Announcements

---

2006-2007 Board of Directors announced

The NEEP Board of Directors has elected Penni McLean-Conner, vice president for customer care at NSTAR Electric and Gas, as its president for 2006-2007. Ms. McLean-Conner is responsible for all of NSTAR’s customer services including energy efficiency and energy services.

In her new Board position, Ms. McLean-Conner succeeds longtime NEEP president Ashok Gupta of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Previously, Ms. McLean-Conner served as NEEP vice president, a role that will now be assumed by Denis Bergeron, director of the Efficiency Maine program for the Maine Public Utilities Commission. In addition, attorney Katherine (Kit) Kennedy, Northeast Regional Director of NRDC’s Energy Project, joins NEEP as a new Board member at large.

For more information, please read the press release.

NEEP staff announcements

Jim Godkins, Director of Business and Financial Operations

NEEP welcomes Jim Godkins to its staff as Director of Business and Financial Operations. Jim started his career as a staff accountant for Arthur Young & Co., a public accounting firm. Subsequent to that he worked in post secondary education for many years in the career education sector and served as chief financial officer (CFO) for two for-profit school groups, one in Pittsburgh and the other in Boston. Jim was president of Burdett College in Boston from 1994-1998. He also owned, operated, and was president of a career college in New Haven, Conn. that he later sold to MacMillan Publishing Company. Prior to joining NEEP, Jim worked in the nonprofit sector for six years serving as CFO for the JASON Foundation for Education. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board for Massachusetts Bay Community College with campuses in Wellesley, Framingham and Ashland. Jim has an undergraduate degree in economics and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis.

Carolyn Sarno, High Performance Schools Exchange Manager

Carolyn Sarno joined NEEP as the High Performance Exchange Program Manager in May. She bring over 10 years of progressive facilities operations management experience, most recently with the City of Newton working as the Facilities Manager for the Public Buildings Department where she was responsible for the day to day operations of 85 public buildings including 22 schools. Prior to that she worked at Forrester Research in Cambridge, a global technology company as the Operations Manager, her previous job also includes being the Facilities Manager for Boston Design Center, an 8-story building with 97 tenants, located in South Boston. Some of Carolyn's professional accomplishments include: a history of reducing operating expenditures; development of maintenance programs geared at enhancing and preserving facilities; creation of a customer focus team; implementation of a work order systems and customer service enhancements and improved team communication.

Natalie Lipomi, Public Policy Research Analyst

NEEP welcomes Natalie Lipomi as its new public policy research analyst. Previously Natalie served as an intern for NEEP's High Performance Schools Exchange. Last month, Natalie received a Master's degree in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University. Her graduate thesis, titled “Selling Sustainability? An examination of how city governments market their sustainability plans," examined various communication and marketing techniques that cities use in order to promote their sustainability plans and programs to local businesses and residents. Natalie holds a bachelor's degree in Communications from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Don Vigneau, Building Energy Codes Project Manager

Don Vigneau comes to NEEP with extensive building code experience. His career has encompassed positions including licensed architect, chairman of the MDC and Water Bureau for Greater Hartford, Connecticut, member of the Connecticut State Codes and Standards Committee, and as the Connecticut State Building Inspector. Prior to joining NEEP, Don worked for ten years as the Director of Inspections & Permits for the Town of East Hartford, Conn. He has been a member of the International Codes Council (ICC) since its inception, and a member of the Building Officials and Code Administrators (BOCA) legacy code since 1974. Don also has served on the Board of the New England Building Code Association, where he has been a member since 1989. He has a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.