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WORKSHOP PRESENTERS  


Steve Austin’s professional experience includes nearly 23 years as a town and regional planner.He currently serves as the Founding Director of the Legacy Center at the Blue Grass Community Foundation. The Legacy Center over sees the development and implementation of the community-endorsed ideas for leaving a legacy for after the World Equestrian Games.These ideas are the creation of the Legacy Trail and assisting with the revitalization of the East End in Lexington.Steve was President/CEO of Bluegrass Tomorrow from 2000 to 2008. Steve holds both a Juris Doctor and a Bachelor of Science degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Kentucky.

Aur Beck teaches at John A Logan community college.  He has spoken and presented at the
Advanced Energy Solutions Group on energy education and at The Climate Project.  He is president of the non-profit Southern Illinois Center for a Sustainable Future and is founder of Oil Addicts Anonymous International.  He is the Chief Tech at Advanced Energy Solutions Group, a talk show host on Your Community Spirit radio show at WDBX in Illinois and is founder and board member of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association.

Jane Eller is Executive Director of the Kentucky Environmental Education Council.

Bob Geswein is a Graduate of Purdue University’s School of Agricultural Economics. He worked for Koetter Construction, Inc. as a carpenter/framer of residential homes, for Farm Credit Service as a loan officer and for Becht Heating and Cooling, Inc. in the residential and light commercial HVAC industry.He currently works for Harrison REMC (Indiana) as an energy efficiency resource for residential and commercial customers. He has been a presenter of Building Science seminars for Harrison REMC for over 13 years which are now accepted for builder and realtor continuing education credits for the Indiana Cities of New Albany, Jeffersonville, Bloomington, Evansville and also for Louisville and Owensboro, KY.He presented a continuing education seminar at the University of Kentucky School of Architecture and his seminar is part of the curriculum of the Indiana Realtors Association’s Graduate Realtor Institute degree.

William C. (Bill) Goetz, PhD, has been in the construction industry for over forty years. He is, and remains, an operative mechanic, project estimator, buyer, construction engineer, senior project safety engineer and various other construction industry titles. He loves to build and is not afraid to get his hands dirty.Most recently, he worked with Dr. Robert Fehr, UK College of Agriculture, Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, on a Department of Energy grant developing an “Energy Efficient Home” construction-training program; also a part of his additional doctoral studies in adult education, College of Education, University of Kentucky. Currently, Dr. Goetz owns and operates Compliance Technologies, LLC. Founded six years ago, Compliance Tech is a professional vocation and regulatory required educational training service.

AnnYager Hamlin, 33, Licensed Funeral Director, Embalmer, and Insurance Agent, is a Vice President and fourth generation of Stith Funeral Home in Danville, Kentucky, the first funeral home in the Commonwealth of Kentucky to join the Green Burial Council. AnnYager attended Mars Hill College in Mars Hill, North Carolina, University of Kentucky, and in 2001 graduated from John A. Gupton College of Mortuary Science.  She is a member of the Danville Rotary Club, Danville Business and Professional Women (Past President), Danville-Boyle County Chamber of Commerce, Young Professionals Co-founder, numerous other civic and professional organizations.  Even at this age, AnnYager has over 20 years of experience in the funeral home.

Lee Helmers is the owner of Stonewall Capital Partners, serving as a financial planner and portfolio manager for clients throughout Kentucky and the Southeast.  Last year, Lee was recognized as one of America's Top Financial Planners by the Consumers' Research Council of America.  He is committed to advancing his knowledge, expertise and the profession having completed the Boston University Financial Planning program, and the Executive Education program in Value Investing at Columbia University in recent years.  He was awarded the Barclays "Leading Edge Advisor” award from the Structured Products Association in 2009.

Jenny Howard's environmental education (EE) practice has taken her from the ocean to the tropics to the Bluegrass, through Peace Corps, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Kentucky State Parks and (currently) the Kentucky Division of Water.  With a Master's in Environmental Education, as a Kentucky Certified Environmental Educator, and through her role as President of the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education, Jenny is proud to promote environmental literacy through EE across her home Bluegrass state.

Mike Klinglesmith was born in Maysville Kentucky, and moved to Lexington Kentucky in 1957.He graduated from Lexington Catholic High School in 1971, and has worked in the HVAC Industry for 25+ years.During that time he taught HVAC in the Fayette County Public School System for 17 years, and is currently employed in the FCPS Maintenance Department.Early in his career he was involved in a number of Alternate Energy endeavors, including installation of over 500 Buck Stove wood burning stoves for the Buck Stove Energy Center, as well as the installation of several solar and wood heating systems, and other energy related systems and devices.He is now working passionately to bring the advantages of Magnegas to Government, Industry, and the General Public.

Dave Leonard has been in the tree care business for 35 years. He has been involved with the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) for over 20 years, serving as president and executive director of the Kentucky Chapter and helping to write the arborist certification exam. He earned a Forestry degree from the University of Kentucky in 1974 and became a member of the American Society of Consulting Arborists in 1993. He has supported the Tree Fund for research by riding his bike in the Tour des Trees for 14 years, raising over $40,000 in donations. His favorite tree is the bur oak.

