EcoEngineers Names Brad Pleima as New CEO
The leadership change signals a focus on scaling clean fuel auditing services following the firm's acquisition by LRQA.
Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in People
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EcoEngineers, a Des Moines-based firm providing clean fuel auditing services, has appointed Brad Pleima as its new CEO. The leadership change occurs as co-founder Shashi Menon retires and the company continues its integration into the global risk management group LRQA.
Why it matters
The transition marks a pivotal operational shift for EcoEngineers as it integrates into LRQA Climate following its March 2025 acquisition. For local operators and stakeholders, the move signals an expansion strategy focused on scaling clean fuel auditing services into new international markets.
EcoEngineers maintains an advisory network of 100 sustainability experts supporting 300 clean energy facilities, representing $5 billion in total project development value. The firm continues to operate under the umbrella of LRQA, which completed its acquisition of the company in March 2025.
The players
Brad Pleima
The newly appointed CEO of EcoEngineers who previously served as company president and has been with the firm since 2017.
Shashi Menon
The co-founder of EcoEngineers who established the company in 2009 and is retiring as part of the leadership transition.
EcoEngineers
A Des Moines-based firm providing auditing services for clean fuel standards and international carbon frameworks.
LRQA
A global risk management group that acquired EcoEngineers in March 2025 and is integrating the firm into its climate-focused division.
The details
Brad Pleima, who previously served as company president since 2021, assumes the CEO role to lead the firm's operational integration into LRQA Climate. The firm will continue delivering auditing services for clean fuel standards and international carbon frameworks. Pleima intends to leverage the parent company's resources to scale these auditing capabilities globally, maintaining the technical standards required for its ANSI National Accreditation Board certification.
Timeline
2009: EcoEngineers was founded.
2017: Brad Pleima joined the company.
2021: Brad Pleima became president of the company.
March 2025: LRQA acquired EcoEngineers.
October 2026: Brad Pleima was named CEO.
Market Landscape
The appointment follows the March 2025 acquisition of EcoEngineers by LRQA, marking the transition from an independent entity to a specialized unit within a global risk management group. This move aligns with broader industry trends where technical auditing firms are being absorbed into larger conglomerates to facilitate international expansion.
Local business partners should monitor how the integration into LRQA affects service availability for clean energy project auditing. Operators relying on these certifications should verify if the expanded international capacity impacts the firm's engagement timelines for domestic energy developments.
The takeaway
The appointment of a long-term internal president as CEO suggests a continuity-focused strategy during the firm's parent-company integration. Operators should track the firm's service expansion plans to anticipate potential changes in regional audit availability.
Further reading
For broader trends in executive moves and talent shifts, see People.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Carbon Herald.
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