About UPMG
The Utility Purchasing Management Group (UPMG) is a leading industry association dedicated to advancing procurement and materials management across the utility sector. Serving professionals in gas, electric, and telecommunications utilities—including investor-owned, government-owned, and consumer-owned entities— UPMG fosters the exchange of knowledge, ideas, and best practices to drive operational excellence.
Through its annual conference, taking place September 22-25 this year in San Diego, UPMG provides a premier platform for education and networking, addressing emerging industry challenges and showcasing innovations from both utility leaders and supplier partners. The event features expert insights and thought leadership, and its virtual format in recent years has expanded accessibility and broadened participation across the sector.
By The Numbers
100+
Years Supporting the Utility Industry
20
Participating Utilities in Benchmarking Survey
1
Conference to Attend this Year
Events - 2025
For over a century, UPMG has hosted its flagship annual conference—recognized as the premier gathering for utility procurement and supply chain professionals.
Now in its 101st year, the conference offers unparalleled opportunities for executive networking and delivers forward-looking insights from a diverse array of industry luminaries. Attendees gain access to cutting-edge thought leadership and strategic perspectives shaping the future of the utility sector.
Conference Speaker Bios
Estela de Llanos
VP of Land and Environmental Services and Chief Sustainability Officer
San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E)
Estela de Llanos is vice president of land and environmental services and chief sustainability officer at San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), one of Sempra’s regulated California utilities. She is responsible for SDG&E’s sustainability strategy, land services, environmental services and San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station decommissioning. Previously, de Llanos led SDG&E’s electric and fuel procurement and electric vehicle, hydrogen, energy storage and other advanced clean technology initiatives. She has over 25 years of experience in energy, environmental policy and compliance, project development and non-profit board service.
Conrad Snover
CEO
ProcureAbility
Conrad is CEO of ProcureAbility, where he focuses on client success, employee engagement and culture, and product innovation. Conrad is focused on helping clients optimize their supply chain function through Strategy Design, Procurement Transformation, Category Management, Strategic Sourcing, Supplier Development, and Organizational Sustainability.
Conrad has consulted with numerous Fortune 1000 companies in a variety of industries including utilities, oil and gas, technology, banking and insurance, hospitality, and healthcare. He is a frequently requested presenter at national supply chain conferences, and holds a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Washington.
A retired sponsored athlete and aspiring ski-mountaineer, Conrad lives in Northern California with his wife and their son.
Josh King
Senior Vice President for Strategic Programs
American Water Company
Joshua King is Senior Vice President for Strategic Programs at American Water Company. In his role, Mr. King oversees the company's digital transformation efforts spanning operations, finance, customer relations, procurement, HR and data. He also serves on the company's senior leadership team and drives the prioritization and execution of key initiatives for the company.
Prior to his current role, Mr. King served as Senior Vice President for Supply Chain and Strategic Projects, and he oversaw all aspects of procurement, materials management, travel, real estate and facilities for the country's largest water utility.
Dr. James D. Hamilton
Robert F. Engle Professor of Economics
UC San Diego
James D. Hamilton has been a professor in the Economics Department at the University of California at San Diego since 1992, where he currently holds the Robert F. Engle endowed chair in economics. He served as department chair from 1999-2002, and has also taught at Harvard University and the University of Virginia. He received a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California at Berkeley in 1983.
Professor Hamilton has published on a wide range of topics. His research in areas including econometrics, business cycles, monetary policy, and energy markets has been cited in more than 75,000 different articles. His graduate textbook on time series analysis has sold 60,000 copies and has been translated into Chinese, Japanese, and Italian. He also contributes to Econbrowser, a popular economics blog. Academic honors include Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Research Associate with the National Bureau of Economic Research, receipt of the best paper award for 2010-2011 from the International Institute of Forecasters, the 2014 award for outstanding contributions to the profession from the International Association for Energy Economics, and the inaugural 2020 best paper award from the Journal of Monetary Economics. He is a Fellow of the Econometric Society, the Journal of Econometrics, the International Association for Applied Econometrics, and the Society for Economic Measurement. He has been a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Board in Washington, DC, as well as the Federal Reserve Banks of Atlanta, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Richmond, and San Francisco. He has also been a consultant for the National Academy of Sciences, Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the European Central Bank and has testified before the United States Congress. Hamilton has received seven teaching awards from the UCSD Economics Department.
