Meet the Leadership Team

Dave Sholtis was named Chief Executive Officer of NRG Controls in February 2025, bringing decades of senior leadership experience across industrial, technology, and manufacturing organizations. As CEO, he is responsible for leading the company’s day-to-day operations, ensuring customer satisfaction and driving NRG Controls’ long-term vision, strategy, and growth initiatives.

Prior to joining NRG Controls, Dave held numerous senior leadership roles, including CEO positions at M&M Carnot and The Penray Companies. He also served as Vice President & General Manager at Johnson Controls, Vice President & General Manager at PLZ Aeroscience, Vice President of Filtration Americas at Robert Bosch, and Vice President & General Manager of Autolite Products at Honeywell. Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles at General Electric.

Throughout his career, Dave has been recognized for building high-performing teams and leading organizations through strategic growth and operational transformation. He has been a guest panelist at the ATMOsphere America Summit and has appeared on the television program “The Balancing Act.”

Dave is an advocate of servant leadership, believing that effective leadership centers on understanding the needs of others and supporting their success. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from The Pennsylvania State University.

Outside of work, Dave enjoys spending time with his family and running 5K events. He also enjoys boating, fishing, and golfing.

John Gordy serves as Chief Financial Officer of NRG Controls, where he acts as a strategic partner to the CEO, Leadership Team, and Board of Directors. Since joining the company in August 2025, John has focused on strengthening financial performance, implementing process improvements, and supporting initiatives that create long-term value.

John oversees financial strategy, capital allocation, and performance management. He is known for his collaborative leadership, strong analytical perspective, and ability to align financial strategy with business objectives. He brings extensive experience from the spaces of private equity, privately held companies, and publicly traded organizations.

Before joining NRG Controls, he was CFO at a privately held oil jobber for eight years and worked for 15 years at a publicly traded specialty distributor in increasingly responsible M&A, controllership, and FP&A roles. John has been a Private Equity CFO for the past five years, and over the course of his career, he has led and participated in over 30 acquisitions.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Tufts University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Denver. In addition, he is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

John describes himself as a dedicated student of emotional intelligence, believing that self-awareness, empathy, and strong relationships are essential to effective leadership.

In his time away from the office, John enjoys traveling and boating with his family. He has been married for more than two decades and is the proud father of two sons currently in college.

Jim Ready is the Chief Operating Officer of NRG Controls, where he leads day-to-day operations with a focus on achieving business priorities and fostering a collaborative work environment. Jim is passionate about mentoring team members and supporting their growth, which strengthens operational performance and improves efficiency throughout the organization.

With the ability to translate tenured industry insight into actionable change and sustained growth, Jim’s proactive leadership inspires teams and delivers value to clients. His commitment to team development helps ensure NRG Controls delivers value to customers and aligns with the company’s mission. He oversees operational budgets and drives continuous improvement through new processes and data-informed decisions. Jim previously served as a Partner/Operator and as Vice President for NRG Controls.

Before joining the company, he was Partner/Operator of Integrated Systems Solutions. In addition, he spent 11 years with Honeywell International in progressive technical and engineering roles. Before Honeywell, Jim served four years at King’s College as a Systems Support Specialist. In his earlier career, he worked with mechanical and general contractors.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems with a minor in Business Administration from King’s College and a Master of Business Administration from Misericordia University. Jim is guided by the leadership philosophy of Jim Rohn: “Either you run the day, or the day runs you.”

He and his wife, Amanda, are the proud parents of three daughters. They enjoy family adventures, from trips to Disney to Saturday morning soccer games. They also spend time together through outdoor activities and creating memorable family traditions.

Max Vogel joined NRG Controls in October 2025 as Vice President of Sales, where he leads the company’s enterprise revenue and commercial strategy across all regions and business lines. His oversight spans bookings and backlog management to forecasting accuracy, pricing, margin optimization, and recurring service growth.

Max brings expertise in building high-performing sales organizations. His background includes owner-direct sales, construction and retrofit projects, service contract expansion, and multi-market territory leadership. He has partnered with teams to achieve go-to-market strategy, implement CRM-driven forecasting, and align sales with operational capacity and EBITDA objectives.

