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Independent Turbine Engineering Excellence

Uncompromised By PE Pressure or OEM Bureaucracy

Our Why

Create a world class customer focused technical turbine consulting business to power the world to do remarkable things.

The Purpose

The Turbine Group as a world-class engineering organization is to provide extreme value to our customers through practical, innovative, and cost-effective solutions to complex, multivariable real-world problems.

The How

We do this by assembling the best possible team with complementary skill sets to support the growing and aging power generation market.

80+ Years

Combined OEM Engineering Experience

24/7

Direct Access to OEM Experienced Engineers

100+

Turbine & Generator Issues Resolved

Meet the Experts

Portrait of Mark Passino, CEO at The Turbine Group.

Mark Passino

CEO

Mark brings over 22 years of combined OEM and aftermarket engineering experience across General Electric and MD&A. His background includes detailed design of steam turbines, gas turbines, generators, and combined-cycle systems, as well as extensive experience in aftermarket product development, reverse engineering, and fleet reliability enhancements. At General Electric, Mark worked across high-temperature and high-pressure designs including combustion systems, hot gas path hardware, compressor blading, HP/IP shells, rotors, steam turbine valves, and auxiliary systems. He also supported generator engineering for air-cooled, hydrogen-cooled, and water-cooled configurations. At MD&A, Mark served as Chief Engineer, leading new product development, deep-dive RCAs, and engineering training. He created multiple upgraded valve solutions, including patented bypass valve technology addressing solid-particle erosion. Mark also developed MD&A’s rotor-life-extension program for 7B/7E/7EA and 7FA turbines, creating the processes, material qualifications, and supply-chain infrastructure required for end-to-end rotor refurbishment. Mark is known for solving complex, multi-variable engineering problems using disciplined technical analysis, strong systems thinking, and cross-functional leadership. Key Roles: • MD&A – Chief Engineer, GT/ST/GEN Technologies, New Product Development • MD&A – Engineering General Manager, Product Definition & Upgraded Designs • MD&A – Lead Engineer, Reverse Engineering & Product Definition General Electric – Lead Engineer, HP/IP High-Temperature Stationary Design • General Electric – Edison Engineer • General Electric – Steam Turbine Stationary Components Engineer • General Electric – Engineer, Large Hydrogen & Liquid-Cooled Generators • General Electric – Gas Turbine Combustion Lab, Test & Facilities Engineer • General Electric – Advanced Combined-Cycle Plant & Accessories Engineer

Portrait of Nick Porteous, Chief Consulting Engineer at The Turbine Group.

Nick Porteous

Chief Consulting Engineer

Nick offers more than 30 years of steam turbine experience, directing OEM design organizations and global service engineering teams across multiple technologies. His career has centered on improving operational flexibility and reliability for combined-cycle fleets around the world. Since the late 1990s, Nick has led major RCAs addressing valve disc cracking, HP casing cracking and leakage, water induction events, HP rotor cracking, and last-stage blade failures. His work integrates hardware solutions, operational improvements, and fleet-wide corrective actions. Nick also specializes in high-temperature materials and valve and casing design, ensuring turbine systems operate reliably under aggressive thermal and mechanical conditions. He is known for decisive technical leadership and for driving improvements that directly support operational readiness and long-term asset value. Key Roles: • Mitsubishi Hitachi – General Manager, Steam Turbine & Combined Cycle Service Engineering • Mitsubishi Hitachi – Director, Steam Turbine Service Engineering • General Electric – Manager, Steam Turbine Product Service • General Electric – Principal Engineer, Steam Turbine Product Service • General Electric – Technical Lead, HP Castings & Structures • General Electric – Technical Lead, Steam Turbine Valve Design • General Electric – Quality Black Belt, Steam Turbine Valves • Siemens Parsons – Technical Lead, KN Steam Turbine Valves & Auxiliary Systems

Portrait of David Welch, Chief Consulting Engineer at The Turbine Group.

David Welch

Chief Consulting Engineer

David brings 27 years of engineering experience with General Electric, specializing in steam and gas turbine design, service engineering, and fleet performance. He has led major initiatives across General Electric and Alstom steam turbine platforms, with expertise spanning new unit design, technology upgrades, and large-scale retrofit programs. David provides technical leadership in outage strategy, forensic failure analysis, component redesign, system operability, and long-term asset planning. His background includes extensive work on HP/IP/LP steam turbine components valves, valve systems, shells, piping, and stationary elements along with root-cause investigations involving shell cracking, packing-head failures, valve and casing issues, rotor events, alignment challenges, and performance loss. He has supported global customers and international legal cases requiring disciplined RCA methodology and high-level engineering judgment. David’s approach is grounded in system integration, material behavior, and operational priorities, ensuring solutions that are durable, safe, and cost-effective for demanding turbine environments. Key Roles: • General Electric – Consulting Principal Engineer, Steam Turbine Mechanical Components • General Electric – Consulting Principal Engineer, Steam Turbine Product Service • General Electric – Principal Engineer, Steam Turbine Stationary Components • General Electric – Technical Leader, HP/IP Shells & Valves • General Electric – Mechanical Design Engineer, Compressor Blade & Combustion Mechanical Design

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From All of Us at The Turbine Group

Thank you to all of our customers for allowing TTG to assist you through outages and high-pressure situations. We truly value your trust in our team and are grateful for every opportunity to support your operations. Your partnership is the reason we do what we do.

Honoring the Legacy of George Schlottner

A leader in high-temperature mechanical design and a mentor to generations.

We celebrate George Schlottner’s legacy as a leading force in high-temperature mechanical design within the Power Industry, and the engineering community he has created and continues to inspire.

 

In his 45+ year career with GE, George led the development of methods and design guidance for ST rotors, valves, and shells, supported by vast fleet steam turbine operational experience and material development programs to tackle the complex interactions within high-temperature mechanical design. These contributions have become a cornerstone in understanding and developing solutions for the challenges of reliability, service, and flexible operation of the modern global steam turbine fleet.

George’s mentorship has shaped generations of influential engineers and power industry leaders, equipping them with a deeper, pragmatic understanding grounded in core principles. By staying focused on these fundamentals, his mentees are able to connect key legacy lessons with the latest design analysis and tools.

As his mentees, we thank George for his patience, guidance, and wisdom, and we look forward to continuing his legacy serving the power industry.

Thank you, George - A Legend

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