Bertrand (Bert) Valdman serves as President & CEO of NorthStar Energy, a leading provider of thoughtful, cost-effective fuel options to communities from Alaska to Hawaii to California and throughout the Northwestern US and Northern Rockies. Prior to this role, Bert was the President & CEO of Optimum Energy, the leading provider of data-driven cooling and heating optimization solutions for enterprise facilities. Prior to joining Optimum Energy, he was the Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning at Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison, one of the largest electric utilities in the country.
Prior to Edison, Bert was the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Puget Sound Energy where he was responsible for regulated electric and natural gas distribution operations, as well as the Customer Service, Information Technology, and Community Affairs functions. He also served as Puget Energy’s Chief Financial Officer from 2003 through 2007. Before joining Puget Sound Energy, Bert was a Managing Director in JP Morgan’s investment banking group in New York and Paris. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Northwestern University, as well as masters and doctoral degrees from Stanford University.
Bert serves on the Board of Lakeside School in Seattle and has served on the Boards of Saltchuk Resources, Veresen Inc., and currently serves on the Board of portfolio companies of Oaktree Capital Management. On the side, Bert is a distance runner who enjoys spending time with his wife Madeleine and their three children.
Erin Eliasen joined NorthStar Energy in 2019. She was introduced to the business in her prior role as Saltchuk’s shared services Associate General Counsel where she supported NorthStar, Foss and Tote. Prior to joining Saltchuk, Erin was a corporate partner with Garvey Schubert Barer, now Foster Garvey. Erin began her legal career in New York City as a bankruptcy associate before returning to her hometown of Seattle to work at Stoel Rives LLP where she transitioned into her current role as corporate attorney and was made partner on Jan 1, 2011.
Erin is a graduate of Fordham Law School, University of Pennsylvania, and Seattle’s Garfield High School. She is a devoted sports fan and has two very active, tiring children.
As Vice President of Commercial and Supply Strategy, Don is responsible for developing strategies across all NorthStar Energy operating companies focused on fuel supply, revenue generation, customer continuity and profitability, and market share expansion.
Throughout the last decade, Don has performed numerous roles in finance, operations, logistics, and supply & risk management. Most recently, Don served as President of Delta Western, Alaska Petroleum Distributing (APD), and Northern Oilfield Solutions and successfully managed the companies through a global pandemic and extreme market volatility while seamlessly integrating APD after it was acquired in 2019.
Don earned a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of California, Riverside and a Master’s of Business Taxation from the University of Southern California. In his free time, he restores classic cars.
Thien-Di (pronounced “Zee”) Do began her career in the Michigan automotive industry where she built a brand new marketing department for a rapidly growing $1 billion+ organization. Di was responsible for all internal and external communications and assisted with the integration of six acquired companies. After moving to Seattle in 2006, she used her brand management experience to consult to businesses in healthcare, banking, food & beverage, and high-tech. Di is particularly passionate about building and growing start-ups and women-owned businesses. She is currently a strategic advisor for two upcoming brands.
Personally, Di enjoys hanging out with her husband, cheering on their two kids through life, and finding energy on a SoulCycle bike. In addition to serving on King County’s Children and Youth Advisory Board, Di is a dedicated volunteer with the Search & Rescue program at Seattle's Union Gospel Mission and is Vice President of the Board of Directors for Rwanda Girls Initiative. In 2019, she was named 425 Magazine’s Citizen of the Year.
Carl has over 25 years of strategic operations experience in privately and publicly held organizations that include healthcare, technology and management consulting in the United States and internationally. He has an entrepreneurial spirit, and has founded, managed and sold several successful businesses. At NorthStar Energy, Carl is responsible for continuous improvement of systems and processes that drive business results.
Carl is an active volunteer at the University of Washington Burke Center for Entrepreneurship and Washington State DECA.
Suzanne Ebling joined NorthStar Energy in 2025 as Vice President of Human Resources. She brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in human resources and organizational development across retail and non-profit sectors. Prior to NSE, Suzanne served as VP of HR for Saltchuk Logistics where she supported multiple operating companies. Earlier, she was Chief People Officer at Goodwill Seattle, leading HR for more than 2,400 employees, and spent over a decade with Macy’s Northwest rising to Vice President and contributing to national talent development initiatives.
Suzanne earned a BA in Psychology with additional studies in Speech Pathology and Audiology from the University of Washington. A lifelong Seattle sports fan, Suzanne enjoys cheering on the Seahawks and Kraken with her husband, Steve, and spending time with their two sons, German Shepherd, and Himalayan cats.
