Volume 2, Issue 3 | Q2 2026

Company Announcements

Expanding Access Through Community Partnerships:

CalNEXT Community Electrification Pilot

One of the most meaningful ways we serve our communities is by connecting people to opportunities that create lasting benefits. Through CalNEXT's Community Electrification Pilot, The Ortiz Group is working directly with residents in Los Baños and Santa Barbara to expand access to clean energy education, community volunteer opportunities, and no-cost electrification upgrades for eligible homeowners.

Learn more about the pilot and reserve your spot at an upcoming workshop using the link below.

Sign-up for the next Workshop

Heat Pump Advantage Training

Q2 2026 Momentum

Heat Pump Advantage continued to expand its impact across California in Q2, bringing workforce training to Eureka, El Cajon, El Centro, and Riverside.

Through four successful trainings, 68 contractors and technicians gained practical skills, exchanged real-world experiences, and strengthened the professional networks that will help accelerate building electrification in communities throughout the state.

Highlights from the Heat Pump Advantage Trainings in Q2 2026

📌 Want to Plan Ahead?

Additional TECH Clean California Heat Pump Advantage Trainings are scheduled across California! Explore upcoming dates, locations, and registration links to find the session that best fits your schedule.

Explore Upcoming 2026 Trainings

Join our Growing Team

The work we do is driven by people who are passionate about creating lasting community impact—and we're looking to add to our team. We currently have three full-time opportunities for individuals ready to contribute, collaborate, and grow with us.

Open Positions:

Lead Field Operations Manager
Quality Assurance & Quality Control Field Specialist
Program Assistant

Ready to be a part of the impact? Check out our website for all the details!

Explore Careers

Supporting Contractors Navigate Change:
Quality HVAC R410A Webinar

This quarter, in partnership with Frontier Energy, we delivered three R410A Refrigerant Phase-Out Seminars in San Diego, Visalia, and Sacramento equipping HVAC contractors with practical knowledge and guidance to navigate California's evolving refrigerant transition.

The strong interest and participation throughout the series reinforced the need for greater accessibility. To reach more contractors across California, we've added a live webinar on Monday August 17th, providing another opportunity to gain the insights needed to stay informed, compliant, and competitive.

TOG Highlights

Celebrating Service, Leadership & Impact Across Our Team

Representing TOG at the

17th Annual California Climate & Energy Forum

In June, Melinda Lopez, Program Manager & Equity Consultant, represented The Ortiz Group at the 17th Annual California Climate & Energy Forum (CCEC26), where she not only attended the conference but also moderated a featured session, "A Tale of the EBD-Northern Program Outreach: Working with Community, For Community."

Leading a discussion with industry and community leaders, Melinda facilitated conversations on the critical role community-based organizations play in expanding equitable access to building decarbonization programs. The session explored partnership strategies, community-centered outreach, and best practices that strengthen program delivery across California.

Her leadership reflects TOG's commitment to advancing equitable energy solutions by fostering collaboration, amplifying community voices, and helping shape programs that better serve the communities that need them most.

See you at the Big Valley Tule Boat Festival

& Tribal Cultural Gathering

This month, The Ortiz Group is honored to support the Tribal Cultural Gathering & Big Valley Tule Boat Festival as a sponsor and community partner. We look forward to joining the celebration of culture, heritage, and community alongside our partners at Big Valley Rancheria July 23-25, 2026.

If you're attending, be sure to stop by and say hello to Melinda Lopez and Erich Fleck—they'd love to connect!

Join our Community on Facebook

There's another way to stay connected with The Ortiz Group! Follow us on Facebook for the latest news, upcoming events, training announcements, and highlights from the communities and partners we serve.

We'd love to have you join the conversation.

Click the link below to follow our page.

Strengthening Partnerships. Advancing Impact.

Our Program Management team—Melinda Lopez, Erich Fleck, Genesis Tang, and Mina Jimenez—will be attending the 2026 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings this August. The conference provides an opportunity to exchange ideas, explore emerging best practices, and collaborate with leaders working to shape a more equitable and energy-efficient future.

We're excited to engage in meaningful conversations, strengthen partnerships, and bring new ideas back to the communities we serve. If you're attending, we'd love to meet you.

Quarterly Impact & Performance

Measuring our progress through data, engagement, and community impact

Real work. Real communities. Measurable impact.

This new quarterly impact report provides a snapshot of our on-the-ground progress across programs, partnerships, and community engagement. Rooted in real-world delivery, these metrics reflect not just performance, but the relationships and trust built through our work in the field.