saLisa B e r r i e n marlo wa l p o l e
Founder and CEO, COI Energy Services
http://www.coienergyservices.com/ Director of Translational Research, AuxThera
http://trimauxil.com/
A
fter pursuing her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering,
SaLisa Berrien quickly progressed through the ranks of several large en-
ergy utilities. Along the way, SaLisa learned important lessons about
customer service, which ultimately became the cornerstone of her
own company.
SaLisa launched COI Energy Services out of her home in 2016 and moved the
company to the University of South Florida’s Tampa Bay Technology Incubator
several months later. Whether she’s working with clients from small or large com-
panies, Berrien always puts the customer first.
COI Energy Services offers a cloud-based solution, COI Energy Optimizer, which
helps utilities optimize the electric grid to better serve their customers.
“COI Energy has a niche kind of expertise; over 70 years of collective management
experience and a solution that is fast, simple and cost-effective,” SaLisa shared.
The company’s integrated platform is unique in its ability to house several func-
tions in one portal, which solves logistical issues commonly faced by utilities.
COI Energy Services’ machine-learning algorithm predicts future customers’
electricity usage based on past behavior, and enables electricity providers to
easily manage and save energy with the push of a button.
The company also enables utilities to reduce their carbon footprint, offering
real-time tracking of renewable energy imports and exports, as well as customiz-
able alerts that monitor energy waste.
“At the end of the day, we’re saving people time, we’re saving them money and
we’re also saving the environment.”
F
or as long as she can remember, Marlo Walpole wanted to be a doctor.
But, after speaking with the dean of the College of Science and Engineering
at Loyola Marymount University, she realized she had missed her true calling.
After finishing her undergraduate degree in biology, Marlo pursued another degree
– this time, in biomedical engineering – with intent to launch a career in product
research and development for the health care industry.
In 2015, she had the opportunity to be immersed in this product development
process with AuxThera, a startup company located in the Innovation Hub at the
University of Florida. AuxThera enlisted Marlo’s expertise to develop its flagship
product, Trimauxil, a veterinarian-prescribed supplement that supports healthy
weight loss in dogs.
Marlo was drawn to the company’s mission to improve the health of animals.
“If I would’ve known that there were products out there that could’ve let me have my
dog a little longer, I would’ve bought them in a heartbeat. Now, I get to help other
families have more time with their pets,” she shared.
Trimauxil is available throughout Florida and Georgia with plans to launch nationally
over the next year.
Marlo is confident AuxThera will be joined by many other Florida biotechnology
companies on the road to prosperity. An industry veteran of more than 20 years,
Marlo is no stranger to the biotechnology community in Alachua County. Formerly
serving in leadership roles to direct the product development process for some of
the region’s top medical device companies, she forecasts immense industry growth
driven by increased cross-disciplinary collaboration.
After more than 25 years in the engineering industry, SaLisa still wakes up excited
every day knowing that she is making a positive impact.
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