Peter E. Braun dedicates his passion and energy to cleantech and the future of energy resilience as Co-Founder and CEO of Swiss-based PHENOGY AG. Under his direction, the company installed Europe’s first sodium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS) - a key milestone toward a safer, more sustainable energy future. As President of PHENOGY Inc., he also drives the company’s expansion in North America. His vision of delivering secure, sustainable, and future-ready energy solutions continues to drive PHENOGY’s mission to redefine energy for an ever-changing world.

Peter is a rocket scientist by training, and before becoming an entrepreneur himself, he worked in several management positions with AIRBUS Group and Daimler. Over the past two decades, he has founded and scaled several companies, led two successful IPOs in Germany and the United States, and established a reputation as a driving force for innovation in the fields of mobility, fintech, and energy.

With a strong network of investors, founders, and strategic partners across Europe, North America, and Asia, Peter has built a career on connecting people and ideas across borders.

Daniel Rickenmann is the 71st Mayor of Columbia, South Carolina. He is an innovative entrepreneur and a dedicated public servant with a passion for improving the quality of life for all in the Palmetto State’s Capital City.

Since becoming Mayor in 2022, Rickenmann has worked tirelessly to expand housing options, increase community cleanliness and pride, and improve the City’s customer service operations. Rickenmann has prioritized public safety, implementing new programs to reduce crime and improve emergency response times. He strongly advocates for the city’s parks and green spaces, creating new opportunities for outdoor recreation and promoting environmental sustainability – especially on the city’s riverfront. Under his leadership, Columbia has continued to experience economic growth, with new businesses opening and job opportunities expanding.

Rickenmann’s political career began in 2002 when he was elected to the Columbia City Council. During his 14-year tenure on the council, he was a vocal advocate for fiscal responsibility, public safety, and infrastructure improvements. He was crucial in revitalizing downtown Columbia, promoting affordable housing, and supporting local small businesses.

As Mayor, Rickenmann represents the City of Columbia as a member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, where he serves as an Advisory Board Member, Chair of the Energy Committee and participates in the Public-Private Partnerships Task Force. He is also a member of the Climate Mayors network, the Smart Surfaces Coalition, and the Mayor’s Alliance to End Childhood Hunger.

Rickenmann ranked number two in the Post and Courier Power List 2023, was named one of Columbia’s 50 Most Influential 2023 by Columbia Business Monthly, and was selected for The State Newspapers top 20 under 40. Fortune Magazine named him one of six Green Leaders in a red state, and he was and-picked by the American Swiss Foundation to attend the Young Leaders Conference in Zurich, Switzerland. As Mayor, he was selected to participate in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative in 2022 alongside 40 other mayors from across the globe.

Mr. Kenneth Bible retired from the federal Senior Executive Service in 2024, having served the nation for nearly four decades. The rank of Distinguished Executive was conferred upon Mr. Bible by President Biden in 2023.

Mr. Bible completed his federal career as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), one of the largest federal executive branch agencies with over 240,00 employees, which he joined in January 2021. His efforts secured and strengthened the cybersecurity posture across DHS and its component agencies. Mr. Bible’s accomplishments were notable due to his focus on strengthening the internal governance of cybersecurity across the Department – implementing innovative approaches in multiple program areas including Cyber Supply Chain Risk Management, quantifying agency cyber risk, and leveraging external researchers to bolster system hardening.

Mr. Bible began his senior executive career in 2013 when he was selected to a Senior Leader (SL) position as U.S. Marine Corps Chief Technology Advisor. Subsequently in 2015, he was appointed to the Senior Executive Service (SES) as the U.S. Marine Corps Deputy Chief Information Officer and Deputy Director for Command, Control, Communications, and Computers (C4).

Mr. Bible began his career as a civilian nuclear engineer supporting the U.S. Navy for nearly 10 years, and then transitioned into the technology field for the U.S. Navy at Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command serving both in field activity as well as headquarters roles.

He holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in Engineering from Virginia Tech and the University of South Carolina, was a member of the Department of Defense Acquisition Community Professional Corps, a certified acquisition professional, and has been a licensed professional engineer for 31 years.

Cristina Paredes is the Executive Director of SC Nexus for Advanced Resilient Energy, South Carolina’s Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (TechHub). A seasoned economic development leader with more than 20 years of experience, she has guided major expansion projects, policy initiatives, and strategic growth efforts that have driven innovation, resilience, and community development.

Previously, as Director of the Tallahassee-Leon County Office of Economic Vitality, Cristina oversaw projects such as the Amazon Robotics Fulfillment Center and Danfoss Turbocor’s manufacturing and research facilities, creating 2,900+ jobs and earning national recognition. She also advanced diversity and inclusion by certifying 300 minority- and women-owned businesses and supporting nearly 2,000 employees.

Her work with universities, business leaders, and government partners has secured federal funding, launched regional innovation labs, and accelerated technology deployment, earning 12 state, national, and international awards. Most recently a Senior Consultant at VisionFirst Advisors, she advised clients on business expansion, competitiveness, and government engagement.

Cristina holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Florida State University, a Certificate in Economic Development from the University of Oklahoma, and is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD). She is currently pursuing a Master of Legal Studies in Environmental and Energy Law and Policy from Texas A&M.

