Young Professionals Group

YPG Mission

The IDEA Young Professionals Group (YPG) aims to develop the younger generation of District Energy professionals by providing networking opportunities to share knowledge, get involved, and build connections that set them up to succeed and lead a growing, ever-changing industry.

History

The idea to establish the IDEA Young Professionals Group (YPG) happened quite organically at the Welcome Reception for IDEA2019 in Pittsburgh.  IDEA member Laura Christensen had attended a few IDEA conferences but being relatively new to the organization, found it sometimes difficult to connect with colleagues like her who were getting their start in the industry.

Watching the crowd enjoy themselves during this 'Game Night' themed event, Laura introduced herself to IDEA CEO Rob Thornton and asked if IDEA would be interested in creating a group for young professionals to network and discuss issues affecting them as they immerse themselves in the industry. The answer was a resounding yes.  

And so it began. Laura was named co-chair of the YPG, along with Chase Davis of RMF Engineering and at CampusEnergy2020 in Denver, the first meeting of the YPG took place in the exhibit hall. The crowd was big and the response for this new group overwhelmingly positive. Now more than 70 individuals are official YPG members.

Upcoming Events List

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How to Join YPG


Membership in YPG is open to listed members of IDEA Member Organizations, members with 10 years or less experience in the industry who want to build a career in the industry. Each IDEA member organization has a distinct number of individual memberships that are granted them depending on their level of membership. If your organization is a current member, connect with the main contact within your organization for your account and have them add your name to the list of listed members. 

YPG members have access to a wealth of IDEA Member Benefits, including access to an exclusive chat room for our YPG'ers.

If your organization is not a member, you are still welcome to participate in our YPG Happy Hours, held bi-monthly. Please consult the schedule on this page for upcoming events.

Questions about Membership?

Scott Szycher

Membership Manager
+1 (508) 366-9339
scott.idea@districtenergy.org