Susan Gilbert, President and CEO

Susan Gilbert directs Apogee's sales, marketing, and new product development and is responsible for day-to-day operation of the firm. As a hands-on principal, Susan maintains contact with many of Apogee's customers and assists utilities with projects requiring expertise in using the Internet, strategic marketing planning, training, sales effectiveness, and customer service.

Susan also works to improve communications both verbal and written within the industry. She is a nationally recognized speaker on issues such as customer communications, loyalty and competitive marketing strategies. She is known for bringing important issues to the utility industry with wit and humor. In the area of written communication, she has produced numerous publications for Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and NRECA and other industry associations. Susan authored EEl's National Accounts Program Manual "Managing a Key Account," a publication that introduces new National Account Executives to the unique steps of managing a national chain account relationship. She also led the development of seven extremely popular National Account Segment Booklets on "Managing Energy in Your Facilities." She's completed numerous projects for NRECA including developing three audiocassette-training programs on Sales, Marketing and Negotiation, the production of the BizWiz CD-ROM, and conducting an eLearning pilot for their Cooperative Research Network.

Translating her two decades of energy efficiency and training experience into software applications, Susan is the primary architect behind many of Apogee's product lines including the HomeEnergyCalculator™, BillingInsights™, Internet content libraries, Kids Korner Energy Education Website and online learning Study-Center.com. During her career, she has conducted onsite training or provided online courses to virtually every investor owned utility in the US, and most of the leading cooperatives and municipals including the industry associations: Edison Electric Institute (EEI), American Public Power Association (APPA), National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), and EPRI.

Prior to forming APOGEE in 1994, together with Joel Gilbert and Dick Niess, Susan was Sr. Vice President of sales and marketing of an energy-engineering firm, A&C Enercom. During her 15 year tenure, A&C grew from 4 employees to more than 600 in 40 offices across the country, making it the largest energy services consulting company in the nation at that time. In the early 90's, Susan sold her ownership in the firm to one its largest clients, Wisconsin Power & Light.

Susan has devoted much of her career to developing networks and alliances to better serve the energy industry. Fulfilling this interest, she served on EEl's "The Electrification Council's" (TEC) Executive Committee and the Association of Energy Service Professionals' (AESP) board of directors. She earned her BS in 1978 with a major in physics and a minor in mathematics at the University of Kentucky and her MS in Curriculum and Instruction in 1979 and at the same institution.