Crete United

our leadership

Bold visionaries &
community champions

Our leadership team brings together a diverse group of experienced professionals dedicated to driving energy efficiency and category growth. Always willing to roll up their sleeves and get the job done, they lead by example to foster a culture of collaboration. Each member of our team brings a wealth of expertise from various industries, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of our field. Together, they guide our organization toward a dynamic future, delivering exceptional value to our clients, partner companies, and communities.

EXECUTIVE TEAM

Mike CoxChief Executive Officer

Lead withPurpose

Michael Cox joined Crete United in 2022 as Chief Executive Officer to support the company’s growth and strategic vision. Michael brings over 28 years of leadership experience to Crete United and its partners. Before joining Crete United, Michael served as the CEO of Bilfinger North America, a global provider of industrial & commercial services. Prior to Bilfinger, he served as the President of Austin Industrial, a leading provider of industrial services.

A proud military veteran, Michael spent 13 years in the U.S. Navy as a Navy Diver and a member of the Underwater Construction Teams.

Michael earned his B.A. in Business Administration from Saint Leo University, his M.S. in Strategic Leadership from Michigan State University, and his MBA from The Citadel Military College.

Years of Experience28
Previous RoleCEOBilfinger Inc. North America
ResponsibilitiesLeads teams of 3,000+ guiding Crete to a $1B valuation
Phil FinleyEVP of Operations

Lead withPurpose

Phil Finley is the Executive Vice President of Operations at Crete United. He joined Crete United in 2023 to support the delivery of the company’s growth and strategic vision, bringing over 30 years of operational and business leadership experience. Prior to Crete United, Phil served as the Chief Operating Officer of Bilfinger Inc. in North America, a global provider of industrial and commercial services. Before Bilfinger and throughout his career, Phil led numerous successful company formations, transitions and expansions in the industrial services and construction sectors.

Phil was educated at the English School of Paris, France and Accrington & Rossendale College in the UK.

Years of Experience30+
Previous RoleCOOBilfinger Inc. North America
Responsibilities7.5% YoY increase in operational efficiency
Trae FletcherChief Financial Officer

Lead withPurpose

Trae Fletcher is the Chief Financial Officer of Crete United. He leads Crete United’s financial and accounting functions and provides strategic guidance in support of the company’s growth initiatives. Trae brings more than 15 years of finance experience across multiple industries. Before joining Crete United in 2023, Trae served as Vice President of Finance for American Tire Distributors (ATD), North America’s largest replacement tire distributor, where he oversaw treasury, investor relations, corporate finance and financial shared services. He was also Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis at ATD. Prior to ATD, Trae held financial roles at Lowe’s Company and Delhaize America.

Trae earned his B.A. in Economics from Davidson College and his MBA from Wake Forest University.

Years of Experience20+
Previous RoleVPof Finance, American Tire Distributors
ResponsibilitiesDoubled the number of integrated partners in first half of 2024
April SayerSVP of Sales & Marketing

Lead withPurpose

April Sayer joined Crete United in 2021 as the National Sales Director and was promoted to Vice President of Sales & Marketing in 2022. She now serves as the Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing and oversees Crete United’s sales and marketing teams, identifies sales targets and goals, and then brings together all the efforts needed to achieve them. She brings over 15 years of national sales experience in the MEP industry to Crete United and its partners. Prior to joining Crete United April worked for ABM Industries as a General Manager and then as the Regional Director of Energy Services.

Preceding her time at AMB Industries she was a senior account executive at Belfor Property Restoration and System Tech Services

Years of Experience20+
Previous RoleGMABM Industries
Responsibilities$970M in revenue growth over 4 years
Laura SteinbrinkPresident of Sustainability

Lead withPurpose

Laura has been leading project teams to discover and implement sustainability goals since 2008. She led Emerald’s growth to an internationally sought-after partner to owners and their architects and project teams. Laura excels at facilitating eco-charrettes and strategy sessions that align the owner’s business and financial objectives with their renovation, new construction, or ongoing operations projects. Guided by the firm’s core values of Constantly Raising the Bar and Cultivating the Team, clients look to her to help establish clear goals and strategies for project delivery.

Her experience spans heavy industry, retail, housing, commercial, education, medical facilities, and roads & bridges. Most recently, she led the firm’s development of its Sustainability Roadmap and Carbon Neutrality services for companies looking to enhance their performance and reporting.

Years of Experience16
Previous RoleCEOEmerald Built Environments
Responsibilities1,740 sustainable environments covering more than 52 million
sq feet
Jay LevinPresident of Energy Services

Lead withPurpose

Jay Levin is the President of Energy Services at Crete United. Before joining Crete United, he led renewable energy finance, development, and construction teams at two Fortune 500 investor-owned utilities in the northeast. He has been instrumental in adding over 1 GW of new solar energy generating capacity and battery energy storage to the grid across 16 states. With over 25 years of leadership experience in the renewable energy and pharmaceutical industries, Jay has a passion for delivering commercial energy solutions to the highest quality standards.

Jay holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from Penn State University, and an MBA in Finance from Temple University.

Years of Experience25
Previous RoleSVPRenewables at Crete United
Responsibilities30% reduction in customers’ energy usage; 65 GWh of new renewable generation;
1M+ utility bills paid annually.
James WoodwardSenior VP of of Human Resources

Lead withPurpose

James Woodward is Crete United’s Senior Vice President of Human Resources. He is responsible for aligning all human capital requirements with necessary employee resources; delivering solutions that optimize HR’s key deliverables including talent acquisition, retention, employee engagement, development, and total rewards. James brings more than 30 years of experience across multiple industries, including diversified industrials, big box and direct-to-consumer retail, and consumer products. Prior to joining Crete United, he was Chief Human Resources Officer at Gaia Herbs, Inc., a leading herbal supplements company. James has also held HR leadership roles with industry leading brands including Dentsply Sirona, Amazon and Lowe’s Company.

