EcoEngineers Names Brad Pleima CEO After $5 Billion Track Record

By Elena Vasquez

More than 300 clean-energy facilities and project development worth over $5 billion anchor Brad Pleima’s appointment as EcoEngineers CEO.

Pleima succeeds co-founder Shashi Menon following his retirement. Menon co-founded the Des Moines-headquartered advisory firm in 2009 and scaled its practice across low-carbon fuel policy, carbon-offset markets and emissions assurance. He then managed its acquisition by global risk-management group LRQA in March 2025.

The acquisition added nearly 100 sustainability experts to LRQA’s advisory network and expanded the combined entity’s capabilities in carbon accounting, climate regulation and emissions verification. Pleima will manage EcoEngineers’ ongoing integration into LRQA Climate, a process that began after the deal.

“Brad has been a driving force behind EcoEngineers’ success since he joined in 2017,” said Ian Spaulding, chief executive officer of LRQA. “As CEO, Brad is the right leader to build on EcoEngineers’ strong foundation and expand its impact across LRQA’s global client base.”

What does Pleima’s promotion change?

For fuel producers, developers and assurance providers, the immediate change is control of the combined client and service offering, not a new compliance regime. Pleima will integrate EcoEngineers’ core auditing and advisory capabilities with LRQA Climate’s global corporate client base while extending clean-fuel auditing internationally.

Pleima joined EcoEngineers in 2017 and became president in 2021. The company also credits him with more than two years of experience in renewable-energy engineering and executive planning. During his tenure, he advised more than 300 facilities and supported more than $5 billion in developments across five fuel pathways: renewable natural gas, ethanol, biodiesel, renewable diesel and hydrogen.

He also has a mandate to expand compliance verification and strategic consulting into emerging decarbonization markets: maritime transport, livestock and industrial methane abatement, and forestry carbon projects.

Which standards will the expanded firm audit?

EcoEngineers holds accreditation from the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) to perform independent validation, verification and assurance across voluntary and compliance carbon frameworks.

For project owners, the practical question is service continuity through the ownership change. The company identifies its accreditation, U.S. clean-fuel audit coverage and joint international certifications as its credentials; Pleima must extend those credentials through LRQA’s network.

Its stated service portfolio includes:

• U.S. regulatory verification: Renewable Fuel Standard Quality Assurance Program audits, state and federal clean-fuel program compliance, and verification for the 45Z and 45V clean-fuel tax credits.
• International standards: EcoEngineers and LRQA jointly deliver Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials certifications, including CORSIA aviation standards and the European Union Renewable Energy Directive.
• Certification auditing: Work for the Ammonia Energy Association’s certification system.

What will determine whether the integration works?

The commercial test is whether LRQA can route corporate clients into EcoEngineers’ accredited assurance work without fragmenting the combined organization. For U.S. fuel and hydrogen developers, the relevant demand channels are verification under the Renewable Fuel Standard and Sections 45Z and 45V; internationally, RSB, CORSIA and EU RED work gives the combined firm an international compliance offering.

Menon’s retirement removes the founder who managed the acquisition, while Pleima takes over an integration already underway. The announcement sets no integration deadline, revenue target or hiring plan, so new mandates won’t count as durable expansion until they become commissioned audits or assurance engagements.

The milestone to watch is the first wave of LRQA Climate client mandates assigned to EcoEngineers under the U.S. RFS, 45Z and 45V, CORSIA or EU RED. Follow-on bookings in maritime, methane and forestry would show whether the 2025 deal has become a global operating platform rather than just a leadership transition.