Board of Directors

Doug Tarry Jr. is Vice President of Operations at Doug Tarry Limited based in St. Thomas Ontario.

Doug Tarry Homes is a family owned business founded by his father Doug Sr., in 1954. Doug sees to the daily operations of Doug Tarry Limited, a second-generation builder of Net Zero / Net Zero Ready Homes. He has worked extensively with a number of manufacturers and suppliers to develop products and methods needed for today’s high performance / Net Zero Homes, and is currently appointed as a Technical Chair for the Ontario Home Builders Association, a presenter and trainer on a number of Building Code and Better Building Subjects, a contributing writer for Better Builder Magazine, author of A Builders Guide to Net Zero Homes for NRCan (tentative release fall 2020), and a part of the Net Zero and Technical Research Councils for Canadian Home Builders Association. In his personal life, he is married to wife Carolyne and father of Sarah, and is also a professionally trained chef who loves entertaining for friends and family.

Timothy M. O'Brien founded Tim O'Brien Homes along with his partner, Matt Neumann, in June of 2007.

Tim went out to form a new residential home building company focused on building green and energy efficient homes. He continues to develop knowledge in building high performance homes through educational events such as EEBA and DOE workshops. Since the inception of Tim O'Brien Homes, the company has been honored to receive the Silver NHQ award in 2016 and the Gold award in 2017. At the start of 2018 the company has also broken ground in Wisconsin's first net zero energy neighborhood, Red Fox Crossing in New Berlin, and is the leading innovator of Solar Energy homes in the State of WI, partnered with SunVest Solar, Inc.

Tim is very active in several Waukesha area school districts running a home building project with the high school construction trades seniors at Oconomowoc High School for the past (8) years, as well as pioneering a brand new curriculum for New Berlin Eisenhower High School's trade program to start in the Fall of 2018.

Karen Kicinski is the marketing director and co-owner of LifeStyle Homes Builders headquartered in Melbourne, Florida.

She has served in this role for 8 years, driving corporate messaging and branding, as well as working to attract new clients through a suite of marketing platforms. Prior to working at LifeStyle Homes, Karen worked as a magazine editor for numerous local publications. She has a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Central Florida, as well as a master’s degree in publishing from New York University. When not working, Karen enjoys spending time with her husband and two young children, reading, and traveling.

LifeStyle Homes Builders is a family-owned homebuilder celebrating 36 years in business. LifeStyle Homes builds single-family homes throughout Brevard and Indian River counties on Florida’s East Coast. LifeStyle Homes specializes in energy-efficient, sustainable homes—each built to the stringent guidelines of their LifeStyle SunSmart program—as well as zero-energy solar-powered homes. Recently, LifeStyle launched HealthSmart, a sister program to SunSmart, focused on reducing indoor air pollutants and promoting clean indoor air.

Mike Frey is Vice President of Noyes Development Co. Mike drives the vision for home construction and oversees the general operations for Noyes Development, a high-end Portland area spec builder known for high performance construction methods and Zero Energy/Zero Energy Ready homes.

Mike loves houses. Be it house plans, interior design, building science, or project planning, he is passionate about providing amazing homes for people. He is an advocate for better building practices and ensures Noyes homes are healthy, comfortable, durable, efficient, and sustainable.

Mike has served as the Vice Chair and Chair of the Home Performance Council at the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland, has participated in the Willamette West Habitat for Humanity Construction Committee, and is a part of the EEBA Builder Benchmark Group where he collaborates with builders from across North America. He has completed coursework in Zero Net Energy Homes, regularly attends seminars and training sessions, and is constantly on the hunt for more information related to new options in home construction.

Juan founded CVF homes in 2005 focusing on infill development and building energy and water efficient homes with great design.

CVF homes is committed to certifying 100% of its homes to the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Program and is a proud winner of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Housing Innovation Award in 2019 and Honorable Mention in 2020. CVF homes is a member of Build San Antonio Green and has received multiple sustainability awards from the City of San Antonio.