James earned his Bachelor’s degree from Wofford College and Master’s degree from the University of South Carolina.

Years of Experience25
Previous RoleCHROGaia Herbs
ResponsibilitiesIntegration of 38 partners onto internal platforms
Mike CoxChief Executive Officer
Phil FinleyEVP of Operations
Trae FletcherChief Financial Officer
April SayerSVP of Sales & Marketing
Laura SteinbrinkPresident of Sustainability
Jay LevinPresident of Energy Services
James WoodwardSenior VP of of Human Resources

CHANGE AGENTS

Dwight Abshire

Vice President of HSE

Kyle Greer

Vice President of Operations, East Region

Ron Gevry

Vice President of Operations, Central & West

Lia Bosma

Vice President of Integration

Jahmal Richards

Vice President of Accounting

Nick Miller

Vice President of Mergers & Acquisitions

Dan Muir

Vice President of Information Technology

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Lia Bosma

Vice President of Integration

An Example of

Challenging the status quo

Lia Bosma is Crete United’s Vice President of Integration. She leads Crete United’s partner onboarding and platform integration efforts. Lia has been leading post-acquisition integration programs for over a decade, enabling sustained growth and operational excellence. Lia brings to Crete United her experience in working with cross-functional teams to implement an end-to-end playbook that starts in the M&A process for new deals, includes developing platform post-close integration strategy and tailored plans for every acquisition, and executing roadmaps for platform systems implementations. Previously, she was the VP of Operations for Warren Equity Partners, a private equity firm investing in industrial and business services firms. Lia holds a BA and MA from the University of Chicago and an MBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Ron Gevry

Vice President of Mergers &
Acquisitions

An Example of

Challenging the status quo

Ron Gevry is the Vice President of Operations, Central and West Regions at Crete United. He joined Crete United in 2024, bringing 20 years of leadership experience. Prior to joining Crete United, Ron was Chief Operating Officer of Gunnison Company, a utility vegetation management services provider, integrating acquisitions and implementing operational processes. Before Gunnison, Ron was a Vice President at Williams Industrial Services, providing multi-trade construction and maintenance services to heavy industrial and power generation customers. Ron began his career as an Engineer Officer in the United States Army, leading teams in the US, Germany and during operational deployments.

Ron earned a B.S. from the United States Military Academy at West Point, and an MBA from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. He and his family live in the Atlanta, Georgia area.

Dan Muir

Vice President of Information
Technology

An Example of

Challenging the status quo

Dan joined Crete United as Vice President, IT. He has over 20 years of experience in strategy, information security, and mergers and acquisitions for PE/VC-backed firms. A U.S. Air Force veteran and F-16 combat pilot, he has been around the world developing high-performing teams, executing complex software and infrastructure projects, and driving cost savings. Prior to Crete United, as CTO and CISO at Archimedes, Dan played a key role in a $400 million acquisition and managed technology improvements that boosted EBITDA by over 600% in a four-year period. His previous roles include VP of Technology at Cotiviti, where he helped orchestrate a $4.9 billion acquisition, and VP of Technology Operations at Emdeon, achieving substantial revenue growth. Dan holds advanced degrees from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He enjoys biking, hiking, and traveling with his wife and two daughters.

Nick Miller

Vice President of Mergers &
Acquisitions

An Example of

Challenging the status quo

Nick Miller is the Vice President of M&A at Crete United. Before joining Crete United in 2023, Nick was an Investment Banking Associate at Piper Sandler, where he executed M&A transactions in the Business Services and Industrials sectors. Prior to his time at Piper Sandler, he served in the military for 10 years as a US Navy SEAL. Nick is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts and holds an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Jahmal Richards

Vice President of Accounting

An Example of

Challenging the status quo

Jahmal Richards is an accomplished accounting professional with a wealth of experience, currently serving as the Vice President of Accounting. With a proven track record of success, Jahmal has honed his skills through key roles at reputable organizations such as Masonite, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Optum, and CP Ships. Committed to continuous growth and development, Jahmal is currently enhancing his expertise through enrollment in the prestigious Columbia Business School Executive Education program. He holds an MBA from University of West Georgia and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of South Florida. He is also a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Pennsylvania.

Kyle Greer

Vice President – Operations, East

An Example of

Challenging the status quo

Kyle Greer is the Vice President of Operations, East Region at Crete United. He joined Crete United in 2023, bringing over 15 years of leadership experience. Prior to joining Crete United, Kyle was a Vice President of Portfolio Operations at Ridgemont Equity Partners, where he led operational improvement initiatives primarily within Ridgemont’s industrial growth sector. Before Ridgemont, Kyle was a consultant at McKinsey & Company, serving clients in the industrial services and manufacturing industries. Kyle began his career as an Infantry Officer in the United States Army, leading teams in the US and during operational deployments. Kyle earned a B.A. from the University of Mississippi and an MBA from Rice University. He and his family live in Charlotte, North Carolin

DWIGHT ABSHIRE

Vice President of Sustainability

An Example of

Challenging the status quo

Dwight is the Vice President of Health, Safety and Environment – Environmental, Social and Governance (HSE-ESG) at Crete United. He has more than 30 years of experience in domestic and international construction management. Before joining Crete United, Dwight was Vice President of Health, Safety, Environment and Quality (HSEQ) at Bilfinger North America and Corporate HSEQ Director at Bilfinger Westcon. Prior to Bilfinger, he served as Global Director of Engineering and Construction for CB&I and Global Director for Mining and Metals for Fluor. He started his career in refining and has held positions including project manager, operations manager, construction/technical services manager and various levels in health, safety, security, environment and quality.