Celebrating KEEA & EEA-NJ's 2024
ENERGY EFFICIENCY CHAMPIONS
KEEA & EEA-NJ are pleased to announce our 2024 Energy Efficiency Champions:
KEEA Member Champion: MT Weatherization
EEA-NJ Member Champion: Tri-State Light & Energy (TSLE)
KEEA Public Servant Champion: John Augustine
EEA-NJ Public Servant Champion: Governor Phil Murphy
Outstanding Energy Efficiency Individual: Elizabeth Marx
KEEA & EEA-NJ Executive Director Jeaneen Zappa on our 2024 Champions:
“KEEA and EEA-NJ’s stellar 2024 Energy Efficiency champions represent the ingenuity and dedication you’ll find throughout our states’ energy efficiency space. Employing over 36,000 in New Jersey and almost 70,000 in Pennsylvania, this industry helps our states cut energy costs, fight climate change, and create good, family-sustaining jobs. We’re proud to acknowledge the work these Champions have done, work that aligns with KEEA and EEA-NJ’s mission to champion efficiency as the foundation of a clean, just, and resilient energy economy.”
KEEA's 2024 Member Champion:
MT Weatherization
“MT is thrilled to accept this award from KEEA/EEA-NJ. It is without a doubt that this recognition highlights the dedication, hard work, and values of our amazing team. We’re honored to be chosen from among the other nominees and are committed to continuing to support our partners in the industry.”
– Steve Widnick-Vazquez, Vice President, MT Weatherization
Why MT Weatherization is our 2024 Champion:
A building services company with expertise in both commercial and residential spaces, MT is based in Harrisburg, PA but serves customers across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. In addition to helping their customers save money and energy with electrical, HVAC, and energy auditing work, MT is also a leader in developing the energy efficiency workforce: they’ve partnered with Penn State’s Clean Energy Center to host a training hub at their Harrisburg headquarters and have embraced apprenticeship and training opportunities such as working with Building Green Futures (www.pct.edu/business/clean-energy/building-green-futures) students and graduates. MT regularly appears on KEEA member calls to share input, and has made high-impact, in-person appearances at KEEA lobby days to meet with legislators and support the Whole-Home Repairs program.
EEA-NJ's 2024 Member Champion:
Tri-State Light and Energy
“Receiving the Energy Champion Award means a lot to me and to the company. When I took over TSLE, my goal was to accelerate the transition to a full-scale energy engineering and program implementation firm so we could more successfully help NJ and PA businesses and communities experience the many benefits of energy efficiency and decarbonization. I am proud of what we’ve accomplished so far and look forward to our continued relationship with EEA-NJ & KEEA as we grow.”
– Tejas Desai, PE, CEO, Tri-State Light & Energy
Why Tri-State Light & Energy is our 2024 Champion:
Tri-State Light & Energy (TSLE) brings their lighting, HVAC, and full-building solution expertise to clients across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, specializing in in commercial, industrial, and institutional markets. They were the BPU’s original energy efficiency implementation contractor, have worked in energy efficiency program implementation since 2009, and have successfully completed over 4,500 Direct Install projects saving customers over 987 kWh in New Jersey alone. CEO Tejas Desai, PE, has sat on KEEA & EEA-NJ’s Board of Directors since 2022.
KEEA's 2024 Public Servant Champion
John Augustine
Administrative Director, Greater Johnstown Career & Technology Center (GJCTC)
“I am deeply honored to receive the ‘Outstanding Public Servant: PA Champion’ award from KEEA & EEA-NJ. This recognition is a testament to the power of education and collaboration in driving energy efficiency and sustainability in our communities. At Greater Johnstown Career & Technology Center, we’ve had the privilege of not only improving our facilities but also inspiring the next generation of energy professionals. Together, educators, school boards, and companies like TEN, we are building a future that is resilient, equitable, and environmentally responsible.”
– John Augustine, Administrative Director, Greater Johnstown Career & Technology Center (GJCTC)
Why John Augustine is our 2024 Champion:
Mr. Augustine spearheaded a project to give the school its first major building and energy overhaul since the 1950’s, an endeavor that included extensive building envelope upgrades, HVAC work, and a four-acre solar array. Completed in 2023, the project’s combination of renewables and efficiency has made GJCTC the first educational institution in Western PA to be entirely solar-powered. Students were able to learn clean energy skills from contractors during the process. GJCTC’s energy overhaul, spearheaded by Augustine, shows what’s possible when energy efficiency and solar expertise (provided by KEEA member TEN) meets dedication.
EEA-NJ's 2024 Public Servant Champion:
Governor Phil Murphy
State of New Jersey
“It is an honor to be named ‘Outstanding Public Servant: NJ Champion’ at this year’s KEEA & EEA-NJ Policy Conference. Our administration is proud of our nation-leading energy efficiency programs that reduce energy bills for our residents and businesses and propel New Jersey toward a clean energy future. I am grateful to Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance and the Energy Efficiency Alliance of New Jersey for their commitment to burgeoning an energy efficiency economy and creating a more sustainable Garden State for us all.”
– Governor Phil Murphy
Why Governor Phil Murphy is our 2024 Champion:
Throughout his tenure, Governor Murphy has consistently raised the bar, setting New Jersey on a path toward a cleaner, more sustainable future. One of his first executive orders directed New Jersey to rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), enabling the state to secure critical funding for energy efficiency and building decarbonization initiatives. Through the RGGI proceeds, New Jersey has launched innovative programs such as heat pump installations, the Whole-House Pilot Program, and substantial investments in growing the state’s energy efficiency workforce. In 2018, Governor Murphy’s leadership was further solidified with the passage of the Clean Energy Act. This landmark legislation has played a pivotal role in transforming New Jersey’s energy landscape, driving both innovation and significant reductions in energy usage. His 2023 executive orders established bold heat pump deployment targets and directed the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to plan for the future of the state’s natural gas utilities, further cementing his vision for a decarbonized future.
KEEA & EEA-NJ's Outstanding Individual:
Elizabeth Marx
Executive Director, Pennsylvania Utility Law Project
“I am truly honored and humbled by the recognition of my colleagues as one of KEEA’s 2024 Energy Efficiency Champions! Working to achieve energy justice is not a job, it is a mission that requires the leadership, support, and recognition of our entire community. I am deeply grateful for my hardworking team at the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project, our fearless clients that power our work forward, and our community partners who stand shoulder to shoulder with us in this critical work. Together, we can solve energy poverty and make way for a just energy future that works for all.”
– Elizabeth Marx, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Utility Law Project
Why Elizabeth Marx is our 2024 Champion:
Elizabeth “Liz” Marx is a formidable attorney and advocate whose work centers on energy justice—securing just and equitable access to safe and affordable utility services for Pennsylvanians experiencing poverty. She is a spirited force navigating an increasingly complex space to best serve those who are most in need. Through her leadership, the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project (PULP) has grown staff, increased the number of people assisted, and enhanced the ways they are able to assist. From direct client representation to expansive policy initiatives, she is helping shape the future of energy efficiency–and its affordability–for low-income Pennsylvanians. Her transformational leadership is helping make important shifts and gains to lift the disproportionate burden placed on those experiencing energy poverty – such efforts that ultimately benefit all Pennsylvania residents.