Greg Sizemore
President
Construction Users Roundtable (CURT)
Greg Sizemore is President of the Construction Users Roundtable (CURT). CURT is the premier Owners’ organization representing nearly $250 billion in capital and maintenance spending power. Mr. Sizemore founded CURT nearly twenty-five years ago after the Business Roundtable dissolved its construction committee. CURT seeks to improve the owners’ construction experience by helping them improve the cost-effectiveness of their projects. The focus of CURT is workforce, safety, modularization, productivity, sustainability, procurement and contracting, and LEAN project delivery.
Greg has over 35 years of experience in the construction industry and association management. In 1989, he started Sizemore & Company LLC, a construction industry association management and staffing firm. Additionally, Greg serves on various industry and civic boards, including the University of Cincinnati’s Industrial Advisory Board, the Dean’s Advisory Board to the NKU Chase College of Law, and the West Virginia Construction Coalition Conference. He teaches construction law as well as leadership and decision-making classes as an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati.
Greg is a frequent guest speaker at industry events, where he represents “the voice of the owner to the construction industry.”
Greg holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics and a Master of Science in Industrial and Labor Relations from the University of Cincinnati. He earned his Juris Doctor from Northern Kentucky University College of Law and is a licensed attorney in the State of Ohio.
Greg lives with his wife, Cynthia, in Cincinnati, OH.
Adrianne Collins
Senior Vice President of Supply Chain Management, Chief Procurement Officer
Southern Company
Adrianne Collins is senior vice president of Supply Chain Management and chief procurement officer at Southern Company. She leads an organization of more than 650 employees dedicated to providing innovative supply chain solutions across the Southern Company system. In this role, she provides direction for the company’s supply chain organization, including category management, contracting, procurement, supplier inclusion, logistics, inventory optimization, warehousing and asset disposition. She oversees more than $10 billion annually in purchasing of services and materials to enable the system in providing clean, safe, reliable, affordable and resilient energy.
Prior to her current role, Collins was senior vice president of Power Delivery. In that role, she led the Transmission Planning, Bulk Power Operations, Energy Management Systems and Transmission Policy and Services organizations. Collins worked with key industry bodies to advance energy policy.
Previously, Collins was Gulf Power’s vice president of Power Delivery and led the Distribution, Transmission and Supply Chain Management organizations at the former Southern Company subsidiary.
She co-led the Southern Company Power Delivery coordination of restoration in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria. When Hurricane Michael devastated portions of northwest Florida, she was the executive lead for the response to the unprecedented storm. As Transmission general manager, she led the largest power grid expansion program in Gulf Power’s history.
After joining the Southern Company system in 1998 as a distribution engineer at Gulf Power, Collins went on to hold a number of key engineering and leadership roles at Gulf Power and subsidiary Georgia Power.
Collins received a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Florida. She is highly engaged in the industry, serving on the executive committee of the Sustainable Supply Chain Alliance (SSCA) and on the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) Chief Procurement Officers Executive Committee. She previously served as chair of the North American Transmission Forum (NATF), vice-chair of the NERC Reliability Issues Steering Committee (RISC) and served on the SERC Board of Directors.
In the community, Adrianne has served in several impactful roles that include board trustee for the University of West Florida and chair of the Academic Affairs Committee; board president for Ronald McDonald House Charities; and board member of the Fayette Care Clinic. She is an executive mentor for Momentum, an organization for women leaders in the Birmingham, Alabama area.
Jenn Jett
Vice President, Operations Support
San Diego Gas & Electric Company
Jennifer Jett is vice president of operations support for San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), one of Sempra's regulated California utilities. In this role, Ms. Jett oversees supply management, supplier diversity, logistics, fleet, facilities, real estate and tribal relations.
Prior to her current role, Ms. Jett served as vice president, governance, and corporate secretary for Sempra, SDG&E’s parent company. In that role, she was responsible for advising the board of directors and senior management on a broad range of governance matters. Over the past 20 years, Ms. Jett has held various leadership positions of increasing responsibility within law, finance and operations among the Sempra family of companies.
