UPMG's 80th Annual Educational Conference

CONFERENCE SPEAKERS & TOPICS

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General Sessions - Monday
General Sessions - Tuesday

Concurrent Sessions - Monday
Concurrent Sessions - Tuesday

GENERAL SESSIONS:
Monday, September 19, 2011

Welcome address and State of the Electric Utility
Victor Staffieri, Chairman, Chief Executive Office and President of LG&E and KU Energy

Mr. Staffieri was named to his current position in 2001.  He has 29 years of experience in the electric and natural gas utility industry.  He began his career as an attorney at Long Island Lighting Company in Hicksville, New York.  He holds a bachelor's degree from Yale University and a Juris Doctor from the Fordham University School of Law.  He currently belongs to the board of directors of the Edison Electric Institute.

Keynote Speaker
Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos and author of Delivering Happiness

In 1999, at the age of 24, Tony Hsieh sold LinkExchange, the company he cofounded, to Microsoft for $265 million,  He then joined Zappos, an online shoe company, as an advisor and investor, and eventually became CEO, where he helped Zappos grow from almost no sales to over $1 billion in gross merchandise sales annually, while simultaneously making Fortune magazine's annual "Best Companies to Work For" list.  Amazon acquired Zappos in November 2009 in a deal valued at $1.2 billion on the day of closing.  Tony's first book, "Delivering Happiness", debuted at #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list and has remained on the list every week since June 2010.  He will share the ingredients used by Zappos to build a long-lasting, enduring brand that includes the importance of customer service and company culture.  He will also talk about how focusing on delivering happiness to customers and employees has enabled the company to expand to other product categories.

The Future of Coal
Scott Klara, Deputy Director, National Energy Technology Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy

Mr. Klara supports the NETL Director with managing the day-to-day execution for all aspects of the Laboratory's mission.  He has over twenty five years of diversified engineering and management experience that spans a broad spectrum of technology areas including: electric power generation; advanced separation processes; process control; coal conversion processes; and simulation/systems analysis.  His career includes work for AT&T Technologies, Bell Laboratories, and Calgon Carbon Corporation.  He holds a Bachelors of Science and Masters of Science in chemical engineering and a Masters of Science in petroleum engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.

Clean Coal Technologies
Kerry W. Bowers, Director of the National Carbon Capture Center, Southern Company Research & Environmental Affairs

Mr. Bowers will highlight the research and development activities underway at the National Carbon Capture Center– a public / private partnership between the United States Department of Energy and leading power companies, coal companies and EPRI.  Mr. Bowers holds a bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering with Honors from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.  He began his professional career with Texaco, Inc., conducting petroleum-refining process R&D and joined Southern Company's Research & Environmental Affairs Department in 1981.  Since then he has led R&D programs in technologies across all sectors of the electric utility business including emissions control from power plants under the DOE's Clean Coal Technology program.  Prior to his current position , Mr. Bowers represented Southern Company in the FutureGen industrial Alliance.

Race to Sustainability
Jack Sahl, Ph.D. , Director of Environment and Resources Sustainability Operations at Southern California Edison and Joseph M. Hunter, M.B.A, C.P.M, Director of Corporate sourcing, Entergy Services

The presenters will show how to be a leading drive of sustainability in your utility.  They will share the basics of sustainability, how to make a business case to leadership for building a sustainability organization and talk about the successes and lessons they have learned.  The session will include information and an update on the Electric Utility Industry Sustainability Supply Chain Alliance (EUISSCA).

Dr. Sahl is responsible for the development strategy and implementation of SCI's sustainability programs for internal operations.  This includes activities related to energy and water conservation at SCE facilities and increasing transportation and transport fuel efficiency, chemical management ; material reuse, recycle and disposal and working to ensure that product life-cycle assessment are integrated with the SCE Supply Chain. He leads the implementation of the SCE policy for electric and magnetic fields, spanning the frequency range of– Hz to microwave telecommunications.  He earned a bachelors degree in biochemistry from the University of La Verne and holds master's degrees in epidemiology and environmental health from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and the University of Minnesota, respectively.  He earned a doctorate in epidemiology from UCLA and currently is an Adjunct Professor at the UCLA School of Public Health, I the Department of Epidemiology.

Mr. Hunter is currently the Director of Corporate Sourcing at Entergy Services.

Warehouse and Inventory Management: Key Findings from the 2011 UMMBC Utility Warehouse Benchmarking Study
John Sequeira, Ph.D., Partner, ScottMadden, Inc.

Dr. Sequeira is a Partner at ScottMadden, Inc..  Prior to joining ScottMadden he was a partner with Ernst & Young LLP and a Vice President with Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, LLC.  He earned his bachelors of science degree from the University of Santa Clara and an M.P.A. from the Daniels School of Business at the University of  Denver and his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Denver.  He is a member of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, the American Purchasing Society and the American Nuclear Society.

