Time Agenda
9:00 am Continental Breakfast
9:30 am Introductions
Presentations
12:00 pm Lunch will be provided for all registered attendees*
Presentations
3:30 pm Closing with Networking Reception* to immediately follow
*Tours of the Wright Center for Photovotaics Innovation and Commercialization will be available during lunch and the networking reception.
Presentation Topics
An Introduction to Millennium Reign Energy, Manufacturer of Hydrogen Infrastructure
Products
Ben Babian, Chief Operating Officer, Residential Hydrogen Power
Industry Unveiled: Mapping the Hydrogen Economy
Kevin Cranick, Economic Research Manager, Workforce Intelligence Network / SEMCA
Polymer Composite Pipes for Hydrogen Transmission
Jeff Ellis, Senior Technology Leader, EWI
Developing a Workforce for Ohio's Hydrogen Economy
Mark Henning, Research Supervisor, Midwest Hydrogen Center of Excellence and
Cleveland State University
Bridging the Skills Gap: The H2Skills Approach to Hydrogen Workforce Development
Rebecca Kreuzer, Advisor and Team Lead, Pacific Northwest National Lab, Energy
and Environment
Title TBD
Kirk Miller, Process Engineering Manager, Cenovus Energy
Liquid Hydrogen Training: Case Studies Using Different Learning Modalities
Matt Moran, Managing Member, Moran Innovation LLC
Hydrogen Fuel Cell in Public Transit
Clayton Popik, Director of Development and Special Projects, Stark Area Regional
Transit Authority (SARTA)
DLZ’s Hydrogen Projects
Ram Rajadhyaksha, Executive Vice President, DLZ Corporation
Bruce Bauchmire, Director of Renewable Energy Services, DLZ Corporation
Understanding Hydrogen: From Production Methods to Color Codes
Cole Reed, Operations Superintendent, Linde
Workforce Development with H2EDGE: Fostering Collaboration, Increasing Training, and
Assessing Needs
Krystal York, Senior Engineer, Low-Carbon Resources Initiative, Electric Power
Research Institute
The Next Generation of Hydrogen Production and the Talent Needed to Get There
Alex Zorniger, Chief Commercial Officer, Power to Hydrogen
Ben Babian
Ben Babian is the Chief Operating Officer of Millenium Reign Energy since April of
2022. He obtained a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Kettering University,
and has 23 years of Tier 1 Automotive Experience. Formally head of Global Supply
Chain for Inteva Products- Interiors Product Line, making interiors for GM, PACCAR,
DTNA, Daimler, BMW, Tesla, and others. At Millennium Reign Energy / Residential Hydrogen
Power, Ben oversees operations and engineering. He is actively designing and organizing
the corporate structure that will be needed to support the business. Ben organized
and oversaw the build and installation of a hydrogen production and fueling station
at an Ohio Global Car OEM. That station has now completed in excess of 3500 fueling
events of both test FCEVs (Fuel cell electric vehicles) and production FCEVs. That
product went from concept to installed and operational in 13 months.
Bruce Bauchmire
Bruce is Director of Renewable Energy Services at DLZ Corporation, an architecture
and engineering firm headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. With 900+ employees across 30
offices throughout the Midwestern United States, Latin America, and Asia, the firm
is ranked #143 on Engineering News-Record’s Top 500 Design Firms. DLZ also owns and
operates several hydropower projects in India. Bruce is responsible for the design
and construction of a hydrogen generation and refueling station, installing a solar
system, finances of the hydropower operations, assessing the economics of new projects,
procuring financing for new projects, liaising with investors, and serving as the
project manager of the hydrokinetic turbine and pump development.
Kevin Cranick
Kevin Cranick serves as an Economic Research Manager for the Workforce Intelligence
Network (WIN), specializing in strategic workforce development research and statistical
analyses. With extensive experience in stakeholder engagement, Kevin has a proven
track record of bringing diverse groups together to achieve common goals. His expertise
also includes data visualization and presentation, ensuring complex research findings
are communicated clearly and effectively. Kevin received his undergraduate degree
from Lake Superior State University and his MBA from the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
Jeff Ellis
Dr. Ellis has been studying the interactions of polymeric materials with their surrounding
environment since 2004. During this time, he has consulted for many companies in consumer
products, health care, military, automotive, aerospace, and energy. Many of these
projects utilized his expertise in polymer processing, joining, selection, failure
analysis with solution implementation, testing, degradation, and accelerated aging.
Recently, he was principal investigator on a U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline
and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration-funded studied titled, "Investigating
the Integrity Impacts of Hydrogen Gas on Composite/Multi-Layered Pipe." He has 14
patents, 18 peer-reviewed publications, and has given more than 50 domestic and international
conference presentations.
Mark Henning
Mark Henning is Research Supervisor at Cleveland State University’s Energy Policy
Center, a role he also performs on behalf of the Midwest Hydrogen Center of Excellence,
a regional initiative for the advancement of hydrogen-based, zero-emissions infrastructure
in hard-to-abate sectors across the Midwest. His research focuses on the hydrogen
economy, microgrids, industrial decarbonization, Ohio hydrocarbon development, and
sustainable transportation. His current projects include research on behalf of the
Federal Transit Administration, JobsOhio, Stark Area Regional Transit Authority, Cuyahoga
Green Energy, and the City of Cleveland. He also collaborates on Cleveland State University’s
behalf with Battelle in support of the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub program.