Kimo Haynes is the President of Hawaii Petroleum, LLC., a wholesale and retail marketer of gasoline, diesel, and lubricants on the islands of Maui and Hawaii. Hawaii Petroleum’s family of brands includes Hawaii Fueling Network (HFN), Ohana Fuels, and Minit Stop. The combined companies have a workforce of over 300 employees. Kimo launched his career with Deloitte & Touche, then served a variety of businesses in the role of General Manager or President before joining Maui Petroleum in 1999. He rose from Project Manager to President before assuming leadership of Hawaii Petroleum, Inc. in 2006.
Kimo earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from UC Santa Barbara and an MBA in Finance & Marketing from USC. He is affiliated with the Nature Conservancy, American Heart Association, Hawaii Petroleum Marketers Association, Seabury Hall Board of Trustees and more. Kimo and his wife Sheila have four children and live in Hawaii where they enjoy golf, tennis, standup paddling and family travel.
As President of our Alaska Operating Companies, Henry works closely with Delta Western, Alaska Petroleum Distributing, and Inlet Energy to support our people, manage our customer relationships, and elevate our community presence.
With a long career in marine transportation, Henry sailed with Overseas Shipholding Group on product tankers prior to joining Foss, a NorthStar Energy sister company, as Port Captain in 2014. At Foss, Henry was responsible for the California bunker barge business. In 2018, he was promoted to General Manager and oversaw Foss’s Northern California operations.
Henry holds an MBA from the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington. He is committed to cultivating people and teams and is known for being a positive, enthusiastic leader. He is based in Juneau, Alaska with his wife and young son.
Ian Coleman serves as President of NorthStar Energy's Pacific Northwest operations, overseeing both Coleman Oil Company and CityServiceValcon. Ian holds a degree in applied mathematics from Whitman College and began his career as a financial analyst in Seattle. In 2015, he joined Coleman Oil as a third-generation leader of the business. Ian is a seasoned executive with deep experience in fuel distribution, logistics, and service operations across the Pacific Northwest. As President of Coleman Oil, he has led transformative growth and now plays a key leadership role in guiding the combination with CityServiceValcon to build one of the region’s most dynamic energy companies.
Outside of work, Ian enjoys the strategy and teamwork of board games, a passion that mirrors his approach to leading teams and navigating complex business challenges.
Bill Pratley serves as President of The Jankovich Company, a trusted provider of marine and land fuel services in the Los Angeles and Long Beach port complex. His career spans over three decades in the maritime industry, beginning as an Ordinary Seaman after attending The Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship. His first voyage was aboard the tanker LNG Leo, transporting cargo between Indonesia and Japan.
After developing his expertise on various vessels, Bill joined Crowley Maritime as a tankerman where he mastered tank barge operations and management—a role that began as a single night standby assignment on a bunker barge in LA Harbor.
In 1990, Bill joined The Jankovich Company, where under Tom Jankovich's leadership, he gained the experience to launch South Bay Barge, his own Marine Fuel Transportation Company. He grew this venture from a single barge to a three-barge fleet operating throughout the LA/LB Port complex before selling the business in 2008. Following a period providing marine consulting services and operating a vacuum truck business, he returned to The Jankovich Company in 2010.
Before his current role as President, Bill served as Vice President of Marine Operations, where he was responsible for implementing TJC's Safety Management System, fleet compliance, USCG inspections, and maintenance operations. He continues to serve as TJC's Qualified Individual for emergency response and resource allocation.
Outside of work, Bill enjoys traveling with his wife Maria and their two children, reading, history, and skiing.
Tom Jankovich serves as Chairman Emeritus of The Jankovich Company, an iconic company providing best in class supply and transportation of fuel and lubricants in the LA/LB Port Complex and San Diego since 1933.
He graduated from Long Beach State and worked briefly as a substitute teacher before realizing that a career in education would not provide adequately for his young and growing family. He joined his father on a full-time basis in 1960. Under Tom’s leadership the company grew exponentially by building and acquiring water taxis, Offshore supply vessels, tank barges, lube oil distributorships, dozens of petroleum tank trucks, and support equipment. His three sons followed in his footsteps and currently serve in key management positions. Revenues rose from $100K in 1975 to over $350M.
Tom has served on the Board of Little Company of Mary Hospital and The Bank of San Pedro. He enjoys working, playing golf, and consuming fine wine, not necessarily in that order.