GENERAL SESSIONS:
Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Electric Transportation– What's on the Horizon?
Cedric Daniels, Electric Transportation Program Manager for Alabama Power Company.

Electric Vehicles– The Impact and Alternatives
Richard A. Muller, Ph.D., Professor, Author

Dr. Muller is recognized by many as a legendary professor of physics whose life-long mission is to help others understand world events through the Physical sciences.  He is a prolific researcher credited with discoveries that have deepened our understanding of space, the composition of the cosmos, and the earth.  He is the author of numerous books, most notably "Physics for Future Presidents", based on his Berkeley lecture series.  He is the recipient of a McArthur Genius Fellowship and has been a popular columnist for MIT's Technology Review.  He is a fellow of the California Academy of Arts & Science, the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.  He has been cited as one of 25 Innovators in the U.S. by Newsweek and one of 100 Outstanding Scientists by Science Digest.

Resource  Challenges for Electric Utilities
Sandra Hochstetter Byrd, Vice President of Strategic Affairs, Arkansas Electric Cooperative

We are in a down-turned economy with recovery uncertainty.  With the advent of numerous and costly EPA regulations, and a lack of consensus around future energy policy, how can utilities maintain a reliable and cost-effective supply portfolio while meeting future challenges?  Certain assumptions are currently being made, what supply considerations are in play and what key drivers will determine future choices?

Ms. Byrd has served as Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation's Vice President of Strategic Affairs for the past three years.  She previously served as Chair of the Arkansas Public Service Commission during the administration of Governor Mike Huckabee.  In her role she serves on the Electric Power Research Institute's (EPRI) Advisory Committee and represents both NRECA and the Arkansas Cooperatives as a member of the DOE-EPA State Energy Efficiency Action Network's Executive Committee.  She is a member of the New Mexico State University's Center for Public Utilities Advisory Board, an officer of NARUC's Commissioners Emeritus, a member of the Harvard Electricity Policy Forum and the Aspen Institute Energy Policy Forum.  She has earned a bachelors degree fro the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and a Juris Doctorate degree from Washington University in St. Louis.

Talent Development & Knowledge Transfer
Curt Coffman, Author, Researcher, Speaker and Consultant

Mr. Coffman spent 22 years at the Gallup Organization where he served as its Global Practice Leader for employee and customer engagement.  His mission is to help organizations understand the key characteristics of a positive productive, customer-oriented work environment. Insight from his research and experience is used to help organizations measure and manage workplace and customer conditions that show linkage to business outcomes.  He is coauthor of one of the best-selling management books of all time, "First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently".  That book is currently in its 40th printing and has been translated into 22 languages.    He is also the coauthor of "Follow this Path: How the World's Greatest Organization's Drive Growth by Unleashing Human Potentia", currently available in 15 languages.  He holds an MA and an MBA from the University of Nebraska.

An Update on the Economy and the Electric Utility Industry
Donald R. Leavens, Ph.D., Vice President and Chief Economist, National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)

Dr. Leavens specializes in the economics of the electrical manufacturing industry, providing analysis and forecasts of the economic forces affecting the industry.   He has provided the economic outlook for the electric industry at the UPMG Washington D.C. Conference.  He holds a Ph.D. in economics from George Mason University, a master's degree in economics from Virginia Tech and a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Virginia.  He is a member of the Governor of Virginia's Advisory Board of Economists.

Demand Planning– Gaining the Visibility to Enable A High Performing Supply Chain
Marlon Merritt, Manager of Supply Chain Performance Support at Progress Energy and Daniel M. del Sobral, Managing Director of Client Services at PowerAdvocate

Mr. Merritt leads the Supply Chain Performance Support function within the Center of Excellence at Progress Energy.  He first joined Caroling Power & Light, which later became Progress Energy.  His experience with the company includes Corporate Services,  Human Resources, Corporate Real Estate, Transmission Operations & Planning and most recently Supply Chain.  He earned a masters' degree from Strayer University and a bachelor's degree from North Carolina Wesleyan College graduating with honors.  He serves on the UPMG Executive Board and the organization's Treasurer.

CONCURRENT SESSIONS:
Monday, September, 19, 2011

Best Practices in Commercial Contract Terms
Bill Andrews, Nix & Peabody

Key Lessons Learned from Materials Management System Implementations
Technology plays an important role in the success of global supply chains.  Utility supply chains are not different and the push to adopt materials management technologies (e.g, warehouse management systems, inventory management systems, RF-handheld interface tools, etc.) can be a huge challenge in the best of circumstances.   The focus of this panel is to discuss useful lessons learned from utilities who have recently implemented these technologies.