Ms. Jett serves as a board member of the Corporate Directors Forum and Alzheimer's San Diego and serves on the University of San Diego Law School Advisory Board. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and anthropology from the University of Vermont, where she graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, and a law degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
Elissa Y. Ouyang
Vice President, Facilities, Fleet and Procurement
California Water Service Group (Cal Water)
Elissa Y. Ouyang is the Vice President of Facilities, Fleet, and Procurement at California Water Service Group (NYSE:CWT). Cal Water is the third-largest publicly traded water utility in the United States, providing high-quality water and wastewater services to more than two million people in over 100 communities.
Ms. Ouyang oversees the development and execution of the company’s strategy in Supply Chain, Procurement, Fleet, and Facilities. She is also the lead officer for the company’s IDEA program, which empowers employees to create and implement innovative solutions to address current and emerging challenges. Under her leadership, the company has accomplished many strategic initiatives to improve business efficiency and productivity and has achieved significant results. The company has won multiple national awards in Sourcing and Supplier Diversity.
Prior to her current position, Ms. Ouyang held various roles at the company, including Chief Procurement Officer, Director of Information Technology, and Acting District Manager. Before joining the company, she worked at KPMG Consulting and RR Donnelley & Sons.
Ms. Ouyang holds a Master of Science in Accounting from the University of Illinois-Chicago, a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Project Management Professional.
Charles Finneran
Director Supply Chain Management Corporate Services
DTE Energy
Charles Finneran is the Director of Supply Chain Management for DTE Energy. He is responsible for strategic management of the company’s procurement, supplier performance management, warehousing departments. He is also responsible for the company’s local and diverse supplier initiatives.
Charles joined DTE in 2013. He most recently served as director of Corporate Services for DT Midstream. Prior to that position, he progressed through various roles in the Supply Chain organization. Before joining DTE, Finneran held various roles in operations and finance management in the oil and gas industry.
He earned a Master of Business Administration degree (Cum Laude) from Mendoza College of Business - University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana; Master of Science degree (Magna Cum Laude) International Administration, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan.
DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include an electric company serving 2.3 million customers in Southeast Michigan and a natural gas company serving 1.3 million customers across Michigan. The DTE portfolio also includes energy businesses focused on custom energy solutions, renewable energy generation, and energy marketing and trading. DTE has continued to accelerate its carbon reduction goals to meet aggressive targets and is committed to serving with its energy through volunteerism, education and employment initiatives, philanthropy, emission reductions and economic progress. Information about DTE is available at dteenergy.com, empoweringmichigan.com, twitter.com/dte_energy and facebook.com/dteenergy
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Patrick Looney
Senior VP, Advanced Nuclear Market Development and Japan Alliance Leader
GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy
Patrick (Pat) Looney is the Senior Vice President of Advanced Nuclear Market Development and Japan Alliance Leader for GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GVH) with over 35 years of experience in the power industry. He is responsible for identifying and developing potential customers and partners with interest in GVH’s advanced nuclear reactor technologies (e.g. BWRX-300 small modular reactor) globally in order to help bring reliable carbon-free power to the world. In addition, Pat is leading GE Vernova’s alliance relationship with Hitachi. Prior to this role, Pat has held a number of senior commercial and product management positions within GVH and GE Energy Services, including Generation IV technologies product management, nuclear commercial operations, marketing and sales, and turbine generator services sales and management. Pat served in the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Power Program where he was a Surface Warfare Officer, nuclear plant operator, and division officer on an aircraft carrier. He attended Penn State University where he earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering. Pat and his family live in Wilmington, NC.
Dan del Sobral
Procurement Director
National Grid
Dan has spent most of his professional life in and around the power and energy industries. He started out his career as a nuclear submarine officer, and has worked as consultant for firms including PowerAdvocate, Booz & Company, and PwC Strategy&, primarily focusing on utility clients. His is currently building a supplier risk and performance team at National Grid, and is based in Boston, Massachusetts.
