Solutions Forum Panelists---Thank You So Much!

I would like to thank the seven wonderful and very knowledgeable individuals who graciously gave of their evening to share their unique perspectives and experiences by participating in our Energy Solutions Forum.

Over 130 interested and forward thinking people joined us to view the documentary Energy CrossRoads, and by the end of the evening well over half were still engaging in discussion with the experts to find better understanding of where we are, where we need to be, and how we can work to get there regarding our energy future.

Many requested the ability to carry the conversation forward and our seven panelists have (again, quite graciously) agreed to answer emails, and questions posted here on We Will Rock Dem.

To Our Solutions Forum Panelists:
You made the Evening! Thank You!

Watt Bradshaw is president of Blue Ridge Energy Company. Founded in 1978, Blue Ridge Energy is a solar and renewable energy firm located in Broadway. They have worked in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County for 30 years helping clients with solar heat & hot water, solar electric and radiant heating systems, as well as climate responsive building designs.

H. Clay Clark, III. Born and raised in Rockingham County, Mr. Clark owns and operates four food service operations in Rockingham County and the City of Harrisonburg. Clay became interested in bio-diesel as a means to utilize the waste fry oil produced by his restaurants, and develop a cottage industry for his soon to be driving teen age son. Mr. Clark owns three diesel vehicles.

Bill Laughlin is an architect with Moseley Architects here in Harrisonburg (upstairs in fact). Moseley Architects has 250 employees in 7 offices in Virginia and North Carolina and specializes in the design of K-12 Schools, Higher Education Facilities, and Justice Facilities.
Moseley Architects is committed to sustainable design and has 28 projects designed in accordance with the US Green Building Council's guidelines for green design, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Moseley designed the first LEED Gold K-12 School in the Country.
Bill is a LEED Accredited Professional and is currently designing 4 LEED school projects.

Heidi Lestyan is a Renewable Energy Analyst with the Harrisonburg office of Antares Group Inc. Antares is a renewable energy consulting-engineering firm with a 15-year history of helping industry and government clients introduce emerging technologies into the power generation, transportation, industrial, and commercial sectors. Heidi's background includes four years of utility-scale wind development, specializing in optimizing project generation while reducing impacts to wildlife habitats and local communities.

Tal McBride is a Partner, with his father, Mr. H.T. “Mac” McBride, Jr., in Highland New Wind Development, LLC (HNWD) and Red Oak Ranch, LLC (ROR).
He is a founding member of ‘MidWind’, a coalition of companies developing, constructing, operating, and owning Wind farms in the Mid-Atlantic region.
He is an active member of the Washington, DC based American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and a participant in The Virginia Wind Energy Collaborative (VWEC) at James Madison University.

Nancy Quirk has taught global environmental politics since 1995. Before coming to James Madison University in 2002, she taught at Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs in Bloomington and Fort Wayne. Organizer and activitst, she has worked as campus director and board member of Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) in Indiana and West Virginia, and served on the Citizen's Advisory Board for the Waste Management District in Monroe County, Indiana for several years. She was a member of the campus stewardship Environmental Advisory Group at Colby College in Waterville, Maine during 2001-02.

Barkley Rosser has taught environmental economics at James Madison University since 1977, where he is Professor of Economics and Kirby L. Cramer, Jr. Professor of Business Administration. Author of over 100 books, articles, and other publications, he has served as editor of the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization since 2001. He has also been involved in various international conferences and negotiations regarding environmental and economic issues for more than a decade and a half.