Our Team

Tony is a proven leader with over 30 years in the retail and wholesale energy markets. He has served in various roles in Executive Management, Sales, Regulatory and General Management. As a result, he has dedicated his career to assisting utilities, industrial and commercial customers manage energy requirements enabling them to reduce costs and mitigate risk.

Tony has in-depth experience on both the supply side as well as the advisory side of the business. Tony helped co-found and grow a regional retail energy supplier that was ultimately acquired by a larger supplier. He also helped build an energy brokerage company as a member of the leadership team. Consequently, he tripled the company’s energy procurement revenues while broadening its service offerings as well as later positioning the company for acquisition at 18x EBITDA. More recently, Tony helped lead an Australian energy software company’s US entry by establishing organic sales while acquiring an energy efficiency rebate management firm. Under his leadership, the firm went from negative to positive earnings in less than a year.

Tony holds a Bachelors in Business Administration from The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business. He is also a past board member of TEAM (Texas Energy Association of Marketers) and a current board member of Madison Energy Cooperative.

Nicole “Nikki” Brown joined the EnerConnex team in June 2021, from Electrasource Advisors, where she was the Director of Pricing and Operations. She has over 12 years’ experience within the energy industry.  She began her career back in 2008 with Gulf States Energy (GSE), as a Sales Coordinator and Pricing Analyst. Her extensive knowledge and experience within ERCOT markets have helped her excel in various way throughout her career.  Nicole’s highly committed, adaptable, organized, and energetic personality have helped her possess an extraordinary skill for results and success in her career.

Brianne is a Senior Operations Analyst who joined the EnerConnex team in early 2023, previously with Reflective Energy Solutions. During her 13 years with Reflective Energy Solutions as the Director of Operations, Brianne’s primary responsibility was to oversee the day-to-day operations of the sales team. As such, she played a critical role in ensuring sales targets were met and that the sales team operated efficiently and effectively. Her role involved managing and optimizing the sales process, improving sales performance and enhancing customer satisfaction.

Brianne is a graduate of Quinnipiac University with a BA in Finance. She currently resides in New Jersey with her family and their newest four-legged rescue.

Eric Davis has worked in the energy industry for over 10 years and is committed to partnering with clients to apply strategic commercial and industrial energy solutions to their operations. Prior to joining the EnerConnex team and the energy industry, Eric worked in commercial property management for many years. Eric currently resides in Canton, Ohio, “Home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame”. When he is not assisting others with their energy needs, he enjoys watching sports and traveling to new places.

Tom Dufraine joined the SJI family in mid-2019. He has a background in education administration, where he managed charter schools and earned two Masters degrees, all while raising twins. Tom was part of Applied Energy Partners for 9 years prior to transitioning over to the EnerConnex team in his current role. Tom’s technology savvy, organizational skills and natural affinity for other people have made a huge contribution to the company’s remarkable growth. He is one of the client-facing keystones of our successful auction process.

Rick Gallagher, (Vice President, Sales & Business Development) has served in various capacities throughout his 16-year career at SJI including, solar and renewable development, energy efficiency, marketing, retail energy, and utility sales. Rick has experience negotiating and contracting with large industrials, universities, hospitals and municipalities.

These experiences shaped Rick’s belief that the best way to service a valued customer base was to act as their agent in finding the most cost effective, reliable energy opportunities. As a result, he initiated SJI fully acquiring EnerConnex in 2020 to grow SJI’s energy consulting business.

Rick graduated from Denison University and later received his Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law. His charitable involvement includes, Meals on Wheels, Covenant House, Harvey Avenue Super Bowl Food Drive, and keeping the considerable ego of his daughter Mackenzie in check. Physically residing in Doylestown, PA, Rick enjoys live music, backpacking, snowboarding, mountain biking and considers the entire country his home.

Jim Hooven is responsible for advising businesses in the Northeast on the energy solutions and strategies provided by EnerConnex.

Prior to joining the EnerConnex team, Jim was a member of the leadership teams at Profit Point Inc., Clutch Holdings and Delaware Valley Urology. Jim was responsible for leading high-performing teams in customer service, operations, account management and business development.

For the better part of the past 11 years, Jim has been advising brands on marketing strategies to better understand their customers and increase revenue. Jim enjoys partnering with business owners to incorporate strategic energy plans that allow them to lay out clear budgets and reduce costs.

When Jim is not with our customers, he can most likely be found on the field or court coaching one of his children. He enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids, and watching Philly sports teams.

Kelly Irving has been in the sales/account management field for the past ten years and has worked in the energy consulting world for the past 2015. Her current role is Senior Account Executive for EnerConnex. Kelly earned her bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Louisville. After graduation, she worked for a small national intermodal management company, traveling throughout the nation and working with many different customers.

