Shez Bandukwala is a Managing Director and Head of Cleantech Investment Banking at Stifel Nicolaus Weisel. Mr. Bandukwala directs the firm’s practice in key cleantech subsectors, including renewable power generation (solar, biomass), advanced energy technologies (advanced batteries, PEV, HEV, fuel cells), advanced alternative fuels, energy efficiency (smart grid, advanced lighting, demand and supply side solutions), preservation (water purification, recycling), and environmental markets.

Mr. Bandukwala has 19 years of banking and financial industry experience. He was previously a Partner and group head of the Greentech & Alternative Energy investment banking group at ThinkEquity LLC. While at ThinkEquity, Mr. Bandukwala led public offerings for First Solar, Sunpower, Daystar, Real Goods Solar, Evergreen Solar, Westport Innovations, Color Kinetics and Zoltek. Prior to ThinkEquity, he was Founder and President of Hilco Enterprise Valuation Services, LLC, a division of Hilco Trading, LLC, where he led valuation teams on approximately 120 transactions in less than three years. Prior to that, Mr. Bandukwala was an investment banker at William Blair & Company for 10 years, where he was a Principal in Corporate Finance and focused on business development and leading execution teams and was one of the founding Principals of the Technology Group. Mr. Bandukwala has advised his clients on approximately 80 public and private financings, mergers and acquisitions representing over $6.5 billion in transaction value. Shez received his BS in Electrical Engineering from University of Illinois in 1988 and a MBA, with distinction, from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in 1992.

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Kevin Borgia has several years of experience in wind power policy at the state and federal levels. Most notably, he was founder and Executive Director of the Illinois Wind Energy Association, a non-profit trade association representing many of the world’s largest wind developers and manufacturers.

In his role as IWEA Director, Kevin secured significant state policy victories for wind energy in Illinois, including new tax incentives and stable tax structures for wind development, improved power markets for renewables under the Illinois Power Agency, new loan guarantees for renewables, and better permitting regulations for wind farms in the state.

Previously, Kevin worked as editor of the federal energy and environmental policy newsletters Energy Washington and Inside EPA. He is a central Illinois native and a graduate of Illinois State University.

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Colleen Chambers is Manager, US Business Development, Toronto Stock Exchange and TSX Venture Exchange focused on helping US based companies understand the opportunity, requirements and process for listing in Canada. 

With over 20 years experience as a Senior Analyst at the TSX Venture Exchange Colleen has most recently been reviewing and listing capital pool companies. 


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Michael DeRosa has been investing in venture capital and private equity transactions in clean technology for over ten years. His primary sectors of focus include renewable and alternative energy, energy technology, biofuels, materials and chemicals, green building materials, and recycling technology. From a strategic perspective, Michael focuses on working with established companies that are developing new products or business models designed to capitalize on emerging market needs for cost effective and sustainable solutions.

Prior to Element, Michael was a partner in Cordova Ventures’ Industrial Technology Fund. At Cordova, Michael worked on all aspects of fund operations and served on the Fund’s investment committee. Prior to Cordova, Michael was a principal at EnerTech Capital Partners and a Senior Associate at the Safeguard International Fund. While at Safeguard, Michael was involved in the firm’s initial investment in REC, a Norwegian solar power company. Before starting his private equity career, Michael was a management consultant at Booz-Allen & Hamilton focusing on the aerospace, building controls, and consumer products industries. Michael has also worked in the finance area at Ford Motor Company and in operations management at Weirton Steel.

Jonathan Feipel is Deputy Director of the Illinois Energy Office for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.  Mr. Feipel joined DCEO in September 2006.

Before joining the Department, Mr. Feipel spent over seven years working for the Illinois Commerce Commission. 

Mr. Feipel holds a M.A. in Economics from Illinois State University, Bloomington, Illinois; a B.A. in International Relations, Modern Languages and Theatre Arts from Beloit College, Beloit, Wisconsin; and a Diplôme des Etudes Françaises from L’ Université de Haute Bretagne, Rennes, France.

