The EcoThermics team is seasoned and accomplished in their respective areas of expertise, which includes executive leadership, high-pressure fluid dynamics and thermodynamics, design innovation and field prototyping, product development and manufacturing, business development, marketing and communications, finance and operations:
Merle G. Rocke, CEO and Chairman
Rodney D. Hugelman, Ph.D., PE, Chief Scientist
Travis Horton, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer
Thomas S. Lewicki, MAS, CPA, Chief Financial Officer
Marc S. Albertin, Founder, Director of Innovation
Tammie Leichtenberg, Director of Corporate Services
Daniel L. Sherman, Director of Engineering
Al Sabin, Manufacturing Consultant
Craig Riediger, Product Consultant
Tom Dennison, Product Consultant
Terrence A. (Terry) Quinn, P.E., Product Performance Testing Consultant
Merle Rocke
Merle G. Rocke, CEO and Chairman
Mr. Rocke is a proven leader with an accomplished record of success and more than thirty-five years of experience with a variety of major companies across a wide spectrum of global industries, including the U.S. military. Merle is a recognized champion of change management based on solid business values and 6 Sigma methodologies and is a leader of enthusiastic teams empowered to overcome hurdles and achieve challenging business goals and objectives. He has an extensive record of excellence in developing and implementing strategies for increasing customer service levels, raising quality levels, improving inventory utilization and reducing costs throughout value chains.
During a career at Caterpillar Inc. that spanned over thirty years, Merle was one of the founders and a General Manager of Caterpillar Logistics Services Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary focused on profitable growth and diversification for Caterpillar. His hands-on experience has included projects and assignments in Manufacturing Operations, Purchasing & Materials, Inventory Management, Information Technology, Finance and Accounting, Marketing, Sales, Product Support, Distribution Operations, Logistics Engineering, Business Research, Corporate Planning, Resource Development and Global Supply Chain Development & Implementation.
Most recently, he has been Senior Vice President & COO for CGN & Associates, Inc., a global management consulting firm that specializes in business performance improvement solutions. With offices in North America, Europe, India and China, CGN serves a variety of Fortune 100 companies in one or more of three core practice areas: Execution Management, Operations Management and Technology Management.
Merle is certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) by the American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS). He is also a longtime member of the Council of Logistics Management (CLM) and the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP). Merle has published a variety of articles and white papers on a variety of business-related topics, and is a frequent speaker and seminar leader internationally on such topics as “Global Sourcing Excellence” and “Keys to Successfully Enhancing Business Performance and Competing Anywhere.”
Merle is an active member of the central Illinois community and serves on a variety of boards including - the Heart of Illinois Regional Port District Advisory Board, the Central Illinois Workforce Development Board of Directors, the Peoria Riverfront Development Association Board of Directors, the Illinois Education Skills Task Force, as President of the Community Unit District 140 Citizens Advisory Board and Easter Seals Board.
A passionate supporter of the development and implementation of innovative technologies, Merle is an active advisor to a number of new technology companies focused on successful commercialization of new technologies.
Mr. Rocke has a degree in Business Administration from the University of Illinois.
Rod Hugelman
Rodney D. Hugelman, Ph.D., PE, Chief Scientist
Dr. Hugelman brings a creative mind and accomplished experience in a diverse mix of disciplines, including advanced mathematical analysis and modeling, computer programming and applications, CO2 and hydraulic systems, complex fluid mechanics and industrial controls.
Dr. Hugelman is the named inventor of most EcoThermics patents and was principal investigator for the Army SBIR awards and the ITDA grant.
His fields of active research while at the University of Illinois included fluidic systems, industrial controls (robotics), microcomputer software and applications and artificial intelligence under a consulting contract with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers CERL, Champaign, IL. His areas of expertise as a consultant also include subsonic aerodynamics (design and development), advanced mathematical analysis and modeling, fluid-logic systems design and analysis, power plant design and maintenance for automotive, aircraft and marine applications, systems analysis of complex fluid/mechanical applications, and computer programming. Dr. Hugelman has worked on several high-profile innovative projects over his career, including designing a high-performance, general aviation aircraft, high-speed watercraft, turbo pumps and hot gas generators for rocket engines as well as gas core nuclear rocket R&D.
Dr. Hugelman holds degrees in Engineering from Oregon State University and Oklahoma State University. He was an Engineering Science Officer, Captain, U.S. Air Force for ten years, including 5 years at the Aerospace Research Labs, and was a design engineer with Rocketdyne and General Dynamics. He was Assistant Professor at North Dakota State University and a Professor in the Department of General Engineering at the University of Illinois until his retirement as Professor Emeritus in 1992. Dr. Hugelman is a registered Professional Engineer in the state of Illinois.
Travis Horton
Travis Horton, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer
Dr. Travis Horton is an Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at Purdue University and part-time Chief Technology Officer for EcoThermics. He also has a consulting practice as a recognized HVAC industry expert and senior engineer with a specialized background in compressors and in particular, transcritical CO2 compressors.
