News

Read the latest updates from Bernhard.

Bernhard Fayetteville Facility Moves to New Location at Commerce Business Park

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Bernhard is celebrating the opening of its new Fayetteville office at Commerce Business Park after four years of planning and construction. The modernized office space is the new home for its 27 employees and full-service design and energy engineering suite. It is located at 3714 N. Business Dr., Fayetteville, AR 72703.

“In the process of figuring out where the new facility was going to be, it was always important for us to stay near our core clients and remain close to our roots,” said Grant Logan, director of Bernhard’s Fayetteville office. “This cutting-edge facility is truly a place we can be proud to call our own.”

The team in the Fayetteville office provides engineering services such as mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, construction administration, and a wide variety of energy services including BAS controls design, commissioning, and retro-commissioning.

“Being more centrally located in northwest Arkansas is a huge positive for us,” said Jay Keazer, director of Fayetteville Logic. “We have a lot of employees that commute from neighboring cities so this location will help streamline that commute.”

The team is moving from their original location at Green Acres Road where they have operated since 2005. The office began with three employees but has seen more than 700% growth in their workforce during the last two decades. With this explosive growth, the office had outgrown their facility and was in need of a larger space to not only accommodate all employees, but to allow for continued growth in the future.

“Obviously with that kind of growth happening we had to do something,” Logan said. “Giving our employees space to design and innovate is conducive to delivering the best services for our clients.” Along with more than 9,000 square feet of additional working room, employees also get to take advantage of “The Natural State” as the modernized space is situated right on the Fayetteville trail system.

The Fayetteville office played a hands-on role in designing the space along with KSA Architecture and CDI Contractors. The team officially moved into the new location March 8 and will be celebrating with a virtual ribbon-cutting ceremony and guided digital tours later in the month.

Bernhard Part of 30-Year Energy Services Deal for LSU Campus

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The Louisiana State University (LSU) Board of Supervisors announced the approval of an agreement for a 30-year energy services contract with LA Energy Partners, a joint venture of Bernhard, LLC and Johnson Controls, Inc.  The agreement with LSU also includes Enwave Energy. The agreement delivers $90 million in immediate modernization solutions, addresses $22 million of deferred maintenance annually, and transfers operation responsibilities of the University’s utilities system over the next three decades.

“We are pleased to reach this monumental agreement, which is projected to save LSU and the State of Louisiana approximately $90 million over the next 30 years,” said Robert Dampf, chair of the LSU Board of Supervisors. “Both LA Energy Partners and Enwave bring outstanding technical, financial, operational and development experience to LSU, and we look forward to working together with both partners.”

The combination of LA Energy Partners and Enwave Energy marries the operational strengths of both companies to immediately deliver modernization of LSU’s Central Utility Plant and Distribution Center, which keep thousands of classrooms, research labs, administrative offices and other campus resources running.

Under the agreement, LSU’s campus will see $90 million of major initial infrastructure improvements financed and developed. LA Energy Partners are tasked with the design and construction of these initial modernization solutions. Enwave will operate, maintain and provide additional capital improvements to the energy plants and energy distribution systems over the term of the agreement. LA Energy Partners retains the opportunity to design, build, and finance any future building mechanical system upgrades on the Baton Rouge campus.

For Bernhard, the LSU agreement comes on the heels of a six-month chain of awards beginning with the September 2020 closing of a $75M P3 arrangement with East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, Alabama. Since then, Bernhard has brought an additional $400M in P3 and Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) transactions to market in a total of four states. At an initial value of $90M, the LSU agreement rivals the company’s 2019 award with University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences ($150M), and further distinguishes Bernhard as a national leader in the P3 and EaaS marketplace.

“The awards we’ve received across the United States are very relevant to the LSU opportunity and position our team to provide lasting value to the University as its partner,” said Ed Tinsley, Bernhard’s Chief Executive Officer. “Our pledge to deliver a transformative outcome to LSU is further backstopped by the expertise and experience of our combined team.”

Bernhard has had a brick-and-mortar presence in Louisiana since 1919, completing more than 400 projects for LSU during that time span, including the design and construction of LSU’s existing combined heating and power system. In addition to its LSU experience, Bernhard also operates and maintains numerous energy plants in Louisiana, including the Shaw Center energy plant in downtown Baton Rouge.