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Michael Gruber has extensive experience with early stage investments particularly in the information technology, material science, and energy sectors. Mr. Gruber is a Partner of Independence Equity, an early stage venture capital fund as well as a Partner and Co-Founder of G4 Capital LLC and VentureLab, where he works with emerging growth companies in interim executive capacities on go-to-market and financial strategies. Mr. Gruber’s prior industry experience includes key operational roles in high growth corporations (Koei Corporation, Intuit, InsWeb, Silicon Investor), two of which went public and one of which was acquired by a strategic investor. Mr. Gruber had founded Cornerstone Angels and Keiretsu Forum Chicago/Midwest, private investment organizations of high net worth investors focused on growth stage investments. Mr. Gruber was also a Director of Taproot Ventures, an early stage investment affiliate of the Harbour Group, an investment and operating holding company.

Mr. Gruber currently serves on the Board of Directors for ACG Chicago as Co-Chair of the Venture Network and Cleantech Network, and serves on the Board of Advisors of Factory Physics, Inc., and the Institute for Sustainability and Energy (ISEN), NUvention Energy at Northwestern University, and DailyDAC, Inc. Mr. Gruber received a BA in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University. Mr. Gruber is also a frequent speaker and panelist relating to entrepreneurship and venture capital.

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Pete Kadens is an accomplished speaker and leader on green initiatives and is known nationwide for his innovative approach to the proliferation of renewable generation. Pete and his team have grown SoCore from a startup to a successful multi-million dollar solar business. In his capacity as President of SoCore, Pete is responsible for overseeing all sales and operations of the business. Prior to SoCore, Pete founded and was the CEO of Acquirent, an outsourced sales company which was ranked the #1 outsourced sales company in the United States in 2006 by "The Black Book of Outsourcing". In his time as the CEO of Acquirent, Pete was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the business including recruitment, process engineering, and business development, all while growing the company from initial startup to a multimillion dollar business. He was also in charge of the development of the client roster that included Staples Office Supplies, Constellation Energy, Accent Energy, MX Energy, Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Midas International, and Sears Holdings. Pete was elected as the President of the National Association of Sales Outsourcers in 2007 and served in that capacity until leaving the industry in early 2008.

Prior to founding Acquirent, Pete spent 3 years at the investment bank of UBS. Pete is the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Streetwise, one of the largest homeless aid organizations in the Midwest, and a Director of The Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois.

He holds a B.A from Bucknell University and was awarded the Bucknell University Distinguished Citizenship Alumni Award in 2010.

Theodore L. Koenig, President, CEO and founder of Monroe Capital, has over 25 years of experience in structuring, negotiating and investing in debt and equity transactions. Monroe Capital is an asset manager focusing on the specialty finance segment providing customized financing to middle-market companies based in the U.S. and Canada. Investment types include senior and junior secured debt as well as bridge loans, flexible acquisition facilities, mezzanine debt and last-out loans that stretch a company's debt capacity, acquisitions of distressed debt, and equity co-investments. Monroe Capital has invested over $1.5 billion of capital in the last five years in over 265 investment transactions.

Prior to founding Monroe Capital in 2004, Mr. Koenig was President, CEO and founder of Hilco Capital LP, a junior secured/mezzanine debt fund established in 2000.  Hilco Capital arranged for and invested in over 36 transactions between 2001 and 2004.  Prior to that, Mr. Koenig spent 13 years at the Chicago-based law firm of Holleb & Coff as partner and co-chair of the firm’s Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions and Business Finance groups, where he supervised and was responsible for structuring, negotiating and documenting acquisitions and sales of middle-market companies as well as representing the firm’s bank, financial institution and commercial finance clients in asset-based financing transactions for buyout, recapitalization and restructuring transactions.  Before joining Holleb & Coff in 1986, Mr. Koenig spent three years in the Mergers/Acquisitions and Corporate Finance practice group of Winston & Strawn.

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Vice Adm. Dennis V. McGinn, USN (retired) is the president of the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE), an organization dedicated to creating a more secure and prosperous America with clean, renewable energy.

