Advisory Board - Applied Engineering and Energy Systems (AEES)

ELLIS WALDMAN HAS BEEN CEO AND PRESIDENT of Providence-based Walco Electric Co. for nearly 50 years, a tenure that affords him a unique perspective about not just how the company works but how each and every piece of the company fits together to create a pathway to success.

Walco is a diversified high-technology company that specializes in the optimization of rotating electro-mechanical apparatus and automated process equipment. With 87 years of experience, they have grown to become one of the largest automation engineering and industrial service companies in the country.

Current role, Area Sales Director for commercial products at Taco Comfort Solutions, Cranston
Previous roles at Taco, Regional Manager, Application Engineer, Technical support Engineer
At Taco since January 2001, Began career at Taco as Technical Support Engineer.
Previous roles at Brown & Sharpe, North Kingstown, RI, OEM sales, 2^nd shift Supervisor, Heat Treat Technician   

Credentials:
MBA, University Rhode Island   
BS, Roger Williams University, General Business Studies
AS, CCRI, Mechanical Engineering technology
Certificate Whartons Business, Executive Presence and Influence: Persuasive Leadership Development
Board Member, Rhode Island Manufactures Association, RIMA

Ron Gillooly is currently Industrial Energy Program Director at Leidos.  Mr. Gillooly was most recently Director of Business Development for Horizon Energy Services where he was instrumental in increasing sales 26% from 2013 to 2014.   Prior to his role at Horizon, Ron worked at National Grid for twenty-one years holding various positions in account management, community relations, and marketing premium services to commercial and industrial customers. 

In his current role as Industrial Energy Program Director, Mr. Gillooly is responsible for Leidos implementation and growth of Leidos Energy Management programs in the Northeast.  Mr. Gillooly previously served as a guest lecturer in energy auditing at Worcester Polytechnic Institute Center for Sustainability in Business.  He is a graduate of Rhode Island College and is a Certified Energy Manager with the Association of Energy Engineers.  Mr. Gillooly is currently on the Board of Advisors and produces the podcast ENERGYMATTERS2U for the New England Chapter of The Association of Energy Engineers and past president.

Mike Pace is currently Engineering Manager at Leidos, he has been involved in the energy industry for over 25 years in a variety of roles that include energy efficiency project design and implementation, utility program design and technical support, and management of an energy services company.  In his current role at Leidos Mr. Pace  provides engineering support for electrification projects, energy efficiency projects, as well as EV charging station infrastructure projects.  Mr. Pace has a BS in Engineering from Massachusetts Maritime Academy and an MS in Management from Massachusetts Maritime Academy. 

Rhode Island Energy
Manager Engineering - Large Customer Energy Efficiency & Account Management
January 1994 - Present (32 years 2 months)
Providence, RI

Mr. Whitehead leads a caring team of people that understand Rhode Island’s largest Customers and help develop strategic partnerships to keep them competitive and energy efficient. They help tailor energy solutions, supply funding & engineering services, and provide key account management. RI Energy's goal is to provide an excellent Customer experience every time the municipalities & large businesses of RI need their energy delivery utility.

Helping Customers & Improving our Environment for over 32 years. Jim is focused on supporting a talented team of key account managers, program managers and energy engineers, to build strategic partnerships, provide excellent Customer experiences, and deliver their energy efficiency programs to their largest Customers. Their team members help Customers achieve Clean Energy goals, using energy management, carbon reduction planning, project funding and innovative energy end-use & delivery technologies.

Victor E. Montero, MSME

Senior Engineer | Mechanical Design Specialist | Educator

Victor Montero is a Senior Engineer at Rhode Island Energy, where he specializes in gas distribution and asset management. He leads the design and system management of regional gate stations, focusing on critical infrastructure such as pressure regulation and the control of compressed natural gas. His current work involves the analysis and upgrade of existing units, the design of sub-terrain regulator stations, and the strategic management of transmission line assets.

With over 15 years of multi-disciplinary experience, Victor’s background includes significant tenures at industry leaders like Waters Corporation, Mahr Inc., and G&G Technologies. He has a proven track record in the full product development lifecycle—from conceptual design to on-site installation—and has successfully managed complex projects with budgets exceeding $300K. A certified expert in SolidWorks (CSWP), his technical expertise spans precision instrumentation, additive manufacturing, and biopharmaceutical process equipment.

Dedicated to mentorship and academic leadership, Victor has served as an Adjunct Instructor at the Community College of Rhode Island since 2017. He holds both a Master’s and a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Rhode Island, where he previously served as President of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE).

VP, Operations & Maintenance

Tim has seven years of experience operating and maintaining renewable energy assets, as well as managing a large staff of five regional managers and twenty-nine supporting personnel. He has a solid background in technology, site operations, safety, quality assurance and control, and customer communications. His past projects have operated with zero recordable safety incidents and at an almost perfect availability. Tim currently manages operations and maintenance systems processes, including the tracking of key metrics. He is responsible for developing service contracts, inventory counts, and budgets, in addition to maintaining safe working environments at operational project sites.

Philip N. Miller, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus of Engineering & Technology

Dr. Philip N. Miller is a distinguished educator and industrial engineer with over 40 years of experience in academic leadership and manufacturing excellence. As Professor Emeritus and former Chair of the Engineering & Technology Department at the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI), Dr. Miller has dedicated his career to advancing industrial and manufacturing engineering technology through innovative curriculum development and instruction.

Beyond his leadership at CCRI, Dr. Miller has served as an Adjunct Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Rhode Island and has taught at several other institutions including Roger Williams University and Rhode Island College. His professional background includes significant industrial experience at Bostitch Division of Textron, Raytheon, and Kaiser Aluminum, where he specialized in work measurement, cost control, and employee training and development.

Dr. Miller holds a Ph.D. in Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering from the University of Rhode Island and an M.B.A. from Providence College. His contributions to engineering education have been recognized with numerous honors, including:

• The Albert Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award (Who’s Who in Science and Engineering).
• NISOD Excellence in Teaching Award.
• Outstanding Engineer's Award from Roger Williams College.

He is an active member of the American Society of Engineering Education and the Order of the Engineer.