After a distinguished career of 26 years with the Army, retiring as Chief of the CINC's Action Group, Central Command, Dan Nolan chose to combine his knowledge of leadership and his skill as a trainer to help businesses grow the talent reserves they need. While in the military, Dan served in key assignments, most recently with US Central Command in Tampa, Fl., where he was a principal advisor to the General Tommy Franks. His commands include the 1st Armored Division Artillery, 1st Bn, 78th FA and 9th Bn, 1st FA (Provo). He has spent time in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Iraq and Washington DC and understands the complexity of these varied environments. Most recently, Dan has been providing leadership for an effort to link the strategic importance of energy independence to the tactical relevance of reducing the use and transportation of fossil fuels in order lower the risk to soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, work that was featured in Thomas Friedman's 2008 book Hot, Flat and Crowded and "Power Trip: From Oil Wells to Solar Cells---Our Ride to the Renewable Future" by Amanda Little. He also appeared on the Discovery Channel, the BBC and, most recently, in the documentary "Carbon Nation" by Director Peter Byck. Dan is a graduate of the United States Military Academy West Point. He holds a Master's Degree in Systems Engineering from the University of Southern California, as well as a Masters of Arts in Strategic Planning from the US Naval War College.

While providing strategic planning support to the Army's Rapid Equipping Force in 2006, Dan was asked to review an Urgent Operational Needs Request from the Anbar Province in Iraq. It was this request that highlighted the tactical relevance of reducing energy use in forward areas. As a result of this review, on Dan's recommendation, the Power Surety Task Force (PSTF) was created to be the Army's means for finding technical solutions to commander's battlefield challenges around energy. The Power Surety Task Force (PSTF) developed out of the mission analysis of a potential Joint Urgent Operational Needs Statement from a Marine Corps General requesting alternative energy sources in order to reduce the amount of fuel transported to supply power generation systems. The reduction of the target signature of convoys became the cause for the PSTF. The strategic importance of this effort is now meeting the tactical relevance demonstrated by loss of life during convoy operations. Under his leadership the PSTF developed the technology for reducing energy demands by spraying insulating foam on temporary structures; field tested hybrid electric power stations as well as tactical garbage to energy systems. He also led the effort to create the Net Zero Plus Joint Concept Technology Demonstration begun in 2008 to showcase technologies that would allow forward operating bases to generate all the power they need for mission accomplishment. The PSTF was so successful that it was transferred from the Army to the Office of the Secretary of Defense under the Director, Defense Research and Engineering. During this period Dan spoke at numerous government symposia regarding meeting forward energy requirements. His work was highlighted in Tom Friedman's "Hot, Flat and Crowded" and "Power Trip: From Oil Wells to Solar Cells---Our Ride to the Renewable Future" by Amanda Little. He also appeared on the Discovery Channel, the BBC and, most recently, in the documentary "Carbon Nation" by Director Peter Byck. All of this activity occurred while Dan was serving as a Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) contractor, a very unusual occurrence.

After leaving the PSTF in 2008, Dan focused on bringing his intimate knowledge of the DoD Energy structure and operations to the commercial market. Even so, he continues to be tapped by the Federal Government for his expertise. He was selected for the Marine Corps AND the Air Force Energy Assessment Team and traveled to Afghanistan with multidisciplinary teams to assess energy use in forward operating areas. Additionally he is still called upon to address government energy organizations on Operational Energy, such as the Defense Energy Support Center's World Wide Conference and the Defense Advance Research Agency's Very High Efficiency Solar Cell research project's annual review. He is currently serving as a member of the DARPA Energy Panel charted to consider DARPA involvement in the DoD Energy challenge for the future.