He holds a BA in Economics, a Master of Public Administration, and an MS in Statistics,
all from Cleveland State University.
Rebecca Kreuzer
Dr. Rebecca Kreuzer is an advisor at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL),
where she leads projects at the intersection of science, policy, and the social dimensions
of energy technologies. Trained as a geologist and environmental geochemist, Rebecca
brings technical depth to a portfolio that has grown to include national-scale efforts
such as H2Skills, a hydrogen skilled & technical workforce development initiative,
as well as a variety of regulatory or subsurface characterization projects supporting
energy systems like geothermal and in-situ recovery uranium mining. She specializes
in coordinating multidisciplinary teams and translating complex technical work into
approaches that are responsive to societal needs, policy priorities, and regulatory
frameworks.
Kirk Miller
Bio Coming Soon!
Matt Moran
Matt Moran is the Managing Member at Moran Innovation LLC, and previous Managing Partner
at Isotherm Energy. He's been developing power and propulsion systems for more than
40 years; and first-of-a-kind gas, slush, and liquid hydrogen systems since the mid-1980s.
Matt was also the Sector Manager for Energy & Materials in his final position at NASA
where he worked for 31 years. He's been a cofounder in seven technology-based startups;
and provided R&D, engineering, and innovation consulting to several hundred organizations.
Matt has three patents and more than 50 publications including his online Cryogenic
Fluid Management guide and Decarbonizing Mobility with Liquid Hydrogen SAE report.
He has created and taught liquid hydrogen courses, webinars, and workshops to global
audiences. Matt also writes about liquid hydrogen on his LH2 Era™ blog.
Clayton Popik
Clayton came on board with SARTA in October 2021 after 17 years with PARTA where he
began his transit career as a student Operator while attending Kent State University.
Clayton completed his Master’s degree in Urban Planning before taking on more managerial
roles in the Operations and Planning Departments where he oversaw all aspects of route
scheduling and design. Clayton’s dedication and passion to public transit earned
him the 2021 Ohio Public Transit Association’s Four Under Forty Award.
Ram Rajadhyaksha
Ram Rajadhyaksha is Executive Vice President and a second-generation family owner
of DLZ, a minority- and family-owned engineering consulting firm headquartered in
Columbus, Ohio. With 17 years of experience in the A/E/C industry, he leads DLZ’s
growth initiatives, including mergers, acquisitions, and expansion into emerging markets
such as renewable energy and hydrogen fueling. A licensed Professional Engineer in
Ohio and Michigan, Ram is committed to advancing sustainable energy systems for the
built environment. DLZ’s team of over 1,000 professionals works across the country
to design innovative, future-ready engineering solutions.
Cole Reed
Cole brings extensive experience in hydrogen plant operations and engineering leadership.
A graduate of Case Western Reserve University, he began his career at the Toledo Hydrogen
Plant and later supported multiple hydrogen sites as an Engineer at the Remote Operations
Center. He also served as Plant Manager at a hydrogen facility in Washington State
before returning to Toledo to lead operations. His diverse experience across multiple
facilities and technical disciplines makes him a valuable contributor to the field.
Krystal York
Krystal York is a Senior Engineer at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
and a member of the Low-Carbon Resources Initiative (LCRI) technical team. She is
the co-principal investigator for the Hydrogen Education for a Decarbonized Global
Economy (H2EDGE) initiative, which is a program currently aimed at preparing the emerging
hydrogen industry workforce through a combination of professional development activities
and targeted instruction at the university level. She also co-leads the Environmental
Aspects and Safety Technical Subcommittee, in which she leads the community engagement
and workforce development work within the initiative. Prior to joining EPRI, Krystal
received her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Western Michigan University.
Alex Zorniger
Alex Zorniger is the Chief Commercial Officer at Power to Hydrogen (P2H2). P2H2 is
a columbus-based startup working to bring down the cost of clean hydrogen and reduce
CO2 emissions across the globe. The company has raised over $25M from investors and global
governments and has deployed the technology in pilots with industry leaders like American
Electric Power, Shell, and more. Prior to Power to Hydrogen, Zorniger has nearly a
decade of experience helping startups scale up and large corporates develop more sustainable
products. He received his undergraduate degree from Tufts University and an MBA from
Ohio State University.
Building: Nitschke Technology Commercialization Complex
Room: Brady Center
Once registrants enter their parking information, they will be granted an "A" Parking Permit for the date of the event. Guests will be able to park in any "A" Permit parking area on June 26, 2025. All vehicles must be parked with their license plate facing the drive aisle to avoid a ticket. If guests park in any metered space, those spaces do require payment for that specific area. Guests may not park in any reserved or patient parking areas. Guests must have a valid ADA placard and a valid parking permit to park in marked ADA spaces. Event parking is in Area 20(bottom right corner on campus map below).
Vehicle Registration
For event questions, please contact:
Mark Mason at Mark.Mason@UToledo.edo;
Sujata Shetty at Sujata.Shetty@UToledo.edu; or
Lesley Berhan at Lesley.Berhan@UToledo.edu.
