Philip R. Van Horne, President & CEO

Phil Van Horne serves as the President and CEO of BlueRock Energy. Phil is responsible for overall company management, operations and strategy. Under Phil’s leadership and guidance, BlueRock has expanded from six employees in 2008 to 35 employees in 2012.

His 30 years of energy experience includes trading and marketing, contract negotiation and administration, wholesale back office operations, interconnection, power system planning and systems development.

Phil founded BlueRock Energy in 2003 after serving as President and COO for Niagara Mohawk Energy Marketing, Inc., where he oversaw all aspects of operations for unregulated retail and wholesale natural gas and electricity. Early in his career, Phil worked for General Electric, where he was involved with utilities nationwide on a range of planning and strategic issues.

He is a founding member, past Chairman, and Executive Committee member of the National Energy Marketers Association and is a member of IEEE.

Jon M. Gipson, Chief Operating Officer

Jon M. Gipson serves as the Chief Operating Officer of BlueRock Energy. With more than 25 years of experience in the energy industry, Jon oversees the administrative and back office operations, gas and electric wholesale marketing as well as retail operations.

Jon joined BlueRock Energy in 2011. Previously, he was a Founder and President of Shamrock Energy from 1994 until 2008, overseeing its growth from a start-up into a highly regarded upstream producer services marketing company with over $125 million in annual gross sales. 

In 2002, Jon joined Optigas, Inc. as its fourth employee as a result of Optigas’ asset acquisition of Shamrock Energy Corporation serving as both Vice President of Marketing and President of Shamrock Energy. 

Jon is a founding member of the National Energy Marketers Association and has served as Membership Chairman and Chairman of the Southeast Regional Committee on Natural Gas and Electricity Restructuring. 

Michael Young, Vice President & Corporate Controller

Michael Young serves as the Vice President and Corporate Controller of BlueRock Energy. With 15 years of experience in financial operations and management, Michael is responsible for overseeing all aspects of BlueRock Energy’s accounting and finance function as well as the company’s employee benefit programs and corporate insurance.

Michael joined BlueRock Energy in 2007 as Finance Manager where he created the accounting and finance function from the ground up, implementing policies, procedures and controls as well as updating the company’s financial systems.  Michael was also instrumental in obtaining and implementing a new credit structure which has enhanced the company’s ability to grow existing markets and expand into new markets. 

Michael was promoted to Vice President and Controller in 2011 and currently supervises a staff that collectively controls the daily accounting, billing and financial operations of the company.

Jerry Schavone, Director of Business Development

Jerry Schavone serves as Director of Business Development for BlueRock Energy. With more than 13 years of experience in business-to-business outside sales, marketing, and training, Jerry is responsible for devising and deploying all sales objectives and goals across the company, including sales targets and budget preparation. He also takes the lead in developing, managing, and nurturing new business partnerships and accounts to accomplish volume and profit goals. In addition, Jerry also seeks out and directs new customers and sales opportunities while initiating action plans to advance and procure new business for the company. Jerry is in charge of BlueRock Energy sales managers and sales consultants within New York State.

Jerry has been instrumental in implementing a structured sales process, compensation plan and CRM system for BlueRock Energy.  Since he began with BlueRock Energy in 2008, Jerry has hired and trained more than 18 Account Managers within New York State. 

Prior to joining BlueRock Energy, Jerry’s professional career has included several sales management positions, including serving as Market Manager with Cintas Corporation (CTAS). 
 

Jim Nichols, Director - Wholesale Operations

Jim serves as Director of Wholesale Operations at BlueRock Energy, responsible for the day-to-day management of the physical commodity purchasing and wholesale sales structure of the Company for both Electric and Natural Gas. He is also instrumental in establishing new and stronger relationships with counterparties, utilities, pipelines, RTO’s and strategic partners. Jim brings more than 13 years of energy-related experience in the deregulated energy markets across the Northeast sector of the United States. Jim joined BlueRock Energy in July 2005 as Manager of Wholesale Power Operations, where he led efforts including analysis, forecasting, purchasing, pricing, budget development and market expansion.

Prior to joining BlueRock Energy, Jim served as the Pricing and Planning Analyst at Select Energy New York, Inc. (formerly Niagara Mohawk Energy Marketing, Inc.), assisting the Manager of Market Planning and Analysis with strategic planning and analysis. He was responsible for market planning, including product development, market evaluation, sales planning and reporting, pricing, tariff analysis, regulatory affairs, EDI and back office system development.

Jim holds a Master of Business Administration degree from LeMoyne College.  He also received a B.S. in Marketing from Oswego State University, Oswego, New York and an A.A.S. Computer Information Systems from Onondaga Community College, Syracuse, New York.

Jon Collins, Risk Manager 

Jon is responsible for leading the Enterprise risk management function at BlueRock Energy which includes market, liquidity, volumetric, credit and operational risk components.  Bringing more than 10 years of experience in the deregulated energy markets in New York, Jon interacts with marketing, scheduling, structuring personnel, derivative accounting, and commodity accounting at BlueRock Energy to meet all corporate accounting requirements, and manage risk.