Juan currently serves on the Planning Commission Technical Advisory Committee of the City of San Antonio and is a past member of the San Antonio Water System Community Conservation Committee (CCC) and past Co-Chair of the US Green Building Council of the South Texas Chapter.

Juan received his Bachelor degree in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering from the Monterrey Institute of Technology (ITESM) in Monterrey Mexico.

Ms. Butterfield has worked to improve the sustainability and energy efficiency of residential buildings for over 25 years.

She is focused on delivering exceptional sustainability consulting services, program certification support, and implementation of high-performance building technologies. Working with architects, developers, builders, and homeowners, Karla develops tailored sustainability strategies for both new construction and renovations. As a top expert in her field, Karla is frequently asked to speak at events and conferences nationwide, including the RESNET, WaterSmart Innovations, Northeast Indoor Air Quality & Energy, Passive House, and ENERGY STAR conferences, as well as Greenbuild and many others.

Fish Builders is owned and operated by Greg Follet.

Greg grew up in Wisconsin, working construction jobs from an early age. The search for adventure and continued education led him to Colorado State University in Fort Collins, where Greg developed a heavy addiction to mountain living and earned a degree in Construction Management in 1993. It is also where he met the love of his life, Stacy. Greg and Stacy finally settled upon Salida, Colorado, where they are raising two children and fueling their passion for the mountains. Greg started his company in 1998 with the same loyal and talented craftsmen that work for him today. Focusing on custom homes, as well as remodeling, Fish Builders has quickly become one of the premier builders in the Arkansas River Valley.

Theresa Gilbride is a research scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, where her primary focus is residential energy efficiency.

She supports DOE's Zero Energy Ready Home program and Tour of Zero. She also supports DOE's Building America program as content development lead for the Building America Solution Center, an online tool for builders, remodelers, contractors, code officials, and other members of the home building industry.

In addition, Mrs. Gilbride supports research projects in high-r windows, solid state lighting, and high-r walls. Mrs. Gilbride has authored or co-authored 34 reports and 43 articles on residential energy efficiency and related topics. She is a lead author or co-author of the Building America best practice series, a 17-volume series which includes guides for high-performance home builders in all U.S. climate zones, a guide to photovoltaic system installations, and retrofit guides on air sealing, insulation, and HVAC. She has also published on building codes and emerging technologies including window attachments, lighting, appliances, and HVAC. Outside of work, she likes hiking, biking, sailing, and cross-country skiing.

Andrew Guido is the Vice President of Sustainability & Innovation for Empire Communities, based in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada, with development and homebuilding operations in Texas, Georgia, and the Carolinas. 

He is a Certified Building Biologist and has overseen the construction of Empire's first wellness real estate concept home, focused on improving indoor air quality (IAQ). Additionally, he is leading the design of Empire's inaugural Net Zero Energy Home, which aims to be carbon-minimal. With over 30 years of experience in strategic leadership and a diverse business background, Andrew is committed to driving purposeful change in the real estate industry. He believes in the responsibility of businesses to contribute to the greater good and is dedicated to reshaping the real estate sector's focus towards well-being and ecological restoration. Andrew has also served as a senior advisor to top decision-makers in Canada, assisting them in envisioning a better future, challenging existing norms, and shaping their businesses.

Brian McCarthy is Co-Owner of both Abrazo Homes and RIoT Technology as well as the Past-President of the NM Home Builders Association and the Home Builders Association of Central New Mexico.

Brian has an undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of St. Thomas in Houston, TX and his MBA from the Anderson School of Management at the University of New Mexico. Brian has over 23 years of experience in residential construction and development in New Mexico. Brian is fluent in Spanish, married with 5 children and enjoys hiking, skiing, and all things automotive. Additionally, Brian is also the Founder and CEO of RIoT technology - a new startup that has created an Installation-ready, integrated home management system for production builders which enables comprehensive home automation, remote diagnostics, service management, and maintenance alerts.

