Our Mission

Conrad Roncati is the CEO and Principal of the New Jersey-based architectural firm, Architectura, and brings a strong background and knowledge in architectural design, construction, sustainable design, and the LEEED rating system for buildings. Roncati is currently involved in myriad projects encompassing a wide range of property types in both the public and private sectors. While the majority of an architect’s skills begin and end on the drawing board, Roncati's expertise is a unique integration of architectural innovation and building economics. Roncati earned a Bachelor's in Architecture from Carnegie-Mellon University in 1984 and also attended Yale University for selected advanced coursework. He is a registered architect in fourteen states and an active member of the AIA and NCARB. Roncati has served on juries at Carnegie Mellon, Columbia University, Pratt Institute and NJIT.

Dr. Azuka Anyiam is the CEO of VICA Technologies LLC, President Emeritus of the African and Caribbean Business Council (ACBC), and a trusted advisor to many African and Caribbean Ambassadors. He is an expert in renewable power projects in emerging markets and brings years of project management, system design, technical assessment, and engineering and business management experience to the advisory board at EcoGroup USA. Dr. Azuka Anyiam holds an M.Sc./DIC in Advanced Chemical Engineering from the Imperial College, University of London, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering (ME) from the University of Belgrade. He has written extensively on engineering and energy-related issues.  

Having graduated from Rutgers University in 2012, Alexandria "Ari" Sims is a self-taught digital marketer with 9 years of experience in content creation, freelance writing, sales funnels, organic keyword strategies, local and national SEO, and all things marketing. With multiple certifications in Google Analytics, social media marketing, brand strategy, lead generation, and email marketing, Ari has assisted multiple clients in search engine ranking, website management, and demand growth. She has spent the last 9 years working in various travel, tourism, and hospitality industries. She is now tasked with leading EcoGroup USA's Content Marketing, SEO Strategy, Social Media Campaigns, Email, and Affiliate Marketing while assisting with some traditional marketing projects.

With over 3 years of experience in Sales, Real Estate, and Property Management, including an internship in the Technology Research sector, Steve joins EcoGroup USA’s team of Sales Associates in facilitating the distribution of its products, especially during these unprecedented times. Steve graduated from the College of Charleston with a degree in Business Administration and Hospitality & Tourism Management.  He prides himself on being resourceful, meticulous, service oriented, and overall customer satisfaction.

Nikos Lara has strong experience in both Business Development and sales cycles processes. His innate ability to build meaningful relationships with all people he encounters proved to be a perfect fit working for EcoGroup USA, under one of his mentors, Gregory Shiffner.

While completing his Business degree from College of Charleston, Nikos worked full-time as a leasing agent for one of Charleston's top multi-family apartment complexes. During this time, Nikos also obtained his real estate license and successfully negotiated and purchased multiple properties on behalf of his clients. Nikos' current role with EcoGroup USA is in business development.

Tony Diesu currently lives Charleston, South Carolina but is from Long Island, New York. He graduated from the College of Charleston in 2018, majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in real estate before deciding to continue his education, earning his Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the College of Charleston in 2019. In addition to his work with EcoGroupUSA, Tony is a Project and Development manager at CKC Properties, based in Charleston, SC. Tony most recently worked as an assistant to a Real Estate attorney based in Lindenhurst, New York. He also worked as an Project Manager for Cairo Construction based in Long Island, New York. Tony's past experiences have allowed him to be involved in multiple aspects of the company operations.

