The Transport Project Presents 2024 NGV Achievement Awards at Industry Summit in Nashville

Washington, DC – Four individuals were honored at The Transport Project’s (TTP) First Organizational Meeting and Industry Summit in Nashville last week for their extensive contributions to grow the deployment of natural gas fleets and to advance clean gaseous-fueled transportation across North America:

• Andrew J. Littlefair, President and CEO of Clean Energy, was awarded a 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award
• Ian Skelton, Director – Natural Gas Vehicles for Southern Company, was awarded a 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award
• Sherrie Merrow, Director of State Government Affairs for The Transport Project, was awarded a 2024 NGV Public Policy Champion Award
• Jonathan Overly, Chief Executive Officer of the East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition, was awarded a 2024 NGV Public Policy Champion Award

TTP’s annual awards are presented to nominees from all stakeholder segments, including but not limited to: NGV industry equipment and service suppliers, policymakers, customers and clean air/clean transportation advocates.

“We are proud to present these 2024 Achievement Awards to two pioneering individuals who have spent their professional careers supporting the buildout of NGV fleets and fueling infrastructure as well as to two individuals who work tirelessly to support, promote, and advance natural gas motor fuel use to fleets and policy makers,” said The Transport Project President Dan Gage. “Because of their contributions, we are moving to make communities healthier with fewer emissions through the increased use of readily available, carbon-negative renewable natural gas as a transportation fuel.”

TTP24 – The Transport Project’s First Organizational Meeting and Industry Summit – was held June 24-26, 2024, at The Westin Nashville in downtown Nashville, TN.

ABOUT OUR AWARDEES:

Andrew J. Littlefair, 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award
It’s hard to think about the natural gas motor transportation industry without thinking of Andrew Littlefair. In the late 1980’s, after a successful stint in the Reagan White House, Andrew was working at Mesa Petroleum for Boone Pickens, who had a vision to significantly expand the use of natural gas as a transportation fuel. As a low-cost, domestic fuel, natural gas is cleaner than traditional gasoline and diesel. To advance their vision, Andrew and Boone became involved in the newly formed Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition – now The Transport Project, recently founded by some of the country’s then largest natural gas utilities.

Several years later, Boone and Andrew decided to take their vision a step further and founded Clean Energy to expand the fueling infrastructure for natural gas, and for the last 27 years, Andrew Littlefair has served as the co-founder, chief executive officer, and president of Clean Energy Fuels Corp. Over the years, Andrew, as president and CEO, grew the company to be the dominant force in the alternative fueling business, extending Clean Energy’s network of natural gas stations to over 600 across North America today.

Andrew has served the organization as a Board Member from 1991 to 1995, Treasurer from 1996 to 2003, Board Chair from 2004-2010, and Past Chair from 2011-2012. His work has enabled the industry to build out an alternative fueling infrastructure unparalleled by any other fueling source; and he’s helped lead the transition of that national fueling infrastructure to renewable natural gas. Most importantly, Andrew is not done yet as Clean Energy continues its leadership in the hydrogen fueling and carbon capture spaces among many investments.

Ian Skelton, 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award
Ian Skelton has spent his entire career in the natural gas utility industry, beginning at Atlanta Gas Light Company as a co-op engineer while attending Kennesaw State University. In March of 1987 became full time as a commercial representative in Augusta, Georgia where he was later promoted to Augusta Division Industrial Engineer. In 1999, he transferred back to Atlanta as Manager of Marketing and then Manager of Major Accounts. In 2008 his hands-on involvement with natural gas vehicles began when he assumed the position of Manager of Business Development which included responsibility for AGL’s Natural Gas Vehicle program. His focus became dedicated solely to Natural Gas Vehicles in April 2011 when he was promoted to Manager, Natural Gas Vehicles.

