Melissa Chiotis is the Project Manager for all the Adept projects in Gas and Electric Operations.  In addition, she provides Adept technical support for the approximately 1,800 Gas and Electric users.

Melissa has worked for Con Edison for over 20 years in various positions.  She started in Electric Operations as a field supervisor maintaining electric distribution equipment. Then she worked in the Electric Control Center directing the efforts of Emergency Response personnel.  She transitioned from operations to project work, where she developed and implemented a new Work Management software system for Electric Operations.  She was involved in Organizational Design, Training, and Reporting.  Prior to her current position, she headed the Engineering team responsible for the design of new business electric installations and upgrades in the Bronx and Westchester.

Melissa is currently a part-time employee and full-time mom.  She homeschools her three children and enjoys spending time with them while nurturing their growth and education.  In her free time Melissa loves playing board games and reading. 

William (Bill) J. Kovacs Jr. P.E. is a highly accomplished professional with over 43 years of experience in the cement industry. As the Director of Engineering and Project Management at Buzzi Unicem USA, Inc., based in Bethlehem, PA, Bill brings extensive expertise and leadership to his role.

Bill’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA. Throughout his career, he has been an active member of professional organizations, including 18 years as a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and 16 years as a member of the Cement Industry Committee (CIC).

With a rich history in the industry, Bill has held various professional positions in sectors such as cement, minerals, steel, automotive, food, and pulp/paper. He has worked on both domestic and international projects, demonstrating his versatility and adaptability across different locations and industries.

Throughout his career, Bill has worked for and managed electrical consulting, engineering, and control automation firms. He has also provided direct support to heavy industrial electrical construction firms and worked with cement and mineral processing equipment suppliers. This diverse range of positions and experiences has honed his expertise in the heavy industrial sector.

Registered as a Professional Engineer since 1988 with licenses in several states, Bill specializes in power distribution, controls, instrumentation, general automation, and installations. He has a proven track record of successfully managing complex projects and delivering exceptional results. With his vast knowledge, experience, and commitment to excellence, he remains at the forefront of the industry, driving innovation and delivering successful outcomes for Buzzi Unicem USA, Inc.

Micah Conner is an experienced Design Coordinator with a strong background in the oil and energy industry. With a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Webster University, Micah possesses a solid foundation in technical project leadership and computer-aided design (CAD). Throughout a career spanning over 17 years, Micah has honed skills in AutoCAD, MicroStation, Microsoft Office Products, and emergency incident command.

Currently serving as the Document Control Supervisor at Nooter/Eriksen, Inc. (NE), Micah excels in maintaining and managing the Adept Document Management System (DMS). In this role, Micah supervises a team of Document Coordinators and oversees the internal and external document workflow processes within the DMS. Additionally, Micah provides a clear vision for DMS software development and collaborates with management to align development priorities with strategic plans. By identifying opportunities for improvement, streamlining processes, and integrating departments, Micah drives enhanced business execution.

Prior to this position, Micah held the role of CAD Application Developer at NE, where he developed and constructed programs and tools to optimize manual execution processes. He also configured and developed in-house software to complement purchased software in the Engineering Departments. Micah's expertise in MicroStation and AutoCAD played a pivotal role in fostering better tools, features, and integration within the drafting, engineering, and computer-aided engineering departments.

An earlier role at NE was as Layout Design Coordinator and Technical Project Manager. Micah acted as the central point of contact for drafting-related functions on various projects. By combining customer specifications, company standards, and design calculations, Micah created two-dimensional general arrangement drawings that served as the foundation for engineering and fabrication drawings. Moreover, Micah coordinated information exchange between departments and drafting disciplines, ensuring adherence to project schedules and timely delivery of documents for fabrication and on-site erection.

With extensive experience as an Equipment Modeler/Piping Designer, E&I/P&ID Drafting Supervisor, Lead Electrical Drafter, and Electrical Drafter, Micah has consistently demonstrated his expertise and versatility within the industry.

With their exceptional technical acumen, project management skills, and extensive industry experience, Micah Conner is an invaluable asset in the field of design coordination within the oil and energy sector.

