the evening, Andrew Hoffman, spoke on the Future of Sustainability.  Dr. Hoffman is the Holcim Professor of Sustainable Enterprise at the University of Michigan and holds both MS and PhD degrees from MIT.  In his current position, Andy holds joint appointments in the Management & Organizations Department at the Ross School of Business and the Sustainable Systems Group at the School of Environmental Sustainability.  Dr. Hoffman is a prolific writer, having published many books and articles on sustainability. He also has accomplished a long list of honors from organizations such as the Aspen Institute, American Chemical Society and the Aldo Leopold Fellowship.  

Andy focused on the fact that sustainability can be part of a culture shift and acknowledged the greater attention being paid by business schools to enterprise integration and business sustainability 1.0.   Andrew spoke of sustainability being the change in our culture, similar to the typewriter or a personal computer from prior generations. He commented that sustainability is changing our behavior, causing a simultaneous market shift and culture change.  The audience learned a new word from Dr. Hoffman: Anthropocene, relating to or denoting the current geological age, viewed as the period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment.   Andy observed that within the next fifty (50) years, fifty (50%) percent of all species will be extinct due to humans’ impact on earth. Since Dr. Hoffman commented people are not moved by data but by stories, let the storytelling begin as the world needs to recognize the negative impact wrought upon earth’s ecosystems.

Pictured above: The City of Grand Rapids accepting their 2030 Leadership Award, November 8, 2018

Local Leaders Recognized for Green Building and Design

West Michigan’s USGBC Executive Director, Cheri Holman, along with the outgoing President Debra Sypien, LEED AP BC+C, Sustainability Facility Coordinator of The Christman Company, led the Board in handing out Green Awards to those special seven awardees:

Certified Green Home:  Burh Becc at Beacon Springs Farm, Ann Arbor, MI

Certified Green Public Building:  Spring Lake Fire Department, Spring Lake, MI

Green Community:  The Depot Neighborhood, Habitat for Humanity Grand Traverse Region , Traverse City, MI

Outstanding Volunteer: Bergmann, Lansing,

2030 Leadership: The City of Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids, MI

Innovative Project:  Michigan State University Carport Solar Array Project, Lansing, MI

Green School Champion:  Professor Charlotte Pease, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids, MI

Conclusion

It was a special evening celebrating the ever-growing sustainability community of West Michigan.  The palpable energy of the sold out event signaled the spirit and potential this movement can have in the City of Grand Rapids, as well as around this state and country.  Looking forward to more growth and collaboration within this sustainable business community and beyond.

Written by:

Robert Mattler, JD LLM LEED AP BD&C, is a sustainability financing specialist, consulting with developers, redevelopers and building owners on financing upgrades to all asset classes of non-residential real estate, including new developments, for resiliency and sustainability.  A former Board Member of USGBC Detroit Chapter and current Ambassador for Detroit’s 2030 District and Leadership Council member of Ann Arbor’s 2030 District, Robert employs Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing and other financial structures allowing building owners to lower operating costs, increase building value without changing the owners’ goals of maximizing investment returns.  Robert can be reached at greenps14@gmail.com or 248-762-4370 (cell).

Pictured above: USGBC West Michigan Board of Directors & Staff, November 8, 2018

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Black and white circular logo of the U.S. Green Building Council. It features a stylized leaf design in the center with U.S. Green Building Council written around the perimeter and USGBC at the bottom.

Viraj Parmar

Data Management and Research Intern

Viraj is passionate about transforming energy data into actionable insights. At MiGBC, he focuses on Automated Benchmarking Services (ABS), helping businesses track, analyze, and optimize their energy usage effortlessly. With a background in data analytics, automation, and research, he works on streamlining energy reporting, integrating utility data, and enhancing benchmarking efficiency.

Currently pursuing a Master’s in Information Technology & Management, Viraj enjoys simplifying complex datasets and making energy data more accessible and impactful for businesses and communities. His goal is to leverage automation and data-driven strategies to drive sustainability and help organizations make smarter, more efficient energy decisions.

Tamika Young Banks

Board of Directors 

Principal Supervisor – Energy Partnerships, DTE Energy

Tamika works as a Principal Supervisor for the Energy Waste Reduction team at DTE Energy. She oversees a team of energy managers that work with commercial and industrial building owners and customers in the DTE Energy service area to achieve their energy efficiency goals. Tamika holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan and a M.S. in Engineering Management from Eastern Michigan University. Tamika is also a Certified Energy Manager.

