Author: sHq_LoGiNz

STEP Ahead honors women leaders who are making a lasting impact on manufacturing through leadership, mentorship and community engagement.

DALTON, Ga., March 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Shaw Industries Group Inc.’s (Shaw) Sandy Johnson, Director of Culture Enablement, has been named a 2026 STEP Ahead Awards Honoree by the Manufacturing Institute. The national recognition honors women leaders who are shaping the future of manufacturing through excellence, innovation and service.

As director of culture enablement, Johnson has built enterprise-wide networks of divisional champions and sponsors, launched Shaw Inclusion Teams, and led initiatives that strengthen belonging and engagement across the organization.

One of Johnson’s most impactful contributions is the creation of Shaw’s Bridge program, which connects associates — many from manufacturing roles — to skills development, mentoring and hands-on learning opportunities. The program supports associates in transitioning into salaried roles in engineering, IT and operations leadership pathways and has impacted more than 40 individuals to date.

“Sandy exhibits an immense passion for building and nurturing strong, effective teams. She is consistently able to assess the cultural needs across the enterprise and develop key programs and processes to address those needs,” says Carlene Blanding, VP of Talent Strategy & Culture Enablement for Shaw Industries. “It is my absolute pleasure to work with Sandy and see the impact she has on our people.”

Beyond her professional impact, Johnson is deeply engaged in her community. She mentors at-risk students through Dalton Public Schools, serves on the boards of Big Brothers Big Sisters and Compassion House, and has opened her home to foster children in need — demonstrating a lifelong commitment to service and empowerment.

The STEP Ahead Awards celebrate women who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in manufacturing while inspiring the next generation through mentorship and community involvement. Honorees will be recognized during the STEP Ahead Awards Gala on April 23, 2026, in conjunction with the Manufacturing Institute’s leadership conference.

ABOUT SHAW

Shaw Industries Group, Inc. is a leader in flooring and other surface solutions designed for residential housing, commercial spaces and outdoor environments. Leveraging strengths in design, innovation and operational excellence, the company takes a people-centered, customer-focused, and growth-minded approach to meet diverse market needs. It creates differentiated customer experiences through its expansive portfolio of brands: Anderson Tuftex^®, COREtec^®, Shaw Floors^®, Patcraft^®, Philadelphia Commercial^®, Shaw Contract^®, Shaw Sports Turf^®, Shawgrass^®, Southwest Greens^®, Watershed Geo^® and more.  

Headquartered in Dalton, Georgia, Shaw is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. with approximately $6 billion in annual sales and 18,000 associates worldwide.

ABOUT THE MANUFACTURING INSTITUTE

The Manufacturing Institute works to build and strengthen the manufacturing workforce for today and tomorrow to create a workforce prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. This is done through implementing groundbreaking initiatives, convening industry leaders, conducting innovative research and promoting public policy that supports the sector as it meets the opportunity of modern manufacturing. Through this work, the MI furthers individual opportunity, community prosperity and a more competitive manufacturing industry. For more information, please visit: https://themanufacturinginstitute.org/ 

Media Contact: Sara Martin
sara.martin@shawinc.com

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SOURCE Shaw Industries

IPX Power, a carve-out of Intersect, is a large-scale clean energy producer with assets across California and Texas

AUSTIN, Texas and NEW YORK, March 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Greenbelt Capital Partners (“Greenbelt”) today announced it has completed the sale of Intersect Power to Google for $4.75 billion plus the assumption of debt, representing a landmark transaction in the evolution of one of the nation’s leading clean energy platforms. Concurrent with the closing, IPX Power (“IPX” or “the Company”) has launched as an independent power producer carved out of certain Intersect assets and backed by Greenbelt Capital Partners alongside TPG Rise Climate and Climate Adaptive Infrastructure.

