California Center for Sustainable Energy

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (November 29, 2007) — Thirty-year energy veteran, Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and Professional Engineer (PE, Electrical) Robert Gilleskie has joined the non-profit California Center for Sustainable Energy ( CCSE) as Director of Engineering.

In his new capacity with CCSE, Gilleskie oversees all aspects of the organization’s residential and commercial energy efficiency initiatives, including research, project planning and development, funding, services delivery and evaluation. He also supervises and supports the agency’s program managers, engineering staff and energy policy gurus.

“The breadth and depth of Bob’s energy industry experience -- and his disciplined, bottom-line approach to management – bring a valuable complement of skills to the CCSE team,” said CCSE Executive Director Irene Stillings. “His leadership will allow CCSE to ratchet up its service levels to San Diego businesses, public agencies, non-profits and citizens at large, while affording the team unflagging support to bring innovative technical support and energy efficiency solutions to the communities we serve,” Stillings added.

Among the programs for which Gilleskie is responsible are:

• The $1.8 million CA Air Resources Board ( CARB) Fueling Alternatives program, a state-wide initiative providing rebates to businesses, schools, governments and related public agencies -- and consumers -- who purchase or lease electric, fuel-cell, plug-in hybrid and other qualified alternative fuel vehicles;

• Tax-Exempt Customer Incentive Program ( TEC), a $12 million program that provides technical and project management assistance to help tax-exempt organizations implement energy-efficiency measures – and to take advantage of available rebates to boot. TEC has the expertise to take projects from concept to successful implementation;

• The utility rate payer-funded Energy Resource Center ( ERC), which provides free on-site expert-facilitated workshops, interactive technology displays, technical assistance, videos, periodicals and diagnostic tools (via its free lending library) for businesses, facility managers, contractors and the community at large on a broad spectrum of energy topics and implementation strategies, from the latest in heating and cooling ( HVAC) to advanced lighting to do-it-yourself, energy-smart remodeling;

• The perennially-popular Cool Communities Shade Tree Program, which provides free trees to area residents and K-12 schools to shade their homes and facilities, reduce air conditioning use, save energy and improve air quality. The Home Depot Foundation recently provided a grant to augment this program.

Prior to joining CCSE, Mr. Gilleskie was a senior energy engineer at DMJM Harris, where he evaluated and managed large energy infrastructure projects. He developed energy conservation measures for prospective projects and analyzed their feasibility, economic value and, when funded, their execution to completion.

In 2002, he joined Tetra Tech EMI Inc. as a resource efficiency manager at Naval Base Point Loma, where he developed energy conservation projects for four operational Navy bases that led to over $300,000 in energy savings. He created a weekly energy newsletter called E-Notes, which was circulated to Naval, Marine Corps and Air Force bases in California, Nevada, Hawaii, Guam and Okinawa, Japan.

Mr. Gilleskie was with San Diego Gas & Electric for 23 years, where he served in engineering and supervisory capacities running the gamut from transmission engineering, generation planning and electric marketing to power quality service.

Before that, Robert Gilleskie was a Lieutenant in the United States Navy, where he managed communications and engineering systems and provided leadership for military units ranging in size from 15 to 84. He was awarded the Bronze Star with "V" for service in Vietnam.

Mr. Gilleskie received a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Naval Academy, has a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University and an MBA from San Diego State University. He has also earned credentials as a certified Professional Engineer (PE – Electrical) and Certified Energy Manager (CEM).

He is a member of Toastmasters International and is secretary of Encinitas Toastmasters. He is a former Chairman of the Torrey Pines Community Planning Board. Gilleskie is currently an instructor at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Extension School, where he has taught courses in facility power management and engineering economics since 1995. He also assisted professors in teaching electrical engineering courses at Purdue University.

Robert Gilleskie has one daughter, a senior in Public Policy at Duke University. He resides in Del Mar Heights, California.

The California Center for Sustainable Energy (Energy Center) is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) dedicated to fostering public policy and programs to facilitate the adoption of clean, reliable, sustainable, and efficient energy technologies and practices. For more information on California Center for Sustainable Energy programs, rebates and services, please visit www.energycenter.org or call 1-866-SDENERGY.