Andrew Longcore

Board of Directors

Attorney, The Business Law Group

Andrew earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from Michigan State University and a law degree from Cooley Law School. Andrew is an attorney with an extensive background in civil litigation, business matters, franchise law, sports and entertainment law, and landlord-tenant matters. He has helped dozens of businesses and individuals with a variety of issues from starting up a new business venture to collecting debts to contract drafting and negotiations to general counsel to drafting and reviewing franchise agreements to evictions.

Jeff Groth

Board of Directors

Area General Manager, West Michigan Trane

Jeff joined Trane in 2007 in Madison as operations leader for a territory covering the state of Wisconsin and the western half of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Over the next ten years, he went through a progression of roles and expanding leadership responsibilities culminating as head of construction for a territory covering the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and parts of 5 other states. In 2017, he relocated to West Michigan and started leading the customer facing efforts in supporting the needs of communities with their indoor environmental needs from supporting sustainable designs to maintaining performance of the buildings.

Devon Miller, BCXP, LEED AP

Board of Directors

Building Commissioning Specialist, Western Michigan University

DeVon Miller is the Building Commissioning Specialist at Western Michigan University. DeVon has over 8 years of experience in Facilities Management, over 15 years of experience in project management including energy conservation, building automation systems, building commissioning, and is a Building Commissioning Professional and LEED Accredited Professional with ASHRAE and Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) respectively. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University.

David Rinard

Board of Directors

Retired, Steelcase

An accomplished speaker on sustainability, operations environmental performance, and environmental strategies David educates and inspires community, customers, and business influencers through numerous board and community activities, national conferences, and educational events. David has a Bachelor’s in Microbiology and Public Health from Michigan State University and a Master’s in Management from Aquinas College. David participated as a member of the foundation committee that formed the West Michigan Chapter.

Ana Jose, MBA

Board of Directors

Director of Business Development, Michigan Women Forward

Armed with a heart dedicated to service and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Cornerstone University, Ana Jose strives to be an advocate for those without a voice. Born and raised in a small Dominican province called Ingenio Consuelo, Ana’s roots are reflected through her work with the community. During her four years with Bethany Christian Services, she developed programs to secure housing for youth from overseas, specifically those from Central America. Ana’s ability to create and implement effective programming has allowed her to seamlessly step into the role of Program Manager at the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The initiative that Ana will continue to grow and improve is called Transformando West Michigan, which focuses on Hispanic business owners that have the desire to gain knowledge and experience in differing fields, such as financial education or food safety certification. Her personal goal for the program is to facilitate opportunities for growth within Hispanic businesses. As a business owner herself, Ana operated West Michigan Mortgage and Financial Services (2004), in which she found great success helping people to understand the value of homeownership, which allowed her to become instrumental in helping families secure FHA loans. She has also created programs to help families improve their credit and secure properties in the city of Grand Rapids. Ana graduated from the Latino Talent Program at Ferris State University in 2015 and finds inspiration from the local community, her family, and Hispanic culture. She enjoys spending time with her husband and children and strives to be a good mom, daughter, and friend.

Lisa Biering

Board of Directors – Secretary

Manager of Product Innovation, Consumer’s Energy

As Manager of Product Innovation for Consumers Energy, Lisa leads a portfolio of pilots and research projects to explore and test potential new products for the utility’s business customers. This work looks at emerging technology, civic partnerships, and programs that offer customers solutions in energy efficiency, energy demand-side management, electrification, and renewables, while working to support the company’s Clean Energy Plan. Prior to Consumers, Lisa was Director of Marketing and Communication at the Capital Region Community Foundation and held a variety of customer experience roles at MSU Federal Credit Union. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Alma College and a Master of Arts in Strategic Communications from Michigan State University.

Peter Skornia, LEED AP

Board of Directors – Treasurer

President, Cella Building Company

Peter is president of Cella Building Company, specializing in sustainable new construction and redevelopment of under-utilized properties. Peter has experience in all phases of the development process from site selection through operations. By focusing on the impact on people, planet, and profit; Peter and the Cella Building Company team look to incorporate the principles of the triple bottom line to all projects in which they are involved.