IPX is led by a seasoned management team and begins operations with a substantial portfolio of clean energy assets across California and Texas, including approximately 4.4 GW of solar PV and 8.8 GWh of battery storage in construction or operation, as well as a multi-gigawatt development pipeline. The Company will continue to develop, own, and operate utility-scale clean energy projects serving utilities, community choice aggregators, corporate buyers, and other energy customers.

“Today marks an important milestone for Intersect, IPX, and the broader clean energy ecosystem. We are extremely proud of the leading role Greenbelt has played in helping build and scale the Intersect platform since its inception in 2020,” said Glenn Jacobson, Managing Partner of Greenbelt Capital Partners. “The successful closing with Google underscores the strength and strategic value of the Intersect franchise and the dynamic leadership of its CEO, Sheldon Kimber. As a standalone company, IPX can focus on scaling its operating fleet and development pipeline as a well-capitalized independent power producer with a premier portfolio of solar and storage assets. We look forward to continuing to support IPX as it delivers reliable, affordable clean power at scale.”

Sheldon Kimber, Founder and CEO of Intersect Power, added, “Greenbelt has been an exceptional partner throughout this journey. Their strategic insight, disciplined execution, and deep understanding of the energy markets were instrumental in positioning Intersect for this landmark transaction. We are grateful for their partnership and excited to see IPX continue building on this foundation.”

Andy Hopping, Partner at Greenbelt Capital Partners, said, “Greenbelt is proud to remain an active investor in and strategic partner to IPX and its outstanding team as the Company executes on its next phase of growth. With a strong operating base, significant solar and storage capacity, and a deep development pipeline, IPX is well positioned to help meet the accelerating demand for reliable, grid-scale clean energy across the United States.”

About Greenbelt Capital Partners

Greenbelt Capital Partners is a private equity firm with offices in Austin, TX, and New York, NY. The firm focuses on investing in leading companies that are enabling the transition to a more resilient and electrified energy future. With over $3 billion in assets under management, Greenbelt aims to partner with exceptional management teams to drive growth and build lasting value across its portfolio. The senior team at Greenbelt has committed over $6 billion of equity capital across multiple portfolio companies and completed over $80 billion of M&A and financings across more than 280 transactions. For more information, please visit https://www.greenbeltcapital.com/.

Contact:

LLYC
Joanne Lessner
212-222-7436
joanne.lessner@llyc.global 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/greenbelt-capital-partners-completes-sale-of-intersect-power-to-google-and-announces-the-launch-of-ipx-power-302709946.html

SOURCE Greenbelt Capital Partners

IPX Power, a carve-out of Intersect, is a large-scale clean energy producer with assets across California and Texas

AUSTIN, Texas and NEW YORK, March 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Greenbelt Capital Partners (“Greenbelt”) today announced it has completed the sale of Intersect Power to Google for $4.75 billion plus the assumption of debt, representing a landmark transaction in the evolution of one of the nation’s leading clean energy platforms. Concurrent with the closing, IPX Power (“IPX” or “the Company”) has launched as an independent power producer carved out of certain Intersect assets and backed by Greenbelt Capital Partners alongside TPG Rise Climate and Climate Adaptive Infrastructure.

IPX is led by a seasoned management team and begins operations with a substantial portfolio of clean energy assets across California and Texas, including approximately 4.4 GW of solar PV and 8.8 GWh of battery storage in construction or operation, as well as a multi-gigawatt development pipeline. The Company will continue to develop, own, and operate utility-scale clean energy projects serving utilities, community choice aggregators, corporate buyers, and other energy customers.

“Today marks an important milestone for Intersect, IPX, and the broader clean energy ecosystem. We are extremely proud of the leading role Greenbelt has played in helping build and scale the Intersect platform since its inception in 2020,” said Glenn Jacobson, Managing Partner of Greenbelt Capital Partners. “The successful closing with Google underscores the strength and strategic value of the Intersect franchise and the dynamic leadership of its CEO, Sheldon Kimber. As a standalone company, IPX can focus on scaling its operating fleet and development pipeline as a well-capitalized independent power producer with a premier portfolio of solar and storage assets. We look forward to continuing to support IPX as it delivers reliable, affordable clean power at scale.”

