Steve Rosholt Vice President
Steve has 15+ years of energy lighting experience. Prior to joining RTS, Steve started Interlocken Services with Stuart Kirscht in 1993. Interlocken performed turn-key lighting solutions to the ESCO market in the Southeastern United States. In 2000 the opportunity arose to merge with RTS and since that time Steve has been an active Vice-President/Owner of RTS.
At RTS, Steve is responsible for new business development in the state and federal ESCO markets. He is also active in the day to day management of RTS and its employees.
Steve holds a bachelor's degree in Human Development and Social Policy from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he played football with Kurt Minko. He is also a Certified Lighting Efficiency Professional (CLEP).
David Pierce Director of Sales & Engineering
David has more than 20 years in the energy efficient lighting business. Prior to joining RTS, he worked 4 years implementing demand side management programs with national utilities. David joined RTS in 1995 as a Branch Manager. Since that time he has been promoted to Regional Sales Manager and most recently to Director of Sales and Engineering.
Today, David is responsible for all sales, engineering, and auditing. His responsibilities include lighting design and audits, proposal writing, and coordinating the ESCO and utility sales effort on a national level.
David is a graduate of the University of Michigan where he was a member of the tennis team and earned a degree in economics. Certifications he holds: Lighting Certified (LC), Certified Measurement and Verification Professional (CMVP), and Certified Lighting Efficiency Professional (CLEP).
Peter Brown Regional Sales Manager
Peter has 20+ years of experience in the lighting industry. His experience includes ten years in specialty lighting distribution, ten years in sales and marketing for lamp and fixture manufacturers, one year as a technical specialist for a major electric utility, and five years with RTS as a sales manager.
Today, Peter is responsible for the sales management of existing RTS partners and the development of new relationships within the Midwest market. As a member of the RTS, he is involved in various aspects of sales and project development from auditing and design, to proposal generation, and job implementation.
Peter attended Ryerson University located in Toronto, Canada. He is (LC) Lighting Certified by the NCQLP.
Stuart Kirscht Vice President
Stuart has 15+ years of energy lighting experience. Prior to joining RTS, Stuart started Interlocken Services with Steve Rosholt in 1993. Interlocken performed turn-key lighting solutions to the ESCO market in the Southeastern United States. In 2000 the opportunity arose to merge with RTS and since that time Stuart has been an active Vice-President/Owner of RTS.
At RTS, Stuart is responsible for new business development in the state and federal ESCO markets. He is also active in the day to day management of RTS and its employees.
Stuart attended the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. He is also a Certified Lighting Efficiency Professional (CLEP).
Drew Woodward Project Information Manager
As a Project Information Manager for RTS, Drew is responsible for processing lighting audit data and designing lighting proposals with options for our RTS customers. He also is responsible for preparing proposals for final engineering and pricing review, supporting RTS sales, communicating with ESCO sales and engineering customers, preparing documents for the operations team, and coordinating/reviewing material submittals.
Drew earned a BS degree in Chemical Engineering and Mathematics from the University of Wisconsin, where he played football. Drew is a (CEM) Certified Energy Manager.
John Anderson Project Information Manager
John has 20+ years as a residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, and agricultural energy auditor for utility and government sponsored conservation & demand side management programs. His experience includes 3 years as an energy efficiency specialist, 5 years as an energy management consultant, and in 2009 John rejoined RTS as project information manager.
Today, John is responsible for processing lighting audit data and designing lighting proposals for our ESCO customers. He also is responsible for preparing proposals for final engineering and pricing review, supporting RTS sales, communicating with ESCO sales and engineering customers, preparing documents for the operations team, and coordinating/reviewing material submittals.
John has a degree from the University of Michigan. Certifications: Lighting Certified (LC), Certified Lighting Efficiency Professional (CLEP), and Certified Measurement & Verification Professional (CMVP).
Joe Castro Director of Safety & Human Resources
Joe brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to RTS. His many years of management experience from employers such as General Electric and Honeywell make him a valuable asset.
Joe joined the RTS operations team in 2004 as the Director of Safety. He is responsible for the implementation of our Field Safety Program. He visits jobsites around the country to ensure that our crews continue to adhere to all OSHA and industry accepted safety practices. With this role, he furnishes new employees with the latest safety regulations and information.
Today, as the Director of Safety & Human Resources, he manages all Safety Programs and also manages the overall provision of Human Resources services, policies, and programs for the entire organization.
Joe holds a Bachelor's of Science Degree in business from St. Mary's College in Moraga, CA.
George E. Gucwa Controller
George, a man with many years of experience in helping manufacturing companies grow, had the deep desire to help one more company reach its goals.