Previously, Dr. Horton was on the Mechanical Engineering faculty at the University of Maryland and prior to that, managed the thermo-fluidics research group and was the technical lead for refrigeration research at Tecumseh Product Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Dr. Horton’s research includes high performance buildings; small-scale combined heat and power (CHP) units for use in residential and light commercial applications and net-zero energy buildings; technologies that meet heating, cooling and power requirements of diesel trucks; and recurrence plot analysis for fault detection and diagnosis of dynamic HVAC systems.
At the University of Maryland, he was Director of the Integrated Systems and Optimization Consortium focused on the development of software tools to model the steady state and transient performance of HVAC equipment and systems. His work at Tecumseh Products included research into highly integrated, modular, HVAC systems and components and early development of a new combined heat and power systems.
Dr. Horton received his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Utah State University and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University.
Tom Lewicki
Thomas S. Lewicki, MAS, CPA, Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Lewicki brings a strategic perspective along with financial and operational experience gained over a twenty-eight year career. He has worked with various ventures developing successful, pioneering technology-based businesses, from startup to IPO, as a senior executive, founder and consultant. His experience includes business strategy and planning, business development, mergers and acquisitions, financial and operational management, equity financing, new venture development and technology commercialization.
As CFO, Tom completed major transactions for Spyglass, Inc (Fortune 100 licensing transactions, initial public offering), Mercantec, Inc. ($24M private equity financing) and Financial Keyosk, a Zurich American Insurance Company venture (corporate incubation, spin-out and sale).
As a co-founder, CFO and Director of Vistar Insurance Services, Inc. (dba Financial Keyosk), a Zurich American Insurance Company startup, Tom brought an entrepreneurial perspective to Zurich and helped developed a technology-based outsource solution for insurance distribution. The firm completed a corporate spin-out and was acquired in 2004 by Newtek Business Services, Inc., a NASDAQ listed company.
Previously, Mr. Lewicki served as CFO and Director for Mercantec, Inc., a pioneering market leader in e-commerce software solutions that developed the first shopping cart for the Internet. Under his direction, the Company closed a $24m round of financing with Chicago incubator Divine, Inc.
Mr. Lewicki served as Vice President of Finance, Treasurer and Secretary of the Board of Directors for Spyglass, Inc. An example of successful commercialization of University of Illinois technology, Spyglass deployed NCSA Mosaic technology throughout the world in numerous applications (most prominently Microsoft’s Internet Explorer), completed the first Internet software company IPO in 1995 and was later acquired by OpenTV, a Liberty Media minority-owned company.
Mr. Lewicki served for many years as a member of the Dean’s Business Council at the College of Business at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, where he taught Corporate Entrepreneurship as an adjunct lecturer in the Illinois Executive MBA Program . He is also served on the Chancellor’s Advisory Board on Technology Transfer at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Mr. Lewicki holds a Master of Accounting Science, Minor in Management Information Systems from the University of Illinois and a degree in Industrial Management with Honors in Economics from Purdue University with Phi Beta Kappa honors.
Marc Albertin
Marc S. Albertin, Founder, Director of Innovation
Mr. Albertin a founder of both a predecessor company, WhiteMoss Inc, and EcoThermics Corporation, and is named co-inventor on certain patents in the EcoThermics patent portfolio. He brings a diverse career in the construction science industry spanning more than four decades. He is a recognized energy conservation expert with applications engineering experience. This background provides a unique hands-on blend of construction, machinery equipment, and mechanical skills. Marc has extensive project management and facility management experience acquired from both academic study and field experience.
Early in his career, Marc was a specialty design/build contractor and consultant in the field of energy-efficient residential and commercial structures, including geoexchange as well as passive and active solar heating design/build accomplishments. One of his passive solar residential structures was showcased in an industry architectural publication in the 1970’s. He has been an invited guest expert filling a regional energy conservation call-in question and answer radio segment in Central Illinois.
Among his notable accomplishments in work life, as Director of Facilities for a 200,000 sq. ft. Illinois Public High School, Marc managed the installation of the first, and award-winning, geoexchange heat pump system saving over $40,000 annually in energy costs while providing increased comfort, control and flexibility. He worked extensively in attaining and managing numerous Illinois innovative environmental grants, and he was an invited speaker at an annual GeoExchange Industry Conference and Expo, as well as other educational venues such as the Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable GLRPPR (EPA Chicago), Illinois Association of School Board Administrators (IASBO, Chicago), and the former Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (DCCA, Springfield).
As Director of Innovation and Field Operations for EcoThermics, Mr. Albertin manages intellectual property, technical field operations and collaborates as an applications specialist with manufacturers and academia in the design and research process. In this role he manages the hub of technical activity that surrounds prototype development, including building technical liaison relationships with development partners and vendors, hands-on fabrication and advanced prototype testing.
He holds a Bachelor of Science from Western Illinois University with majors in Industrial Technology and Education, and was President of his class.
Tammie Leichtenberg
Tammie Leichtenberg, Director of Corporate Services
Ms. Tammie Leichtenberg brings over 18 years of experience serving cross-functionally in organizations spanning multiple industries. As an integral member of management teams, Tammie’s leadership in the areas of administration, operations, communications and human capital management led to significant organizational growth and operational excellence.