Scott Wilezol
Director of Strategic Sourcing
Duke Power
Scott Wilezol is the Director of Strategic Sourcing at Duke Energy, bringing over twenty-five years of experience in supply chain, vendor management and process transformation. Known for driving cost optimization and creating operational efficiency, Scott has led a multitude of initiatives within his organization including the introduction and utilization of various AI tools. His leadership style emphasizes collaboration, transparency, and talent development. He is passionate about creating customer and shareholder value through creative and innovative means. Scott has a BS in Supply Chain Management & International Business from Penn State University and an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In his spare time, Scott enjoys weight training, skiing, hiking, cooking, dining and extensive global travel.
Jason Hairston
Deputy Chief Supply Chain Office and Manager of Logistics Services
Bonneville Power Administration (BPA)
Jason Hairston joined Bonneville Power Administration Supply Chain Organization in August 2023 where he serves as the Deputy Chief Supply Chain Officer and Manager of Logistics Services.In addition, he oversees BPA’s Investment Recovery Program as the Property Disposal Officer.
Before Supply Chain, Jason was a Compliance Specialist, a Tribal Account Executive, and an Account Specialist in the Transmission Services department. During that time, he worked with northwest customers on Point-to-Point (PTP), Network Integration (NT) and Wind development issues.
During his 25 years in the energy industry, Jason has served on several policy development committees, Wind Integration forums and Inner-Agency reform teams.Nationally, he served on the U.S. Department of Energy Tribal Energy Program Review.
Jason has degrees in Kinesiology (B.S) and Higher Education Administration (M.Ed.) from Washington State University. Jason also holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Educational Leadership from the University of Oregon. In addition to his duties at BPA, he is an active volunteer for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Outside of work, he enjoys staying active with his wife, three kids, and their two dogs
David Cottenden
General Manager
Ardmore Power Logistics, LLC
David Cottenden is the General Manager and co-founder of Ardmore Power Logistics, LLC, a company focused on providing transportation management services to the energy industry. Mr. Cottenden entered the transportation industry in 1991 and held progressively responsible positions within Mayflower, Atlas Van Lines, and Burnham Service Corporation. He formed Ardmore Power Logistics together with Christopher Vonhof in the fall of 2000. In his role as General Manager, Mr. Cottenden directs the client-facing operations of Ardmore Logistics while continuing the commitment to the energy industry on which the company was built.
Cory Mitsui
Business Transformation Office Senior Manager
San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E)
Cory Mitsui, currently serves as the Business Transformation Office Senior Manager for
San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E). Prior to his current role, he led SDG&E’s Inventory and
Logistics function and was an emergency responder, holding leadership positions within
SDG&E’s Emergency Operations Center and within Electric Operations. Cory has 20-years
of experience with SDG&E and holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Cal Poly San Luis
Obispo and an MBA in Organizational Leadership from National University.
Andreas Dorer
Division Manager Business Support Services
N. V. Elmar
Andreas leads the business support services division within N.V. Elmar. He is responsible for the strategic management of the organizations finance, purchasing and logistics, IT, HR, facilities, fleet, safety and security, and information management departments. Andreas has been with N.V. Elmar for almost 2 years.
He has a strong background in implementing new technology and transforming business operations. His diverse background has helped bridge gaps in business operations within N.V. Elmar and transforming departments from administrative roles to value creating ones.
He brings experience leading supply chain strategies in small island state market dynamics. By being able to solve complex problems within the organization and island situation by managing unique island uncertainties and bringing sustainable solutions.
Prior to his time at N.V. Elmar, he worked in various leadership roles encompassing different industries within the region grasping the complexities in maneuvering within the Caribbean.
Andreas holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting & Finance and a Master of Business Administration.
N.V. Elmar is the sole electric transmitter and distributor on the island of Aruba serving approximately 44,000 customers. Aruba has an area of 179 km2 with a population of 108,027. Tourism is the largest contributor to the economy with over 1 million visitors each year. Electric generation is done by N.V. Elmar sister company producing majority of energy from fossil fuels with small portion from wind and solar.