Bill Rectanus is a managing partner and Vice President of Homebuilding Operations for Thrive Home Builders in Denver, Colorado.

His responsibilities include the management and oversight of the construction, purchasing, customer service, quality assurance and land development departments. In addition to his daily responsibilities Bill is also responsible for the implementation of Thrive Home Builders' "High Performance Building Initiative".

Bill is very active in the Homebuilding industry both locally and nationally. He is committed to the local Home Builders Association of Metro Denver and has served 7 terms on their Board of Directors and 3 terms on the Flat Irons Building Council. Two of those council terms as Chairman. 

Bill holds a B.S. degree in Biology from Ohio University and currently lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife of 20 years and two daughters.

Adam Strube is a Construction Manager for Fulton Homes.

His responsibilities oversee construction operations and working closely with Energy Rater partners and contractors on better building practices. Current energy-building programs: Energy Star partner since 2009, Indoor airPLUS partner since 2014, and WaterSense Builder partner since 2019. 

Adam attended Arizona State University focused studies on Business Management, Military Science (R.O.T.C), and is a certified fire service professional (Office of State Fire Marshal Arizona). He came to Fulton Homes in July of 1999 with a law enforcement and Firefighting background. Over the past 23 years, he's worked his way from an entry-level tech to a construction manager. Adam currently resides In Queen Creek Arizona with his wife Tracey and three boys.

Jason Thorson, Director of Business Development for Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, has more than 20 years of experience in the building industry. 

He currently leads EPremium Business Development initiatives for National Accounts Groups with an emphasis in premium high-density residential new construction. His experience and knowledge stem from a diverse background including HVAC manufacturing, energy efficiency consulting, performance contracting, and homebuilding. 

Jason holds a B.A. degree in Business from Arizona State University and a Graduate Certificate in Sustainability from Portland State University. He currently resides in West Linn, OR with his wife of 15 years and two children.

Glenna Wilson is the founder and co-owner of Charis Homes, LLC.

For over 14 years Glenna has researched and applied best-practices for building energy efficient homes that have been recognized on a national level for being innovative in construction and design. In 2010, she was the first female president of the Building Industry Association of Stark County. Because of her desire to meet and exceed the standard of custom home-building, Charis Homes was the first custom home builder in Northeast Ohio to build a Zero Energy Ready home. Glenna is an experienced sales and marketing professional that has served in various leadership roles throughout the Ohio home building community. She actively pursues knowledge about the latest energy-efficiency building requirements and design trends so that she can pass that knowledge on to Charis Homes' homeowners and other builders who are interested in learning more about energy efficient home construction.

Ms. Butterfield has worked to improve the sustainability and energy efficiency of residential buildings for over 25 years.

She is focused on delivering exceptional sustainability consulting services, program certification support, and implementation of high-performance building technologies. Working with architects, developers, builders, and homeowners, Karla develops tailored sustainability strategies for both new construction and renovations. As a top expert in her field, Karla is frequently asked to speak at events and conferences nationwide, including the RESNET, WaterSmart Innovations, Northeast Indoor Air Quality & Energy, Passive House, and ENERGY STAR conferences, as well as Greenbuild and many others.

Dean Gamble is the technical manager for EPA's ENERGY STAR Certified Homes program, which he has helped support, define, and implement for 15 years.

With over 1.7 million homes certified, ENERGY STAR is the nation's largest voluntary residential market transformation program, delivering cost-effective energy-efficient homes while improving their durability, comfort, and quality.

Theresa Gilbride is a research scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, where her primary focus is residential energy efficiency.

She supports DOE's Zero Energy Ready Home program and Tour of Zero. She also supports DOE's Building America program as content development lead for the Building America Solution Center, an online tool for builders, remodelers, contractors, code officials, and other members of the home building industry.

