Hello T&D World family! I’m the new managing director for this amazing franchise that has been serving the industry for more than 80 years. I’m both excited and honored to continue the strong tradition of T&D while simultaneously working with you to bring new coverage and provide new ideas to our incredible audience of practicing engineers and managers. From my perspective, T&D World stands head and shoulders over the competition as the objective, engineering and fact-based “Bible” for the power industry. My professors even made it required reading when I was getting a masters in engineering.
My Story
A quick background on me: I was born in Canada and grew up in Northern Wyoming. My father worked as the head electrician for the Decker coal mine in Montana, as did my brother. My brother-in-law worked for Basin Electric. I’ve always known I would work in power, like our family, and I wanted to be an electrical engineer (It’s what I thought my dad did). So I went to the University of Wyoming and received an electrical engineering degree. And I decided to add to that with a masters from the New Mexico State Electric Utility Management Program New Mexico State.
I met my wife, Sandra, in the same program and we share a similar work history. Sandra went to work for Public Service Colorado (now Xcel Energy) for 15 years and gained experience in a number of different departments. My career was similar. After graduate school, I worked for Stone & Webster Management Consulting, EDS, and Hagler Bailley. I made a big shift in 1996 when I co-Founded Energy Central, an early on-line trade media company. Now I am strategic director of T&D World and our companion Utility Analytics Institute. UAI is a membership organization that supports utility efforts to collaboratively develop and apply analytical tools and methods.
At the end of the day, I have a deep passion and love for this industry and I’m thrilled to be part of the T&D World brand, history, and what it delivers to its utility audience. I am committing to providing the information and insights you need to make better technology and business decisions at your utility.
Exciting Times Ahead
So what does this change mean, and how does it affect our readers and the industry?
We have Rick Bush, Vito Longo, Gerry George, Gene Wolf, Nikki Chandler, David Shadle, Amy Fischbach and Gordon Feller on the editorial side. And Rick has welcomed me into the fold and is mentoring me and sharing his perspectives on the history, the audience and the content. He is introducing me to the T&D extended family.
I would like your insights too as I get up to speed. I realize this industry is a family, and I’m asking you to share what is on your mind. I am eager to incorporate your thoughts and ideas into our collective future.
So here is where my mind is right now.
First, we will more actively cover the transformational topics that are driving our industry; integration of Distributed Energy Resources, inverter-based stability, transportation electrification, storage and digitization of the grid and many more.
Second, we will continue to develop and create the amazing coverage T&D World is known for: in-depth case studies from our utility authors to our utility audience.
Third, we are going to focus even more on the backbone of our industry, the linemen and field personnel.
You will see evidence of these directions in this issue, as we bring you the story of a new smart neighborhood from Alabama Power, that explores unique approaches to microgrid configuration and management. Pacific Gas & Electric also shares how it formulated a plan to eliminate the use of SF6 in all high-voltage gas-insulated equipment. Great River Energy discusses the upgrade of its existing HVDC system. We also feature TEPCO, EDP Distribuição, and a smart city project in Vienna.
Commitment
I am committed to significantly expand the number of the pages of the print publication. Over the past three months I have had in-person discussions with a great number of energy professionals who have had their articles accepted and published by T&D World magazine and they are so proud of having their work displayed to their peers through the pages of T&D World.
And this is only the first of many investments. We will also be introducing new digital products and initiatives. Our mission is to deliver the best content for the T&D segment of the industry, in whatever format our audience prefers, and to deliver this content whenever it is most convenient to consume. As I said earlier, I’m thrilled for the opportunities ahead. The impact this publication has on the industry is massive and essential.
I promise our readers and our advertisers I will commit everything I have to this audience and this industry.
Here is the way I see it. The power industry is the foundation of the economy and society in general. The ability to deliver clean, affordable and sustainable power guarantees our livelihoods. And what we deliver is essential to all other industries. We share a tremendous responsibility to maintain and enhance our electric delivery infrastructure.