Tasha Davis
Manager II, Industrial and Administrative Services Sourcing
Duke Power
Tasha Davis is an accomplished sourcing leader with over 15 years of experience in strategic sourcing, vendor management, and operational efficiency. As Manager II of Sourcing at Duke Energy, she leads a diverse team of nine professionals managing more than $1.2 billion in annual spend across corporate indirect and industrial services. Her expertise spans complex negotiations, supplier risk mitigation, and process optimization, consistently delivering high-impact results aligned with enterprise goals. Under her leadership, the team achieved over $20 million in savings in the first half of 2025 alone. Tasha is passionate about cultivating forward-thinking teams that challenge the status quo, leverage data-driven insights, and drive innovation in strategic sourcing and sustainable practices.
Brittany Malowney
Sr. Manager, Procurement Center of Excellence and Technology Procurement
San Diego Gas & Electric Company
Brittany Malowney is a distinguished leader in procurement and supply chain management, currently serving as Senior Manager, Procurement Center of Excellence and Technology Procurement at San Diego Gas & Electric Company. She brings a wealth of experience across diverse sectors including information technology, utility infrastructure, construction, and professional services, with a career spanning consulting, non-profit, and energy industries.
In her current role, Brittany leads strategic procurement initiatives and oversees an $11 billion technology portfolio supporting California Utilities and Sempra. Her work drives innovation, operational excellence, and long-term value creation across the enterprise.
Brittany also serves as the Immediate Past President of the NCMA San Diego Chapter, where she championed member engagement and professional development, strengthening the local procurement community through impactful leadership and outreach.
Helen Gao
Responsible Sourcing Manager
San Diego Gas & Electric Company
As the responsible sourcing manager at San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), Helen Gao leads the company’s first ever centralized team dedicated to supplier diversity, supply chain sustainability and third-party risk management.
SDG&E provides energy services to 3.6 million people in San Diego and Southern Orange Counties. The company is a leader in clean energy and wildfire safety innovations, including battery energy storage, transportation electrification, and wildfire and weather predicative analytics. SDG&E is also committed to buying responsibly – maximizing the positive impact of its supply chain on the environment and local communities while securing the best value for its customers.
In 2024, SDG&E’s total expenditure on goods and services with certified diverse businesses exceeded $1 billion.
Helen joined SDG&E in 2017 and held a variety of communications leadership roles before joining SDG&E’s Supply Management Department in 2024.
Prior to joining SDG&E, Helen led communications and public outreach efforts at the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG). Helen holds a Bachelor of English from the University of Chicago and a Master of Public Administration from San Diego State University.
Jordan Dailey
Senior Manager
ProcureAbility
Jordan Dailey is an accomplished leader with extensive experience driving savings initiatives across Fortune 500 clients. He has served clients in various industries from electric/gas/water utilities; oil and gas; and insurance. Jordan has specialized in utility construction strategy.
Jordan’s areas of expertise include strategic sourcing, large-scale bids, organizational change management, supplier relationship management, indirect category strategy, and international supply chains.
Jordan studied at the University of Houston where he earned both a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Development and an MBA with focus in Supply Chain Management and Procurement. In his free time he enjoys cooking, hiking, boardgames, and biking.
Eric Barton
Director of Procurement and Strategic Sourcing for Utility Operations
CenterPoint Energy
Eric Barton currently serves as the Director of Procurement and Strategic Sourcing for Utility Operations at CenterPoint Energy (CNP). He currently leads the organization responsible for all services and materials to support gas and electric customers across CNP’s footprint and serves in a leadership position within CNP’s Emergency Operations Center. Prior to his current role, he led CNP’s Gas Procurement function. Eric has been with CNP for 4 years and held various positions within the Supply Chain, Safety and Regulatory teams throughout 15 years in the oil and gas industry prior to arriving at CNP. Eric holds a BA in Journalism and Business Marketing from Sam Houston State University.
Warren Ruis
Director, Supply Management, Supplier Diversity & Logistics
San Diego Gas & Electric Company
Warren Ruis is Director of Supply Management, Supplier Diversity & Logistics for San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E). In this role, he leads the energy delivery Company’s procurement efforts with more than 2,500 suppliers and nearly $3B of marketable spend focused on investments in safety, reliability and clean energy innovations.
Previously, he was Director of Regional Public Affairs for SDG&E. In that role, he led the Company’s support of local governments, elected officials, senior level municipal staff and certain regional agencies. Prior to this assignment, Ruis was the Director of Community Relations for SDG&E, where he was responsible for building the Company’s philanthropy, employee and community engagement strategies. His team managed a diverse group of more than 600 non-profit partners San Diego and Southern Orange Counties.
