Bigger Than Us

Ross Faranso is the CEO of Nexus PMG. A seasoned leader in advisory, engineering, construction, and technology solutions throughout the energy sector.  Over 20 years in increasing roles of responsibility from project management to operations management to business development. I’ve led multiple initiatives and contracts for clean energy projects for multinational companies and responsible for creating strategic alliances and leading clean energy and EPC project deployments.   I hold a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from University of Houston, and I am a certified Project Management Professional (PMG). I also serve on the Executive Advisory Committee on the Board of Directors for the Association for Capital Projects Engineering & Construction Community (ECC). https://www.nexuspmg.com/

A special episode featuring advice from a variety of previous guests. www.nexuspmg.com

Tom Dickson, CEO of New Energy Risk since 2015, has more than 35 years of experience in the insurance and reinsurance industry and finance; including senior executive and underwriting leadership positions in the US, Europe, and Asia; notably as the former CEO and Chief Underwriting Officer of the Centre Group, a $10B reinsurer that pioneered innovative products to address high-value business risks and financing. Tom has also served on the boards of public and private companies, including Flagstone Re, Paragon Insurance Services, Reformation Insurance Services, and as an advisor to Cellcontrol and Fairmatic. He graduated with honors from Stanford University, where he remains an active alumnus, and received a Master’s degree from John Hopkins University (SAIS). Currently, Tom serves on the Natural Capital Advisory Council at Stanford University and the board of Adara Group, a non-profit engaged in health and education development for women and children in remote communities. ⁠https://newenergyrisk.com/⁠ ⁠https://nexuspmg.com/

Peter Kelly-Detwiler has 30 years of experience in the electric energy arena. He writes for Forbes.com and other publications on topics related to disruptive innovation and its impact on the electricity infrastructure. He provides strategic advice to clients and investors, helping them to navigate this transitional period. Peter is also the author of The Energy Switch - a book about how companies and customers are transforming the electrical grid and the future of power. Mr. Kelly-Detwiler has spent much of his career in various areas of competitive power markets. As Senior Vice President at Constellation Energy, he oversaw creation of VirtuWatt – a market leading platform to facilitate real-time awareness of electricity pricing and consumption and bidding of assets into competitive markets. He is currently writing a book on the transformation of electric power markets, to be published by Prometheus Books in the Spring of 2021. ⁠⁠https://www.peterkellydetwiler.com/⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://nexuspmg.com/⁠

In POWER METAL, award-winning journalist Vince Beiser chronicles the destructive side effects that the global hunt for critical metals has on our clean energy transition, from environmental damage to political upheaval to murder. Vince Beiser is an award-winning journalist and author of “The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization.” The book has been translated into five languages, was a finalist for a PEN America award and a California Book Award, and spawned a TEDx talk. Vince is currently at work on a new book, “Power Metal”, about how the materials we need for digital technology and renewable energy are causing environmental havoc, political upheaval, mayhem and murder—and how we can do better. Vince has reported from over 100 countries, states, provinces, kingdoms, occupied territories, no man’s lands and disaster zones. He has exposed conditions in California’s harshest prisons, trained with troops bound for Iraq, ridden with the first responders to natural disasters, and hunted down other stories from around the world for publications including Wired, The Atlantic, Harper’s, Time, The Guardian, Mother Jones, Playboy, Rolling Stone, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. Vince’s work has been honored by Investigative Reporters and Editors, the Society of Professional Journalists, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, the Columbia, Medill and Missouri Graduate Schools of Journalism, and many other institutions. He has three times been part of a team that won the National Magazine Award for General Excellence, and shared in an Emmy for his work with the PBS TV series SoCal Connected. He is also a grantee of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. ⁠https://vincebeiser.com/⁠ ⁠https://nexuspmg.com/

Seth Godin is an author, entrepreneur, and, most of all, A teacher. Seth is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, and speaker. In addition to launching one of the most popular blogs in the world, he has written 21 best-selling books, including The Dip, Linchpin, Purple Cow, Tribes, and What To Do When It's Your Turn (And It's Always Your Turn). His book, This is Marketing, was an instant bestseller in countries around the world. His latest books are The Song of Significance and  The Practice, and creatives everywhere have made it a bestseller. Though renowned for his writing and speaking, Seth also founded two companies, Squidoo and Yoyodyne (acquired by Yahoo!). By focusing on everything from effective marketing and leadership, to the spread of ideas and changing everything, Seth has been able to motivate and inspire countless people around the world. In 2013, Seth was one of just three professionals inducted into the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame. In an astonishing turn of events, in May 2018, he was inducted into the Marketing Hall of Fame as well. He might be the only person in both. ⁠https://thecarbonalmanac.org/⁠ ⁠https://nexuspmg.com/⁠