Sheldon Kimber, Founder and CEO of Intersect Power, added, “Greenbelt has been an exceptional partner throughout this journey. Their strategic insight, disciplined execution, and deep understanding of the energy markets were instrumental in positioning Intersect for this landmark transaction. We are grateful for their partnership and excited to see IPX continue building on this foundation.”

Andy Hopping, Partner at Greenbelt Capital Partners, said, “Greenbelt is proud to remain an active investor in and strategic partner to IPX and its outstanding team as the Company executes on its next phase of growth. With a strong operating base, significant solar and storage capacity, and a deep development pipeline, IPX is well positioned to help meet the accelerating demand for reliable, grid-scale clean energy across the United States.”

About Greenbelt Capital Partners

Greenbelt Capital Partners is a private equity firm with offices in Austin, TX, and New York, NY. The firm focuses on investing in leading companies that are enabling the transition to a more resilient and electrified energy future. With over $3 billion in assets under management, Greenbelt aims to partner with exceptional management teams to drive growth and build lasting value across its portfolio. The senior team at Greenbelt has committed over $6 billion of equity capital across multiple portfolio companies and completed over $80 billion of M&A and financings across more than 280 transactions. For more information, please visit https://www.greenbeltcapital.com/.

Contact:

LLYC
Joanne Lessner
212-222-7436
joanne.lessner@llyc.global 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/greenbelt-capital-partners-completes-sale-of-intersect-power-to-google-and-announces-the-launch-of-ipx-power-302709946.html

SOURCE Greenbelt Capital Partners

GLASGOW, Scotland, March 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Star Refrigeration is celebrating the success of Sustainability Project Lead Intern Olivia Brown, who has been named joint winner of the Engaging Talent Award at the CeeD Industry Awards alongside Cameron Fordyce of the University of Glasgow with industry partner Nami Surgical.

The awards, organised by CeeD a Scottish industry network that connects businesses, universities and the public sector to drive collaboration and innovation across engineering and manufacturing, took place on 5 March at the Hilton Glasgow Hotel.

The Engaging Talent Award recognises undergraduate students who demonstrate exceptional collaboration between industry and academia through practical engineering or technical projects. Olivia, an Environmental Management student at Glasgow Caledonian University, works with Star Refrigeration through the company’s Star Academy term-time internship programme, spending one day per week in the business during term time and working more extensively during university holidays, applying her studies directly within industry.

In her role as Sustainability Project Lead Intern, Olivia has played a key role in progressing Star Refrigeration’s sustainability strategy. Her work has involved engaging colleagues from across the organisation to identify priorities and translate them into actionable activities to support the company’s long-term environmental commitments.

Star Refrigeration’s Sustainability Strategy aligns the business with all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, with particular focus on clean energy, climate action, responsible consumption and decent work. It is led at executive level and embedded within an ISO 14001 certified management system, ensuring consistent measurement, reporting and continuous improvement, with a clear focus on the lifetime energy performance of the systems we design and support.

Olivia has helped introduce practical initiatives across the business, including improvements to waste management systems and the development of internal sustainability training for employees. Her work also contributed to Star’s EcoVadis sustainability assessment, where the company improved its performance and achieved a position within the top 15% of companies globally.

The award was shared with Cameron Fordyce, a University of Glasgow student and intern at Booth Welsh, recognised for his work developing a digital image correlation system to measure ultrasonic vibrations in surgical tools as part of an engineering research project carried out in collaboration with industry.

Prof. Dave Pearson, Group Sustainable Development Director at Star Refrigeration and Olivia’s mentor through the programme, said:

“We took a gamble in establishing a term-time internship, but Olivia has rewarded us handsomely. She has exceeded our expectations and delivered as if she were a full-time member of the team with years of experience.

“Her work has helped turn sustainability into a more structured, actionable function embedded across the business.”

