Walter Adams, Farmer, Woodward County, Oklahoma
Walter is a farmer and rancher who operates a 250 head cow/calf operation on 2,800 acres of rented and owned farm land, native grass and some improved grasses. The production on the 1,000 acre farm land is foraged by the cattle with very little being sold.
Walter started farming with his father in the mid 1950’s. Later, Walter started custom harvesting and planting grass seed on his neighbor’s farms. Walter was one first commercial producers of a new variety of “old world bluestem” called SPAR that the Woodward Field Station released. This great grass found at the Kyber Pass in Afghanistan , with adequate fertilizer, can quadruple forage quantity over our native grasses. Walter later branched out in replanting on oil field locations in Oklahoma, Texas and later on wind farms.
Mike Bergey, President, Bergey Windpower Co.
A co-founder of Bergey Windpower Company (BWC) and president since 1987, Mike Bergey is a mechanical engineer and an internationally recognized expert in the field of small wind turbines, distributed generation, and rural electrification. He has authored more than 70 technical papers and articles in the field, provided testimony to Congress, and serves as a consultant to numerous government and international agencies.
Bergey has twice served as president of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and has served on the AWEA Board of Directors since 1981. He is a past chairman of the U.S. Export Council for Renewable Energy and member of the U.S. Department of Commerce Environmental Technology Trade Advisory Committee. He chairs the AWEA Small Wind Turbine Committee and edited the recently completed AWEA U.S. Small Wind Turbine Industry Roadmap: A 20-year Industry Plan for Small Wind Technology.
In 1982, Bergey was recognized by AWEA “for leadership in the development of a national performance standard for small wind turbines.” In 1994, he was recognized as AWEA's "Wind Industry Man of the Year."
Denise Bode, CEO, American Wind Energy Association
Denise Bode is the CEO of the American Wind Energy Association. She is a nationally recognized energy policy expert and served for nine years on the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. Her experience in the energy field is extensive and includes one and a half years as the CEO of the American Clean Skies Foundation, seven years as president of the Independent Petroleum Association of America, seven years as the a tax partner in the Washington, D.C. law firm, Gold and Liebengood, Inc., and nine years on the staff of then–U.S. Senator David Boren as his legal counsel, focusing on the areas of energy and taxation.
Bode holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Oklahoma, a Juris Doctorate degree from the George Mason School of Law, and a Master of Law in Taxation degree from the Georgetown University School of Law.
Pattie Cox, Regional Economic Development Manager, Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Pattie Cox is the regional economic development manager for BNSF Railway covering the Southeast – Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama. In addition, she works with the BNSF Business Development group on specific initiatives including wind energy-related projects. Cox’s role is to coordinate with other BNSF economic development regional managers across the rail system to locate manufacturing and unloading sites. She has three years in her current role and another 20 years in various departments within BNSF, including facilities management, real estate administration and real estate acquisitions.
Cynthia Crooks, Development Director, OwnEnergy
Cynthia Crooks has over 22 years in the power generation industry with Florida Power and Light (FPL) and FPL Energy in the areas of wind energy and fossil project management, business development, commercial contracts and operations. She started in the wind business for FPLE in 2000 as a manager in the construction group ensuring certainty of cost, quality and delivery of turbines, towers and other major equipment for over 1,500 megawatts of wind projects between 2000 and 2003. These successful projects included Stateline in the northwest, Woodward Mountain and King Mountain in Texas, Gray County in Kansas, Montfort in Wisconsin, as well as others.
Crooks has held roles with FPLE in wind operations and led the effort to resolve turbine warranty claims with various turbine suppliers. Until November 2007, she worked in wind business development for FPLE to develop wind projects in Canada and New York. Crooks has a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Denver.
Peter Delaney, Chairman, President and CEO of OGE Energy Corp.
Peter Delaney is chairman, president and CEO of Oklahoma City-based OGE Energy Corporation, the parent company of OG&E, a regulated electric utility and Enogex, a midstream natural gas pipeline business. Prior to joining OGE Energy, Delaney had a 15-year investment banking career on Wall Street. He specialized in corporate finance and other advisory services to electric and natural gas utilities and other energy companies in the United States, Europe and South America.
Delaney holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics with distinction from the University of Virginia and a Master of Business Administration degree from Tulane University.
Les Dillahunty, Vice President of Regulatory Policy, Southwest Power Pool
Les Dillahunty is the vice president of regulatory policy for Southwest Power Pool (SPP). He is responsible for managing the Regional Transmission Organization’s regulatory, engineering and contract services functions. These rolls involve the communication and coordination of both technical and policy information to internal and external audiences.
