Dirk is the national ESG practice leader for BKD's Enterprise Risk Solutions division. He has more than 25 years of experience working in the energy and transportation industries' operations and financial systems. His background includes leading ESG program development and strategic energy transition initiatives, helping improve operations performance and risk management processes, and leveraging information technology and business process improvement to help improve efficiency and quality.

He is a frequent speaker on ESG topics and climate-related risks and opportunities for several professional organizations and universities, including the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA). Dirk is also a knowledgeable professional in finance, investor relations, and operations management.

Prior to coming to BKD, Dirk spent 20 years with one of the largest energy infrastructure companies in North America where, under his leadership, their ESG rating improved from 80^th to first out of 185 companies in their industry group. Before that, he spent six years at an engineering firm in their water, environment, and energy consulting practices, and two years at a research institute in their hydrologic sciences division.

He is a licensed Professional Geologist and a member of the AICPA and the Project Management Institute.

Dirk is a graduate of University of Colorado, Boulder, with a B.A. degree in environmental conservation and political science, a graduate of University of Nevada, Reno, with a M.S. in hydrology/hydrogeology, and a graduate of University of Denver, Colorado, with an M.B.A. degree with an emphasis in marketing and an M.S. in finance.