Aileen Tracy takes the helm of new conservation, energy efficiency non-profit organization
The Four Corners Office for Resource Efficiency or “4CORE” promotes energy efficiency, conservation and more. Until last month, it was more a concept than a reality. With the hiring of Aileen Tracy, however, “The Power to Conserve is Ours.”
The concept has been in the offing for nearly two years, but in the spirit of “good things come to those who wait,” the fledgling non-profit has taken a concrete step toward permanence with the hiring of its first executive director – Aileen Tracy.
No one, including Tracy, argues that she’s got her work cut out for her, though as Mark Schwantes, director of corporate services at La Plata Electric Association (LPEA) noted, “Her enthusiasm, willingness and commitment to work with the local community to support and influence positive change in how we utilize our natural resources is exactly what is needed.”
Recognizing the potential energy crisis and global climate change, LPEA, the City of Durango and the San Juan Resource Conservation and Development Council planted the seeds for 4CORE, organizing the Energy Resource Efficiency Forum in Nov. 2006. The forum posed the question, “Shall the communities of southwest Colorado form an organization that would work cooperatively with individuals, businesses, utilities and governments to create measurable, meaningful improvements in energy and resource efficiency, consumption and cost?”
Nearly 100 participants, who represented a diverse cross-section of the community, from conservation organizations to the oil & gas industry, gave a guarded “thumbs up” to the concept, after learning more about efforts in Gunnison County/Crested Butte, where the Office of Resource Efficiency (ORE) has been up and running for now for five years.
Chris Morgan, CEO, Gunnison County Electric (GCE), and ORE Director Gesa Michel presented both successes and challenges faced – though the overriding sentiment is that the office is making a difference when it comes to sustainability in that region. GCE remains a key sponsor of the organization.
Morgan directly addressed the question – why would an electrical co-op, in the business of selling electricity, support an organization designed to conserve?
“We really believe if we lower our members’ electric bills, we teach our members how use our product… most effectively, and we teach people how to use energy more efficiently… we’re serving our constituency well,” said Morgan during the forum.
His sentiments were embraced by LPEA, which recently stepped forward as the first substantial underwriter of the new 4CORE with a $25,000 contribution. The City of Durango and La Plata County, with budgeted line items, are expected to soon follow suit, with additional private funding entities hovering in the wings.
“I thought, wow, the whole community is behind it,” said Tracy when she learned of the 4CORE director job search. “I saw it was such a divergent group… I’m so excited.”
Indeed, the City of Durango, and to a somewhat lesser extent, La Plata County, has already been progressive in “resource efficiency,” and continues to look at ways to improve sustainability in the community. LPEA is a leader among rural cooperatives in promotion (and sales) of “green power,” or energy from a renewable resource, as well as energy efficiency programs.
Months of planning followed the forum, including development of a business plan to help hone the focus of the group, and ensure that it doesn’t duplicate efforts already covered by other area non-profits.
“I think our community is going to fully embrace 4CORE,” said Greg Phillips, who crafted the business plan, the tagline “The Power to Conserve is Ours,” and now sits on its board of directors. “Having a one-stop shop for information, referrals and financial incentives will help increase the amount of energy efficiency and renewable energy activity around here.”
The New Face
As 4CORE’s new director, Aileen Tracy is on her third, fourth or perhaps fifth career, depending on how it’s sliced. Originally from New Jersey, where she grew up watching her single mother struggle to support four children on an administrative assistant’s salary, Tracy had a number of epiphanies – all confirming her commitment to hard work, education and broad-based acceptance of people, no matter their station in life.
With an undergraduate degree in psychology, she went on to secure her master’s in communications electronics while serving as a commissioned officer in the US Airforce. Her degree, as well as top secret security clearance, placed her in demand in the private sector when she chose to resign her commission to raise a family. Among other private sector positions, she had opportunity to work in the space program and on creation of the international microgravity space lab.
“I loved doing that, but it was time to move on,” she said, noting that she had been stationed in Colorado Springs (among other bases) while in the airforce, and Huntsville, Ala, where she worked for the space program, wasn’t where she wanted to raise her daughter. “I wanted to get back to Colorado.”
During Colorado’s high tech boom, Tracy was highly employable and thus successful in Denver’s job arena for the time it took to raise her daughter and send her off to Fort Lewis College. By the time the industry began to soften, Tracy was well on her way to completing a second master’s degree in environmental policy and management.
“I found a job in Albuquerque – executive director of the Rio Grande Nature Center,” said Tracy, noting that after the years of doing what she “needed” to do to pay the bills, she was now taking care “of what I really want to do now. Every day I went to work I saw owls, roadrunners, all kinds of wildlife. It was fun.”
