April 6, 2010
For Immediate Release
Contact: Mary Kathryn Campbell at (626) 744-5602 or
mkcampbell@calstart.org
Pasadena, Calif. - CALSTART, the nation’s leading clean transportation catalyst organization, announced today that it has added four new board members and that John Formisano, Vice President of Global Vehicles for
FedEx Express, has become the new Chairman of the organization’s Board of Directors.
The four new members joining the CALSTART Board of Directors are:
Paul DeMartini, Vice President of Advanced Technology in the Transmission & Distribution Business Unit of
Southern California Edison (SCE). Before assuming his current job, De Martini was vice president of Edison SmartConnect™, responsible for leading the company’s award-winning program from concept through initial execution.
Sanjay Rishi, Vice President, Global Strategy,
IBM Corporation. Rishi has held several leadership roles in the company, and until recently was Vice President responsible for the Global Automotive and Truck Industry where he managed the global portfolio of clients across Automotive and Truck OEMs, Suppliers, and Heavy Equipment manufacturers
Paul Smith, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at
New Flyer Industries, the largest bus manufacturer in North America. Smith is responsible for Sales and Marketing, which includes revenue generation, brand management, advertising and promotion, strategic intelligence and customer relationship management.
William Zobel, Vice President, Business Development for
Trillium Corporation, the most profitable supplier of natural gas to the North American vehicle market. Zobel has more than 25 years of experience in the energy sector ranging from energy and environmental policy, to plant operations, process design and research and positions with BP, ARCO, and Sempra Utilities.
“As we are entering a new period of growth, we are extremely fortunate to have four such talented people join our board of directors. The diversity of the members and their expertise reflects CALSTART’s commitment to pursuing and supporting multiple technology paths and sectors within the clean transportation technology industry,” said the organization’s President and CEO, John Boesel.
Formisano had served as the Vice Chairman of the organization’s board. He replaces Fred Hansen, the General Manager of
Tri-Met. Hansen remains a member of the CALSTART Board of Directors. Board officers typically serve two-years in their position. In his capacity as Vice President of Global Vehicles for FedEx Express, Formisano has responsibility for more than 70,000 vehicles worldwide.
“We are very pleased to have John Formisano as the new Chairman of the CALSTART Board of Directors. John brings years of experience as the leader of the one of the most impressive fleets on a worldwide basis. He has a solid understanding of the real issues facing industry and fleets, and can help identify the best areas of opportunities for CALSTART to help spur clean transportation,” said Boesel.
Formisano’s predecessor as Chairman was Fred Hansen, who is currently the General Manager at Tri-Met, perhaps the nation’s leading transit agency in terms of advancing the concepts of sustainability and livability. Prior to joining Tri-Met, Hansen served as the Deputy Director of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
“CALSTART is very grateful for the leadership and guidance provided by Fred Hansen during his term as Chairman of the organization. Fred has a unique set of experience and knowledge that help him understand the value-added role that CALSTART plays in fostering the growth of the clean transportation technology industry,” said Boesel.
About CALSTART
CALSTART is a non-profit organization focused on the growth of the clean transportation technology industry. CALSTART has about 120 member companies representing a broad array of clean vehicles, fuels, and technologies. CALSTART provides services and consulting help to spur advanced transportation technologies, fuels, systems and the companies that make them. With its headquarters in Pasadena, CALSTART has offices in Richmond, California and Denver, Colorado. For more information visit:
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