Sustainability 2.0 Conference

Held October 26-27, 2022

This fall, ESG and sustainability experts from around the country gathered for the second annual Marquette Business "Marquette Sustainability 2.0 Conference" and discussed how the adoption of ESG and sustainability standards in business and industry continue to give rise to an emerging paradigm for responsible and ethical business practice.

Keynote Speakers

Mr. Dan Pickering, Founder and CIO, Pickering Energy Partners

Dan PickeringDan Pickering is the Chief Investment Officer of Pickering Energy Partners (PEP). PEP manages client assets via energy strategies focused primarily on public markets and private equity. Prior to PEP, Mr. Pickering served as the President of Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. and Chief Investment Officer of TPH Investment Management. Dan has spent 26 years as an energy portfolio manager, researcher and analyst, first at Fidelity Investments (where he managed ~$1 billion of energy sector funds), then as Head of Research at Simmons & Company and as the founding partner of Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co.

Mr. Brent Ridge, President and CEO, Dairyland Power Cooperative

Brent RidgePrior to Dairyland, Ridge served as Vice President, Corporate Services, and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer at Energy Northwest (Richland, Wash.). His responsibilities included finance, treasury, enterprise risk management, asset management, human resources, supply chain, information services and energy services and development. He also served as Vice Chairman of the Corporate Nuclear Safety Review Board for Columbia Generating Station. Earlier in his career at Energy Northwest, Ridge served as Asset Manager, Controller and Chief Risk Officer. He was also the manager of Construction and Maintenance Services, responsible for power plant modifications, outage and online major maintenance, facilities and commercial engineering.

Panels

For more info on panelists, see speaker and panelist bios page

New SEC Climate Disclosure Rules Panel - Wednesday (1:15 - 2:10 p.m.)

Intro: Matt Franklin, FactSet

Moderator: Christopher K. Merker, Marquette University

  • Nicolai Lundy, ISSB
  • Lisa Mautz, KPMG
  • Aaron Sikora, PwC
  • Mike Wallace, Persefoni

Energy Policy and Practice Panel - Wednesday (2:30 – 3:25 p.m.)

Intro: Leo Harmon, Mesirow Financial

Moderator: Erin Stanek, Baird

  • Xia Liu, Chief Financial Officer, Wisconsin Energy Corporation
  • Art Harrington, Godfrey & Kahn
  • Adam Muellerweiss, Chief Sustainability Officer, Clarios (virtual)

Water Policy and Practice Panel - Wednesday (3:45-4:40 p.m.)

Intro: Dr. Craig Jonas, Co-Peace

Moderator: Karen Frost, The Water Council

  • Dean Amhaus, The Water Council 
  • Noelle Brigham, A.O. Smith
  • Mark Binsfeld - Brennan Marine

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Policy and Practice - Thursday (8:30 – 9:30 a.m.)

Intro: Phil Gaechter, Nuveen

Moderator: Chuck Adams, LCW

  • Maura Packham, VP, DEI, Quad
  • Aliah Berman, Chief Diversity Officer, TBWA\North America (virtual)
  • Gomati Madaiah, Ernst & Young
  • Jennica Webster. Marquette University

Breakout – ESG Investing Panel (Thursday 9:45-10:45 a.m.)

Intro: Marston Fries, Invesco
Moderator: Nick Kummer, President, CFA Society Milwaukee

  • Bob Smith, President and CIO, SAGE Advisory
  • Glen Yelton, Head of ESG-US, Invesco
  • Steve Liberatore, Nuveen
  • Kevin Yousif, Yousif Capital Management

Breakout – Impact and Real Assets Panel (Thursday 9:45-10:45 a.m.)

Intro: John Mueller, Dana Investment
Moderator: Dan Renouard, Marquette

  • Alex Spotswood, Bailard
  • Dan Connell, Commonfund Capital
  • MacKenzie Davis, SailingStone Capital
  • Mike Underhill, Capital Innovations