Gerald R. Roberts is a Terrorism Liaison Officer and Member of the South Florida Regional Domestic Security Task Force (RDSTF) section on Intermodal Transportation, Maritime Port Security, Critical Infrastructure, Emergency Management and Special Events. Gerald has extensive experience of Unified Incident Command Center Operations and Public Safety of Major (SEAR rated) Special Events, with direct participation in joint operations with the following agencies: Secret Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, USAF Air Combat Command Force Protection (Military Air Shows), U.S. Navy Arial Demonstration Team (Blue Angels), NCIS (Fleet Week Maritime Port Security), NFL Super Bowl Special Events, NASCAR Championships and National Level Concerts/Festivals. Gerald is presently the Director of Security and Public Safety at the Miami Intermodal Center located at the Miami International Airport. As Director of this $240 million dollar transportation facility (of which only a few exist in the world), Gerald conducts daily collaboration and strategic coordination between the Department of Homeland Security Transportation Security Administration`s VIPER/FAM units and local law-enforcement. Daily control of facility access, CCTV surveillance, traffic control, unattended / suspicious items (explosive ordinance / HAZMAT) is also coordinated by the director and his security team. Gerald has direct responsibilities for the scheduling, training and daily tactical operations of a fifteen member state licensed security team that works daily with Miami Dade Airport Police units in providing public safety on behalf of the Florida Department of Transportation and Miami Dade County Aviation Division. Gerald has 20 years of Public Safety, Domestic Security and Emergency Management planning and operational experience that includes local, State, National and International Special and Sports events. In 2005 the Director of Parks & Recreations City of Fort Lauderdale appointed him to design and implement Special Event Public Safety Planning with the Fort Lauderdale Police and Fire Rescue special event team. Other responsibilities included implementing Enhanced Threat & Hazard Risk Assessment profiles on all Special Events, along with establishing the DHS/FEMA emergency contingency planning framework, training programs of Incident Command Systems (ICS) to support Emergency Response and Recovery. In addition, Gerald conducted trainings and table top exercises for all staff related to Hurricanes and All-Hazard Incident Preparedness for the departments Emergency Support Function (ESF) within the City of Fort Lauderdale`s comprehensive emergency management plan (CEMP). As part of Gerald’s department responsibilities, he served as Captain of the Park Rangers leading the department to it`s first National Accreditation and instituted a computerized incident reporting system. Fourteen members of the Park Rangers were trained and became active members of the Department’s Emergency Response Team under his leadership. Major Karen Dietrich special event commander of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department awarded a commendation to Gerald for his contribution to the special event Incident Command staff.

P.E., LEED AP, BD+C

In his years of experience, D.R. Wall has developed extensive knowledge in overseeing and managing projects, developing new business contacts and providing presentations to potential clients. His experience has also provided him with expertise in HVAC design and management which has allowed him to develop a list of satisfied clients.

Dave develops engineering, business plans, energy audits to deliver energy efficiency projects and programs to clients, conceptual design and preliminary financial analysis for central utility plants, Co-generation projects, HVAC Systems and other advanced solutions.

Dr. Stephens Thé’s work has been focused on the development and manufacture of sustainable technology: including smart infrastructure, remote sensing, energy harvesting, solar thermal, and advanced lighting solutions. His latest venture on wireline network platform integrates various aspects of community operations using proprietary power line communication to improve energy efficiency, sensing and networking capabilities, safety and security, and remote applications.

Previously, while a research engineer at DuPont, he developed applications for superconducting thin-film laser processing in electronics and fiber manufacturing. As the Business Development Manager for DuPont Asia Pacific, he was responsible for new market development and joint ventures. Stephens Thé has worked on multiple process optimization, technology transfer and developing business alliance between USA and other countries. He has represented the State of Delaware on multiple overseas high-technology trade missions.

B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, 1986

B.S. Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, 1986

M.Sc. Chemistry, Purdue University, 1989

PhD. Chemical Engineering, University of Florida, 1993

Madhu Annapragada brings over 25 years of product development experience in the automotive, industrial, life-sciences robotics and scientific instrumentation areas, with the last 15 as an independent original product design company, to EcoGroup USA.

Specialties:

Systems architecture, electronics, mechanical, firmware and software design expertise - to take products from concept to production

Embedded systems design- Altium Dxp ECAD, Xilinx Vivado 8/16/32 bit microcontrollers from Microchip, Resensas, Infenion, ARM and ST microcontrollers, Xilix FPGAs & SOCs

High Speed Analog front end design up to 5GSPS, Low noise AFE for use in spectroscopy applications

Communication stacks: G3-PLC, WiFi, Bluetooth LE, Cellular LTE,ZigBee, CAN, LIN, Modbus

Mechatronics: Solidworks MCAD, Sensorless BLDC control, Stepper controllers, adaptive controls, dynamics and kinematics