Prior to leading the Community Affairs team, Ruis was a Manager in SDG&E’s parent Sempra Energy’s Insurance & Risk Advisory Department. He was responsible for placing and renewing operational and project-specific insurance coverage for Sempra’s business units domestically and abroad. He worked across the organization to assess risk, and identify cost-effective risk transfer strategies by accessing global insurance markets, while reducing costs to ratepayers.
Prior to joining the Insurance team, he was a Public Affairs Manager with SDG&E and was responsible for the utility’s work with local elected officials and staff, agencies, chambers of commerce and economic development organizations. He also conducted education and outreach for infrastructure projects, sustainability policy matters and developed community partnerships. Prior to his role in Public Affairs, Ruis was a Community Relations Manager responsible for executing SDG&E’s philanthropic activities. He managed the Inspiring Future Leaders initiative; SDG&E’s largest giving campaign, granting more than $1M annually to youth development organizations throughout SDG&E’s service territory. Additionally, he had oversight for partnerships with key economic development and diversity-focused organizations.
Before his work in Community Relations, Ruis was a Supply Chain Analysis Category Manager. In that position, he was responsible for the management of pricing and analysis for critical agreements with key manufacturers and contractors.
In 2006, Ruis joined SDG&E as an Associate Contracting Agent in Supply Management. He was responsible for the sourcing of critical electric construction projects to enhance the stability and strength of the utility’s infrastructure. He transitioned to the Strategic Sourcing group in 2008 and was responsible for leading internal teams through a methodical and proven process to deliver financial benefits to the utility and savings to customers.
A native San Diegan, Ruis serves on the Executive Committee and is Vice Chair for California Coast Credit Union’s Board of Directors and is also a member of the Executive Committee and on the Board of Directors for Make A Wish Foundation of San Diego & Imperial Counties. He served multiple terms on the Boards of The San Diego LGBT Community Center, and Catalyst of San Diego & Imperial Counties (formerly San Diego Grantmakers) among several other non-profit boards. He earned a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration (Management) from the University of San Diego, a Masters Degree in Business Administration (Finance) from Pepperdine University, a Certificate in Project Management from the University of California at Berkeley, and an Associate in Risk Management (ARM) from the American Institute for Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriters. Additionally, he is a 2015 graduate of Leadership North County, a 2013 graduate of LEAD San Diego and a 2012 graduate of Leadership East County.
Ben Ford
Senior Director of Supply Chain
Ameren
With over 20 years of distinguished experience in supply chain and procurement management across diverse industries, Ben Ford has been serving as the Senior Director of Supply Chain at Ameren since October 2019. In this pivotal role, he leads Ameren's procurement operations, including operations sourcing and project procurement management, for the Fortune 500 utility company that delivers electricity and natural gas services to millions of customers in Missouri and Illinois.
Before joining Ameren, Ben held significant positions at Enbridge Energy Partners, LP, including Procurement Manager for Major Projects and Director of Supply Chain Management Projects. His career also includes roles at Spectra Energy as Procurement Director for CAPEX and at Alcoa Inc. as Global Procurement Manager and Procurement Manager for Capital Projects in Australia, where he demonstrated leadership in procurement strategies for major projects.
In addition to his corporate responsibilities, Ben actively contributes to industry organizations. He serves as Senior Director of Sourcing at Ameren and is a member of the leadership team at the Utility Supply Management Alliance (USMA), reflecting his commitment to advancing supply chain practices within the utility sector.
Joseph Page
Director of EPC Projects
American Electric Power
Joseph Page is a seasoned professional with over 10 years of experience at American Electric Power, currently serving as the Director of EPC Projects. He leads a team of over 20 project managers, overseeing a $1 billion annual portfolio focused on transmission infrastructure upgrades across 11 states. With a strong background in project management, Joseph has previously held roles as Project Manager and Project Coordinator, emphasizing mentorship and process improvement.
His journey began in the military as an Air Traffic Controller, where he honed his leadership skills and ability to navigate complex situations. A certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Joseph excels in developing comprehensive project plans, ensuring safety and environmental compliance, and managing supplier relationships. He is dedicated to employee training and fostering a culture of continuous improvement within his teams.