Admiral McGinn is a naval aviator, test pilot and national security strategist. He has served as Director of the Air Warfare Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations; the Commander of the U.S. Third Fleet; and the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, Warfare Requirements and Programs in the Pentagon.

Admiral McGinn brings to ACORE his significant national experience in efforts to highlight the close link between energy, climate and national security. He is a strong advocate for innovative government policy, public and private partnerships, and investments that will promote clean energy growth and innovation.

About ACORE
The American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) works to bring all forms of renewable energy into the mainstream of America's economy and lifestyle. ACORE is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. with member organizations from every aspect and sector of the renewable energy industries and their trade associations, include wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and biofuels, hydropower tidal/current energy and waste energy.

The scope of ACORE's membership also spans - among others - financial institutions, government leaders, educators, end-users, professional service providers and allied non-profit groups. ACORE accomplishes much of its work by convening the thought leaders in each of these sectors, publishing collaborative research and facilitating communications among members, their stakeholders and the media.

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serves as the Regional Vice President responsible for Midwest Operations for Willdan Energy Solutions. In this role, he is responsible for building the energy efficiency and smart grid practice in the Midwest, and also providing strategic counsel to select clients. He has significant experience in strategy, finance, environmental policy, economics, and organizational development. From 2009 - 2011, Josh served as the 1st Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Environment for the City of Chicago. As 1st Deputy Commissioner, he was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the department. In addition, Josh led the City’s regulatory policy for Chicago utilities, as well as energy efficiency and smart grid strategy.

Prior to joining the Department of Environment, Josh worked in strategy consulting with Booz and Company (Katzenbach Partners). At Booz, Josh focused on developing strategic plans across a wide range of industries. In this role, he led the development of the City of Chicago’s building energy efficiency retrofit strategy that was used as the basis to win a $25 million competitive grant award for the Chicago region. Josh is a recognized leader in the fields of sustainability, smart grid and electric vehicle deployment strategies. Josh has spoken at many international conferences on topics including energy efficiency building retrofit strategies, electric vehicle infrastructure, smart grid, environmentally sustainable economic development, and how cities can develop and implement robust climate plans including the UN Habitat World Urban Forum in 2011. He was also appointed to serve on the Illinois Electric Vehicle Advisory Council by Governor Pat Quinn. He is also a founding board member of the Institute for Sustainable Energy Development, a think tank that supports the deployment of smart grid around the world.

Josh graduated from Claremont McKenna College (cum laude) and received his Masters in Business Administration with concentrations in Strategy and Finance from the Yale School of Management.

has more than twenty-nine years of experience as an attorney concentrating his practice in all aspects of energy and telecommunications, with an emphasis on matters arising from deregulation and competition in those fields. He has a comprehensive expertise in competitive electricity supply and renewable energy, as well as public utility law and regulation, and has represented commercial, industrial and governmental energy users in both litigation and transactional matters.

His long experience in the energy industry makes him a highly skilled negotiator for his clients. He is a member of the Energy and Communications Law Committee of the Chicago Bar Association and a member of the American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy & Resources and Committees on Renewable, Alternative and Distributed Energy Resources and Energy and Natural Resources Market Regulation.

Neilan received his B.A. degree cum laude from Columbia University in the City of New York, and his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.

has two decades of experience in public and private enterprises engaged in economic development, community investment and public policy advocacy.  As President of the Illinois Science & Technology Coalition, Matthew is focused on fostering public-partnerships that can quickly mobilize when opportunities arise to secure resources for research, development and innovation.

Prior to his leadership with the Coalition, Matthew held senior positions with the State of Illinois and the City of New York. He also worked as an aide in the United States Senate and as Vice President in a consulting practice that partnered with public and private sector clients to execute economic development strategies. Matthew has served as a 2009 Marshall Memorial Fellow and in 2010 completed a fellowship awarded by the America Council of Young Political Leaders. 

He is member of the Economic Club of Chicago, a Northwestern University adjunct faculty member, serves as staff director for the Governor’s Illinois Innovation Council and on the board of directors of the Illinois Manufacturing Extension Center and the Illinois Environmental Council. Matthew holds an MPA from New York University and a BA from the University of Iowa.