In 2002, he took on the challenge of controller at RTS. He is accountable for the entire accounting operations of the organization. Over the past decade RTS has experienced awesome growth. With the help of George's financial management, RTS is positioned to continue its strong expansion well into the future.
George earned his accounting degree from the University of Illinois Chicago and an MBA from DePaul University. He is also a Navy Veteran and a CPA.
Tammie Kowalewicz HR Generalist
Tammie has more than 10 years in Human Resources and Office Management. Prior to joining RTS, she worked 9 years within the manufacturing industry providing office management and HR services. Tammie joined RTS in 2009 as an Office Manager/HR Specialist. Since that time she has picked up additional responsibilities.
Today, Tammie is responsible for a wide range of activities from benefits, recruiting, documentation and compliance. She is also the first point of contact or the first person to interview incoming candidates.
Tammie is a graduate of Illinois Benedictine College in Lisle, Illinois.
Kurt Minko President and Chief Executive Officer
In 1993, Kurt, a seller of performance contracts for Honeywell, and Gary (Buck) Maynard, owner of an electrical contracting business, felt they had the tools to build a successful company serving the energy service market. From very humble beginnings RTS has flourished. Kurt has now been President of RTS for 18 years. In that time RTS has installed over $220,000,000 of projects and opened 7 offices across the nation.
Today, Kurt sees his mission for RTS is threefold. First: Grow by expanding RTS's current markets while exploring new opportunities. Second: To improve efficiency within the organization, to increase our value to customers, to increase team member satisfaction and improve our bottom-line. And third: Retain RTS's current customers by delivering high value and quality service.
Kurt holds a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he played football.
Dan Marek Contracts & Technology Manager
Dan has more than 10 years in the energy efficient lighting business. Prior to joining RTS, he worked 15 years within sales and information technology. Dan joined RTS in 2001 as the Contracts and Technology Manager.
Today, Dan's responsibilities are assisting with contracts and acts as a coordinator between sales, project manager, and the client. He reviews and manages varied project documents, proposals, purchase orders, project forms and close-out documents. On the technology side, Dan manages the creation and implementation of the RTS information system. He supervises the maintenance of the servers and research methods of cost reduction and security of information passed along the RTS system server.
Dan is a graduate of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Bob VerHaar Procurement Manager
Bob brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to RTS. His 25+ years of logistics experience from employers such as Kelloggs and Nabisco make him a valuable asset. He joined the RTS team in 1997 as a Project Manager.
Today, as the Procurement Manager, he works with the entire operations team. His responsibilities are to handle material needs, work with vendors, negotiate pricing, and to insure timely delivery of materials to job sites throughout the country. For Bob, maintaining quality communications is very important to his role in working with our field staff.
Bob earned his degree in Electronic and Computer Information Technology from Devry University.
Scott Russell Operations
Scott has over 20 years of experience within account management and operations. Prior to joining RTS, he worked 19 years within the industrial distribution industry. Scott joined RTS in 2009 as an Operations Administrator. Since that time he has picked up many additional responsibilities.
Today, Scott is responsible for management of the internal project review process, which gives the organization a close look at the status of every open project. He manages our fleet of company trucks, when, where and how long they needed for particular projects. Scott also handles Certified Payroll for the field staff.
Scott is a graduate of Illinois State University in Normal Illinois and earned a degree in economics.
Greg Castro Director of Operations
Greg has more than 20 years of experience within the contracting industry. Prior to joining the RTS team in 1995 as a Project Manager, Greg owned and operated a landscape business.
Today, as the Director of Operations for RTS, all Project Managers report directly to Greg. He has overseen $200,000,000 in installations and is responsible for all aspects of manpower, startup, construction, close-out, disposal, and project follow-up. Greg shares the responsibility of bringing jobs in on budget and schedule while at the same time providing unparalleled customer satisfaction.
While attending school, Greg was the "1987 National Champion" American Powerlifting Federation.
Randy Guard Project Energy & Information Manager
Randy has more than 25 years of experience within the electrical business. Prior to joining RTS, he worked 8 years as an electrician and 4 years within education. Randy joined RTS in 1998 as the Lead Auditor and Technical Support Manager.
Today, as the Project Energy & Information Manager, Randy is responsible for processing lighting audit data and designing lighting proposals with options for our ESCO customers. He also is responsible for preparing proposals for final engineering and pricing review, supporting RTS sales, communicating with ESCO sales and engineering customers, preparing documents for the operations team, close-out documentation and coordinating/reviewing material submittals. Randy is the designer of our internal project review process, which keeps a tight look at all working projects.
Randy holds these certifications: Lighting Certified (LC), and Certified Measurement and Verification Professional (CMVP).
David Alvarado Project Manager
David has more than 10 years of commercial and residential project management experience. He started with RTS in 2004 and has had a very successful record of overseeing the design and installation of energy efficient lighting projects.
Today, David's role as a Project Manager is critical and essential to the successful completion of any lighting project. He is responsible for proper administration of construction contracts and assuring that all necessary permits and licenses are available. He develops cost-effective plans and schedules for the completion of projects. David also keeps the customer well informed on project status.
Like all RTS team members, the proper education and training is crucial. From OSHA training to First Aid/CPR, David has had all the essential education.
Melissa Gut Operations Administrator
Melissa has over 20 years of experience within administration and office management. She joined RTS in 2009 as a Contracts Administrator. Since that time she has picked up many additional responsibilities.
Today, supporting Operations, Melissa is responsible for Certified Payroll for the field organization, state licensing, certification and bonding. She also works closely with the Director of Operations on scheduling, organization and staffing of projects across the nation.
Melissa is a graduate of Prairie State College in Illinois.
Gabe Hensley Construction Manager
Gabe has more than 10 years in the energy efficient lighting business. Over his time with the RTS team he has worked as a Lighting Installer and a Lighting Foreman.
Today, Gabe's role as a Construction Manager is critical and essential to the successful completion of any lighting project, which is why the proper education and training is crucial. From OSHA training to First Aid/CPR, Gabe has had all the essential education. He will oversee installations of small scope to very large projects, managing up to 20 people. Working closely with the Director of Operations, he will ensure that all manner of work is carried out efficiently and with the utmost skill.
Scott Blakley Project Manager
Scott an electrician, has 14 years of experience working within the electrical industry. Prior to joining the RTS team in 2003 as a Project Manager, Scott worked for Spencer Engineering focusing on all facets of electrical and tele/data installations.
Today, Scott's role as a Project Manager is critical and essential to the successful completion of any RTS lighting project. He is responsible for proper administration of construction contracts and assuring that all necessary permits and licenses are available. He develops cost-effective plans and schedules for the completion of projects. Scott also keeps the customer well informed on project status.
Like all RTS team members, the proper education and training is crucial. From OSHA training to First Aid/CPR, Scott has had all the essential education.
Gary E. Maynard (Buck) Vice President
Buck, the owner of a successful electrical contracting business in Phoenix, Arizona, and long-time friend Kurt Minko, a seller of performance contracts for Honeywell felt they had the tools to build a successful company serving the energy service market. In 1993, RTS was born. From very humble beginnings RTS has flourished.
Today, Buck's responsibilities include all manpower and procuring all job related materials. He and his team continually strive to insure unparalleled customer satisfaction, timely and efficient installations. During his tenure at RTS, Buck has promoted a safe work environment and has seen the field-staff grow to over 100 employees. It is a mandatory requirement for all of his team to undergo regular OSHA training as a means of staying current on all OSHA regulations, which in turn keeps RTS on the leading edge in the energy efficient lighting industry.
Buck is a Master Electrician holding licenses for RTS in many different cities and states across the nation.
Mike Varner Warehouse Manager
Mike has been a part of the RTS team since its inception in 1993. His primary responsibilities in the early days were in Project Management. Over the years Mike has worn many hats.
Today, as the Warehouse Manager, he is responsible for the planning, organizing of the warehouse's over-all operations. He manages stock control, the receipt, storage, retrieval and to ensure the timely delivery of stock items. Also, Mike supervises shipment loading & transferring and keeps detailed records that are entered into the RTS system.
Toby Leafgreen Regional Sales Manager
Toby has over 12 years of experience within the Lighting industry. His experience includes being a Senior Sales Executive for Voss Lighting, the largest Philips Lighting distributor in the United States. Toby joined the RTS team in 2011 as the Regional Sales Manager for the Mountain Region.
Today, he is responsible for the sales management of existing RTS partners and the development of new relationships within the Mountain Region. He is involved in various aspects of sales and project development from auditing and design, to proposal generation, and job implementation.
Toby has a BS degree in Secondary Education from the University of Nebraska.
Ted Walkenbach Lighting Auditor
Ted has many years of experience in the electrical and lighting industry. He has worked as a general maintenance supervisor, sign and lighting service work, and also lighting retrofit/installer.
Today, as an energy auditor, Ted's responsibilities include: on-site inspections of building lighting systems, assessing the correct type and number of existing fixtures needed, determining what type of upgrades are needed for specific applications, and determining the applicability and correct type of occupancy sensor that would apply in a given application. He is also responsible for discovering additional savings opportunities. Ted provides audit location maps with proper location identification and digital photos to assist in assessing the proper retrofit/replacement for a particular item.
Ted has a BA degree in Education from Arizona State University. Certifications: Certified Senior Lighting Technician (CSLT), and Certified Lighting Efficiency Professional (CLEP) by the AEE.
Mike Sypole Lighting Auditor
Mike has 20+ years of experience in the electrical and lighting industry, including work as a contractor and also in distribution. He joined the RTS team in 2009 as an auditor.
As an energy auditor, Mike's responsibilities include: on-site inspections of building lighting systems, assessing the correct type and number of existing fixtures needed, determining what type of upgrades are needed for specific applications, and determining the applicability and correct type of occupancy sensor that would apply in a given application. He is also responsible for discovering additional savings opportunities. Mike provides audit location maps with proper location identification and digital photos to assist in assessing the proper retrofit/replacement for a particular item.
Mike has a BS degree from Northern Illinois University. Certifications: Lighting Certified (LC) by the NCQLP, Certified Lighting Efficiency Professional (CLEP) by the AEE, and attended the Allen Bradley Control School.
Andy Perry Regional Sales Manager
Andy has been in the lighting industry for over 16 years. His experience includes being a National Sales Manager for Howard Industries within the Ballast Division. Andy joined the RTS team in 2000 and his understanding of the ESCO market has been valuable to the growth of RTS into new market areas.
Today, Andy is responsible for the sales management of existing RTS partners and the development of new relationships within the Southern market. He is involved in various aspects of sales and project development from auditing and design, to proposal generation, and job implementation.
Andy has a BS degree in Marketing from Mississippi State University and a BS degree in Accounting from the University of Alabama. He is a Certified Lighting Efficiency Professional (CLEP) by the AEE.
Sherri Laurusevage Regional Sales Manager
Sherri has 15+ years of experience in the environmental and energy industries. She worked as a Sales Executive selling comprehensive Guaranteed Energy Savings projects for Schneider Electric in the Pennsylvania marketplace. Sherri joined RTS in 2010 serving the ESCO market in Pennsylvania as well as the North East.
Today, Sherri is responsible for the sales management of existing RTS partners and the development of new relationships within the North East market. She is involved in various aspects of sales and project development from auditing and design, to proposal generation, and job implementation.
Sherri is a member of the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) and also member of the Energy Services Coalition (ESC) were she is on the Executive Committee. Sherri is a Certified Lighting Efficiency Professional (CLEP) by the AEE.
Joe Such Lighting Auditor
Joe has 10+ years of experience in the electrical and lighting industry. He worked as an electrical technician for eight years installing traffic signals and street lighting. Joe joined RTS in 2006 as an electrician.
Today as an lighting auditor, Joe's responsibilities include: on-site inspections of building lighting systems, assessing the correct type and number of existing fixtures needed, determining what type of upgrades are needed for specific applications, and determining the applicability and correct type of occupancy sensor that would apply in a given application. He is also responsible for discovering additional savings opportunities. Joe provides audit location maps with proper location identification and digital photos to assist in assessing the proper retrofit/replacement for a particular item.
Joe has a BS degree from Purdue University in Electrical Engineering. He is a Certified Lighting Efficiency Professional (CLEP) by the AEE.
About Us
Everything Retro-Tech Systems does is based on the principles and practice of trust and value. Trust is about how our customers perceive us through direct interaction - and it's a fundamentally powerful way to build relationships and value in our customers' projects.
RTS was built by lighting people for lighting people. That's why it's no wonder that 90 percent of our employees have a lighting background. Their expertise is vital, but it's our employees' unique mix of experience, interests and passion that makes the difference. We have purposefully created a team that combines planners and designers, experimenters and storytellers, researchers and builders. For engineering and design projects, the result is resources to meet the unique needs of each project and client.
When RTS began, we chose not to rely on the legacy of working models handed down from the old business world. Instead, we challenged conventional formulas and created a new approach and process. Even as we've grown, we've remained committed to relationships on every piece of business, from the first contact to the final delivery; strong, agile teams that make the most effective use of engineering and design of your project; and in a turn-key fashion, on-time and on-budget.
Our History
The roots of RTS go back to 1993 in Chicago where two life-long friends from Phoenix, Ariz., decided to create a company focusing on energy conservation. Founders Kurt Minko, a seller of performance contracts for Honeywell, and Gary (Buck) Maynard, owner of an electrical contracting business, had the tools to build a successful company serving clients in the energy service market.
In 1995, RTS expanded by opening an office in Detroit, and three years later in 1998, opened a Gulf South office in New Orleans. That office has since relocated to Laurel, Miss.
In 2000, the opportunity arose that allowed RTS to merge with Interlocken Lighting Services, owned by Stuart Kirscht of Orlando, Fla., and Steve Rosholt of Phoenix, Ariz. The merger provided RTS with a national presence.
Since the company was founded 19 years ago, RTS has become a national Energy Efficient Lighting Contractor. The company has seven offices across the United States and is now poised to usher in new growth by using the latest technologies to help drive the need for quality lighting systems that are energy efficient.