In addition, Mrs. Gilbride supports research projects in high-r windows, solid state lighting, and high-r walls. Mrs. Gilbride has authored or co-authored 34 reports and 43 articles on residential energy efficiency and related topics. She is a lead author or co-author of the Building America best practice series, a 17-volume series which includes guides for high-performance home builders in all U.S. climate zones, a guide to photovoltaic system installations, and retrofit guides on air sealing, insulation, and HVAC. She has also published on building codes and emerging technologies including window attachments, lighting, appliances, and HVAC. Outside of work, she likes hiking, biking, sailing, and cross-country skiing.

Nick Hurst is an Environmental Protection Specialist with the US EPA and the Program Manager of EPA's Indoor airPLUS label for new homes.

He has been involved in the construction industry for over 17 years as a self-employed remodeling contractor, project manager, green building consultant, and trainer. Before coming to EPA, Nick was a Manager at ICF in the Federal Energy Efficiency portfolio, consulting on labeling programs such as ENERGY STAR, Indoor airPLUS, and WaterSense.

Nick is a BPI Building Analyst, LEED-AP (Homes), and NAHB Certified Green Professional. He has also participated in the Housing Innovation Alliance's Comfort + Health Program Council, the National Green Building Standard (ICC-700) Remodeling Task Group (2018), and the ANSI/AARST CCAH Committee for radon-resistant construction in new homes. Nick presents regularly at industry conferences on high performance home building, the Indoor airPLUS Program, and EPA's Energy Savings Plus Health protocols for improved indoor air quality in existing homes.

As Chief Architect for the Department of Energy's Building Technologies Office, Sam's primary role is leading deployment of proven innovations for new and existing high-performance homes.

In his prior position, he managed the growth of ENERGY STAR for Homes from its inception in 1996 to more than 8,000 builder partners, over one million labeled homes, and over 25 percent market penetration nationwide. During his 20-plus years as a licensed architect, he specialized in energy efficient design and completed over 100 residential projects. He has served on the national Steering Committees for USGBC’s LEED for Homes, NAHB's Green Builder Guidelines, and U.S. EPA's Water Sense and Indoor airPLUS labels. Mr. Rashkin has received national recognition for his contributions to sustainable housing with the 2019 EEBA Legend Award and the 2012 Hanley Award and is a published author.

Paul Torcellini is a Principal Engineer for Commercial Buildings Research at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), a DOE laboratory.

Paul is a key contributor in the development of the Advanced Energy Design Guides (ASHRAE/AIA/IES/USGBC) including chairing the technical committees that produce the zero energy AEDGs.  Paul has been at NREL for 26 years and is a registered Professional Engineer holding a PhD from Purdue University. He is an ASHRAE Fellow and Distinguished Lecturer.  Paul has authored or co-authored more than 50 papers and articles related to energy efficiency and zero-energy commercial buildings.

Sarah Truitt joined the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in 2010 and spent her first four years in program management, working closely with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office and NREL researchers. 

Since 2014, she has been leading innovative programs across many areas of the lab including piloting new methods of doing business with small and large businesses and international organizations. Sarah joined the Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) Operations Center in 2017 to establish the ESIF User Program. Sarah currently works in the Residential Buildings Research Group and conducts a range of research and analysis related to the building efficiency workforce and technology commercialization.

Sarah began her career in energy by working in the solar industry in California. She made contributions to the California Solar Initiative in 2006 prior to moving to Washington D.C. to complete graduate studies at the George Washington University. Upon graduation, Sarah worked for Sentech, Inc. as an on-site contractor helping the DOE Solar Energy Technologies Office implement their market transformation program. 

Brian has worked as a Marketing Specialist, supporting the Director of Marketing and Senior Vice President to develop brand awareness through digital assets, such as an updated website, increased social media focus, and grassroots marketing campaigns.

Brian has been called upon by all levels of management to improve processes, develop new ideas and better our organization. In a day and age where many brick-and-mortar retail organizations are struggling, his efforts have helped maintain our strong position in the markets we have been in for decades, as well as grow to new markets with great success.

