Join the North Piedmont Chapter for an open roundtable discussion with not one, but two former ASHRAE Society Presidents. The discussion will be about major headwinds, tailwinds and megatrends facing the commercial HVAC industry. Lunch will be provided. Here is a little background about our distinguished speakers:

Thomas Phoenix is currently working with Mechanical Contractors, LLC – a design/build HVAC contractor with offices in Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina. He previously worked as a Principal in two architectural/engineering firms for over 30 years. He has a B.S. degree in engineering from NC State University. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in North Carolina and six other States and has over 35 years of experience in the design, operation, and maintenance of building mechanical systems.

Mr. Phoenix has been an active member of ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers) since 1982, and was elevated to the grade of Fellow in 2011. He is an ASHRAE Presidential Member, having served as Society President in 2014-15. He previously served terms on ASHRAE’s Board of Directors as Society Treasurer, Society Vice President, as a Director at Large, and as Director and Regional Chairman of Region IV. His past ASHRAE activities also include serving as the Chair of ASHRAE’s Members Council, Chair of Publishing and Education Council, and as the Chair of numerous ASHRAE committees and task groups. Mr. Phoenix is an ASHRAE certified Building Energy Modeling Professional (BEMP).

Mr. Phoenix is the immediate past Chair of the Advanced Energy Design Guide Steering Committee, and a Co-Chair of the original ASHRAE Task Force for Building Decarbonization. He also currently serves as Vice Chair of the National Institute of Building Sciences.

Mr. Phoenix is active in his local community. He is a graduate of Leadership Greensboro, a member of the Leadership Greensboro Alumni Association and a past member of the Board of Trustees for the Greensboro Children’s Museum. He is a Charter Member and Past President of the Gate City Rotary Club. He served as a Committee Chairman for the Jimmy V Celebrity Golf Classic for Cancer Research for 19 years.He is married to the former Rebecca Champion, and he and Becky have two children.

Thomas Phoenix is currently working with Mechanical Contractors, LLC – a design/build HVAC contractor with offices in Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina. He previously worked as a Principal in two architectural/engineering firms for over 30 years. He has a B.S. degree in engineering from NC State University. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in North Carolina and six other States and has over 35 years of experience in the design, operation, and maintenance of building mechanical systems.

Mr. Phoenix has been an active member of ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers) since 1982, and was elevated to the grade of Fellow in 2011. He is an ASHRAE Presidential Member, having served as Society President in 2014-15. He previously served terms on ASHRAE’s Board of Directors as Society Treasurer, Society Vice President, as a Director at Large, and as Director and Regional Chairman of Region IV. His past ASHRAE activities also include serving as the Chair of ASHRAE’s Members Council, Chair of Publishing and Education Council, and as the Chair of numerous ASHRAE committees and task groups. Mr. Phoenix is an ASHRAE certified Building Energy Modeling Professional (BEMP).

Mr. Phoenix is the immediate past Chair of the Advanced Energy Design Guide Steering Committee, and a Co-Chair of the original ASHRAE Task Force for Building Decarbonization. He also currently serves as Vice Chair of the National Institute of Building Sciences.

Mr. Phoenix is active in his local community. He is a graduate of Leadership Greensboro, a member of the Leadership Greensboro Alumni Association and a past member of the Board of Trustees for the Greensboro Children’s Museum. He is a Charter Member and Past President of the Gate City Rotary Club. He served as a Committee Chairman for the Jimmy V Celebrity Golf Classic for Cancer Research for 19 years. He is married to the former Rebecca Champion, and he and Becky have two children.

Charles E. Gulledge III, P.E., HBDP, LEED AP, Fellow ASHRAE, was ASHRAE’s President for the 2020-21 term. His theme for the 2020-21 ASHRAE Society Year was “The ASHRAE Digital Lighthouse and Industry 4.0.” Gulledge previously served on the ASHRAE Board of Directors as president-elect, treasurer, vice president and director-at-large.

For his time and dedication to ASHRAE and the industry, he is the recipient of numerous awards including the Exceptional Service Award, Distinguished Service Award, Chapter Service Award, Regional Award of Merit, two ASHRAE Technology Awards and the Dan Mills Technology Award.

In addition to his time served on the Board of Directors, Gulledge has served as chair of Members Council and the President-Elect Advisory Committee, chair of the Finance Committee, chair of the Standards Membership Ad Hoc Committee, chair of the Development Committee for Fundraising, and as an ASHRAE Distinguished Lecturer. He has held ASHRAE Society-level leadership roles on many standing committees, technical committees, and presidential ad hoc committees.

In addition to his contributions to ASHRAE, Gulledge’s career in HVAC spans over 37 years. He entered the industry as an engineer-in-training with Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas, working on transit system infrastructure, vehicular tunnels, and moveable swing-span bridges. Over his career, he has served the built world in the roles of a consulting engineer, municipal owner, and design-build contractor. Gulledge is currently the Director of Engineer - Construction with Environmental Air Systems, LLC. He is registered as a professional engineer in the states of North Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Alabama and Virginia.

Gulledge’s comprehensive design, construction and operational portfolio covers a variety of market sectors; including transportation, commercial, educational, institutional, lodging, sports, mission critical, life sciences, healthcare, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, industrial, archival, historical, and hospitality.

Gulledge is a 1983 graduate of North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.