With more than 2,500 employees in the state of Louisiana and 250 LSU graduates on its staff, LA Energy Partners shares much of the same community as LSU and prides itself on bringing that local assurance and expertise once again to a Louisiana powerhouse such as LSU.

“First and foremost we are a neighbor to LSU,” Tinsley said. “When that local passion meets the global strength of our combined team, the result exceeds the sum of its parts.”

James Skrmetta Joins Bernhard as External Marketing Manager

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Bernhard, one of the largest privately-owned engineering, mechanical and electrical contractors in America, announced today that James Skrmetta has been hired as its external marketing manager. Skrmetta will be based in Bernhard’s corporate headquarters in Metairie, Louisiana.

Skrmetta will be responsible for enhancing Bernhard’s national brand through public relations, content development, website management and social media.

“James has years of experience easily explaining technical concepts, which is just what we need at Bernhard,” said Melissa Samuel, Bernhard’s executive vice president of corporate administration. “He has already proven to be a great addition to our team and will help us communicate our expertise to enhance our brand and reach new potential partners.”

Prior to joining Bernhard, Skrmetta previously served as the manager of marketing and communications for The National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) and communications officer at The University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Ocean Science and Engineering (SOSE). There, he was responsible for the overall communications of NCS4, SOSE, and the Homeland Security National Training Program (HSNTP). Skrmetta led multiple teams in creating brand strategies that cultivated and enhanced relationships with a global audience.

Skrmetta has a background in journalism and before transitioning into communications and marketing, was a reporter for the Pulitzer Prize-winning Sun Herald Newspaper in Gulfport, Mississippi. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in mass communication with a concentration in broadcast journalism from The University of Southern Mississippi.

David Amoss Joins Bernhard as Director of Business Development

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Bernhard’s Development Division announced today that David Amoss has been hired as a director of business development. Amoss will be based in Bernhard’s corporate headquarters in Metairie, Louisiana.

Amoss will utilize his expertise in energy and finance, developing Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) projects for Bernhard in Louisiana.

“David has the exact skill set for this role with his financial certifications and decades of experience,” said Rob Guthrie, executive vice president at Bernhard. “He is a proven leader and effective strategist, and he will provide excellent attention and service to our customers within our core Louisiana market.”

Before joining the Bernhard team, Amoss spent nearly 20 years in finance, research, and business development, most recently serving as head of midstream and downstream research at Heikkinen Energy Advisors in New Orleans. Prior to this, he was a research analyst covering the energy sector at Iberia Capital Partners and Scotia Howard Weil. Amoss was previously an economist with AECOM in Chicago and Sydney, Australia, focusing on front-end traffic and revenue modeling for transportation and energy projects.

Amoss holds a B.B.A. in international business from the University of Georgia, as well as the Series 7, 63, 86 and 87 licenses. He was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 2011 and served as president of the CFA Society of Louisiana. He lives in New Orleans with his wife Missy and their three children.

Altazan Promoted to Regional Director of Service Operations
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Bernhard is proud to announce that Lorie Altazan has been promoted to regional director of service operations. Based out of the company’s Baton Rouge office, Altazan’s skill and expertise in the industry will be used to support Bernhard’s regional operations.

In his former role of business unit manager, Altazan utilized his proficiency in unit supervision and direction to generate a record amount of success for the firm’s Baton Rouge office, which reported 200% market growth in the last three years.

“Over the past three years, Lorie has proven to be an invaluable member of our company,” said Michael Cooper, executive vice president at Bernhard. “His strategic leadership and direction have helped us achieve substantial growth throughout his tenure at Bernhard, and we are thrilled to have his support across the region.”

As regional director of service operations, Altazan will continue to be responsible for the leadership and coordination of various service processes within the Baton Rouge market, as well as oversee regional operations in the Texas market including Dallas, Houston and Midland.

Bernhard, Midland Health Execute 15-Year Energy Asset Concession Arrangement

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Bernhard and Midland Health announced today a 15-year energy asset concession arrangement which will address significant capital renewal, deferred maintenance, and energy optimization priorities at Midland Health’s main and west campuses. The transaction, which marks the continuation of a 10+-year old working relationship between Bernhard and Midland Health, will deliver substantial upfront cash and year-over-year cost savings to the health system.

