Moderator: Selena Worster Walde, Erthe Energy Solutions

This will be a facilitated discussion on how to navigate starting your own business with questions from the audience. The panel will be made up of different types of diverse businesses who will talk through why they started their businesses, how they established themselves within the industry and what they did to build business.

Discussion Lead: Molly Graham, MEEA Programs Director

For our final workshop, we will focus on the transportation sector. MEEA members will discuss the current impact of various modes of transportation, existing challenges and areas of potential energy savings in the future.

Discussion Lead: Nick Dreher, MEEA Policy Director

In this workshop, attendees will discuss the impact of industrial and manufacturing sectors throughout the region. Through an engaging conversation and real-time feedback, we will work through challenges and identify opportunities to reduce consumption.

Discussion Lead: Chris Burgess, MEEA Buildings Director

In this workshop, we will look at the landscape of existing buildings in the Midwest as well as the impact of new building policies and then discuss challenges and opportunities that lie within this sector. We will have an active discussion with the audience, presenting barriers, opportunities or areas where deeper consideration is needed.

Facilitators: Nick Dreher and Jen Rhodes, MEEA

This workshop will be focused on active feedback. We will talk through what we heard are challenges or hurdles within the industry and within our organizations in the DEI space. We will talk about what tangible items can be established or created to encourage DEI across the EE industry.

Facilitators: Ben Passer, Fresh Energy and Kristol Simms, Ameren Illinois

The second workshop will look at the wider energy efficiency industry and the different contributing factors or policies of what can be done to encourage lasting change around diversity, equity and inclusion. Creating pipelines into the industry by encouraging workforce development and supporting diverse suppliers within the supply chain are two important ways to diversify the industry.

Discussion Lead: Stacey Paradis, MEEA Executive Director

In this first meeting, MEEA will provide background on the Midwest energy landscape to establish a baseline for the workshop series. This information, including metrics, current policies and considerations, is key to the following three conversations.

The purpose of the first workshop is to establish an understanding of why we are here, both in historic terms within the industry and in terms of the workshop series today. After we gain this understanding, we will look internally to define action steps that we can work on individually and within our own organizations to advance equity, diversity and inclusivity.

Join us on Wednesday, June 23^rd for an afternoon of industry discussions and virtual networking. During this always-free, members-only meeting, we’ll elect MEEA’s FY22 Board of Directors, provide an annual state of the organization, learn about how the new administration’s energy commitments will influence EE in our Midwest states and more.

Raise a glass to the Midwest’s best and brightest at the 17th annual Inspiring Efficiency Awards virtual event. Join us to recognize your peers and celebrate the strides in our industry despite an unpredictable year.

The Inspiring Efficiency Awards recognize Midwest leaders who deliver groundbreaking advancements in energy efficiency in five categories: Leadership, Education, Impact, Marketing and Innovation.