Patrick Nielsen is Global Technical Products Manager at Broan, a leading manufacturer of residential ventilation products including ventilation fans, supply fans, H/ERVs, range hoods and make-up air dampers.

Patrick has been with Broan for 18 years with the majority of that time spent in product development/marketing management. In his current position, his responsibilities include codes and standards, identifying future product development opportunities and training. He serves on the board of the Home Ventilating Institute (HVI) and chairs their Codes & Standards committee

Russell Pope is the Industry Development Manager for Panasonic Life Solutions, North America.

Russell has over 14 years of experience in the residential ventilation industry and genuinely enjoys his job with Panasonic and the opportunities it provides. Russell serves on the Board of Directors for the Home Ventilating Institute, is an active participant in ASHRAE 62.2, ENERGY STAR, Department of Energy Programs, and Codes and Standards development.

Russell was born and raised in Florida and Jacksonville is home base when not traveling for business. As a graduate of Georgia Southern University with a degree in Industrial Management, he likes to believe that he is pretty well rounded with experience in manufacturing, sales, product development, and training, but he does not claim to be an expert in any of these categories (his 2 teenage sons strongly agree that "he is no expert….!"). I guess you could say that he is clever enough to realize that he is neither smart enough nor does he have the time to be an island. Together, Everyone Achieves More.

William W. Ranson is the leader of the Building Knowledge Center, a team that uses DuPont’s industry leading building science to support and grow with our customers through field support, content development, and industry influence.

He has 7 years’ experience specifically within the high-performance building industry, and over 18 years of experience managing and developing professionals in a variety of functions. Throughout his career, William has led technical support, quality, research and development, manufacturing technology, maintenance, marketing support, and application development teams within various DuPont businesses globally.

Prior to joining DuPont, he completed his master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Virginia Tech, with a focus on heat transfer. In addition to his work with EEBA, he participates on the suppliers’ advisory board for RESNET, the calculations subcommittee of RESNET Standards Development Committee 300; and he is a Boy Scout leader. His hobbies include traveling, reading, and anything about wine.

Bill Shadid is a Strategic Marketing leader for Aeroseal, a leading manufacturer of automated air sealing technologies – AeroBarrier for building envelopes and Aeroseal for HVAC ductwork.

Bill has over 25 years of experience in the construction industry, with a passion and focus on sustainable buildings and homes both as a building product marketer and earlier in his career as an architect. In his role at Aeroseal, he works across functions to drive customer understanding and market development of the AeroBarrier and Aeroseal products. Bill enjoys using his experience as a building product marketer and architect to help customers design and build buildings and homes that are more energy efficient, comfortable, healthier, and emit less carbon.

Jason Thorson, Director of Business Development for Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, has more than 20 years of experience in the building industry. 

He currently leads EPremium Business Development initiatives for National Accounts Groups with an emphasis in premium high-density residential new construction. His experience and knowledge stem from a diverse background including HVAC manufacturing, energy efficiency consulting, performance contracting, and homebuilding. 

Jason holds a B.A. degree in Business from Arizona State University and a Graduate Certificate in Sustainability from Portland State University. He currently resides in West Linn, OR with his wife of 15 years and two children.

Dean Gamble is the technical manager for EPA's ENERGY STAR Certified Homes program, which he has helped support, define, and implement for 15 years.

With over 1.7 million homes certified, ENERGY STAR is the nation's largest voluntary residential market transformation program, delivering cost-effective energy-efficient homes while improving their durability, comfort, and quality.

Theresa Gilbride is a research scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, where her primary focus is residential energy efficiency.

She supports DOE's Zero Energy Ready Home program and Tour of Zero. She also supports DOE's Building America program as content development lead for the Building America Solution Center, an online tool for builders, remodelers, contractors, code officials, and other members of the home building industry.