Prior to joining SPP, Dillahunty held positions within Southwestern Electric Power Company; its parent company, Central and South West Corporation and their merger partner American Electric Power Company. He later provided independent consulting services before joining SPP in September 2003 as the director of regulatory affairs and transmission policy. Dillahunty holds mechanical engineering degrees from Louisiana Tech University and is a registered professional engineer in Louisiana and Texas.
Shannon Ferrell, Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics, Oklahoma State University
Shannon Ferrell is currently an assistant professor in the OSU Department of Agricultural Economics where he specializes in agricultural law. He has presented over 20 wind energy leasing seminars as part of the energy education programming provided by OSU's Cooperative Extension Service.
Growing up on a farming operation near Leedey, Oklahoma, Ferrell went on to receive a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in agricultural economics from OSU before obtaining his Juris Doctorate from the Oklahoma City University School of Law.
He spent a number of years in private practice focusing on environmental, energy and corporate law. Ferrell served as the Oklahoma Renewable Energy Council president for 2006 and helped establish the Hall Estill firm's renewable energy practice group before joining OSU in the summer of 2007.
Shea Ferrell, Instructional Dean, Tulsa Technology Center
Shea Ferrell serves as an instructional dean at the Tulsa Technology Center. He oversees the Transportation and STEM career clusters including Automotive and Aviation, as well as Pre-Engineering and Bio-Medical Sciences. While in the U.S. Navy, Ferrell attended advanced flight school. During his service, he achieved the rank of plane commander and mission commander and received Instructor Pilot qualifications in the P-3 Orion.
Steve Ferrell, Director of Wyoming Game and Fish Department
Since becoming the director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Steve Ferrell has addressed the larger issues involving the state’s wildlife resources including: energy development, sage grouse conservation, endangered species, wildlife diseases and invasive species. Prior to coming to Wyoming, he worked for 30 years with the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
Ferrell graduated from the inaugural class of the National Conservation Leadership Institute in 2006. He currently chairs the Human/Wildlife Conflicts Committee; and the Hunting, Angling and Shooting Sports Committee for the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. He also chairs the Wildlife Resources Policy Committee for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. He is a member of the Executive Committee for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and a member of the National Fish and Wildlife Health Steering Committee and the National Hunting Heritage Steering Committee.
Malcolm Fowler, Director, Francis Tuttle
Malcolm Fowler has been the director of the Francis Tuttle Technology Center Portland Campus for the past 13 years. Previously, he taught advanced control systems and also served as an industrial training coordinator in the Business and Industry Department at Francis Tuttle Technology Center. His work experience includes 16 years with an electric utility company in management, engineering and technical positions in fossil fuel and nuclear power plants.
Fowler holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Illinois University and a Master of Science from Oklahoma State University. He is also a long time member of the Instrumentation, Systems and Automation Society (ISA) and has served as the president of the Greater Oklahoma Section and the District 8 vice president.
Steve Gaw, SPP Policy Director, The Wind Coalition
Steve Gaw, former Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives and former Chair of the Missouri Public Service Commission, currently consults with the Wind Coalition focusing on policy issues regarding electricity within the Southwest Power Pool region and matters of national interest that impact the advancement of wind energy.
Steve has been a speaker and moderator in regional, national and international forums on energy policy dealing with both electricity and natural gas. As Speaker of the Missouri House for five years, Steve established a reputation of improving public access to the legislature, leading the Missouri House to broadcast sessions live on the internet, the first in the nation to do so. While on the Public Service Commission of Missouri he was noted for his in depth inquiry into complex issues, opening investigations into the release of protected consumer records and the activities of rating agencies in rate cases, and listening to the concerns of consumers. Steve is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Truman State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in physics and has a law degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Richard Grenville, Director of Logistics and Business Development, Tulsa Port of Catoosa
Richard Grenville's expertise in transportation spans more than three decades. He was a port security analyst for SRI International and a Stanford University-affiliated think tank, before being hired by the Tulsa Port of Catoosa. He has alos been manager of stevedoring and terminal operations for SSA Marine and the Port of Tampa, Grenville developed a vastly superior marine exchange database product that brought value added logistic services to all marine related stakeholders in the Tampa Bay area. Prior to Grenville's work in Tampa, he was a manager of SSA Marine's operations in Jacksonville, Norfolk, and Savannah.