Gary Kopervas is a brand consultant, strategy coach and creativity trainer who works with ambitious teams around the world to build Unordinary® Brands. He's led workshops and projects around the U.S., Europe, Mexico, Australia and the Caribbean with clients that include Accenture, Aramark, Absolut, Bentley Systems, Capital One, Citi, CVS, FreedomPay, GSK, Diageo, Gatorade, NFL and Zippo. Gary is the founder/chief strategist of Kopious Labs Brand Consultancy, author of the book, SHOUT is a Stain Remover Not a Selling Strategy, and is an adjunct professor at Temple University in the Klein College of Media and Communication in Philadelphia.

Kristen has an impressive track record spanning over 30 years and has amassed invaluable experience in sales, marketing, and professional services development. Starting with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Millersville University, Kristen worked for over a decade at Xerox Corporate as Regional Agent Channel Manager, Sales Manager, and Marketing Manager before joining Synergis. Her tenure at Synergis has included various key roles.

From 2015 to 2017, she served as the VP of Sales for both divisions, leveraging her years of sales training and experience. Prior to that, from 2002 to 2015, Kristen held the position of divisional VP of Synergis EDS, where she spearheaded the growth of Autodesk solutions sales and services across diverse markets such as AEC, Infrastructure, Manufacturing, Education, and the Public Sector. Her commitment to excellence led to Synergis Engineering Design Solutions achieving the prestigious status of an Autodesk Platinum Partner under her guidance. Kristen's unwavering dedication to the industry and her knowledge of the markets we serve is further exemplified by her continuous service as a member of the Autodesk Partner Advisory Board since 2002.

As President of Synergis Technologies, LLC, Kristen Tomasic brings her expertise and passion to bear on the success of both Synergis Software and Synergis Engineering Design Solutions (EDS). With a comprehensive portfolio of responsibilities, Kristen oversees crucial facets of the organization, including Customer Success, Sales, Marketing, Software Development and Release, Finance, HR, and Professional Services operations. Her ultimate objective is to drive the flawless execution of strategic growth initiatives, ensuring customer satisfaction and achieving exceptional financial outcomes.

Kristen brings a unique perspective to the business world, firmly recognizing the profound impact of love and service on human connections, and advocates for love and service in every aspect of Synergis. From fostering love for employees and customers to nurturing a genuine passion for products and work, she believes that love has the transformative ability to create a contagious and positive change within organizations, ultimately improving lives.

Under Kristen's leadership, Synergis Technologies embarks on a journey of growth, innovation, and a genuine commitment to making a difference in the world of business.

Todd Cummings is the Vice President of Research and Development at Synergis Software, the developer of Product Data Management (PDM) solutions for design and engineering organizations. Synergis Adept offers unprecedented scalability and simplicity to meet the most complex engineering/design needs simply and easily, without adding enterprise-scale cost and complexity.

Todd Cummings’ career in the development of engineering and CAD-based product data management software spans 20 years, including solution architecture, product development and strategy, product marketing, and partner development.

An avid writer and speaker, Todd has been a regular presenter at CAD and engineering –focused conferences for Autodesk’s and SOLIDWORKS’ communities, as well as ASME, TAPPI, and the United State Coast Guard CADD and GIS Symposium. He has delivered hundreds of technical presentations to SMBs and Fortune 100 companies.

As the Vice-President of Professional Services for Synergis Technologies, Mark has direct responsibility for the company’s service offerings for the building, academic, manufacturing, infrastructure, and Synergis Software divisions. He uses his deep understanding of customer needs to ensure the company develops programs that continually meet those needs, delivered through training, implementation, consulting, assessments, process audits, and data management consulting services for each engineering discipline. In addition, Mark leads the training, support, application development, and solutions professionals to make certain engineering professionals who work with Synergis have a first-class experience that helps them improve upon their business processes and competitive advantage.

