Mount’s Terceiro awarded for work with renewable energy

By Owen Boss

GARDNER — Mount Wachusett Vice President Ed Terceiro was all but speechless when the Greater Gardner Chamber of Commerce honored him Tuesday as the recipient of the 2008 Leadership Recognition Award. “I thank you all,” Mr. Terceiro said. “I’m just so overwhelmed, I don’t know what to say. It’s not often that I am without words, but I am without words today.” Chamber President and CEO Michael Ellis was on hand to give out the award which, as he put it, was “very well deserved.” No one, according to Mr. Ellis, better personifies the needed ability to solve new problems with new solutions. Under Mr. Terceiro’s leadership, Mount Wachusett Community College has engaged in a strategy that has focused its efforts primarily on sustainability, energy conservation, renewable energy, co-generation, and CO2 reduction. Mr. Terceiro’s new strategy includes the college’s conversion of its all-electric campus to a closed-loop hyrdonic system featuring biomass as a fuel source. Another project in the works that Mr. Terceiro has planned is the installation of a photovoltaic array along with a “cool” roof to optimize efficiency within the next couple of months. While the college prides itself as being in the forefront of renewable energy research, many of their advances in this department can be traced back to efforts Mr. Terceiro has made. Mount Wachusett College President Daniel Asquino said that Mr. Terciero does much behind the scenes. “Everyone in here could probably cite a different example of where Ed has been the driving force. So this is a very appropriate and long, long overdue award.” Upon receiving the award, which came as a complete suprise, Mr. Terceiro attributed it to everyone he works with, and said that the award represented the combined efforts of many different people. Mr. Ellis added Mr. Terceiro has been a strong community leader. “He has been a leader in innovativeness, and a leader in ingenuity. He has taken that approach beyond Mount Wachusett Community College and has shared his ideas for solving problems creatively with the city of Gardner.” Mr. Ellis added, “He has been a large help to many nonprofits located within the Gardner area, affecting organizations from Athol to Ayer. So because of that leadership, and his unselfish approach to solving problems with the people here at Mount Wachusett Community College we are proud to present him with this award.” Mr. Terceiro currently serves of the Amercian Council of Renewable Energy Higher Education Committee and on the advisory committee of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

Appeared on Page 5 on 4/2/2008 (Vol. 206 No. 79)