Detroit-based NextEnergy has named board vice chairman Maria Thompson as its new chairman. In addition, three new members have been appointed to the board of directors.
Thompson serves as entrepreneur-in-residence for Arsenal Venture Partners, and has extensive experience in advanced technologies. Previously, she was president and CEO of T/J Technologies Inc., a Michigan company for proprietary alternative energy technologies.
Thompson is a member of Ann Arbor SPARK’s board of directors, the University of Michigan Technology Transfer National Advisory Board, the University of Michigan Ross School of Business Zell Lurie Institute Advisory Board, The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute External Advisory Board, the Washtenaw Community College Foundation Board, and United Bank and Trust Washtenaw board of directors.
Thompson earned her Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan.
NextEnergy also has named Lizabeth Ardisana, Patricia Glaza ,and Eric Shreffler to the board of directors.
Ardisana is the co-founder, principal owner and chief executive officer of ASG Renaissance, a global technical and communication services firm. In addition to managing ASG Renaissance, Ardisana is an active business and civic leader in the Michigan and Hispanic communities.
Glaza serves as vice president of Invest Detroit and managing director of First Step Fund and Detroit Innovate, two early-stage venture funds. She serves as a resource to start-ups and as an adviser/board member, including: Michigan Venture Capital Association, The Great Lakes Protection Fund, National Science Foundation I-Corps and the University of Michigan’s Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization program (M-TRAC) oversight committee.
Shreffler is the managing director for the automotive office at the Michigan Economic Development Corp. At the MEDC, his team collaborates with federal agencies to identify partnership and funding opportunities to drive innovation, commercialization, and growth.