Olivia Brown said,

“I’m very proud to have carried out this work while studying at Glasgow Caledonian University and to have had the opportunity to help further develop and embed sustainability within Star Refrigeration during that time.

“I’m incredibly grateful to everyone at Star for their support, and especially to Dave Pearson for the mentorship and encouragement to develop this work alongside my studies.” Through initiatives such as the Star Academy programme, Star Refrigeration continues to strengthen links between industry and universities, helping students gain practical experience while contributing fresh ideas and perspectives to real-world engineering and sustainability challenges.

The CeeD Awards ceremony brought together leaders from across Scotland’s engineering, manufacturing and innovation sectors, including Richard Lochhead, Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade, and Ivan McKee, Minister for Public Finance.

As part of the event, Star Refrigeration also sponsored the Net Zero Heroes Award, which was won by fellow CeeD member Celtic Renewables for its work developing bio-based chemicals from industrial by-products, helping reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Prof. Dave Pearson, said,

“We were proud to sponsor the Net Zero Heroes category and to see Celtic Renewables recognised for the important work they are doing to develop alternatives to fossil-based chemicals. Innovation of this kind will play an important role in Scotland’s transition to a low-carbon economy.”

The Engaging Talent Award was established in memory of Euan Thomson, a respected Star Refrigeration engineer whose enthusiasm for engineering and collaboration left a lasting impact on colleagues and industry partners.

To find out more about the CeeD Awards, visit https://ceedawards.ceed-scotland.com/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/star-refrigerations-olivia-brown-recognised-at-ceed-awards-2026-for-sustainability-leadership-302709772.html

SOURCE Star Refrigeration

GLASGOW, Scotland, March 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Star Refrigeration is celebrating the success of Sustainability Project Lead Intern Olivia Brown, who has been named joint winner of the Engaging Talent Award at the CeeD Industry Awards alongside Cameron Fordyce of the University of Glasgow with industry partner Nami Surgical.

The awards, organised by CeeD a Scottish industry network that connects businesses, universities and the public sector to drive collaboration and innovation across engineering and manufacturing, took place on 5 March at the Hilton Glasgow Hotel.

The Engaging Talent Award recognises undergraduate students who demonstrate exceptional collaboration between industry and academia through practical engineering or technical projects. Olivia, an Environmental Management student at Glasgow Caledonian University, works with Star Refrigeration through the company’s Star Academy term-time internship programme, spending one day per week in the business during term time and working more extensively during university holidays, applying her studies directly within industry.

In her role as Sustainability Project Lead Intern, Olivia has played a key role in progressing Star Refrigeration’s sustainability strategy. Her work has involved engaging colleagues from across the organisation to identify priorities and translate them into actionable activities to support the company’s long-term environmental commitments.

Star Refrigeration’s Sustainability Strategy aligns the business with all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, with particular focus on clean energy, climate action, responsible consumption and decent work. It is led at executive level and embedded within an ISO 14001 certified management system, ensuring consistent measurement, reporting and continuous improvement, with a clear focus on the lifetime energy performance of the systems we design and support.

Olivia has helped introduce practical initiatives across the business, including improvements to waste management systems and the development of internal sustainability training for employees. Her work also contributed to Star’s EcoVadis sustainability assessment, where the company improved its performance and achieved a position within the top 15% of companies globally.

The award was shared with Cameron Fordyce, a University of Glasgow student and intern at Booth Welsh, recognised for his work developing a digital image correlation system to measure ultrasonic vibrations in surgical tools as part of an engineering research project carried out in collaboration with industry.

Prof. Dave Pearson, Group Sustainable Development Director at Star Refrigeration and Olivia’s mentor through the programme, said:

“We took a gamble in establishing a term-time internship, but Olivia has rewarded us handsomely. She has exceeded our expectations and delivered as if she were a full-time member of the team with years of experience.

“Her work has helped turn sustainability into a more structured, actionable function embedded across the business.”

Olivia Brown said,

“I’m very proud to have carried out this work while studying at Glasgow Caledonian University and to have had the opportunity to help further develop and embed sustainability within Star Refrigeration during that time.