In addition, Mrs. Gilbride supports research projects in high-r windows, solid state lighting, and high-r walls. Mrs. Gilbride has authored or co-authored 34 reports and 43 articles on residential energy efficiency and related topics. She is a lead author or co-author of the Building America best practice series, a 17-volume series which includes guides for high-performance home builders in all U.S. climate zones, a guide to photovoltaic system installations, and retrofit guides on air sealing, insulation, and HVAC. She has also published on building codes and emerging technologies including window attachments, lighting, appliances, and HVAC. Outside of work, she likes hiking, biking, sailing, and cross-country skiing.

Nick Hurst is an Environmental Protection Specialist with the US EPA and the Program Manager of EPA's Indoor airPLUS label for new homes.

He has been involved in the construction industry for over 17 years as a self-employed remodeling contractor, project manager, green building consultant, and trainer. Before coming to EPA, Nick was a Manager at ICF in the Federal Energy Efficiency portfolio, consulting on labeling programs such as ENERGY STAR, Indoor airPLUS, and WaterSense.

Nick is a BPI Building Analyst, LEED-AP (Homes), and NAHB Certified Green Professional. He has also participated in the Housing Innovation Alliance's Comfort + Health Program Council, the National Green Building Standard (ICC-700) Remodeling Task Group (2018), and the ANSI/AARST CCAH Committee for radon-resistant construction in new homes. Nick presents regularly at industry conferences on high performance home building, the Indoor airPLUS Program, and EPA's Energy Savings Plus Health protocols for improved indoor air quality in existing homes.

Timothy M. O'Brien founded Tim O'Brien Homes along with his partner, Matt Neumann, in June of 2007.

Tim went out to form a new residential home building company focused on building green and energy efficient homes. He continues to develop knowledge in building high performance homes through educational events such as EEBA and DOE workshops. Since the inception of Tim O'Brien Homes, the company has been honored to receive the Silver NHQ award in 2016 and the Gold award in 2017. At the start of 2018 the company has also broken ground in Wisconsin's first net zero energy neighborhood, Red Fox Crossing in New Berlin, and is the leading innovator of Solar Energy homes in the State of WI, partnered with SunVest Solar, Inc.

Tim is very active in several Waukesha area school districts running a home building project with the high school construction trades seniors at Oconomowoc High School for the past (8) years, as well as pioneering a brand new curriculum for New Berlin Eisenhower High School's trade program to start in the Fall of 2018.

Russell Pope is the Industry Development Manager for Panasonic Life Solutions, North America.

Russell has over 14 years of experience in the residential ventilation industry and genuinely enjoys his job with Panasonic and the opportunities it provides. Russell serves on the Board of Directors for the Home Ventilating Institute, is an active participant in ASHRAE 62.2, ENERGY STAR, Department of Energy Programs, and Codes and Standards development.

Russell was born and raised in Florida and Jacksonville is home base when not traveling for business. As a graduate of Georgia Southern University with a degree in Industrial Management, he likes to believe that he is pretty well rounded with experience in manufacturing, sales, product development, and training, but he does not claim to be an expert in any of these categories (his 2 teenage sons strongly agree that "he is no expert….!"). I guess you could say that he is clever enough to realize that he is neither smart enough nor does he have the time to be an island. Together, Everyone Achieves More.

Bill Rectanus is a managing partner and Vice President of Homebuilding Operations for Thrive Home Builders in Denver, Colorado.

His responsibilities include the management and oversight of the construction, purchasing, customer service, quality assurance and land development departments. In addition to his daily responsibilities Bill is also responsible for the implementation of Thrive Home Builders' "High Performance Building Initiative".

Bill is very active in the Homebuilding industry both locally and nationally. He is committed to the local Home Builders Association of Metro Denver and has served 7 terms on their Board of Directors and 3 terms on the Flat Irons Building Council. Two of those council terms as Chairman. 

Bill holds a B.S. degree in Biology from Ohio University and currently lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife of 20 years and two daughters.