The Challenge Ahead

Tuesday, December 11, 2012 :: 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM :: Hall NA1
Orange County Convention Center – North/South Building

Welcome Address

Russell Ray, Managing Editor, Power Engineering magazine
POWER-GEN International Program Committee Chair

Featured Speakers

Mr. Gordon L. Gillette
President, Tampa Electric & Peoples Gas

In July 2009, Gordon L. Gillette was promoted to President of both Tampa Electric and Peoples Gas, combining the functions and operations of electric and gas under one management team for the first time at TECO Energy. He is responsible for operations of the utilities, including Energy Supply, Energy Delivery Operations and Engineering, Customer Care, Fuels Management, and Regulatory Affairs.

Gillette had been Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for TECO Energy since July 2004, which followed his 2001 promotion to Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer. He also served as President of TECO Guatemala, a TECO Energy subsidiary.

Previously, Gillette was Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer, a role he had held since March 1998. He served as Vice President of Regulatory Affairs for TECO Energy since April 1997.

He joined Tampa Electric in 1981 as an engineer and worked in the production and planning areas. He was promoted to Manager of Generation Planning in May 1986. He later served as Manager of Bulk Power and Generation Planning and then became Director of Project Services for TECO Power Services, responsible for fuel procurement, environmental permitting and compliance, and power sales contract administration.

In November 1994, he was promoted to Vice President of Regulatory Affairs for Tampa Electric, and in November 1995, was named Vice President of Regulatory and Business Strategy for Tampa Electric.

He is a graduate of the Tampa Connection. He is past president of the Board of Directors for the Children’s Museum of Tampa. He is past chairman of the Board of the Hillsborough County Education Foundation and currently serves as chair of the Leadership Council for the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations. He serves as chairman of the University of South Florida Foundation and as a Board member for the Tampa Museum of Art.

Gillette is a Registered Professional Engineer in the state of Florida, a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the Florida Engineering Society.

Gillette received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of South Florida in 1981 and his Master of Science in Engineering Management in 1985.

He is married and has a son and a daughter.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Mr. Jon Wellinghoff
Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Jon Wellinghoff was named Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by President Obama in March 2009. A member of the Commission since 2006, Chairman Wellinghoff is an energy law specialist with more than 30 years experience in the field. While in the private sector, Chairman Wellinghoff represented an array of clients from federal agencies, renewable developers, and large consumers of power to energy efficient product manufacturers and clean energy advocacy organizations. Chairman Wellinghoff was the primary author of the Nevada Renewable Portfolio Standard Act. The Nevada RPS is one of the two states to receive an “A” rating by the Union of Concerned Scientists. In addition, he worked with clients to develop renewable portfolio standards in six other states.

His experience also includes two terms as the State of Nevada’s first Consumer Advocate for Customers of Public Utilities. While serving in that role, Chairman Wellinghoff represented Nevada’s utility consumers before the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada, the FERC, and in appeals before the Nevada Supreme Court. While Consumer Advocate, he authored the first comprehensive state utility integrated planning statute. That statute has become a model for utility integrated planning processes across the country.

Chairman Wellinghoff was instrumental in creating FERC’s Energy Innovations Sector, which is responsible for investigating and promoting new efficient technologies and practices under FERC’s jurisdiction. Chairman Wellinghoff is co-chair of the Demand Response Collaborative launched jointly by FERC and the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and is a member of NARUC’s Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment. He is a member of the Advisory Committee of the Institute for Electric Efficiency and served as an advisor to the Defense Science Board’s Energy Policy Task Force. He is also on the Executive Leadership Team of the Electric Power Research Institute Green Transmission Efficiency Initiative. Chairman Wellinghoff also advises the Energy Foundation and the NRDC on China-U.S. energy policy matters.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Mr. E. James Ferland
President and Chief Executive Officer
The Babcock & Wilcox Company

Jim Ferland is President and Chief Executive Officer of The Babcock & Wilcox Company (B&W), joining the Company in April 2012. Mr. Ferland is a seasoned executive with more than 23 years of experience in the commercial nuclear power and utility industry.

Mr. Ferland most recently served as President of the Americas division at Westinghouse Electric Company, where he was in charge of $2.5 billion of commercial nuclear energy business, including fuel, services, digital controls and new nuclear plant licensing and construction in North & South America.

Prior to joining Westinghouse Electric Company, Mr. Ferland served as Senior Vice President of Utility Operations for PNM Resources, Inc. in Albuquerque, N.M. At PNM, Mr. Ferland was responsible for regulated transmission and distribution operations for PNM and TNMP.

Before joining PNM, Mr. Ferland served as Vice President, Global Nuclear Field Services for Westinghouse. In this role, he led a $450 million global nuclear service business, including six manufacturing and service companies.

Previously, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of Louisiana Energy Services (LES), where LES obtained a combined construction and operating license for an enrichment plant issued by the U.S Nuclear Regulatory Commission, among several other accomplishments.

Mr. Ferland holds a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a master’s in business administration from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Mr. Paul Browning
President & CEO of Thermal Products
GE Power & Water

Paul Browning is President & CEO of Thermal Products for GE Power & Water, overseeing the worldwide operations of GE’s Heavy Duty Gas Turbine, Steam Turbine, Generator, Controls, Gasification and Concentrated Solar Power businesses. The global Thermal Products team is responsible for product development, sales, marketing, manufacturing, and installation of large scale electricity generating equipment.

Prior to his current position, Paul was most recently with Caterpillar Corp., as managing director, Caterpillar Motoren, based in Kiel, Germany. He was responsible for a global business in Caterpillar’s Marine & Petroleum Power division.

Previously, Paul was the vice president of Turbomachinery Products in Caterpillar’s Solar Turbines division. Within that division, he worked in commercial, manufacturing, and technical roles.

Paul began his professional career as a research engineer at the GE Research Center in Niskayuna, NY. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in mechani­cal engineering and materials science from Carnegie Mellon University and a Master’s in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

__________________________________________________________________________________

VADM Dennis V. McGinn (USN, Retired)
Dennis McGinn
President, ACORE

Vice Adm. Dennis V. McGinn, USN (retired) is the president of the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE), a 501(c)(3) membership non-profit organization dedicated to creating a more secure and prosperous America with clean, renewable energy.

Admiral McGinn is a naval aviator, test pilot and national security strategist. He has served as Director of the Air Warfare Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations; the Commander of the U.S. Third Fleet; and the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, Warfare Requirements and Programs in the Pentagon.

Admiral McGinn brings to ACORE his significant national experience in efforts to highlight the close link between energy, climate and national security. He is a strong advocate for innovative government policy, public and private partnerships, and investments that will promote clean energy growth and innovation.