Our Board

Cheryl English - President

Cheryl English is the Vice President of Public Policy for Acuity Brands Lighting. She is responsible for legislative policy, government relations and is actively involved in various industry organizations.

Cheryl is a Past President of Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) and is a Fellow of the Society. She has been awarded the IES Distinguished Service Award and President's Award. She serves on the Board of Managers for the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and received the NEMA Kite and Key Award recognizing her contributions to advancing interests of the electrical industry. Cheryl is also the Executive Director of the Robert J. Besal Lighting Education Fund.

Cheryl completed her Masters of Business Administration degree in the Georgia State University Executive MBA program. She earned her Bachelors of Science degree in Architectural Engineering with an option in Illumination and Electrical Systems at the University of Colorado. Cheryl enjoys kayaking, fishing, gardening and fundraising for the Alzheimer’s Association.

Terry McGowan - Executive VP

Terry McGowan heads his own consulting business, Lighting Ideas, Inc. in Cleveland, Ohio. He specializes in illuminating engineering, lighting design and lighting education. He is also the Director of Engineering & Technology for the American Lighting Association.

Before retiring from GE Lighting in 1998, he was the Manager of Worldwide Application Development and the Lighting Institute at Nela Park in Cleveland and for the following seven years he was the Executive Director of the Lighting Research Office for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).

Terry is a Fellow of the Illuminating Engineering Society, a member of the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) and serves on the Technical Committee of the International Dark Sky Association. He has held the "Lighting Certified" (LC) Credential since the inception of the National Council on Qualifications for the Lighting Professional (NCQLP) program.

Dan Smith - Secretary

C. Dan Smith is a retired financial executive. He retired in 2020 following a 34-year career. Mr. Smith most recently served as Senior Vice President, Treasurer and Corporate Secretary of Acuity Brands, Inc. In this role, he oversaw the treasury, corporate secretary, and investor relations functions of the organization.

Prior to Acuity Brands, Mr. Smith held accounting and financial positions at several organizations, including Scientific-Atlantic, Inc. (acquired by Cisco Systems, Inc.) and Ernst & Young LLP.

Mr. Smith received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Clemson University and his M.B.A. from Georgia State University’s Executive M.B.A. program. He is a former Certified Public Accountant and Certified Cash Manager.

Sam Kirk - Treasurer

Sam Kirk is Vice President, Accounting and Reporting of Acuity Brands Lighting. He is responsible for overseeing external and internal financial reporting, maintaining internal controls, researching technical accounting issues, and performing general accounting functions.

Prior to joining Acuity Brands in 2016, Sam began his career as an audit associate with Ernst and Young LLP and later worked as Manager of Financial Reporting at Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc.

Sam received his bachelor’s degree in accounting as well as his Master of Accountancy from The University of Georgia. He is a practicing Certified Public Accountant.

Barry Goldman - Director

Barry Goldman is Senior Vice President, General Counsel of Acuity Brands Lighting. He is responsible for overseeing mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, real estate transactions, environmental health and safety compliance, regulatory issues, litigation, international transactions, and certain governance and other matters. He is also involved in strategic planning and strategy deployment and has helped drive the company's environmental sustainability initiatives. He began working with the Company in 1997.

Prior to joining Acuity Brands, Barry worked as an Associate at the Atlanta office of the law firm Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan. He also served as Judicial Law Clerk for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia.

Barry graduated with Special Honors from the University of Texas at Austin in 1988, concentrating in Philosophy and English. He received his JD and MBA joint degree from the School of Law and Graduate School of Business of the University of Georgia, where he also was selected to serve on the Editorial Board of the Georgia Law Review.

Barry serves on the Board of Directors of Southface - a not-for-profit corporation focused on creating environmentally sustainable workplaces, homes, and communities. He is a mountain biker, runner, and former bull rider.

Jeff Quinlan - Director

Jeff Quinlan has a BS in Architectural Engineering and an MS in Civil Engineering both with an emphasis in Illumination from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He has worked at Acuity Brands Lighting since 1994. During this period, his roles have included Illumination Engineer, Manager of Product Design, Product Development Manager, Director of Innovation and Vice President of Technology. He has worked on a wide range of products from roadway to floodlights to industrial high bays to office lights. Since 2006 Jeff has been active in leading the development of new and innovative LED products and recently held the role of Technology Evangelist. Today he is the Vice President of Engineering and Illumination at Acuity Brands.

In addition to his work at Acuity, he has been an active member of the Illumination Engineering Society joining in 1989. He has been a member of the Next Generation Lighting Alliance since 2008 and Chairman from 2015 - 2018. Jeff is on the advisory boards for the Rocky Mountain Lighting Academy and Strategies in Light, and 2019 he joined the McClung foundation.

Craig Marquardt - Director

Craig Marquardt is Vice President of Design Engineering for Acuity Brands Lighting. He is responsible for the Optical Engineering Group, R&D Photometric Testing Lab, Lighting Design Applications Group, and White Optics Engineering.

Craig has worked in the Architectural and lighting design Industry since the late 70’s starting out as a Lighting Layout Draftsman with an Electrical Engineering Firm in Clackamas Oregon while attending Architectural School. Craig was hired by Skidmore Owings & Merrill Architects in 1980 where he worked as an Architectural Designer and Illumination Designer, Craig worked on projects like the VA Hospital, Portland, Oregon, Portland International Airport, and US Bank Tower, Portland, Oregon. In 1994 Craig Started his own Design Firm with Offices in Seattle, WA., Portland, Or., and Oakland, Ca. He also opened a Bronze and Stainless-Steel Foundry in 1994 where he designed and built Large scale Chandeliers, Public Art and Private Commissioned Artwork in Stainless, Bronze, Glass and Stone. During Craigs career he has received several international awards from IESNA, IALD, AIA, Department of Energy, General Electricand one of his most coveted Awards was the Le Jumeau Trophy for best illuminated Museum Worldwide, Awarded in Paris France for the Whyel Museum of French Fashion and Doll Art. Craig Also Worked Directly with Muhammed Ali on the “Muhammed Ali Center” Designing and installing the Lighting and Exhibit Experience.Other Projects: Bishop Museum Honolulu, HI., Sea-Tac International Airport, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Bandon, OR., Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA., and Fremont Street Experience Bridge, Las Vegas.

In 2008 Craig sold his Foundry and Closed his Architectural Lighting Design Business and Joined Acuity Brands Lighting Innovation Design Team where he has worked his way thru new LED product development for Indoor, Outdoor, Industrial, Architectural and Emergency Lighting products.

Inspiring Illumination McClung Lighting Research Foundation

Our Board

Inspiring Illumination
McClung Lighting Research Foundation