As Manager and now Director of Natural Gas Vehicles, Ian worked with policy makers, local governments, and fleet operators to encourage the development of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) programs and fueling infrastructure. Under his leadership the department adopted technologies such as a custom remote CNG station monitoring and management application along with an enterprise asset management application to enable predictive maintenance, station cost tracking, and customer billing. He continued to elevate awareness of NGVs in the Georgia market through 14 years supporting Georgia Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols on his annual Clean Energy Road Show and ensuring natural gas was represented on panels and by speakers. Ian provided similar support by ensuring representation from the NGV industry was included at the Georgia Environmental Conference each year.

Ian has represented Southern Company Gas subsidiary, Atlanta Gas Light as an active member of Clean Cities Georgia since 2009 and currently serves as chair of the Clean Cities Georgia board of directors. He also has served as Southern Company Gas’s member on the NGVAmerica and now the TTP board of directors. Ian graduated from Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta, GA in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering technology. He is a registered Georgia professional engineer and holds a Conditioned Air Contractor Class II license in Georgia.

Sherrie Merrow, 2024 NGV Public Policy Champion
Since 2015, Sherrie Merrow has served as The Transport Project’s State Government Affairs Director, leading a team of more than 220 people from 95 member companies located throughout the nation who focus on state advocacy for gaseous fuels including natural gas (conventional or renewable) and hydrogen vehicle and infrastructure policy, regulatory requirements and incentive programs to grow the natural gas and hydrogen vehicle industry. Previously Sherrie worked in LNG and CNG development for both Noble Energy and Encana Oil and Gas managing their CNG programs and their government advocacy for these programs. While at Encana Sherrie led the effort to create the predecessor to the current TTP State Government Advocacy Committee for ANGA.

Sherrie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from the University of Wyoming and a Bachelor of Arts degree in literature from Wheaton College. In addition to her nationwide state affairs focus, Sherrie has led state level NGV coalitions in New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. For her important work and tireless dedication to advancing pro-natural gas transportation programs and policies in state houses across the United States, we award Sherrie Merrow this prestigious NGV Public Policy Champion recognition.

Jonathan Overly, 2024 NGV Public Policy Champion
Jonathan Overly has spent over 30 years in the energy industry, and 25 years working in advanced vehicles and technologies and alternative fuels research, analysis, and implementation. Jonathan founded the East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition (ETCF) in 2001, and he currently serves as the Executive Director for the ETCF in addition to being a senior advisor to the Middle Western Clean Fuels Coalition. He has led or assisted numerous fleets in putting alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies to work. He has also worked on securing grants and other kinds of funding for fleet transitions. While supporting all types of alternative fuels, Jonathan has been very supportive in promoting natural gas fleet adoption and including CNG in Tennessee’s alternative fuel corridor.

Having worked in the alt fuels industry for over 2 decades, Jonathan has developed an advanced network of industry professionals and contacts that he uses as resources. His goal has been to make a difference in Tennessee and beyond by helping fleets make the connections and receive the unbiased assistance they need to transition using cleaner, more American fuels.

Jonathan has been recognized and received multiple awards such as being inducted into the U.S. DOE Clean Cities Hall of Fame, Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award for Excellence in Clean Air, Visionary Champion Award (Southeast Diesel Collaborative), the Paul Hayden Memorial Award, and Outstand ISSE (Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment). For his work in supporting fleets interested in improving their environmental footprint, promoting the use of natural gas as a motor fuel, and advocating for end user flexibility in being able to implement the clean technologies and powertrains that work best for their needs, we recognize Jonathan Overly with our NGV Public Policy Champion award.

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The Transport Project is a national coalition of roughly 200 fleets, vehicle and engine manufacturers and dealers, servicers and suppliers, and fuel producers and providers dedicated to the decarbonization of North America’s transportation sector. Through the increased use of gaseous motor fuels including renewable natural gas and hydrogen, the United States and Canada can help achieve ambitious climate goals and greatly improve air quality safely, reliably, and effectively without delay and without compromising existing commercial business operations. Find out more at: transportproject.org.