Some of those projects include energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades at:
- Monroe County Community College – convert entire campus to geothermal
- City of BattleCreek, Michigan – Kellogg Arena, Full Blast Recreational Facility and Michigan Avenue Retail Space
- Alpena County – county-wide upgrades at Courthouse (historical building), offices, jail, pool, fairgrounds, police and fire
- Schools – Montcalm County Community College, Aquinas College, Farwell Area Schools, Mesick Consolidated Schools, Ovid-Elsie Area Schools, Schoolcraft College
- Award Winning Michigan Public Service Commission/Michigan Agency for Energy – PACE project
Team Bios
Diane E. Mills, CEM
President, Occupant Care, Inc.
She is a cofounder of the Michigan Chapter of the ESC (a private-public partnership) and currently serves as President. Mills is also a member of the West Michigan Sustainability Business Forum, the Association of Energy Engineers West Michigan chapter. She regularly speaks about alternative funding of energy efficiency projects for DTE, SPARK, WMEAC, MSBO, MASA and MCBOA and was recently videotaped by PACENow for a highly innovative project involving PACE and two state agencies, the Michigan Agency for Energy and the Michigan Public Service Commission. Mills has provided expert testimony to improve legislation that governs energy savings performance contracting in Michigan.
Occupant Care is focused on optimizing existing building environments and infrastructures to improve occupant productivity, reduce operating costs and improve the environment. Occupant Care provides consulting, design, implementation and assistance to building owners and occupants to identify financially feasible upgrades. Diane Mills leads the company and has vast experience in energy efficiency, renewable energy and project financing – with expertise in PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy Projects).
In fall 2014, Mills was nationally acclaimed at the WEEC (World Energy Engineering Congress) held in Washington DC, where she was awarded Certified Energy Manager of the Year, Region III by the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE). Five of Mills’ projects have received Economic Leadership in Energy Efficiency awards from the Michigan Economic Development Corp. and Energy Services Coalition (ESC) – MI Chapter. Mills has a B.S. Engineering from MSU and achieved CEM certification in 2010 from AEE. In the period of 2011 through 2016 Mills has successfully identified and implemented over $27M in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
Mills past employers include Hewlett Packard (8 years), Parametric Technology (5 years), a number of technology startups and Ameresco (7 years). During her tenure, Mills created and implemented enterprise solutions at Amway, Arvin Meritor, Eaton, Federal Mogul, General Dynamics, General Motors, Gulf Stream, Haworth, Herman Miller, Michigan State University, Microsoft, Spirit, Steelcase, Stryker, University of Michigan, Whirlpool and more.
Mills has successfully founded two other companies – US Tomorrow, a national children’s newspaper for which she won Celebrate Children PARENT- Honorable Mention Award from Grand Rapids Public Education Fund and Product Launch Services, a consulting company for startup companies, new product launches, companies with troubled markets and companies integrating sales and clients after acquisition.
Mills currently serves on the Grand Rapids Ballet Board of Directors and is the Secretary on the Executive Committee and volunteers at the Renucci House affiliated with Spectrum Health Foundation. She has been an avid volunteer serving in past positions as:
- Trustee, Forest Hills Educational Foundation for nine years and is a past President
- Student Advancement Foundation, Grand Rapids Public Schools, past MindShare committee
- Ronald McDonald House, Wish List Co-Chair
- Junior League of Grand Rapids, Past President
- Holy Name of Jesus, English as a Second Language instructor
- American Red Cross, Volunteer