As Director of the South Carolina Broadband Office, which was formed in July 2021 as part of the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff (“ORS”), Mr. Stritzinger is responsible for facilitating and ensuring the rapid deployment of broadband infrastructure in South Carolina. He is directly responsible for over $1 billion in state and federal grant investments.

Before joining ORS, Jim was the Founder and President of a consulting firm that specialized in the deployment of high-speed internet in rural communities. He has been featured on NPR Marketplace Tech, and the Wall Street Journal, presented at numerous national conferences, and was invited to present to the US House Rural Broadband Task Force by Congressman James E. Clyburn. In addition, Jim’s unique broadband mapping methodology was selected for publication in the Esri® Map Book (Vol 36, 2021, pg. 186).

Mr. Stritzinger is a Fellow of the Aspen Global Leadership Network and was inducted into the NC State University (NCSU) Electrical and Computer Engineering Alumni Hall of Fame in 2015.  He holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from NCSU, a Master of Health Information Technology from the University of South Carolina, and is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Sara Pendarvis Bazemore is Director of the South Carolina Energy Office, within the Office of Regulatory Staff.  Her team promotes energy efficiency, renewable energy and clean transportation through funding, education, and collaborative outreach efforts, while serving as an energy data clearinghouse.  The State Energy Office implements plans that maximize environmental quality and energy conservation and efficiency and minimize the cost of energy throughout the state.

Prior to joining the Energy Office in 2021, Sara practiced environmental, regulatory law for over 15 years both in the private and public sector.  While most of that time was with the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control’s Office of General Counsel, Sara gained valuable insight and experience as an attorney in the private sector with Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough and most recently with D’Alberto Graham & Grimsley.  

In 2005, Sara earned her MEERM/JD dual degree (Master of Earth and Environmental Resources Management from the USC School of the Environment, along with a Juris Doctor from the USC School of Law).  Today, she also serves as an adjunct professor at USC School of Law.  Sara is a native of Charleston, South Carolina, where she developed her passion for the environment and public policy.

Frank Eskridge is the Director of Utility Operations for Columbia Water, the water and wastewater utility for the City of Columbia, S.C.  Columbia Water serves approximately 450,000 residents in the midlands of South Carolina with water and wastewater service, with approximately 160,000 water accounts and 60,000 wastewater accounts in and around Columbia.  The Water utility has two sources of water, Lake Murray and the Broad River, averaging a total of 60million gallons of water service per day. The Metro Wastewater Treatment Plant treats approximately 30 million gallons of wastewater per day which is released into the Congaree River south of Columbia.

Frank’s work in Columbia began in 2019 as Deputy Director of Utility Operations, and has continued since 2022 when he became Director of Utility Operations.  His responsibilities include Water Treatment, Water Distribution, Wastewater Collection, and Wastewater Treatment, along with the Compliance activities that attend this work.

Frank has been active in the American Water Works Association having served in the South Carolina Section in various leadership capacities, and has more recently served on the Broad River Basin Council.  His 40 years of water and wastewater utility experience includes work at other utilities in South Carolina and Alabama.  He is a registered Professional Engineer in South Carolina and Alabama, and is a graduate of Clemson University.

Kirsten Lackstrom is a Program Manager with the South Carolina Office of Resilience (SCOR), where she manages and leads activities for the statewide Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program. The CPRG program is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency and supports the Palmetto Air Quality Collaborative, a planning effort that includes developing statewide greenhouse gas inventories and projections; identifying strategies and funding opportunities for reducing greenhouse gases; and stakeholder and community engagement.

Prior to working at SCOR, Kirsten served as Research Faculty and a program manager in the University of South Carolina Department of Geography where she led research on climate impacts, planning, decision making, and communications. Kirsten earned a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of South Carolina, an M.A. in International Relations from Boston University, and a B.A. in Political Science from Gettysburg College.

For the last two decades, Andy Berke has led progress at the federal, state, and local levels. In 2022 he became the Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service,  where his work led to more than $4.5 billion for high-speed internet projects, and seeded more than $40 billion of new clean energy developments. Berke also served two terms as Mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee, the first universal broadband city and the first to make internet free for needy families. American City and County Magazine named him Municipal Leader of the Year, and StateScoop awarded him City Executive of the Year. Berke was elected twice to the Tennessee Senate. He currently works with clients to advance their energy and broadband goals.

Frank is a native of Scotland, but has been a resident ofSouth Carolina for the past 20 years. Frank studied Geography, Economics andSustainable Development as an undergraduate at the University of St Andrews andworked as an Environmental Consultant for Scottish Water. Frank immigrated tothe US in 2004, and has worked in a variety of positions in Aviation Design andAirport Management.

Since 2010, Frank has overseen the delivery of $120 million worthof projects at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE). Frank now serves on theAirport Executive Staff where there is a focus on aligning the capabilities ofthe airport with the needs of the region. This ongoing process will see CAE striveto become one of the most Sustainable Airports in the US, while also increasingits impact as an economic engine for the Midlands of South Carolina.

Frank sits on the Board of Directors for the South CarolinaAviation Association, and the South Carolina USO.

Sam is the South Carolina Director of the Clean Energy Fund of the Carolinas, tasked with leading their recent expansion into his home state. His strong background in mission-driven economics includes past roles leading the implementation of an inclusive Economic Development strategy for the Charleston Metro Area and growing one of South Carolina’s largest Community Development Financial Institutions.  He is passionate about creating change through impact financing and believes it is the most effective way to accelerate clean energy adoption in our communities.