“I’m incredibly grateful to everyone at Star for their support, and especially to Dave Pearson for the mentorship and encouragement to develop this work alongside my studies.” Through initiatives such as the Star Academy programme, Star Refrigeration continues to strengthen links between industry and universities, helping students gain practical experience while contributing fresh ideas and perspectives to real-world engineering and sustainability challenges.

The CeeD Awards ceremony brought together leaders from across Scotland’s engineering, manufacturing and innovation sectors, including Richard Lochhead, Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade, and Ivan McKee, Minister for Public Finance.

As part of the event, Star Refrigeration also sponsored the Net Zero Heroes Award, which was won by fellow CeeD member Celtic Renewables for its work developing bio-based chemicals from industrial by-products, helping reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Prof. Dave Pearson, said,

“We were proud to sponsor the Net Zero Heroes category and to see Celtic Renewables recognised for the important work they are doing to develop alternatives to fossil-based chemicals. Innovation of this kind will play an important role in Scotland’s transition to a low-carbon economy.”

The Engaging Talent Award was established in memory of Euan Thomson, a respected Star Refrigeration engineer whose enthusiasm for engineering and collaboration left a lasting impact on colleagues and industry partners.

To find out more about the CeeD Awards, visit https://ceedawards.ceed-scotland.com/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/star-refrigerations-olivia-brown-recognised-at-ceed-awards-2026-for-sustainability-leadership-302709772.html

SOURCE Star Refrigeration

WASHINGTON, March 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On March 3, officials from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) signed a Memorandum of Agreement establishing DOE as the lead agency for the ENERGY STAR^® program. 

For over 20 years, BOMA has been a strong supporter of the ENERGY STAR program. Our members use the Portfolio Manager program to benchmark their energy use, using the data to improve their operations, reduce operational costs, and comply with local regulations.  In total, over 330,000 buildings use the Portfolio Manager program, representing nearly 25% of all commercial floor space in the nation.  BOMA members across Canada also rely on the program, bringing a level of importance few governmental programs can claim.  This is why BOMA used every tool in our Advocacy toolbox in 2025 to encourage Congress to retain and fund the program.  Our success in this endeavor is the program’s success. 

In 2026, ENERGY STAR is evolving.  When established, Congress directed the program to be “divided between the DOE and EPA in accordance with the terms of applicable agreements between those agencies” (42 U.S.C. §6294a).  As the program has grown and evolved, the agencies are exercising their right to realign the division of responsibility for the program.  The new MOA, in effect for 10 years, provides certainty for the program and the BOMA members who rely on it, allowing them to invest time, effort, and data in the program with confidence. 

The DOE has a long history of collaborating with and supporting the buildings sector to advance best practices in building design, construction, and operations. With this move, BOMA expects the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, along with support from the National Laboratories, to devote the personnel and financial resources necessary to grow ENERGY STAR to meet current and future needs of its users.  

While the MOA initiates the transition of management activities, including partnership agreements, trademark(s), IT systems and databases, there is no mention of a critical program resource: staff.  BOMA encourages the agencies, during the 90-day transition period, to provide employees with critical programmatic experience the option to transfer with the program to ensure its continuity. 

Finally, while we fully expect the transition to be completed in a professional manner, BOMA will monitor the situation and consult with our members to ensure it is completed with no interruption of service.

BOMA looks forward to working with the leadership of the DOE to achieve the goals of the program. 

Mary Lue Peck
President and Chief Operating Officer

About BOMA International
The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International serves the entire commercial real estate community, including owners, managers, property professionals, and service providers of all types of commercial buildings, such as office, industrial, medical, corporate, government, and mixed-use. BOMA’s mission is to promote a thriving commercial real estate industry through advocacy, influence, and knowledge via a federation of 80 U.S. local associations and 18 global affiliates with over 18,000 members. For more info, visit boma.org.

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SOURCE Building Owners and Managers Association International