This experience helps her in working with the many industry sectors available, as she has a broad knowledge of them. Kelly has customers that are based in the restaurant and hospitality, manufacturing, printing, paper, concrete, transportation and chemical fields. She helps them to manage energy budgets, establish and maintain buying strategies, and improve energy efficiency. Kelly currently resides in Monmouth County, NJ with her four-legged animals and believes in supporting local businesses.

Janet is an energy industry veteran with 36 years of experience in the electricity and natural gas markets. She has been involved in utility rate/tariff design, energy efficiency program implementation, de-regulation rule setting, regulatory compliance and most importantly electricity and natural gas procurement.

Janet began her career working for Boston Edison (now known as Eversource Energy) where she learned the intricacies of the retail energy markets including; pricing design, regulatory compliance, energy efficiency programs along with the workings of unregulated subsidiaries. In 2001, she joined SmartEnergy, an electricity supply leader in the early days of deregulation. It was here that Janet became versed in electricity and natural gas procurement. In 2004, Janet joined World Energy Solutions as a Market Director. During her 12 years with World Energy Solutions, Janet procured energy for customers in the NY, New England, PJM, Texas and Canadian markets. She handled one of the largest back office operations books in the industry while implementing a proactive, educational, and customer-centric procurement practice.

Alex Mazzo is a marketing professional with a background in communications, project management, and social media marketing. Her skills include creating compelling content and managing projects from start to finish, helping brands communicate more effectively and engage their audiences. Beyond her professional life, Alex is passionate about volunteering for community initiatives in Atlantic City and relaxing with friends and family on the beach in her hometown of Brigantine, NJ.

Erin McAfee is an experienced marketing professional with a demonstrated history of working in the deregulated energy industry for the past 6 years. Skilled in event marketing, lead management & generation and email marketing, Erin works closely with the EnerConnex sales team to help them succeed.  

Prior to joining the team in 2015, Erin graduated from The Pennsylvania State University, where she played Division 1 Lacrosse and was highly involved with THON, one of the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. She is a New Jersey native, and enjoys spending time with her family, husband, Mike and chocolate lab, Stanley.

Vitana is an established leader in the retail energy industry with 20 years of experience. She has marketed energy commodity products and services to large C&I customers. She has worked with Fortune 500 companies in developing customized strategies for energy procurement, demand side management, along with energy efficiency planning and implementation.

Prior to joining EnerConnex, Vitana worked in various roles at World Energy Solutions. Since beginning here, she was an integral part of World Energy’s evolution into one of the largest energy brokerage companies in the country. Vitana directed the company’s new market entrance program, while transacting over 50 TWh in energy contracts. As a Market Director over the PJM, MISO, NYISO, CAISO and ERCOT markets, her extensive market expertise enabled her to drive customer success by taking advantage of market opportunities while advocating on behalf of the client.

Eric is an accomplished retail energy sales leader with 26 years of experience in developing long-term business-to-business relationships. Additionally, he has worked in numerous leadership roles for energy suppliers as well as brokerage companies. All while maintaining one of the largest books of business in the industry. Areas of expertise include; electricity and natural gas procurement, energy conservation, demand response, and distributed generation.

Eric began his career at Enron Energy Services working in various sales roles. As Director of Sales, he was responsible for growing new and emerging markets as well as maximizing electricity & natural gas market share. Eric joined Energy Gateway in 2002 where he was a Managing Partner & Vice President. Eric was instrumental in helping to build the company. He also contributed to creating one of the first online exchanges for electricity and natural gas transactions. In 2007 Energy Gateway was acquired by World Energy Solutions. During his 8 years at World Energy Solutions, Eric was VP of Sales where he continued in developing relationships with his customers – some of whom he had worked with for over a decade and a half.

Eric firmly believes in taking care of the customer which has translated into firm and longstanding relationships over the years. He has brought this same customer-centric approach with him to EnerConnex.

Eric Pierce has been in the energy industry since 2010. In his role as energy consultant, Eric provides energy advisory services for industrial and national accounts to implement long term energy strategies. Eric graduated from Elmhurst College with a Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing. Eric resides in the Chicago suburbs.

Matt is a retail energy sales leader with more than 15 years of experience developing long-term business-to-business relationships. Areas of expertise include electricity and natural gas procurement, energy conservation, and demand response.

Matt began his retail energy career in December of 2010 for Reflective Energy Solutions working primarily the NE Ohio and surrounding PJM markets. He was responsible for growing a newly deregulated electricity market by helping his customers make sound energy decisions for their businesses. Matt’s philosophy on relationship-based selling and commitment to provide value and honesty has helped him build a customer base with one of the highest retention rates in the industry. Matt joined the EnerConnex team in January of 2023 and has brought this same customer-first approach.

Matt lives near Canton, Ohio with his 15-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter. When he’s not working, he’s driving his kids to one of their sporting or social events. If he’s not taxiing them, he’s probably running, golfing, or refilling his gas tank.