“We are thrilled to continue building our partnership with Midland Health,” said Bernhard’s Vice President of Business Development Rob Guthrie. “Bernhard’s Energy-as-a-Service program will create notable cost savings for the hospital system, enabling Midland to continue to enhance its patient care and better serve the community.”

The improvements to Midland Health facilities will generate a minimum of $664,000 in annual utility cost savings guaranteed by Bernhard. Once the improvements have been made, the health care facility will join an A-rated peer group comprised of Ochsner Health, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, East Alabama Medical Center and several other southeastern health systems that have each executed recent agreements with Bernhard.

“Bernhard has long been a trusted partner to Midland Health,” said Midland Health Senior Vice President COO/CFO Stephen Bowerman. “Advancing our partnership through an Energy Asset Concession Arrangement just made sense.  This transaction aligned with Bernhard’s expertise will provide significant improvements to our utility plant, provide long term energy efficiency and position the hospital to continue to provide high quality care to Midland and our surrounding community for years to come.”

Bernhard’s innovative energy asset concession program transfers the risk of energy asset renewal to Bernhard over the full 15-year term, eliminating over $3 million from Midland Health’s future budgets. At the conclusion of the agreement, the energy assets are to be handed back to Midland Health in good working order and at no cost to Midland Health. The agreement represents another milestone in Bernhard’s extensive history in Texas, following more than 100 energy optimization projects across the state with nearly 40 healthcare entities.

To learn more about the project, click here.

Bernhard, East Alabama Medical Center Enter Into Partnership

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Bernhard and East Alabama Medical Center (EAMC) have announced a 30-year energy asset concession agreement involving the right to use, maintain and renew EAMC’s energy infrastructure over a 30-year term. The project also provides for upfront energy optimization improvements, substantial projected annual energy savings, and a significant upfront cash payment to EAMC.

“We are eager to work with EAMC’s two hospitals to serve the east Alabama area,” said Bernhard’s Vice President of Business Development Rob Guthrie. “Our partnership will empower EAMC to focus its energy and resources on its core mission of providing high-quality, compassionate health care. We are proud to offer our expertise to deliver and sustain a win-win outcome for the next 30 years.”

The upfront improvements to infrastructure will address a backlog of deferred maintenance at EAMC, including upgrades to chilled water, tower water, heating water, and steam systems, as well as air handling units, building controls and electrical infrastructure. Bernhard will also install a heat pump chiller heater, optimize procedure rooms, install LED lighting and facilitate retro-commissioning of the building’s automation system. These upgrades will create efficiencies and improvements in the facility’s operation and also result in energy savings.

“We are excited to partner with Bernhard on this long-term project and appreciate their critical role in helping EAMC allocate scarce capital resources for the things we need most to take the best possible care of patients,” said Sam Price, EAMC’s Chief Financial Officer.

The transaction with EAMC marks a continuation of Bernhard’s work in Alabama, which includes decades of completed projects for clients such as The University of Alabama, Auburn University, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Providence Hospital, St. Vincent’s Health System and more.

About EAMC

East Alabama Medical Center is a 340-bed regional referral hospital located in Opelika that serves a nine-county area.  The EAMC organization includes EAMC-Lanier hospital in Valley; between the two hospitals and their collective service lines, there are about 3,500 employees in the organization.  EAMC is the second largest employer in the region, trailing only Auburn University. Among the services that EAMC provides are open-heart surgery and cancer treatment, both of which are highly acclaimed specialties at EAMC. The hospital also operates multiple physician practices and the Auburn University Medical Clinic.  EAMC is in the process of building a Freestanding Emergency Department and Ambulatory Surgery Center in neighboring Auburn. EAMC-Lanier has a nursing home, acute rehab unit, and offers occupational medicine.  For more information, visit www.eamc.org.

 

Lew Derbes Joins Bernhard as Chief Financial Officer

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Bernhard is excited to announce that Lewis (Lew) Derbes has joined the company as Bernhard’s new Chief Financial Officer. A CPA with more than 20 years of experience in finance and accounting, Lew is a proven executive with expertise in financial management and administration.