Prior to his current position, Jon was the Gas Operations Manager for BlueRock Energy, responsible for leading the department’s efforts related to gas supply including purchasing, pricing, nominating and other needed activities.

Before joining BlueRock Energy, Jon worked as an analyst for Select Energy NY, and was responsible for electric and natural gas utility tariff analysis in support of company sales efforts. Additionally, he was responsible for the company’s Request for Proposal responses for various electricity and natural gas bids to supply electricity and natural gas to government agencies, specifically the General Services Administration and New York Office of General Services. Jon also participated in various rate cases and retail regulatory proceedings for all of the major utilities in New York State.

Jon holds a B.A. in English from SUNY Oswego and an M.B.A. from the University of Buffalo.

 

Tammy Maule, General Manager

With more than 25 years of experience within the energy industry, Tammy serves as the General Manager at BlueRock Energy, coordinating and monitoring office operations to ensure company requirements are performed and sufficiently met on a daily basis.  Tammy resolves operational problems related to customer service, accounting procedures and computer systems and oversees special projects. Additionally, Tammy is responsible for handling all corporate compliance with utilities and state Public Service Commissions.

Tammy joined BlueRock Energy in 2003 working directly with BlueRock Energy’s President and CEO Phil Van Horne at New York Energy, Inc., where she played an important role in the company’s development as a competitive ESCO throughout New York State. In addition, Tammy worked for Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., now known as National Grid, in an administrative role for the company.

Tammy holds an Associate Degree in Business from Onondaga Community College in Syracuse, New York.

Jason Starzyk, Director of Sales Operations

Jason Starzyk serves as the Director of Sales Operations for BlueRock Energy.  Jason is responsible for recruiting, consultant training, sales strategy development, product implementation, channel partners, and chamber/affinity partnerships.

After starting with BlueRock Energy in 2008, Jason quickly built a strong customer base in the Western New York area by establishing over 700 clients and 1,300 accounts.  

In 2010, Jason was promoted to Western New York State Sales Manager overseeing 7 consultants in the Watertown, Utica, Syracuse, Ithaca, Binghamton, Elmira, Rochester, and Buffalo markets.  Jason was responsible for recruiting, coaching, training, team performance reviews, and motivating the sales team to consistently produce at high levels to increase BlueRock Energy’s market share.

Working with several charitable organizations across New York State, Jason is active with the American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure, Golisano Children's Hospital, and Food Bank of Central New York.

Jason holds a B.B.A. in Business Management from Bryant and Stratton College in Rochester, New York.

 

Wendy DeFazio, Director of Sales Communications

Wendy DeFazio serves as the Director of Sales Communications for BlueRock Energy,  Wendy is responsible for customer service,  customer communications, customer retention, sales and product communications, marketing and social media
Wendy joined BlueRock Energy in April 2009 as an account manager and was promoted to the Eastern New York Sales Manager in September 2010. Since joining BlueRock Energy, Wendy’s customer base has increased to more than 250 accounts, servicing both business and residential customers.
 

George Boyle, Channel Partner Manager

George Boyle serves as the Channel Partner Manager of BlueRock Energy, responsible for monitoring the activities of channel partners overseeing revenue and sales objectives and managing best practices in sales.

Maintaining more than 475 BlueRock Energy accounts, George creates long-term broker relationships in addition to developing broker field sales responsibilities statewide.  He assists channel partners in presenting and selling Electricity and Natural Gas products.

In August 2006, George joined BlueRock Energy as an Energy Consultant where he worked with the foundational core of employees, playing a primary role in growing the sales department by promoting BlueRock Energy’s gas and electric solutions. George was instrumental in expanding and developing the customer base while maintaining strong relationships with a high degree of customer loyalty.

George is active in many charitable organizations including National Kidney Foundation of Central New York, American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure, Golisano Children's Hospital and Food Bank of Central New York.

Prior to joining BlueRock Energy, George represented manufacturing companies in the food and health care industries and holds a B.A. in Communications and Sociology from SUNY Oswego.

Mary Tracy, Administrative Manager

As the Administrative Manager at BlueRock Energy, Mary is responsible for overseeing daily customer administrative support activities to ensure smooth operations.  Her position requires her to coordinate and monitor administrative procedures to ensure company requirements are met on a daily basis and to oversee the completion of special projects.

Mary joined BlueRock Energy in 2008 as a part-time Administrative Assistant where she learned our procedures including enrolling new customers.  She became Administrative Manager in 2011. 
Prior to joining BlueRock Energy, Mary held a variety of corporate positions as well as being a small business owner. 

Mary graduated from the Medical Secretarial Program at CCBI and received her Associates Degree in Human Services from Onondaga Community College in Syracuse, New York.