Mark has over 30 years of engineering experience, and most of his career with Synergis. He joined Synergis in 1998 as a Mechanical Solutions engineer and took over as the Director of Manufacturing Solutions in late 2001. During that time, he earned significant professional recognitions including being among the first to become an Autodesk Inventor certified expert and a Manufacturing Solutions implementation certified expert. Prior to joining Synergis Mark worked at American National Can Co. as a Project Engineer. He worked on many projects where he was responsible for reducing spoilage and increasing the efficiency of several manufacturing facilities across North America. Mark is a graduate of Penn State University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

Juan Grobler is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in managing Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT) projects on a global scale. Throughout his career, Juan has successfully led projects for IBM Fontanella and as the President and CEO of his own company, Global Footprints. While specializing in ICT consulting, Juan has also made significant contributions in program management for Anglo Platinum Mining in South Africa, assisting start-up mining companies in Sub-Saharan Africa with business process transformation and securing funding. Additionally, Juan has extensive experience as a legal and contract manager, facilitating mergers and acquisitions across Africa.

Recognizing a market need, Juan identified an opportunity to provide companies with an easy-to-use, code-free integration platform that bridges the gaps between different business processes and enterprise systems. This vision led to the development of a groundbreaking product that enables seamless integration of enterprise systems across industries such as government, mining, mega construction, and pipelines. Leveraging this innovative "integration technology," Juan has successfully expanded Global Footprints into a leading global enterprise software provider, serving clients in major geographies worldwide, including Australia, Japan, Europe, UAE, Africa, and North America.

Scott was instrumental in the creation of Synergis Software in 2001, and his passion and focus is on strategies to position Adept software as the global leader in engineering document management for the energy, process, life sciences, and mining industries.  Scott has been immersed in CAD, PDM, PLM, and ECM markets since 1991 and has helped hundreds of companies transform their work processes from chaos to clarity and automation. 

Scott holds a degree in business management from Canisius University, and resides in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Beyond his Synergis mission, Scott is a yoga practitioner and teacher and is passionate about helping others improve their quality of life through wellness initiatives.

Randy Nettles is an accomplished professional with a proven track record of success in managing complex projects and driving technical innovation. As a Platform Product Owner, Randy brings sophisticated software development and engineering skills, combined with a genuine enthusiasm for resolving business challenges to the Product Management team at Synergis Software. With a focus on strategic vision, Randy excels at bridging the gap between business and technology, defining product strategies, and delivering solutions that meet customer needs.

Throughout his career, Randy has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills, successfully managing high-performance cross-functional teams through servant leadership. He has cultivated productive relationships with executive management, business leaders, and technical teams to align strategic goals and drive organizational success.

Randy has a strong background in developing commercial software systems, ranging from TOC analyzer systems servicing various industries to CAD systems for the real estate market, and a mobile platform for the manufacturing sector. His expertise extends to a wide range of software specialties, including front-end web and desktop development, back-end development, IT systems, engineering design tools, maker automation, and document management systems.

As a recognized expert, Randy has presented technical topics at industry events such as the Adept Experience Conference, FileNET Conference, EA Systems User Group, and Delphi User Group Conference. He is highly proficient in a variety of software tools and technologies, including Angular, .ASPNet Core, Docker, Azure Cloud, Amazon Cloud, C#, VB.NET, SQL Server, PowerShell, AutoCAD, and many others.

With his extensive knowledge and experience, Randy Nettles is known for his ability to drive successful change, lead high-performing teams, and deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of organizations.

As a Product Owner for the Adept Development team, Chris is part of a product management team envisioning new products for Synergis Adept. Among these innovations are the highly anticipated Adept Mobile and Collaboration Portal, poised to transform the way our users interact with our software. In addition, Chris is actively involved in shaping forthcoming versions of Adept, ensuring that each release embodies our commitment to excellence.

Before assuming the role of Product Owner, Chris excelled as the Director of Solutions Architects, where he crafted captivating presentations for both internal and external audiences, showcasing Adept’s immense potential for many industries. Furthermore, Chris served as a pioneering Synergis Customer Advocate, working in close partnership with our valued customers, where he resolved a myriad of technical challenges, advocating on their behalf to the Development, Sales, and Leadership teams.

