Histroy

History

Celebrated Our 35th Anniversary

The Association of Energy Engineers Chicago Charter Chapter were formed in September 1977. The AEE has grown from our humble beginnings during the energy crisis to over 16,000 members, a veritable list of “Who’s Who” from commercial, industrial, institutional, government, energy services and utility sectors. The national energy conservation program exceeded everyone's expectations by reducing the rate of growth in energy usage as people stopped wasting energy, designed & constructed more energy efficient buildings, and developed alternate energy sources.

AEE's success came from the leadership of Al Thumann, charter members, and thousands of members throughout the world. He has authored twenty-five books and was inducted into the AEE Hall of Fame in 1997. Al Thumann, PE, CEM, Founder, is the AEE Executive Director.
Dr. Karel Klima, PE, CEM, founded the AEE Chicago Charter Chapter and became its first president. Under his leadership, monthly meetings were held in Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory. The AEE Chicago Charter Chapter became the model for other chapters. He developed numerous educational programs that were replicated throughout the country to help professional engineers and managers. Dr. Karel Klima is AEE Chicago Charter Chapter President Emeritus.

With the renewed emphasis on energy, AEE accepts the new challenges to save energy and provide a better environment for people to live. We are dedicated to helping energy managers and engineers develop their profession skills.