Bryan Berry, CEM

Culture, innovation, and people. GFT is a successful, well-established firm that offers tremendous professional development opportunities while delivering innovative, economical solutions. They understand how a supportive environment makes every employee more effective.

I am part of the Valuation & Rates business line. I lead our efforts to grow our energy practice to help organizations, utilities, municipalities, and private industries focus on decarbonization of their operations. We help strategize, plan, and implement activities to increase energy efficiency and reduce emissions. We also have additional resources that can help with the design process.

I previously served as the director of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA’s) research and development division, where I was exposed to clean energy technologies, including transportation, buildings, renewable energy, smart grid, and other sector decarbonization. I had a front-row seat to developing, testing, commercializing, and launching new innovations. It was a unique experience that few energy professionals have, and I leverage that expertise to develop solutions.

Being a new employee, I have not yet had the opportunity to join an employee resource group. That said, I am a member of our Risk and Resilience Committee and our electric vehicle (EV) taskforce. These opportunities resonated with me because of my focus on decarbonization.

In addition to focusing on strategic Advisory Services, I had the opportunity to present two sessions at a national conference — one on the implications of decarbonization on the utility industry and the other on emerging energy technologies.

I believe that my work is integral in helping organizations address co₂ emission reduction goals and the long-term impacts of climate change. Severe weather has stressed our energy system to the point that it’s failing at a greater rate to deliver the services we all depend on. Smart design and deployment of clean energy technologies can help mitigate this stark reality.

One word: education — helping clients understand the intersection of decarbonization and resiliency. There’s a “light bulb” moment when organizations realize that reducing fossil fuels and turning to clean energy can have significant impacts on business continuity, employee health and satisfaction, and customer loyalty.

Never stop learning and growing. There’s always an opportunity to get better — in your career and your personal life. My philosophy is to be a sponge — keep learning, improve your professional skills, and strive to be a better parent and spouse.

The most valuable tool you can have in life is access to multiple perspectives and viewpoints. Diversity is critical. I’ve personally seen the consequences of not having diversity, leading to “groupthink.” Groupthink not only limits innovation and growth but can become inherently destructive. Firms must invest in a diverse workforce and promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

I enjoy spending time in the great outdoors. Some of my favorite activities include golfing, hiking, fishing, and coaching youth sports. I coach recreational and travel baseball and flag football for my son. The best part is seeing my son grow as a teammate and young man.

I have a wonderful partner and spouse, Sarah, and I am a proud father of two little humans, Charlotte, 13, and Everett, 11. My favorite family tradition is “cookies and bookies” each Sunday, where we all assemble in our family room to read and eat cookies for breakfast.

When I was much younger, I took a canoeing trip from Albany to New York City down the Hudson River. Unfortunately, we hit a bad storm in Yonkers and sank before we reached our destination, but it was still a great trip!

Taking a drive and listening to a podcast never fails me. Some of my go-to podcasts right now are “This American Life,” “Heavyweight,” “Radiolab,” “Revisionist History,” and “Handsome.”