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The team at Encentiv Energy is thrilled to welcome Gary Massetti as our new Director of Business Development. Gary joined the team full-time in December of 2023 after working in a consultative role for a few months prior. We grabbed a few minutes of Gary’s time to share a little bit about his background and what brings him to Encentiv with you.
Q: You have an extensive background in the energy efficiency industry - walk us through the career path you’ve taken so far.
A: I have 27 years of experience in the industry, starting back in the late 90s at Phillips (now Signify) - that was before LEDs were on the market. I’ve worked with lighting manufacturers of varying sizes, in electrical, and in distribution between jobs with Cree, Cooper Wiring Devices, Current, Wesco, and a few others. One core theme at every stop has been pushing more people to take advantage of rebates. I’m excited to continue with that work at Encentiv Energy and to be even more heavily involved in that energy efficiency space.
Q: What has been the best part of your tenure and experiencing the industry from different roles?
A: I have two answers. The first is a little sappy, but the people. Since I’ve spent the majority of my career in national-scope roles, I’ve met great people from all over the country who are also focused on energy efficiency.
The second is watching the lighting industry go through such a dramatic transformation thanks to the introduction of LEDs. When I first got into the industry, lighting was thought of as very mature; it hadn’t changed much since Edison had invented the lightbulb. Fluorescents came along in the 1950s, and it wasn’t until 2012 that LEDs took off. It’s been enjoyable and satisfying to watch LEDs transform the industry over time.
Q: What challenge are you most excited to take on in your new role as Director of Business Development at Encentiv?
A: I’m looking forward to finding more ways to make energy-efficient rebates accessible to end users and distributors and encouraging more people to adopt LEDs. For a long time, rebates have felt ‘too good to be true’ for many people - you’re utilizing the advantages of rebate dollars to improve your own facility, which is an absolute win for businesses. Funding and an increase in the number of qualifying products, along with initiatives like the UtilityGenius storefront that make it easier and more cost-effective than ever to convert to high-quality, more efficient technologies.
Q: We heard you have a pretty cool family business that keeps you busy when you’re not at Encentiv… tell us a little about it and what you’d recommend if someone were to visit.
A: I do! My mom started a coffee shop in the Pittsburgh area 23 years ago, called La Bella Bean. My daughter and wife currently run our two locations. We serve gourmet coffee, breakfast, and lunch, but my favorite thing we make is Nunny’s salad dressing. We bottled my mom’s Sunday dinner dressing recipe and named it in her honor, after what her grandkids called her.
Q: One last question: as you’re getting up to speed with some of our marketing, do you have a favorite Eugene to share (our new UtilityGenius mascot!)?
A:
