January – June 2009: CUE, under CEO Vince Cushing’s leadership, is currently sponsoring 15 Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) students who are enrolled in an IIT Entrepreneurial IPRO course.

The course is a product of Vince’s proposal for the students to develop a self-sustaining, self-help, non-profit program that will help churches and schools on the South and West side of Chicago reduce their energy use and expenses.

Through this program, the students are dedicating their Spring 2009 semester to the successful development of a web-based application that will encourage volunteer energy professionals, like Vince, to systematically help out the churches and schools, ultimately producing a solution that will survive well past the completion of the Spring 2009 semester.

The development process is well underway and Vince is continuing to enjoy his weekly role in the classroom as their mentor and sponsor.  For further information on the IIT IPRO program click here (http://ipro.iit.edu/) and for the specific CUE-sponsored course information, visit the course web-site: http://ipro.iit.edu/project-listings#Spring2009_328

February 26, 2009:  Hederman and Cushing participate in the University of Notre Dame’s Forum on the Future of Electric Power

Hederman as a panelist alongside Chairmain and CEO of DTE Energy, Anthony Earley,  Managing Director of Madison Dearborn Partners, Patrick Eilers and Senior Vice President for Development at FPL Energy Michael O’Sullivan.

Both Cushing and Hederman actively participated in the day’s other activities, including roundtable discussions focused on Notre Dame’s future energy research agenda.

The Forum is part of Notre Dame’s commitment to a year-long period of discernment on global energy consumption and means by which humankind can transition to a sustainable energy future.  Need-less-to-say they were both thrilled for the opportunity to contribute to the University’s on-going commitment.