Lew joins the Bernhard team after six years in the role of CFO at HRI Properties, a New Orleans-based real estate development firm with a portfolio of 25 mixed-use, and retail properties across 12 cities. During this time, he helped to expand the firm’s portfolio to eight new cities while improving internal controls and leading implementation of a new enterprise resource management software. Prior to this role, Lew served as CFO and Treasurer of Stewart Enterprises, the second largest publicly traded death care company in the United States, until its acquisition in late 2013. Lew’s experience in project financing and structuring will be valuable in shaping the development and financing of Bernhard’s Energy-as-a-Service projects.

Lew holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Notre Dame and is a dedicated alumnus. He is an active member of the New Orleans community, holding leadership positions for multiple not-for-profit and social organizations. Lew is also a member of the New Orleans Society of Certified Public Accountants, the Louisiana Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Lew will be based in Bernhard’s headquarters in Metairie, Louisiana.

Bernhard and ProStar Announce National Agreement with HealthTrust

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NEW ORLEANS, LA. (Feb. 18, 2020) – Bernhard and ProStar Energy Solutions (ProStar) announced today an agreement with HealthTrust to offer Energy-as-a-Service solutions to member hospitals and health systems nationwide. The agreement offers HealthTrust members a comprehensive choice of services including engineering design, construction, operations & maintenance and financing that are designed to reduce energy consumption.

“The Bernhard ProStar team has an innovative and valuable service offering that aligns perfectly with HealthTrust’s mission of improving operational excellence through total spend efficiency,” said Ed Jones, HealthTrust President and CEO. “We are excited to welcome them and look forward to the benefits that their Energy-as-a-Service solutions will bring to our membership.”

Bernhard currently works with nearly 1,400 hospitals nationwide, with healthcare facilities making up more than half of its Energy-as-a-Service operations. This agreement marks a decisive expansion in this space. Already, the firm calculates savings of $50 million in operating expenses every year for the healthcare facilities it serves.

“I am certain this first-of-a-kind agreement will prove beneficial to countless healthcare providers and the communities they serve,” said Bernhard CEO Ed Tinsley. “The unique capabilities of the Bernhard ProStar team are proven to reduce operating costs, enhance resiliency and reliability, transfer risk, and improve the bottom line.”

ProStar has more than 30 years of experience and has completed over 10,000 projects focused on energy optimization and sustainability, through lighting and solar solutions. ProStar is currently one of three LED vendors to provide lighting audit and design services, lighting product procurement, labor and installation services, and energy rebate administration to the members of HealthTrust. ProStar and Bernhard are currently delivering an Energy-as-a-Service project for AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

“We have a long history with Bernhard and are excited about this new opportunity to share our turnkey solutions in the healthcare sector with HealthTrust’s diverse membership,” said Jerry Jones Jr, ProStar Chairman.

To learn more, visit ProStarEnergy.com and HealthTrustPG.com.

Celebrating Bernhard’s Nashville Office

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On October 10, Bernhard employees and clients gathered to celebrate the opening of the company’s first integrated office located in Nashville, Tennessee. The new office houses staff from each division — development, engineering, construction, and energy solutions.

“The decision to open an integrated office in Nashville is a key step in our business growth strategy,” says Ed Tinsley, Chief Executive Officer of Bernhard. “We’ve had the privilege of serving the Nashville market for 10 years. Nashville is one of the fastest growing cities in America, and this office solidifies our strong foundation as we continue supporting this great community and grow our presence in Tennessee.”

The reception was held at City Winery and included live music, food, drinks, and fellowship. The event was sponsored by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, and Ashley Davidson, Director of Investment Engagement, welcomed Bernhard and its Energy-as-a-Service offerings to the city. Rusty Mullen, CEO of Bernhard TME and Bernhard Energy, and Philip Catanzaro, President of Bernhard MCC, also shared their gratitude and excitement with the crowd.

Bernhard’s companies have a long history and strong foundation of clients in the Nashville area. The new, integrated Bernhard office brings together our staff to ensure streamline communication and encourage innovation and collaboration across business units.