Firmware: embedded C, Verliog, VxWorks RTOS 7) Software: C#, AWS IOT, MQQT

Education: BSME Degree from Drexel University in Phila, PA 1990

Professional: 1995-2002 Toxikon/VOC Analytical, both Environmental Laboratories performing toxicology, microbiological, and chemical identification. Sales Manager SouthEast US, Manage Sales of Analytical services to municipalities and consulting engineering firms

2002-Present FreshAire UV, Manufacturer of Indoor Air Quality Products since 1988. Co-Owner, Vice President Sales, Manage Residential and Commercial Products and Sales through Distribution Channels

Provided Solutions for Institutional, Healthcare, Commercial, and Industrial sectors

Recognized Speaker for RSES (Refrigeration Services Engineering Society), ACCA (Air Condition Contractors of America), APPA (Association of Physical Plant Administrators), NADCA, and HRAI (Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada)

16 Year Member of HARDI (Heating Air Conditioning Refrigeration Distributors International)

5 Year Board Member of Cystic Fibrosis Palm Beach Chapter

Gregory brings an extremely strong background and professional experience in business development including customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, lead-generation strategies, and comprehensive sales cycle processes. In addition, Gregory previously developed Search Engine Optimization strategies, which drove CRM lead-generation traffic.

As EcoGroup USA’s Business Process Analyst, Gregory is responsible for ensuring the compatibility and efficiency of the systems designed to provide information and optimum support for the Marketing and Sales functions, ultimately ensuring the company’s CRM is capable of serving as the infrastructure for all business and operational systems. A 2019 graduate from the University of Vermont, Gregory is also EcoGroup USA’s Director for content creation. Utilizing his entrepreneurship degree and software background.

Juliana joins the EcoGroup USA team with over 30 years of marketing, partner management, and project experience. She has supported the operations and partnerships for large financial institutions, as well as overall management of a B2B Floral Art Design company. Recently, she was an Owner/GM for a retail store, where she supervised all company processes, business decisions, and client-related queries. Juliana's competencies include account management, B2B-marketing, financial administration, and managing strategic partnerships. She is highly organized, results-driven, and provides exceptional customer service throughout the entire project life cycle.

Ken Echevarria brings over 25 years of strategic planning, business development, and product marketing experience to EcoGroup USA. Ken now serves as a Business Development Consultant for technology and sustainability companies worldwide. In his current role as VP of Technical Development, he is responsible for EcoGroup USA’s Facility Data Management Line of Business (LOB) including end-to-end development of Data Management, Visual Analytics, and Business Intelligence (BI) dashboards for ECOSENSE Platforms.  

Erin Kim brings over 15 years of administrative support to the team at EcoGroup USA. Having launched her career in the mid 90’s, since then she has held numerous administrative positions in various industries, including the law and medical fields. Erin’s role supports accounts receivable management, reconciliation, and more. Erin speaks fluent Korean and plays a fundamental role for the executive team.

Renee Ruta provides EcoGroup USA with bookkeeping, payroll, and administrative support. She currently holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Touro College and has been with the team since inception. Aside from being an essential team member to senior management, her ability to multitask and carry out communication across departments has been vital for our company's rapid growth.

Vincent Timpone brings over 32 years of local and global tourism sales and marketing experience to the business development team at EcoGroup USA. Some of his most notable clients include the Statue of Liberty, Hudson Yard, Top of the Rock, the 9/11 Memorial Museum, the Intrepid Museum, and dozens more. After spending years working for the second leading driver of business to New York City, an 18-billion dollar industry, Vincent comes to our team as one of the top local tourism salespeople in the United States, focused on fostering and developing relationships to promote our ECOSENSE Platforms into the local travel and tourism market.

John Ciofalo joins EcoGroup USA with a vast background in banking and finance. After launching his career as a licensed stock broker and day trader from 1994 to 2004, John eventually moved into the banking side of business and became a manager of a retail location for MTG House. The same year, he started with Lehman Bros wholesale for the MTD vision, ultimately becoming the fastest rep to fun ten million a month in company history. Among John's other numerous achievements included being the fastest person to become a branch manager. He was also the first to open and manage a branch office in Staten Island, New York. John then trained at the Lehman Bros corporate office in California for a year, offering training and motivational seminars for all Lehman employees. After the 2008 banking crash, John moved to the private sector, where he continues to deliver achievements as a business development representative for EcoGroup USA.