Terry Henderson, Chairwoman of the Walker Creek Wind Energy Association, and Wyoming Land Owner
Terry and her husband own and operate a cow/calf/yearling ranch in central Wyoming. Terry does any and all ranch work required such as calving, feeding, fencing, repairing equipment, record keeping, etc. Terry has worked to develop an all natural, forage/grass finished beef product for their ranch.
She is chairman of a landowners wind energy development group, for a block of land that covers over 150,000 acres. She was also instrumental in putting together a group called REAL, Renewable Alliance of Landowners, which is an alliance of the wind associations and other landowners. It currently stands at over 300 landowners and over 800,000 acres. Terry has been a wildland firefighter for 25 years and is the country rural fire training coordinator. She is a past county Cattlewomen president, past state Cattlewomen president, 4-H shooting sports leader, among many other leadership roles. Terry is a grandmother of five.
Along with her other activities, Terry is a writer. In addition to her free-lance work, for several state wide publications, she has written a column since 1990 on rural life for her weekly local paper, the Douglas Budget. She has written and performed cowboy poetry in several western states and has been published in various anthologies such as Leanin’ Into The Wind, published by Houghton-Mifflin and Wyoming’s Cowboy Poets, published by Medallion Books. Terry has produced a cowboy poetry CD and published three chapbooks.
Terry and her husband, Frank, live outside of Shawnee, Wyoming in Converse County.
Skelly Holmbeck, Environmental Manager, NextEra Energy Resources
As environmental business manager for NextEra Energy Resources, Skelly Holmbeck is responsible for the development and implementation of environmental strategy for NextEra’s operating assets. She spearheaded and manages NextEra Energy’s research partnership with Oxford and Texas Christian University to address key issues related to renewables.
Holmbeck joined NextEra Energy in 2004 as principal environmental scientist. Prior to joining NextEra Energy, she served as policy director for the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper. Holmbeck was appointed by Governor Roy Barnes to Georgia’s Environmental Training and Education Authority Board of Directors. Holmbeck earned a Bachelor of Science in physics from Clemson University and a Master of Science in hydrology from The University of Georgia.
Stan Mannschreck, Land Owner, Blue Canyon Wind Project V
Stan Mannschreck possesses land resources which are part of Horizon Wind Energy’s, Blue Canyon Windpower V LLC project located southwest of Apache, Oklahoma, in Comanche County. Mannschreck is president and chief executive officer of Mannschreck Cattle Co, a family farming and ranching corporation, which maintains a cow/calf, stocker cattle and wheat operation in Caddo and Comanche counties.
Mannschreck was employed by Farm Credit of Central Oklahoma in Anadarko, and retired in 2007 after 30 years of service. He served as the association president and chief executive officer from 1987 to 2007. He now serves as chairman of the Board of National Livestock Producers Association located in Colorado Springs, Co. Mannschreck graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science degree in animal science and is a veteran of the United States Air Force, 1966 to 1970.
Pat McFerron, Director of Survey Research, Cole Hargrave Snodgrass & AssociatesPat McFerron is director of Survey Research for Cole Hargrave Snodgrass & Associates. He is responsible for survey design and analysis for political and commercial campaigns. McFerron also serves as a senior political consultant and lobbyist for CMA Strategies. He is CMA's point person for developing convincing and effective messaging strategies for client issues and campaigns. Pat co-founded CMA Strategies with partner Sharon Caldwell after CHS & Associates president and partner Tom Cole was elected to the United States Congress.
While at CHS, McFerron conducted polling for numerous campaigns for the Governor, U.S. Senate, Congress, statewide secondary offices and state legislative seats throughout the United States. He has served as the pollster and strategic advisor or consultant for a number of statewide initiatives, including the nationally watched and recognized Oklahoma's Right to Work campaign and Oklahoma City's MAPS for Kids election.
A William Randolph Hearst Scholar, McFerron graduated summa cum laude from Oklahoma City University, where he served as president of the Student Government Association. He has studied at the graduate level at The American University in Washington, D.C.
C. Michael Ming, President, Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America
C. Michael Ming currently serves as the president of the Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA). Ming formerly served as an independent natural gas producer as a managing member and principal of K. Stewart Energy and K. Stewart Petroleum. He has served as an adjunct professor in energy management at the University of Oklahoma and as an oil & gas strategic planning advisor to the Department of Energy.