Martin Gross is the founder and chief executive officer of Gross-Wen Technologies. His vision for using algae to clean water and solve many other of the Earth’s problems is driving the rapid expansion of Gross-Wen. After founding Gross-Wen Technologies in 2016, Gross led the development and commercialization of the revolving algal biofilm™️ treatment technology (RAB™️), a sustainable, next generation wastewater treatment system using algae. The RAB system recovers nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater, produces clean water and air, and yields valuable algae biomass. Propelling the growth of Gross-Wen, Gross led substantial equity investments, Department of Energy and Agriculture grant funding awards exceeding $3 million, $15 million in equity investments and the approval of more than ten patents. Gross-Wen Technologies won the Carbon Zero Grand Challenge from a project with PUB, Singapore’s water agency. A frequent speaker and respected thought leader, Gross’ work is essential in pollution mitigation, offsetting climate change, and using algae as a nascent industry. His deep knowledge includes growing algae, fermentation, biofuels, renewable energy, wastewater, and agriculture. He serves on the board of directors of the Algae Biomass Organization and the Iowa Biotechnology Association. After earning a bachelor's degree in biological sciences from Iowa State University, Gross went on to earn a doctorate in food science and technology and a doctorate in biosystems engineering. Gross is on the faculty at Iowa State University, where he developed and teaches a course called Entrepreneurship for Graduate Students in Science and Engineering. Gross’ Ph.D. in food science focused on growing microorganisms to make foods and chemical nutraceuticals. To this end, he founded GW Nutrition a food ingredient company that aims to improve the sensory profile of alternative proteins and make them easier to include in food formulations; GW Nutrition, Inc. is a spin-off from GWT.  When he is away from the office, he enjoys spending time with his wife and playing with his four young children. https://algae.com/ https://www.nexuspmg.com/

Preston Bryant is a graduate of SMU Cox School of Business with a B.A. in Economics, specializing in energy. In college, he established an oil and gas company in memory of his late father. Preston furthered his expertise in commodities recovery at the firm LPI, where he uncovered a groundbreaking critical materials processing method called Membrane Solvent Extraction. After obtaining exclusive licensing rights from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Lab, he founded Momentum Technologies with the mission to revolutionize the way metals were recovered by challenging the conventional norms that processing facilities must be large, expensive, and centralized. ⁠https://momentum.technology⁠ ⁠https://nexuspmg.com/⁠

Riggs Eckelberry is a nationally-renowned entrepreneur who deploys his personal Break To Build™ process to help rebuild the water industry, which has reached a critical breaking point in recent years despite being essential to the planet's survival. As the founding CEO of OriginClear, Riggs has developed innovative solutions to help businesses face rising water bills by tapping into new investment markets. He is even pioneering the development of "water stablecoins,” a cryptocurrency backed by water-assets. With a diverse background in nonprofit management, oceangoing navigation, and technology disruption, Riggs is uniquely qualified to bring change to an outdated and overrun industry.  https://www.originclear.com/ https://www.nexuspmg.com/

John Szoka is a West Pont graduate and served a distinguished career in the United States Army. After retirement from active duty, he founded several successful small businesses and holds two US patents. First elected to the NC House of Representatives in 2012 he served in senior House Republican leadership positions including Chairman of the Energy and Public Utilities Committee, and Chairman of the Joint Legislative Commission on Energy Policy. In 2017, he sponsored HB589 which saved ratepayers over $350M in energy costs. In 2021 he was a primary sponsor of HB951 which set carbon reduction goals for NC to be met by the least cost forms of generation and directed establishment of the NC Carbon Plan. Szoka is widely recognized as a leading conservative advocate for free market solutions to a clean energy future. In 2023 he became CEO of The Conservative Energy Network (CEN), a national network of state-based organizations focused on promoting clean energy innovation rooted in conservative principles. Working with policymakers and industry partners in 25 states, CEN assists legislators across the country understand the benefits of clean energy and how to best save money for ratepayers. At the county and local level, CEN has assisted in the siting of over 10 Gigawatts of clean energy and storage and is currently assisting in the siting of another 40GW across the nation. https://conservativeenergynetwork.org/ https://www.nexuspmg.com/