Alumni Highlights
Nico DeGiorgio
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
BS Agricultural Systems Management (ASM)
Net Zero Energy Operators
My college path took many different turns and evolved with my major switch into the BioResource and Agricultural Engineering Department pursing a B.S. in Agricultural Systems Management. Despite not having any background in farming, I came to appreciate the Agricultural industry, people, and culture for all it had to offer. This major gave me the right balance between technical and business principles to garner my interest and build my confidence to pursue a career in Sales Engineering. I also decided to pursue a minor in Water Science – Principles of Irrigation because the courses challenged my technical acumen. Challenging myself in these categories gave me the “will to power” to pursue involvement in the Sales Engineering Club and eventually create industry connections with HVAC&R companies. From there, I was able to create a senior project related to my topic of interest with the support of my primary project advisor Dr. Peter Livingston and secondary advisor Dr. Franklin Gaudi. This project created the pathway into my career in technical sales, which I have been engaged with since my graduation in 2017. There’s no doubt you will encounter industry specific and professional development challenges when you enter the “workforce”. However, I can confidently say that the BRAE department gave me the tools to invest my energy and challenge my self to greater levels of accomplishment. I have worked for Trane Technologies – a Fortune 500, publicly traded company that innovates in the fields of Climate Control, Energy, and Sustainability. I would encourage anyone looking to develop their career to seek out club involvement and professional society involvement. Those engagements will help you find good mentors and create a more smooth connection into the industry as it exists, not as you imagine it. I am happy with how my involvement in the BioResource and Agricultural Engineering department challenged me to reach greater heights. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions.
Current Role: CEO & Founder of Net Zero Energy Operators - an energy consulting firm for residential, commercial, and industrial clients.
Contact info: nico@nzeo.org
Fun Facts:
Favorite Class: BRAE 348 - Energy for a Sustainable Society
Fresno Native
Hiked Half Dome 3x