Moderator:
Andy Flores, Partner, ScottMadden, Inc.
Mr. Flores specializes in operations improvement and process redesign, supply chain management, transmission, fossil generation and project management to ensure alignment with strategic direction.  Prior to joining ScottMadden he spent several years at McMaster-Carr Supply Company an industrial supply firm.  He was an intelligence office in the United States Marine Corps and graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. from the University of North Carolina and an M.B.A. from Goizueta Business School at Emory University.

Panelists:
Andy Hill, CEO and Co-Founder, Oniqua MRO Analytics
Rick Crosby, Corporate Materials Management Manager, Southern Company
Eric Cloudt, Director Supply Chain, CPS Energy
Robert Butler, Manager Inventory Management, Constellation Energy/Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE)

Utility Infrastructure Reliability and Supply Chain Strategies
Panel:
Craig Stiegemeier, Technology Director, Transformer Remanufacturing & Engineering Services, ABB Inc.
Okonite, PowerAdvocate

CONCURRENT SESSIONS:
Tuesday, September 20, 2011

IGCC Technology
Steven K. Owen, EPC Project Director, Kemper IGCC Project, Mississippi Power and Mike McNabb, Manager of Contracts and Compliance Supply Chain Management at the Southern Company.

Mr. Owen is the project director for the $2.4 billion Kemper IGCC project that will gasify local lignite, producing synfuel for firing a combined cycle power plant.  His experience includes the Miller Scrubber Project, a four unit $900 million scrubber retrofit project at Alabama Power's largest coal-fired generating plant.  He has also served as Manager of Alabama Power Environmental Projects for Southern Company Generation.  Previous experience includes work at Mirant and Southern Energy.  He earned a bachelor of science degree in Civil Engineering from Auburn University. 

Mr. McNabb has held several positions with Georgia Power and the Southern Company throughout his career.  His current role is Manager of Contracts and Compliance for Southern Company where his responsibilities include managing the contracts and procurement activities for environmental, new generation and retrofit projects.  In addition to his supply chain responsibilities, he also manages the Compliance activities for Southern Company Supply Chain.  He has earned a BBA in Business and a JD in Law.

Supply Chain Role in the Smart Grid
Jay Shawver, Emerging Technology Sourcing, Duke Energy Corporation; Michael J.S. Edmonds, CENG, MIET, IEEE, Vice President Strategic Solutions at S&C Electric Company and Sean Dempsey, Wesco Distribution Inc.; Sean Dempsey, Business Development Manager, Metering & Smart Grid, WESCO

The focus of this session is to provide insight into the Smart Grid Supply Chain from the perspectives of the utility, the supplier and a distributor.  The session will include new information regarding Smart Grid options, technologies and risks.

Mr. Shawver is an Emerging Technology Senior Sourcing Specialists at Duke Energy with responsibility for end to tend supply chain grid modernization (i.e. Smart Grid) efforts.  Prior to joining Duke Energy, Jay worked in Operations and Research & Development senior sourcing roles at several companies, including Callaway Golf and Intel Corporation.   Most notable was his contribution to new product introductions and Intellectual Property Management.  He earned a B.A. in International Business from Clemson University and an  M.B. A. from the University of South Carolina.

Mr. Edmonds is Vice President of Strategic Solutions at S&C Electric Company responsible for the strategy and direction of the company offerings.   The group consists of the smart grid portfolio as well as traditional portfolio and includes power quality/energy storage, automation, software, communications, switching & fuse products.   Prior to joining the S&C Electric Company he was VP and GM of Siemens USA Energy Automation group.

Sean Dempsey is the Business Development Manager for Metering & Smart Grid at WESCO Distribution.  He has been in this role for over four years.  Prior to joining WESCO he spent 7 years working with advanced metering systems at ABB, Elster Electricity.  He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and an MBA from East Carolina University.

Transmission Support Expansion/Build-Out
David Frank HD Supply, Karl Miller, P.E., Executive Manager, Power Group at Kenny Construction Company and Jack Dwyer, VP Business Development, Quanta Services/PAR Electrical Contractors

Mr. Frank has directed and led Supply Sourcing and Operations in Transmission, Distribution, and Nuclear Operations within Exelon.  Within the last 12 years he led two supply chain mergers across four major investor-owned utilities (IOU's) as well leading procurement transformations within both Supply Operations and Strategic sourcing functions.  Most recently he served as Chief Supply Officer for two major North American IOU's where he presided over $3Billion sourcing and procurement spend, warehouse and logistical operations across Nuclear, Fossil, Transmission and Distribution Operations.  He earned an M.B.A. from Widener University.

Mr. Miller is responsible for executive construction services at Kenny Construction Company.  Prior to joining Kenny Construction he was with Black and Veatch where he managed engineering and development of power plants in the U.S., Taiwan and Mainland China.  Has earned a BSME degree from Kansas State University and is a registered engineer in eight states.