Sentient Energy, a Koch Engineered Solutions company, hires experienced industry executive to lead the next phase of scaling growth and investment.

Frisco, TX – January 5th, 2021 – Sentient Energy, the leading provider of advanced grid monitoring and analytics for electric utilities, today announced that Bob Karschnia has joined the organization as CEO and President. As Sentient Energy continues in an exciting growth phase, the company is expanding offerings across its platform of analytics and software based on data from its high-fidelity sensors. Recently acquired by Koch Engineered Solutions, Sentient Energy hired Karschnia to leverage Koch Industries’ wide capabilities, creating sustained advantages for its customers.

With over thirty years of experience in strategy, executive leadership, industrial design, and development in industrial solutions, Bob Karschnia will guide Sentient Energy’s next level of growth and innovation with its industry-leading smart grid solutions. Primary areas of focus for Karschnia will include customer partnership and success, new product development and overall company strategy.

Prior to joining Sentient Energy, Karschnia was the vice president and general manager of EmersonTM Automation Solutions’ Pervasive Sensing business. He helped create, grow and lead Emerson’s pervasive sensing product/software/solution/service offerings and coordinated the Industrial Internet of Things initiatives across the company. Early in the development of wireless technology, Bob drove the standardization of the WirelessHART® communications protocol and helped define new technologies aimed at solving reliability, efficiency, environment and safety problems in the industry.

“I am thrilled to join Sentient Energy. The smart grid industry is in the midst of many transformative developments, and as an industry innovator Sentient Energy leads the way with its solutions. I’m excited to have the opportunity to lead and enable such a talented and motivated team,” said Bob Karschnia, new CEO at Sentient Energy. “I have a passion for customers and their success, and plan to dedicate a bulk of my leadership efforts to ensuring our customers attain measurable value and that our solutions and capabilities continue to grow and integrate closely with their business objectives.”

Before joining Emerson, Bob developed rotating equipment control systems at Compressor Controls Corporation and satellite control systems for Lockheed Martin. He also served as an officer in the United States Air Force working on satellite control and communications systems.

“Bob is a fantastic addition to the Sentient Energy team. His extensive background and leadership skills are exactly the expertise needed as we grow our investment in Sentient Energy, expand the customer base, scale internationally and continue to develop world-class solutions,” said Dave Dotson, President for Koch Engineered Solutions. “With the electrification of everything, the opportunities for us to continue to grow are tremendous. Bringing in a proven leader to leverage the strong foundation of Sentient Energy and take us to the next level will help accelerate to market the inherent potential at Sentient Energy and leverage the synergies and capabilities at Koch. I’m looking forward to working with Bob as we grow Sentient Energy and further provide our utility customers with next-level intelligent grid solutions and service.”

To support accelerated growth of the business, Sentient Energy is further expanding its team. In addition to Karschnia’s appointment as CEO, Sentient Energy announces the promotion of other team leaders and new leadership. Brett Stein has moved into the role of Vice President of North America Sales, Monika Murugesan has joined the team as Vice President of Product Management, and Giri Iyer takes over as Vice President of Business Development. Brett brings over 15 years of experience in customer-focused roles in the electric utility space, including tenures at Honeywell and Novinium, Inc. Monika comes from Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories and has a wealth of electric utility and product knowledge in global arenas. Giri spent the last 12 months consulting Sentient Energy in its global expansion strategy and has several years of industry knowledge from companies such as GE where he was awarded the GE Imagination Breakthrough Award four times.

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About Sentient Energy

Sentient Energy, a Koch Engineered Solutions company, is the premier Intelligent Sensing Platform Provider for power utilities. Sentient Energy provides the industry’s only Grid Analytics System that covers the entire distribution network with quickly-deployed intelligent sensors and analytics that identify and analyze potential faults and other grid events. Sentient Energy leads the market with the largest mesh network line sensor deployments in North America helping utilities deliver power reliably and safely. Sentient Energy partners with the majority of leading utility network communication providers. For more information visit www.sentientenergy.com.

Sentient Energy Media Contact
Sarah Prinster
sprinster@sentient-energy.com
(415) 726-8773

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