Richard S. Levine has taught at the UK College of Design since 1965, and has over 30 years of award-winner solar and sustainability-driven and research experience and has been in over 200 publications on solar energy, sustainability research, and architectural design.  He has conducted sustainable city research and projects in Italy, Austria, China, the Middle East as well as at home in Kentucky.  He is the principal architect for the CSC Design Studio, a full service architecture firm which specializes in designing livable and affordable zero-net energy homes.  The CSC Design Studio offers LEED and Passive House consulting  and design services for residential and commercial projects and comprehensive sustainability planning for urban projects.

Andy McDonald is the Director of the Kentucky Solar Partnership, a project of the non-profit organization Appalachia - Science in the Public Interest, and co-author of “The Kentucky Solar Energy Guide,” published in 2005. He has a Master’s Degree in Sustainable Systems from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (2003) and a BA in Philosophy from the University of Buffalo (1992). He is a co-founder of the Kentucky Solar Energy Society.

Christine Cunha Missik founded the Healthy Planet Initiatives local citizens network in early 2007, after becoming aware of the dangerous feedback loops associated with global warming. Physician by day, Missik advocates for the environment during her off hours and has written over 100 published green living columns. 

Tim Moeller is president of Presto Wind Products, which manufactures generators for small scale wind, hydro, and marine applications. Presto Generators are specially designed to produce high voltages at a very low RPM. Tim’s background is mainly in the HVAC industry. He is a refrigeration engineer, and has a Universal EPA license to work with chemical refrigerants. Tim is also a State of Ohio Master Plumber, Master HVAC and Hydronics, and Master Electrician with 31 years in commercial contracting experience. 

Rob Morris is the owner of Lowell's Independent Automotive, Inc., an automotive maintenance and repair shop which exclusively services Toyota, Lexus, and Scion vehicles.  Lowell's has been voted "Best Mechanic in Lexington" 8 times in Ace Weekly's Best of Lex readers' poll.

Michelle Nevels is Project Wet director for the Kentucky Environmental Education Council.

Matt Partymiller is operating manager of Solar Energy Solutions LLC.  Mr. Partymiller holds NABCEP photovoltaic and solar hot water certifications. In his day to day capacity Mr. Partymiller is responsible for the design and installation of photovoltaic systems throughout Kentucky.

Jennifer Pennington is a graduate of Western Kentucky University with a Bachelors degree in Horticulture and a minor in Marketing. For the past 2 years she has been working as an Assistant Manager at Shooting Star Nursery in Georgetown, Kentucky. The Nursery primarily concentrates on plants native to Kentucky and the Eastern part of the United States, medicinals, heirloom garden vegetables, and herbs.

Clive Pohl, AIA, is a graduate of the University of Washington and a registered architect in the state of Kentucky. He is a LEED Accredited Professional, a member of the USGBC KY Chapter Board of Directors, Chair of the Education Committee, and a frequent speaker at a variety of Green Building Educational forums. He has recently been appointed by KY Governor Steve Beshear to a 2 year seat on the High Performance Buildings Advisory Committee. He is an award winning furniture designer and skilled craftsman / builder.

Pam Proctor is assistant director for the Kentucky branch of the National Energy Education Development Organization.

Elizabeth Robb is a policy analyst for the Kentucky Division of Air Quality.

John F Robbins is an energy consultant since 1983, designer of high performance and passive solar homes since 1985, energy manager (CEM) certified by the Assn of Energy Engineers (AEE) since 1990, SW Ohio AEE’s 1994 Energy Engineer of the Year and 2001 Environmental Engineer of the Year, leader of SW Ohio Alternate Energy Assn 1995-2005.He received the Ohio Governor’s Award for Excellence in Energy Efficiency in 1998.  A Bluegrass Expo presenter since 2005, John also teaches energy and solar adult-ed courses at Great Oaks Institute in SW Ohio since 2006.

Wendy Trimble is an avid cyclist, a local bicycle store owner (Pedal the Planet) and the chair of the Mayor’s Bicycle Task Force. She is an active bicycle advocate in Lexington, and co-founder of Bicycling Kentucky. Wendy has traveled in over 50 countries by bicycle. She rides her son to school by bike and commutes by bike to work. Wendy also has a master’s degree in geology and has worked as an environmental consultant for over 10 years.

Chris Tyler, LEED AP, graduated with his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and MBA from the University of Kentucky.  After working at the Trane air handler manufacturing plant in Lexington, Ky for 10 years, he began working for Thermal Equipment Sales in 2007.  Chris is the Advocacy Co-chairman & Green Schools Advocate of the USGBC Ky Chapter, serves on the USGBC Ky Chapter Board of Directors, is former President of the ASHRAE Bluegrass Chapter, current ASHRAE Government Affairs Chairman, and currently serves on the High Performance Buildings Advisory Committee to Governor Beshear.

Gary Watrous, Solar Architect, started his Louisville firm in 1985.  Since that time he has designed a large number of passive-solar homes, churches, schools, and other buildings.  The goal of his practice is to design works of architecture that are functional, beautiful and energy efficient.  He wants his customer-designed Sun-Earth homes to cost the same as conventional custom homes, yet save two to three times the energy.