Ming holds a Bachelor of Science degree with distinction in petroleum engineering and a Master of Science degree in engineering management, both from Stanford University, and is a registered professional engineer in Oklahoma. He is an emeritus member and past chairman of the Petroleum Investments Committee at Stanford University. Ming is actively involved in the University’s energy programs and co-sponsored the MAP/Ming Visiting Professorship on Energy and the Environment.
Julie Parsley, Energy Consultant and Former Commissioner, Public Utility Commission of Texas
Julie Parsley was appointed to the Texas Public Utility Commission as a commissioner in 2002 by Governor Rick Perry and reappointed to that position in September 2005. Prior to her appointment, Parsley served as solicitor general of Texas with the Office of the Attorney General where she maintained an appellate practice before state and federal courts representing the State of Texas and its agencies. While at the Solicitor General's Office, she argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Texas Supreme Court and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
Parsley is a graduate of Texas A&M University and received her law degree from Texas Tech University School of Law. She is board certified in civil appellate law. Parsley is the Texas Commission's liaison to the Southwest Power Pool (SPP). She currently serves as president of the SPP Regional-State Committee, and has also held the offices of vice president and secretary of that body. In 2004, Parsley was appointed to the Texas Energy Planning Council by Governor Perry where she co-chaired the Infrastructure Subcommittee of that council.
Mike Ray, Economic Development Manager, Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Mike Ray is the regional manager of economic development for BNSF Railway covering the states of Colorado and Wyoming. He is responsible for assisting rail industries and industrial parks with site location, expansion and transloading services. Ray has 10 years of experience assisting railroad customers with logistical and facility solutions. He joined BNSF in 1996 as an auditor and then cost accountant. His experience also includes five years of professional sales and three years of public accounting.
Ray has a master of business administration from Texas Wesleyan University and a bachelor of accounting from Washburn University. Ray passed the certified public accountants exam in 1995.
Terry Sampson, Composites Manufacturing Lead Instructor, Tulsa Technology Center
Terry Sampson serves as an instructor for the Tulsa Technology Center’s composite manufacturing program. With 16 years of experience teaching composites, Sampson has been able to transition Tulsa Tech’s composite curriculum from home-style composites to the latest, state-of-the-art composites instruction for aviation and non-aviation composites.
Before entering the classroom as a full-time instructor, Sampson designed new products for a major switch company and an architectural firm. He also spent a number of years as a general contractor designing and building homes. Sampson holds a master’s degree in natural and applied science from Oklahoma State University and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering technology from Le Tourneau University. He has a pilot’s license and an airframe and power plant license from the FAA and is a member of the American Composites Manufacturers Association with a CCT-1 rating.
Richard Sedano, Director and Principal of the Regulatory Assistance Project
Richard Sedano is the director and principal of The Regulatory Assistance Project. Recently, he has worked with a collaborative in Arkansas and Oklahoma to launch energy efficiency programs with members and stakeholders of the Ozone Transport Commission.
Sedano is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, the ISO-New England Environmental Advisory Group, the investment committee of the Vermont Clean Energy Development Fund, EVermont (an alternative transportation vehicle consortium), and the Energy Team for the City of Montpelier. He received a Bachelor of Science in engineering from Brown University, and his Master of Science in engineering management from Drexel University.
Natalie Shirley, Secretary of Commerce for the State of Oklahoma
Natalie Shirley was named Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce and Tourism by Governor Brad Henry in 2007. She serves as executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. Shirley is the former president and chief executive officer of ICI Mutual Insurance Group in Washington, D.C., the captive insurance company of the mutual fund industry.
Secretary Shirley is an Oklahoma native who graduated from Oklahoma State University and earned a law degree from the University of Oklahoma.
Stuart Solomon, President and COO, Public Service Company of Oklahoma
Stuart Solomon is president and chief operating officer for Public Service Company of Oklahoma, serving approximately 505,000 customers in Oklahoma. He has authority for distribution operations and a wide range of customer and regulatory relationships. Previously, he was vice president of public policy and regulatory services for American Electric Power (AEP). In this position, he was responsible for the development, coordination and advocacy of corporate policies and positions. He also served as AEP’s state president in West Virginia.
Solomon earned a bachelor’s degree from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, a master’s in business administration from the University of Texas in Austin and a law degree from the University of Colorado in Boulder.
Marc Spitzer, Commissioner, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Marc Spitzer was confirmed to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in 2005. Commissioner Spitzer believes the FERC’s primary missions are to ensure that America’s ratepayers have safe, economic and reliable supplies of electricity and natural gas; and transparent, robust and competitive wholesale energy markets.