Mario’s years of experience in project management and construction management contributes to his role as Director of Field Operations for EcoGroup USA. Having originally went to school for imaging technology in the medical field, Mario moved into project management where he brought multiple projects from start to finish for several high-end clients such as Foot Locker, David’s Bridal, Hot Topic, and more. He also has experience performing NFPA 80 door inspections and subcontracting for facilities in the medical field. In his current role, Mario assists EcoGroup USA by working directly in the field, performing site surveys, and helping the team gain a better understanding of what needs to be done to achieve client satisfaction.

Chris Hunt-Walker brings over 15 years of professional experience in creating and deploying implementation strategies for digital projects across a range of industries including education, non-profit, entertainment, and alternative finance. He has an extensive background working with teams of all sizes in the area of custom software development and product life-cycle management. As part of EcoGroup’s management team, he works with senior management to manage and grow EcoGroup’s proprietary software solutions and help make them more effective.

Kevin joins EcoGroup USA, having over 5 years of IT consulting experience working on numerous projects across various industries. As Information Technology Manager, he plays an integral role in the group’s IT infrastructure and security. Extending to office networks, VPN, VOIP & Email systems, he ensures the highest business standards and performance. Additionally, he collaborates closely with team members in Marketing and Business Systems, sharing years of experienced insights to key points on current tasks.

John has close to 20 years experience serving the manufacturing industry in Sales, Customer Service & Procurement. John has been a consistent go to source for his customers & has consistently delivered top quality products on time at reasonable prices. His customer base includes top names in manufacturing ie: Eaton Corp, Alcoa, Crane Pumps, Parker Hannifin.

Dr. Harold Haines' 45+ years of executive managerial and consulting experience in healthcare has provided him with a broad background in pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, medical devices, and therapeutics. He is a former tenured Professor of Pathology (with appointments in Microbiology, Immunology, Dermatology, and Obstetrics and Gynecology) at the University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida. Dr. Haines also established and served as Director of the Clinical Virology Laboratory at Jackson Memorial Hospital, the second largest hospital in the United States.  Additionally, he has founded and operated two commercial immunology and infectious disease laboratories and, as President, has led a subsidiary of a publicly traded company. During the HIV epidemic, Dr. Harold Haines founded and operated a non-profit organization dedicated to the treatment of HIV and AIDS. He currently holds seats on the Board of Directors of two medically based corporations.

In addition to his vast academic and broad medical knowledge, Dr. Haines has considerable experience in production, compliance standards, and international business operations. In his role as Chief Technology Officer for EcoGroup USA, Dr. Haines directs the mission and formation of our Technical Advisory Board. He also works closely with EcoGroup USA’s business units ensuring adherence to guidelines and standards imposed by multiple Federal, State, and local government regulatory entities. Dr. Haines employs his vast knowledge leading the ongoing development of EcoGroup USA’s Indoor Air Quality system: EcoSense Platforms.

Vince Murphy brings over 25 years of professional experience in Facilities, Operations, Total Quality Management, Product Compliance, Project Management, Training, General and Executive Management to EcoGroup USA. His technical training started in the United States Navy and continued at several manufacturers of lighting and energy efficient measures. He has been a partner in his own contracting firm, specializing in large scale environmental clean-ups of residential properties. Most recently, Vince joins EcoGroup USA from NAME Energy Group, where he served in the role of Senior Vice President of Operations.

As Executive Vice President, Vince Murphy is responsible for General Administrative and Operational Management of the EcoGroup USA’s newly formed Antimicrobial Treatment Services Division.

Gregory Shiffner has 35 years in the Domestic and International markets developing sales strategies, manufacturing and distribution. Experienced in Business Development focused on government, military and commercial applications while developing strategic partnerships and strategies, Greg founded and built numerous companies in the private and public sectors in industries such as construction, educational, telecommunications, energy efficiency technology, and healthcare antimicrobial solutions.

Having built a global network of partners in over 17 countries and in the highest levels of government and Fortune 100 companies, Gregory Shiffner has enabled a fast track of execution for emerging and needed solutions and technologies. Greg's passion and interest lie in building companies with emerging disrupted technologies motivating his ability to organized, package and structure a strong formula to execute and deliver value to these unmet markets and demands.