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SJU alumnus Steve Yurek to speak on collaborative energy policy
February 6, 2012
Steve Yurek
Steve Yurek, president and CEO of the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) in Washington, D.C., will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, in room 204A, Gorecki Dining and Conference Center, College of Saint Benedict.
Yurek, a 1984 graduate of Saint John's University, will address the importance and tactics related to collaborative energy policy as well as the challenges he faces. The talk is free and open to the public.
The talk is part of the Mark Kennedy Frontiers of Freedom Lecture Series of the Eugene J. McCarthy Center for Public Policy and Civic Engagement at Saint John's University.
While at CSB and SJU, Yurek will also guest teach in various environmental classes.
AHRI is one of the largest trade associations in Washington, D.C. The association was formed as a result of the merger in 2007 of the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) and the Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association. As president and CEO, Yurek manages about 60 staff and oversees all operations of the association, which has more than 300 manufacturing members representing some $27 billion in annual sales volume. Largely due to Yurek's leadership, AHRI was awarded the "Super Nova of Energy Efficiency" award from the Alliance to Save Energy on Oct. 4, 2011.
Yurek was named president of the ARI in early 2007. Prior to that, he served for a year as chief operating officer and general counsel. Yurek joined ARI in 2002 as general counsel and, subsequently, as vice president of policy and public affairs.
He currently serves on the Board of American National Standards Institute, on the NAM Council of Manufacturing Associations and on the Board of North American Technician Excellence.
Yurek came to ARI from the education community, having served as vice president of business development and public affairs for CompassLearning, Inc., where he was responsible for developing strategic alliances with corporations and associations and representing the organization's interests before Congress, the Department of Education and state government.
Other education-related positions included stints as general counsel and chief operating officer for the National Association of Secondary School Principals, general counsel for the International Confederation of Principals and secretary-treasurer for the Trust to Reach Educational Excellence, a non-profit dedicated to providing educational and leadership opportunities for disadvantaged youth.
Early in his career, Yurek managed the regulatory and litigation service for a small Minnesota firm, where he participated in administrative and regulatory proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications Commission and 25 state regulatory agencies.
An attorney, Yurek holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry and a law degree. He is a member of the Bar in Minnesota, his home state, and in Virginia, where he currently resides.