Among his career achievements, Max was the architect of a multi-year, $50M+ commercial growth strategy, designed scalable sales structures, and expanded recurring service revenue. He also established disciplined, data-driven forecasting practices and played a key role in merger and acquisition integrations.

Max’s leadership philosophy centers on disciplined execution, transparency, and accountability. He strives for clear expectations, data-driven decision-making, and equipping teams with the structure and tools needed to succeed.  He often says that success within his team comes down to two fundamentals: effort and attitude.

Max holds a degree from West Chester University. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family, golfing, reading, and relaxing with his wife while watching their favorite shows on Netflix.

Jay Franklin serves as Vice President of Business Development for NRG Controls, bringing more than two decades of industry experience and a commitment to customer satisfaction and long-term partnership building. Since joining the company in 2000, he has held multiple roles—from Account Executive and Vice President to Managing Partner—which have allowed him a comprehensive understanding of both the technical and strategic aspects of the building automation business.

In his current role, Jay is responsible for driving customer satisfaction, leading the Harrisburg sales team, and advancing strategic and technological initiatives that strengthen NRG Controls’ market position. He is known for his collaborative leadership style and his experience in developing innovative solutions to help solve customers’ challenges.

Jay considers his greatest career accomplishment to be the opportunity to serve the company’s loyal customers alongside a talented and dedicated team. He takes pride in building relationships rooted in transparency, accountability, and long-term performance—partnerships that often extend beyond individual projects. For him, success is defined by the growth of employees and the enduring trust and loyalty of NRG’s customers.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Lebanon Valley College. Guided by the philosophy “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give,” Jay is passionate about mentorship, service, and creating positive impact through leadership.

Jason Klotzer was named Director of Human Resources at NRG Controls in June 2025, where he leads the company’s HR strategy with a strong focus on building a supportive workplace culture.

Jason develops and implements HR policies and procedures, oversees recruitment and onboarding, manages employee relations, and ensures compliance with labor laws and company standards. He also leads performance management programs, administers compensation and benefits, and drives training and professional development initiatives.

He brings more than 17 years of human resources leadership experience, including eight years as an international HR leader with Vossloh North America. He has built a reputation for fostering collaborative environments, guiding organizations through change, and implementing strategic HR solutions.

Jason holds a Bachelor of Arts in Human Resources from Penn State. He considers himself fortunate to have had the opportunity to continue his education while balancing professional responsibilities, and he remains committed to lifelong learning as part of his approach to serving others in the HR field.

In 2023, he earned the SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) designation. While grateful for this recognition, he views it simply as one step in an ongoing effort to grow, strengthen his skills, and better support the teams and individuals he works with each day.

Outside the office, Jason enjoys golfing, playing rugby, and traveling internationally with his wife, Pam. Together, they also share their home with their boxer, Scarlet.

Steve Keefer serves as Vice President and General Manager of Nexgen Automation, an NRG Controls company. With more than 25 years of industry experience, Steve brings technical expertise, strong customer relationships, and a proven track record of leadership to his role. He joined NRG Controls in 2026 as part of the company’s acquisition of Nexgen Automation, where he previously served as a principal.

In his current position, Steve is responsible for leading Nexgen’s overall business performance, including strategic growth, customer engagement, operations, and team development. He plays a key role in aligning Nexgen’s capabilities with NRG Controls’ mission of delivering integrated building automation, security, and life safety solutions.

Steve began his career as a Project Engineer with Siemens Building Technologies, where he developed a strong foundation in system design and implementation. He advanced to an Account Executive, building a solid reputation for developing long-term client partnerships. He later moved into an Account Executive position with Intercon Automation/Automated Logic, where he drove account growth and complex system projects in commercial markets.

In 2017, Steve became a principal of Nexgen Automation, leading the company through sustained growth, strengthening its customer-first culture, and establishing it as a trusted regional building automation provider.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Design from Pennsylvania College of Technology.