She wasn’t looking for the 4CORE position, but the posting came across her email and she saw it as an opportunity to again return to Colorado – this time to Durango where her daughter had graduated from the Fort and joined the staff at Early Childhood Council of La Plata County.
“The recruiting and hiring of Aileen for the position of 4CORE executive director is fantastic for the members of La Plata Electric and all the folks who live in our area,” said LPEA’s Schwantes. “I believe she has what it will take to start up and, ultimately, make this organization the success that we all envisioned when we started this process many years ago.”
“Aileen brings strong systems-building and consensus-building skills to 4Core,” said Sue Morris, manager of neighborhood services at Three Springs and 4CORE board member. “We look to her to build a strong coalition and the framework for an organization delivering programs focused on resource conservation, energy efficiency and the use of clean, renewable sources of energy for our area.”
The challenge begins
Bringing an analytical and disciplined mind to the creation of a non-profit has allowed Tracy and 4CORE to now burst out of the proverbial gates at an accelerated clip. While she has dozens of ideas, Tracy has focused on three “do-able” programs while she builds her funding and volunteer base and staff. Because she is enthused, her days often stretch past 14 hours.
“Everyone is saying, you’re going to burn out,” said Tracy. “I’m on the honeymoon phase. If I get to the point where I feel like I’m going to burn out, I won’t be so crazed. And I’ll have enough support by then.”
Until which time funding allows for more staff, Tracy is it for 4CORE. At a recent meeting of the steering committee that had evolved from the initial energy efficiency forum, she took volunteer sign-ups and solicited pledge donations. The paperwork for the 501(c)(3) non-profit designation is in process, and her hope is to have that in place for donors to realize deductions for the 2008 tax year.
“I envision 4CORE as a central clearing house of consumer education and information,” said Three Springs’ Morris. “A vehicle for rebates and service programs for demand side management, a manager/monitor of the Climate Action Plan and a developer/manager of a Local Clean Energy Fund.”
From Tracy’s perspective, the rebate programs will happen first – chiefly because of Governor Bill Ritter’s initiatives. The “Insulate and Seal” effort is already underway, and she advises consumers who are upgrading insulation in their homes to investigate the program and secure a rebate of up to $300 from the state through 4CORE.
Second up is the Solar Thermal rebate program. Thanks to Greg Phillips, who submitted the grant request prior to Tracy’s hiring, 4CORE has secured a $25,000 grant from the Governor’s Energy Office, which must be matched, creating a pool of $50,000. In addition, LPEA also received a $25,000 grant for the same program, and has already matched it.
Homeowners who install a solar thermal system for heating hot water (not space heating) will be eligible for rebates from $750 to $3000. Rebates for those using natural gas will come via 4CORE. Those using electricity will tap the LPEA grant. The program is expected to be in place by September, and is not retroactive.
“This is designed to help people who may have considered installing solar thermal, but cannot because it’s still beyond their financial reach,” said Tracy. “”It’s designed to help with market transformation.”
In conjunction with the rebate program, 4CORE will administer LPEA’s “Weatherization” program, whereby those who conduct an energy audit of their homes are eligible for a $100 rebate.
Going forward, Tracy envisions 4CORE as an information clearing house for consumers, not only in energy efficiency, but with water and waste as well, ensuring the efficacy and reliability of, for example, a solar panel installation company. Whether that takes the form of an informational telephone number, in-depth web site, both and more, she doesn’t yet know, but it’s on the planning radar.
“A part of what I feel our job could be (at 4CORE) is to assure the community and the industry,” said Tracy, who, for lack of a better analogy, compared 4CORE to AAA in the hotel business. “So you’d know that if a supplier/contractor remained on 4CORE’s provider’s list, then the business would have met established criteria and followed specified guidelines.””
Key to 4CORE’s longevity is funding. Though Tracy is grateful for LPEA’s generous donation, it won’t last very long. Before she goes knocking on doors or applying for grants, however, she does want to make certain she has all her proverbial ducks in a row.
“I wouldn’t give money to something that wasn’t completely organized, unless it was seed money and I monitored the progress as our contributors are doing,” said Tracy, though she’s looking at only a week or two before she feels confident that all will be in good stead.
“Aileen has exceptional organizational skills and is doing a fantastic job doing the necessary, behind-the-scenes planning and detail work to get 4CORE started,” said Phillips. “I hope that as a result of 4CORE’s efforts, this region becomes recognized as a place where local governments, utility companies, businesses, environmental groups and the community work together to truly make a difference in conserving resources and protecting our environment.”
Though the web site is a work-in-progress, more can be learned about 4CORE at www.fourcore.org. To volunteer or contribute to the organization, contact Tracy at [email protected].