Paula Pell
Clarity Consulting Group
Nathan Nickerson
Senior Manager
Accenture
Nathan is a Senior Manager in the Consulting Supply Chain & Operations practice at Accenture. He brings 11+ years of experience delivering across the end-to-end supply chain and shared services including fleet and facilities for Accenture’s Utility clients.
Adamantia Leivada
Demand Planning Lead
National Grid
Adamantia Leivada is a transformation leader with over a decade of experience driving enterprise transformation programs across energy, fintech startups, and mega-infrastructure for the Olympic Games. At National Grid, she leads AI-powered demand forecasting solutions that optimize procurement strategies across $60B+ in energy infrastructure upgrades, accelerating the path to net zero.
She holds a MSc in Quality Assurance - Predictive Analytics , and a BA in International Economics.
David Hindman
Power, Utilities, and Renewable Energy
Alix Partners
David leads our Power, Utilities, and Renewable Energy team. He has spent more than 20 years as a senior executive and strategic advisor to companies across the sector.
As SVP of US Residential for Direct Energy, David led the successful turnaround of the $2.5 billion, 3 million customer, power and gas business following the 2014 polar vortex including regulatory and legislative advocacy across 14 states. As VP of wholesale, generation, and commodity supply, David transformed this $17 Bn/yr notional division of Centrica North America. Besides optimizing commercial value and dispatch strategy for the owned fleet, he built a third-party energy management business. He also led and won regulatory disputes.
Previously, David was a co-founder of the Corporate Risk Practice at McKinsey & Company as well as a global leader in the Electric Power/Natural Gas Practice.
David holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. He served on the Energy Advisory Committee of the Greater Houston Partnership and on the Rice University Engineering Board of Directors and has been a guest lecturer at Rice University. He’s led more than $180 Bn of M&A transactions across the energy sector.
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Brandon Zimmerman
Manager, Category Management and Contracts, Enterprise Services
Southern Company
Brandon currently serves as the Manager, Category Management and Contracts supporting technology sourcing for Southern Company. He joined Southern in 2015 as a Principal Contracts Agent responsible for a contract portfolio in excess of $700 million. Afterwards, Brandon held various leadership positions including Contract Services Supervisor and Contracts Compliance Manager. Prior to Southern, Brandon worked as a Senior Contracting Officer for TVA in Chattanooga, served as General Counsel for a construction company in Nashville and practiced as an Associate Attorney with a law firm in Birmingham. Throughout his career, he has been heavily engaged in drafting, negotiating and enforcing contracts. Brandon earned his MBA, summa cum laude, from Middle Tennessee State University and his J.D. from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University.
Markley Ward
Clarity Consulting Group
Mr. Ward has 23 years of consulting and project management experience helping some of the largest companies in the world implement processes and technologies to enhance their contract compliance programs. He has helped implement various programs at over forty utilities throughout the United States. Mr. Ward received his MBA from Utah State University and is a Certified Fraud Examiner.
Patrick Phister
Senior Vice President, Fossil Operations
Day & Zimmermann
Patrick has a strong blend of operational and business development experience in both heavy industrial construction and the fossil industry. His experience gives him a firsthand understanding of the work, risks, and pressures involved in project execution and the strategic background to help D&Z’s fossil customers meet the challenges of today’s increasing power generation demands.
From 2020 until mid-2025, Patrick led D&Z’s Business Development team, where he helped modernize how the company sells and partners with customers.
Before that, he spent five years as Vice President of Operations for a national union industrial construction contractor, overseeing business development, estimating, and field operations with full P&L responsibility. Earlier in his career at D&Z, he served as Business Development Director for the Northeast, Midwest, and Western regions, helping secure key contracts in those regions.
Jackson Ward
Vice President Marketing and Sales
Howard Industries
Ward is the VP of Marketing and Sales for Howard Power Solutions Division, he has served in this position for the past eight years. Ward is responsible for all U.S. Electrical Utilities Sales. Prior to being selected for the VP position, Ward served as Regional Marketing Manager for 24 years; during this time, Ward covered most of the domestic Electrical Utilities.
