Zero Industrial Strengthens Leadership Team with Appointment of Charles J. Miller as Chief Commercial Officer and Charlie Daum as Independent Board Member
The addition of seasoned energy executives will accelerate project execution as the company advances a growing pipeline of projects currently in development across the U.S. and Canada
CHARLESTON, S.C., March 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Zero Industrial, Inc., a leading developer of clean thermal energy and power solutions, today announced two strategic additions to its leadership team: Charles "Chuck" Miller as chief commercial officer and Charlie Daum as an independent member of its board of directors. The appointments come as the company advances a growing number of projects currently in development across the U.S. and Canada and prepares to bring its first projects to market.
Zero Industrial partners with industrial manufacturers to reduce or eliminate fossil-fuel combustion with proven electrification technologies, including thermal energy storage, heat pumps and electrode boilers, reducing customers' energy costs and improving competitiveness. The company structures projects under long-term energy-as-a-service agreements, delivering lower-cost power and thermal energy to industrial customers without requiring upfront capital investment.
"These appointments reflect where we are as a company — moving from platform-building to project execution," said Ted Kniesche, founder and chief executive officer of Zero Industrial. "Chuck has spent his career developing and closing complex energy projects, and he understands what it takes to bring industrial customers from interest to executed projects. Charlie has worked both sides of the table, as a developer and as an infrastructure investor, and that perspective is invaluable as we scale. We are bringing a compelling development model to market, and both Chuck and Charlie are the right additions to our leadership team to help us execute the next phase of our growth."
Miller brings more than 35 years of experience in the energy, power and thermal sectors to the role, deploying over $150 million in customer and investor capital over the course of the past several years. Most recently, he served as president and chief executive officer of NgenX Energy LLC, focusing on behind-the-meter power and thermal generation projects. Earlier in his career, Chuck served as director of distributed generation asset development at WGL Energy and held general manager roles at UGI Corporation. He holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from The Catholic University of America and an executive MBA from Johns Hopkins/LaSalle University.
"The demand for cleaner, more cost-effective power and thermal energy is real and growing," said Miller. "Having spent my career developing power projects and utility solutions for industrial customers, I have a deep appreciation for the complexity of this market and the breadth of the opportunity. Zero Industrial is well-positioned to capture that opportunity, and I look forward to leading the commercial effort to grow and execute on what is already a compelling pipeline."
As its Independent Director, Charlie Daum brings more than two decades of experience in energy project development, investment and infrastructure finance. He currently serves as vice president at Generate Capital; a specialized investment platform focused on critical infrastructure. Previously, he was a founding member and managing director at Alturus, a leading development platform serving Fortune 500 companies in developing and funding enterprise-wide energy-efficiency-as-a-service solutions. Prior to Alturus, Daum was managing director of business development at Altenex, now part of Edison Energy. He was also a founding member and director of business development at Geronimo Energy. He holds a bachelor's degree in finance, marketing and psychology and an M.B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis' Olin Business School.
"What attracted me to join Zero Industrial's Board is the strength of the underlying business model and the team's ability to execute," said Daum. "Zero Industrial is applying a project finance approach in developing a pipeline of electrification solutions for its customers, while providing commercially available solutions to address rising energy costs that are a growing burden for industrial facilities. I look forward to contributing to the board as the company continues to scale its development pipeline."
About Zero Industrial
Zero Industrial is a leading developer of industrial electrification projects, partnering with manufacturers to reduce or replace fossil fuel combustion with proven technologies, including thermal energy storage, heat pumps, and electrode boilers. Acting as solution-oriented partners to industry, Zero Industrial develops the most viable electrification strategy based on each customer's facility, builds the techno-economic case for implementation, and provides the financing to build and deliver the project. Heat and steam generated from its projects are sold under a long-term energy-as-a-service agreement, enabling facilities to lower their costs, reduce emissions and increase competitiveness in the market. Zero Industrial is actively originating and developing projects in the United States and Canada. For more information, please visit www.zeroindustrial.energy.
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SOURCE Zero Industrial, Inc.