Advisory Board

SERF constantly strives to improve our certification program to align with our core principle of Practical Environmental Stewardship™. To achieve this goal, our program and its requirements are constantly vetted by professionals and academicians in several areas of expertise including architecture, engineering, construction, law, public policy and environment.

John Byl, SERF Advisory Board headshotJohn Byl

Mr. Byl is a partner in the law firm of Warner Norcross & Judd in Grand Rapids, MI, and heads the firm’s environmental law practice. He has extensive experience in redevelopment financial incentives, air compliance and permits, underground storage tank issues and other regulatory and enforcement matters. He is Chair of the Michigan Chapter of the National Brownfield Association, past Chair of the State Bar of Michigan’s Environmental Law Section, and has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America for Environmental Law annually since 2006.

Andy Dulin, SERF Advisory Board headshotAndy Dulin

Mr. Dulin serves on the Charlotte (North Carolina) City Council. He was first elected in 2005 and is now serving his third term on Council. He vice chairs the Budget Committee and is a member of the Community Safety, Environment, Economic Development and Government Affairs Committees. Previously, Mr. Dulin served on the Charlotte Mecklenburg Board of Adjustments. He is also a residential real estate broker.

Russ Harding, SERF Advisory Board headshotRuss Harding

Mr. Harding is senior environmental policy analyst at the Midland, MI-based Mackinac Center for Public Policy and director of its Property Rights Network. From 1995 through 2002, Harding served as Director of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, having previously held senior management posts in environmental and natural resources departments in Arizona, Alaska and Missouri.

Gary Justiss, SERF Advisory Board headshotGary Justiss, AIA

Mr. Justiss has designed more than 100 custom homes as well as numerous commercial, recreational, and civic buildings. The vast majority of his work is in new urbanist communities such as Mt. Laurel, Seaside, Alys Beach, and Rosemary Beach. He has participated as an architectural consultant for numerous charrettes for Duany, Plater-Zyberk, The Architectural Charrette Team and the New Urban Guild. Mr. Justiss is an active member of new urbanist and traditional architectural communities. He is a member of the Seaside Institute, The Institute of Classical Architectures, and a founding member of The New Urban Guild.

Rick DeKam, SERF Advisory Board headshotRick DeKam, CCIM

Rick is the President/CEO and Founder of Midwest Realty Group, in Portage, Michigan. Midwest Realty specializes in corporate buyer/tenant representation and concentrates on site selection and land assemblage throughout the Midwest. He is a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM), and Director of TMA (Turnaround Management Association). Rick is an active volunteer with Boy Scouts of America and serves in leadership roles at the local and national level.

Sebastian Eilert, SERF Advisory Board headshotSebastian Eilert, AIA

Sebastian Eilert is an Architect and Interior Designer in Florida. Mr. Eilert has been practicing in Miami since 1998 with an initial project focus on luxury custom home design and construction. To focus on his professional interest of the practice and theory of sustainable design and construction, he founded Sebastian Eilert Architecture (SEA) in 2006. As an active member of the American Institute of Architects he is also Chair of the Miami Chapter Committee on the Environment (COTE). He is on the faculty of the University of Miami, School of Architecture and teaches a course of his creation- Contemporary Sustainable Design. His awards include; 2009 Emerging Green Builder Award, University of Miami, School of Architecture and Historic Preservation Award, 2005- AIA Miami Chapter.

Nikos Avionas, SERF Advisory Board headshotNikos Avlonas

Nikos Avlonas is founder and President of the Centre for Sustainability & Excellence (CSE) a global Sustainability Strategic advisory and Training organization based in Chicago, Brussels and Athens active in more than 25 countries. He is a well known international speaker in topics related to Sustainable Development and CSR and has delivered speeches and educated professionals in North America ,Europe, Middle East and Asia. He is one of the founders and Vice President of the Corporate Responsibility Institute, Co-Chair of the Chicago Chamber of Commerce Sustainability Strategy Committee and is Board member in the Green Meetings Industry Council (GMIC) in Chicago.