Prior to moving into Marketing and Sales, Ward was the Single Phase Padmounted Transformer Production Manager for several years. Prior to his production role, Ward was the Single Phase Polemounted Transformer Quality Engineer.
Ward is a past member of the Mississippi State Engineering Advisory Committee working with the Industrial Engineering School on curriculum and accreditations.
Ward is past President of the USMA (Utility Supply Management Alliance) and was a board member for 20 years. The USMA is an educational organization that produces an annual meeting to review and disseminate supply chain management best practices. Participants come from the majority of domestic electrical utilities, generally about 450 attendees.
Ward is past member of the Advisory Committee for the UPMG (Utility Purchasing Managers Group) and served a Committee Chair for two years. The UPMG is an education organization made up of domestic utilities’ purchasing managers.
Ward received a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Mississippi State University.
Ward is a Navy veteran serving as a Corpsman and Deep Sea Diver for four years, earning the rank of Second Class Petty Officer.
Ken Gunnufsen
Regional Marketing Manager
Howard Industries
Ken has over 41 years of experience in engineering and marketing within the utility and utility related industries. He holds a BSET and MBA from the University of Southern Mississippi and currently is a Regional Marketing Manager for Howard Industries. Prior to working with Howard Industries, Ken worked as a transformer design engineer at the McGraw-Edison Company starting in 1982 and has also worked in various sales, marketing and management positions within the Henkel Corporation for 19 years. Ken has been attending UPMG since 2007 and has been serving on the UPMG Supplier Advisory Council for the past 10 years.
Khushboo Goel
Partner
Boston Consulting Group
Khushboo Goel is a Partner in BCG’s New York office, working at the intersection of Energy and Climate. She has experience in growth strategy, operational and supply chain efficiency, B2B sales, and digital product development, working primarily on large infrastructure projects, renewable developments, and in the public sector. Khushboo also has experience at OECD’s International Energy Agency.
David Nathasingh
Metglas, Inc
David Nathasingh retired from Honeywell after 37 years serving in leadership positions in the US and Asia. One of those positions was General Manager of Metglas 1995-2000 in South Carolina.
David holds Masters degrees in Electrical Engineering and Material Science and an MBA in Finance. He is also a Vietnam Veteran having served 1969-1971.
David currently David lives in Arizona and is a Consultant to Metglas.
Melanie Cross
Director of Logistics and Support
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Melanie Cross, Director of Logistics and Support, is an experienced Supply Chain professional with over 20 years of experience in the utility industry.
She has supported (Sourcing, Category Management) several lines of business in the utility industry including Nuclear, Generation, and Corporate.
Currently she is responsible for Supply Chain data analytics, compliance, fleet, and transportation.
She has been on the Utility Purchasing Management Group board for ten years and was the Chair in 2024.
Jason Rees
Director of Procurement
Entergy
Jason Rees serves as Entergy’s Director of Procurement leading a team of 95+ supply chain professionals that are responsible for developing and delivering commercial strategies that enable the business to transform the way We Power Life, today and for future generations.
Through business partnerships and effective delivery, supply chain helps the company create value with its supply partners to safely increase productivity, optimize working capital, provide effective processes, and improve on market competitiveness.
Jason joined Entergy in 2002 and has held various roles across all facets of supply chain management and in support of a fully integrated utility. The roles include inventory management, procurement operations, category management, capital projects, and project development.
Jason holds a bachelor’s degree in organizational management from John Brown University, a Graduate Certificate in Procurement and Contract Management from the University of Maryland University College, and an MBA in Leadership and Ethics from John Brown University. He also is Certified Professional in both Supply Management and Supplier Diversity from the Institute for Supply Management.
Jason and his wife Bethany reside in Benton, AR with their two children Austin and Ashlyn.
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Testimonials
Chief Marketing Officer | ProcureAbility
Kathleen M. Pomento
"As the Platinum Sponsor of the UPMG Conference, we are proud to support an organization that plays such a vital role in shaping the future of utility procurement. UPMG’s commitment to fostering collaboration, driving innovation, and bringing together forward-thinking industry leaders to tackle emerging challenges, share best practices, and spark new ideas is unmatched.”
Kathleen M. Pomento
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