Jon Rumohr, PE, HBDP, LEED AP BD+C

Board of Directors – Vice Chair

Principal / Mechanical Engineer, Ignyte Design

Jon is a Principal at IGNYTE Design and a registered Professional Engineer, licensed in multiple states. He provides expertise in sustainable design and carbon reduction for healthcare, higher education, government, and large commercial clients across the country. He has extensive experience working with facilities management teams to assess existing systems, plan for future capital projects, reduce their carbon footprint, and maximize their return on investment. When Jon isn’t helping clients, he’s spending time outside with his wife Kelly and daughters Adelyn and Amelia. He’s passionate about gardening, woodworking, and classic cars.

Ryan Musch, PE, MBA, LEED AP, SITES AP

Board of Directors – Chair

PE / Associate / Senior Civil Engineer, Fishbeck

Ryan Musch is a Senior Civil Engineer and leads the Site Development Group at Fishbeck. Ryan has over 15 years of experience in Site and Civil Engineering and has focused much of his efforts on Sustainable Design within his Site Development and Civil projects. Ryan has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Calvin College, a Masters of Business Administration from Grand Valley State University, and is a LEED Accredited Professional and Sustainable SITES Accredited Professional.

Audrey Whaling

Program Manager, Lansing 2030 District

Audrey (she/her), a lifelong environmentalist, has joined the MiGBC to champion the Emerging Lansing 2030 District. With over 15 years of experience in complex project and program management, Audrey brings a combination of technical expertise and enthusiasm for sustainable solutions.

As a dedicated climate activist, Audrey is committed to addressing pressing environmental challenges through community engagement and informed action. Audrey is a Michigan native with a Masters of Science in Packaging from Michigan State University and enjoys spending time outdoors, participating in endurance sports, and caring for animals.

Ally Beshouri

Communications Manager

Ally (she/her) is our Communications Manager. She is in charge of working on our weekly newsletter, social media presence, website updating, blog, and more! Directly prior to this role she spent five months with us as our Website and Usability Intern. She is a graduate of Michigan State University where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and her Bachelor’s Degree in Comparative Cultures and Politics. She is passionate about combining her skills and love of design with environmental advocacy, as well as learning new ways to better the environment in her daily life.

In her free time she is an avid gardener, bike packer, and Great Lakes visitor. Though on a regular day she can be found spending most of her time with her two cats or taking care of her many houseplants.

Kayla Snyder, LFA, EMIT

Program Manager

Kayla (she/her) is the lead for our programs where she focuses on data management, educational events, and assisting local organizations with energy efficiency initiatives. Before joining MiGBC, Kayla performed energy audits, led internal educational sessions to bridge MEP design with energy efficiency, and collaborated with design engineers on reducing energy loads. She also has 4 years of experience in the brewing industry where she created her own sustainability internship tracking KPIs and implementing waste reduction strategies.

Kayla completed her associate degree at GRCC before transferring to the University of Michigan and graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Environmental Studies. She is passionate about equitable, energy efficient, and ecologically conscious buildings. In her free time, she enjoys running, gardening, spending time with family, and working on creative projects.

Wendy Berg, LEED Green Associate

Event & Membership Manager

Wendy (she/her) coordinates our event planning, membership management, tracking & planning program impact and community engagement, as well as sharing in the development of all programs. Wendy is most passionate about mitigating climate change, reducing energy consumption, and environmental conservation.

Wendy comes to MiGBC with fifteen years of account management, event planning, volunteer training, and administrative experience in the non-profit and corporate sectors with a focus on the education environment. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Resource Management and Environmental Studies.

Wendy spent her childhood days on the shores of Lake Superior and is a Yooper at heart. In here spare time she likes to keep active. She has been a long distance runner since middle school, is a certified advanced NAUII scuba diver, practices hot yoga, and loves to spend time exploring nature and traveling.

Cheri Holman, LEED AP

Executive Director

Cheri (she/her) is a LEED Accredited Professional with extensive experience and a genuine passion for energy & water conservation. Other areas of interest include indoor environmental quality, clean/renewable energy, access to healthy food and all things related to educating and promoting a healthy built environment. Prior to her work in non-profit Cheri spent most of her career consulting & partnering with private sector corporations to reduce resource consumption within their facilities through the implementation of energy conservation technologies and improved operational practices.

Mrs. Holman is a Past Chair of our Board of Directors after serving as Treasurer for 2 years. In early 2008 Cheri founded the LEED for Existing Building Advocacy Group. She served as a subject matter expert for the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) LEED for EB Operations and Maintenance test development in 2008 and the Commercial Reviewer exam test development in 2009. In 2010 & 2011 Cheri served as a Greenbuild conference session reviewer.