Drawing upon a remarkable 30-year tenure in the CAD/PDM/FM/EIM markets, Chris possesses an unparalleled depth of industry experience. Having showcased Synergis Software product solutions to countless individuals and organizations across the globe, he has garnered acclaim as a presenter at industry and company conferences.

Chris has pursued studies at the New Hampshire Technical Institute and the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Furthermore, he holds a PPM certification from Boston University, further solidifying his credentials as a true authority in the realm of product management.

James Tome is an accomplished product manager with a wealth of experience in engineering, project management, and team leadership. As a valuable member of the Synergis Product Management team, James collaborates with cross-functional teams to develop and deliver exceptional solutions for the Adept product suite.

Working closely with colleagues Matthew Waychoff and Chris Fabri, who respectively own the Adept Viewer and Adept Mobile products, James serves as the Lead Product Owner for the Summer '23 release of Adept. He focuses on the core features of this pivotal release, ensuring they meet the evolving needs of customers.

James brings a deep passion for driving innovation and creating outstanding user experiences as the Product Owner for Adept Insights. This powerful, upcoming feature will provide Adept customers with valuable data analysis and reporting, enabling them to gain actionable insights for process improvement.

Additionally, James takes on the responsibility of being the Product Owner for the Adept Statistics Utility. With a keen focus on empowering customers to make data-driven decisions, he oversees the development of this tool, which provides customers with valuable insights into their Adept environment and provides Synergis with insights into customer use that will inform future development decisions.

As one of the voices representing Synergis customers within the Software Development and Research Organization (SDRO), James advocates for their needs and perspectives. His involvement ensures that customer feedback is considered throughout the development process, resulting in solutions that truly meet their expectations.

James holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Penn State University, providing him with a strong technical foundation to complement his product management expertise. Prior to joining Synergis, he served as the Engineering Director at One Diversified, where he successfully led integration and engineering efforts for SNY's World Trade Center Operations Center relocation project. His skills in process improvement and streamlining complex IT licensing further contributed to the company's operational efficiency.

During his tenure as the Director of Engineering at The Systems Group, James managed a 12-person engineering and IT department while serving as a principal engineer on key design projects. He also played a pivotal role earlier in his career as a Senior Systems Engineer and Project Engineer, leading teams and mentoring junior engineers.

With his diverse background and passion for delivering exceptional solutions, James is a valuable asset to the Synergis Product Management team, ensuring that the Adept product suite continues to exceed customer expectations.

Pranay is an accomplished technology leader with over 15 years of experience in software development and DevOps. He has a proven track record of leading cross-functional teams, implementing strategic technology initiatives, and optimizing software development processes. Pranay excels in cloud architecture and DevOps, enabling organizations to accelerate product delivery, improve operational efficiency, and achieve continuous improvement.

Throughout his career, Pranay has held several leadership positions in renowned tech companies, where he has successfully managed large-scale projects and initiatives. His strong technical background and exceptional interpersonal skills have enabled him to build high-performing teams and cultivate a culture of excellence.

Pranay holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Penn State University and an MBA from Penn State University.

John Burke is a highly experienced Applications Consultant and professional trainer with a remarkable track record in implementing and training users on Synergis Adept software. With over 10 years of industry expertise, John has successfully assisted small, medium, and large companies worldwide in optimizing their business processes with Adept. His extensive knowledge spans various aspects Adept functionality and IT savvy, including network and server infrastructure, database design, vaulting configuration, workflow and transmittal automation, interoperability requirements, and bulk document loading, among others.

One of John's key strengths lies in his exceptional ability to serve as a liaison between our customers and our team. He is dedicated to understanding and addressing their unique needs, concerns, and issues, ensuring their success with the software. John's professional journey began with a strong foundation in IT, including early experience in Helpdesk support and an impressive tenure as an MCSE Server Administrator. During this time, he worked on contract for renowned companies such as Merck, Johnson and Johnson, and Hess Corporation, further enriching his skill set and breadth of expertise.

With his extensive background and expertise, John Burke brings a valuable blend of technical knowledge, practical experience, and exceptional communication skills to every training session. His passion for empowering users and driving organizational efficiency makes him an invaluable asset to our training team.