As a member of the EcoThermics Management Team, Tammie’s principal accountabilities include Administration, Accounting, Marketing and Communications, Business Development, Operations Coordination and Human Capital Management.
Ms. Leichtenberg’s most recent role as Operations Manager and Senior Consultant with global business performance consulting firm, CGN & Associates, involved financial and strategic analysis, probabilistic forecasting, resource management and work in key areas of quality and process improvement, serving also as CGN’s 6Sigma Deployment Champion for over five years.
Previously, Ms. Leichtenberg coordinated large commercial furniture and carpet installations, office reconfigurations, and management of all in-bound network accounts nationwide for local office furniture company, Lincoln Office LLC.
A strong believer in social responsibility, Tammie actively supports our community through involvement in Advocates for Access, Easter Seals, the American Cancer Society, the Heart of Illinois United Way, the Center for Prevention of Abuse and numerous others. Driven by core values of integrity, honesty, loyalty, achievement, and continuous learning, Tammie has built an exemplary reputation for professionalism, quality, accountability and flawless execution.
Ms. Leichtenberg graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelors Degree in Business Management from the University of Illinois, Springfield and was inducted into Sigma Beta Delta, International Honor Society for Business and Business Management.
Daniel Sherman
Daniel L. Sherman, Director of Engineering
Mr. Sherman has more than 20 years of engineering experience with an extensive background in design and system integration. Dan has proven analytical problem solving skills with a strong theoretical background in system dynamics, electronic and hydraulic system design.
Prior to joining EcoThermics, Dan was employed with Crown Equipment Corporation, a leader in global lift truck manufacturing. His project management experience included projects across their complete product line. Among his notable accomplishments is the design and development of the patent pending innovative e-GENTM braking system for lift trucks.
Dan has a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Wright State University.
Al Sabin
Al Sabin, Manufacturing Consultant
Al Sabin has joined EcoThermics as a Manufacturing Consultant after a 33 year career with Caterpillar Inc. His career involved a wide variety of logistics and manufacturing positions within the diesel engine businesses. He was located in three different locations within the U.S. - Lafayette, IN, Greenville, SC and a number of positions at Mossville, Il as well as four years in China.
Throughout his career Al championed high velocity manufacturing that emphasized a highly focused approach to customer needs and quick response to changing markets for new products and production level changes. His tenures of leadership at Greenville, SC and Mossville, IL saw volume levels and new product introduction frequencies not previously seen at either location.
Al’s last role within Caterpillar involved establishment of a Caterpillar engine business in China. In this role he led the team responsible for all facets of facility and process design, construction, equipment procurement and facility start up.
Al has a BS in Metallurgical Engineering from Michigan Technological University in 1976. He received subsequent certifications from Bradley University and the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.
Craig Riediger
Craig Riediger, Product Consultant
Craig brings a record of successful product development from a 38 year Caterpillar career. He has promoted innovation and discipline with local and international teams developing components from final drives and engines to steering differential systems and machine linkages. He managed machine family design for backhoe loaders, large wheel loaders and excavators.
As a leader in strategic product development, Craig focuses on helping decision makers understand the critical relationships among customer needs, technical fundamentals and product design to leverage business opportunities with lean product development approaches.
Craig has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University, holds a dozen patents and has received Caterpillar’s Innovator’s Award.
Tom Dennison
Tom Dennison, Product Consultant
Tom retired from Caterpillar Inc. after 35 years in product development. During the past 10 years, he was Director of Engineering for the Building Products Construction Division in Cary, North Carolina and in Peoria for the Technical Solutions Division. Throughout his career, Tom was an integral part of key program development initiatives, from bringing 6 Sigma discipline in business units to focusing on the quality of validation and influencing design to creating systems engineering organizations that influenced product and business direction.
Tom has an extensive background in component, complex systems and machine development with an emphasis on new product introduction business processes and machine validation.
Tom has a degree in Ag Engineering from Michigan State University.
Terry Quinn
Terrence A. (Terry) Quinn, P.E., Product Performance Testing Consultant
Terry Quinn joined Ecothermics as a Product Performance Testing Consultant, following a 35 year career with Caterpillar. At CAT, Terry held a variety of positions in Machine and Component Design and Machine and Component Development and twice served on teams guiding Caterpillar Research programs.
During his career, Terry worked at the Peoria Proving Ground, East Peoria Track-Type Tractor Engineering, Grenoble (France) Engineering, and at the Technical Center, the last three locations as Engineering Technical Manager or Division Manager. Terry led the successful development of several prime product construction machines in the wheel loader/compactor, track-type loader, and track-type tractor product lines. Terry has overseen development of next generation powertrain and hydraulic systems and has extensive experience in improving product development methodologies to achieve greater effectiveness and efficiency.
Terry has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Missouri, two certifications from Bradley University, and a 6-Sigma Green Belt. He is also a licensed Professional Engineer in Illinois.