Not your Grandad’s VAV: What’s new in rooftop VAV systems

Melissa Schumann, Large Commercial Rooftop Portfolio Leader

Melissa Schumann joined Trane in 2011 and currently is the Large Commercial Rooftop Portfolio Leader. In this role, she is responsible for new product development, portfolio strategy, lifecycle management and financial performance for Rooftops in the 20-150 ton range including IntelliPak and Voyager 3 RTUs. In her prior role as Controls Sales Support leader, her team led the controls customer visit program, offered controls training, managed contractor programs, and supported sales on project strategy and product selection. Prior, she was the Tracer Concierge Product Manager and Light Commercial Control Contractor Program leader. She has worked on a variety of projects that include decarbonization strategy, development of the Tracer BAS Operator Suite mobile app, UL smoke control listings and technician tools.

Melissa graduated from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and earned her master’s degree in business administration at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.

Greg DuChane, Applications Engineer

Greg joined Trane in 1989 after earning a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University. Throughout his 35-year tenure, he’s worked with large, national retail and restaurant chains in various capacities—first as an account executive for Trane National Accounts, then as a regional sales manager for Trane’s global business development group and recently as Key Accounts Sales Leader. His considerable experience with the application of unitary and DOAS systems and ventilating the commercial kitchens of large restaurant chains gives him a unique perspective on how such applications affect the HVAC systems in restaurant and retail applications. Greg is past Chair of ASHREAE TC 5.10 Commercial Kitchen Ventilation and current Handbook chair. Greg is also a member of the Restaurant Facilities Managers Association (RFMA) Education Committee, frequent speaker, and a past member of SPECS where he served on the Advisory Board.

Marcus Ellson, Senior Product Manager – Autonomous Controls & Digital Platforms

Marcus Ellson is a Product Manager for Autonomous Control and Digital Platforms at Trane. In this role, he is responsible for growing the Trane Autonomous Control offering, as well as defining the strategy and roadmap of Trane's Digital Platforms.

In his 16 years with Trane he has held various roles, most recently managing a team of application engineers in the Controls portfolio. That team supported new product development of enterprise, system and unit control applications. Marcus previously executed new product development in the Controls portfolio, developing specialties in system applications, system integration, graphics tools, product licensing, enterprise user interfaces, and more. Marcus attended the University of Minnesota and graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, and a Master’s in Management of Technology. .