Joe Merlo is the founder and CEO of Energy Automation Systems Inc. (EASI).  He started his energy conservation company in New York more than 30 years ago after a term of service in the U.S. Air Force and success in several sales and marketing positions.  His first product was the predecessor to today’s “EasiLiner,” which saves energy on alternating current motors and therefore has broad applications.  From there, he engaged engineers to develop additional energy saving technologies and acquired others from inventors and manufacturers until he had developed full systems that could provide optimal savings by affecting every electrical load typically found in commercial and industrial facilities. He began installing these custom systems throughout the Northeast.  

In order to meet the growing demand for his energy conservation systems, Joe Merlo changed the business model to an authorized Affiliate network and relocated to the Nashville, Tenn., area in 1985.  Today, Energy Automation Systems Inc. (EASI) supports hundreds of Affiliates in more than 60 countries and the company’s customers include Fortune 500 companies such as General Electric, British Petroleum, ConAgra, Apollo Group, SABIC and Tyson Foods.