Management Bios
Client Team
Michelle Irving, Senior Director, Client Services
As one of The Loyalton Group's senior client directors, Michelle works with her portfolio of clients to develop and implement comprehensive utility management solutions and advanced purchasing strategies to meet her clients’ overall goals and objectives. With more than ten years of experience in the energy industry, including service as Director of Sales for First Choice Power in Texas, she is well suited to provide valuable market analyses and coordinate the contract process in deregulated markets.
Scott Kurtz, Director, Client Services
With over 15 years of experience in the energy industry, Scott brings a broad and deep knowledge base to each client he serves. A degreed electrical engineer, Scott has developed and managed a broad range of utility demand side management programs. His utility experience also includes design and project management of distributed generation systems and combined heat and power systems for large commercial and industrial clients across the country. Scott is a Certified Energy Manager with specific expertise in coordinating and implementing electric and natural gas contracts for hospitality customers.
Tom Sieh, Senior Director, Client Services
Tom is a degreed electrical engineer with over 20 years in the energy industry. In his eight years as a senior client director with The Loyalton Group, Tom has led a team responsible for providing strategic energy management solutions to a host of large multi-site property management companies. Prior to joining The Loyalton Group, Tom spent 13 years in the utility industry, including electric and natural gas transmission and distribution planning, power generation and key account management.
Chris Forkenbrock, Director, Client Services
Chris serves as director for our industrial client group. He has over 18 years of energy experience with proven physical supply and risk management capabilities and knowledge. He is also Series 3 licensed with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Chris works with Loyalton clients to hedge price risk with a variety of hedge instruments including forwards, futures, swaps and options. He also has experience negotiating transportation, distribution and capacity agreements on many interstate pipelines and utilities across the United States, and nominating, scheduling and balancing with pipelines and utilities to ensure physical delivery is provided without allocation or imbalance penalties.
Solutions Team
Brad Gawboy, Senior Director, Electric Supply Solutions
A degreed engineer and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Brad has worked in the energy industry for 25 years. He began his career in electric generation and then served for an extended period in the marketing and national account sales arena in the utility industry. Brad leads Loyalton’s electricity procurement solutions in deregulated states and spearheads service offerings related to demand response and the emerging Smart Grid. He is a Captain in the U.S. Navy Reserves.
Dennis Pearson, Senior Director, Natural Gas Supply Solutions
"Denny" brings over 25 years of natural gas and electric industry experience to The Loyalton Group. In that time, Denny has garnered experience in all facets of the energy industry - encompassing the physical flow of natural gas from supply-basin wellhead operations, then moved through the North American pipeline transmission grid for delivery to local distribution companies and/or storage operations, and ultimately measured at retail meters/'burnertips'. During the past 12 years, he has focused on the development and negotiation of a broad range of energy-related products and services that are tailored to meet the firm energy requirements of large client portfolios in deregulated environments. He is responsible for managing the natural gas procurement processes for The Loyalton Group.
Jim Ackles, Vice President, Facility Optimization Solutions
Jim has been leading the company's efforts in facility optimization and engineering solutions since 2001. Jim's previous energy management positions include Director of Energy & Engineering for LaQuinta Inns, VP of Energy Management for Macerich (a large retail mall owner), and Director of Energy Management for Service Merchandise. Prior to his career in energy management, Jim was a naval officer with 24 years of engineering experience in the U.S. Navy's submarine force. Jim has received several industry awards including Edison Electric Institute's "Outstanding Energy Professional" and, twice, the Association of Energy Engineers "Corporate Energy Management Award". While at LaQuinta Inns, the company received the EPA's Energy Star Hospitality Partner of the Year Award for 2000.
Terry Matula, Director, Sustainability Solutions
Terry leads The Loyalton Group’s sustainability solutions, bringing to bear a 30-year record of accomplishment. A degreed mechanical engineer, he computed his first carbon footprint in 1978 and pioneered green energy in a $1.2 billion solar energy development program. Terry went on to author green operational standards and sustainability policy, lead energy management programs, and direct teams in all types of energy and physical plant development. He has applied carbon management and sustainability techniques across major real estate asset development projects. Today, Terry delivers best-practice strategies and outcomes in the dynamic and wide-ranging operational practice of sustainability.