Prior to his appointment, Spitzer served as chairman of the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC). There, he focused on policies encouraging expansion of natural gas infrastructure; specifically distribution and storage, creating a demand side management policy, enhancing the ACC’s renewables standard and advancing consumer privacy concerns in telecommunications.
Spitzer graduated from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, then attended the University of Michigan, School of Law. As an attorney since 1982, Commissioner Spitzer represented taxpayers in proceedings involving the Internal Revenue Service and served in the Arizona legislature.
J.D. Strong, Secretary of Environment for the State of Oklahoma
J.D. Strong was named Oklahoma’s fifth Secretary of Environment by Governor Brad Henry in 2008. In addition to serving as Gov. Henry’s lead advisor on environmental matters, Secretary Strong coordinates the activities of the Environmental Cabinet, including the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, Oklahoma Water Resources Board and Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
A fifth generation Oklahoman, Secretary Strong earned a bachelor’s degree in wildlife ecology from Oklahoma State University, along with a minor in agronomy. Secretary Strong has served as lead advisor to three different Cabinet Secretaries under two governors. In this capacity, he coordinates both the Governor’s Tar Creek Superfund Task Force and the Governor’s Animal Waste and Water Quality Protection Task Force. Most recently, Secretary Strong worked with northern Ottawa County officials on a buyout assistance program to relocate families and businesses from the nation’s most hazardous Superfund Site at Tar Creek.
Monty Taylor, Wind Energy Specialist, P&K Wind Energy
Monty Taylor is the wind energy specialist for Enid, Oklahoma based P&K Wind Energy LLC. He is the company’s expert on wind energy equipment, feasibility studies, financing and training. Monty works as a wind energy liaison to electric cooperatives and companies state-wide. He also serves as an industry advisor to several secondary and post-secondary schools.
Suzanne Tegen, Energy Analyst, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Suzanne Tegen is a member of the Market and Policy Impact Analysis group in the Strategic Energy Analysis Center. Her expertise and primary research is focused on renewable energy policy, wind power jobs and economic development, economic development impacts from new electricity and wind power manufacturing and supply chain. Tegen’s prior experience involves being a research assistant for the Center for Science and Technology Policy at the University of Colorado at Boulder, being a teaching assistant for the Geography Department at CU Boulder and a communications director for the Center for Resource Solutions in San Francisco, California.
Tegen received her Bachelor of Arts in German literature with a minor in environmental studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She also received her Master of Science in environmental policy and her Ph.D. in energy policy from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Tegen is a steering committee member of Women of Wind Energy.
Robert Wegener, Secretary of Energy for the State of Oklahoma
Robert Wegener currently serves as the State of Oklahoma Secretary of Energy. He is responsible for various executive entities including: Commission on Marginally Producing Oil and Gas Wells, Corporation Commission, Grand River Dam Authority, Oklahoma Department of Mines and many more. In 2005, Wegener represented Oklahoma in Azerbaijan to help initiate economic and educational partnerships between Oklahoma and this former Soviet Republic.
A graduate of Texas A & M University and the University of Oklahoma College of Law, Wegener came to state service from the Oklahoma City law firm, Clark, Stakem, Wood & Patten. Secretary Wegener’s general litigation practice included work on oil and gas, public utilities, and education law. He published regular articles in “Better Schools,” the newspaper for the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administrators.
R. James Woolsey, Venture Partner, VantagePoint Venture Partners and former Director of the CIA
James Woolsey is a venture partner and senior advisor with VantagePoint Venture Partners of San Bruno, CA. He served as director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency from 1993-1995. Currently, Woolsey is the Annenberg Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University; chairs the Strategic Advisory Group of the Washington, D.C. private equity fund, Paladin Capital Group and is of counsel to the Washington, D.C. office of the Boston-based law firm, Goodwin Procter. He specializes in a range of alternative energy and security issues.
Woolsey received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University (1963, with Great Distinction, Phi Beta Kappa), a Master of Arts degree from Oxford University (Rhodes Scholar 1963–1965) and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Yale Law School (1968, Managing Editor of the Yale Law Journal). He is a frequent contributor of articles to major publications, and from time to time, gives public speeches and media interviews on the subjects of foreign affairs, defense, energy and intelligence. Woolsey serves on a range of government, corporate, and non-profit advisory boards including the National Commission on Energy Policy.