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IWWG 5th Annual Conference

Advancing Wind Power in Illinois Conference
Thursday and Friday, July 21-22, 2011

 

At Illinois Institute of Technology
Main Campus, Hermann Hall
3241 S. Federal Street, Chicago, IL 60616


Conference Co-Hosted by:
Center for Renewable Energy at Illinois State University and
Galvin Center for Electricity Innovation at Illinois Institute of Technology

 

QUICK CLICKS:

CONFERENCE AGENDA - Thursday, July 21st

CONFERENCE AGENDA - Friday, July 22nd

SPEAKER BIOS

DIRECTIONS

 

CONFERENCE AGENDA - click on the red links to view the presentations


Thursday, July 21, 2011


7:00 a.m. - Registration & Continental Breakfast

8:00 a.m. - Wind Energy 101 (pre-session for those new to the wind industry)


9:00 a.m. - Welcome  

  • Dr. Hamid Arastoopour, Illinois Institute of Technology


9:10 a.m. - Illinois Wind Working Group


10:00 a.m. - State of Illinois Outlook

  • Lt. Governor Sheila Simon

10:15 a.m. - IIT Wind Consortium Project


10:45 a.m. - Overview of the U.S. Department of Energy


 11:15 a.m. - Networking & Exhibits Break


11:30 a.m. - Where is Wind Energy Headed in 2012 and Beyond (Plenary Panel Session)


12:30 p.m. - Lunch


1:30 p.m. - Breakout Seminars:


2:30 p.m. - Networking & Exhibits Break


2:45 p.m. - Breakout Seminars:


3:45 p.m. - Networking & Exhibits Break

4:00 p.m. - Breakout Seminars


5:00 p.m. - Networking Reception

7:00 p.m. - End Day 1

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Friday, July 22, 2011


8:00 a.m. - Continental Breakfast & Networking


8:30 a.m. - Welcome

  • Dr. David Loomis, Center for Renewable Energy


8:45 a.m. - Current Research by the Center for Renewable Energy at Illinois State University


9:15 a.m. - Wind for Schools


10:15 a.m. - Best Practices for Sustainable Wind Power Development in the Great Lakes Region and Beyond

10:45 a.m. - Networking & Exhibits Break

11:15 a.m. - Breakout Panel Sessions:


12:30 p.m. - Lunch


1:30 p.m. - Breakout Panel Sessions:


2:45 p.m. - Networking & Exhibits


3:00 p.m. - Plenary Panel Session - Hot Topics

 

3:55 p.m. - Wrap Up

  • Dr. David Loomis, Center for Renewable Energy, Illinois State University


4:00 p.m. - Adjourn

*Topics, speakers, and schedule subject to change.

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SPEAKERS and MODERATORS include:

Matt Aldeman is the Technical Assistant at the Illinois State University Center for Renewable Energy.  He provides technical assistance and public outreach to the external community, assists faculty in applied research, and operates the Center’s SODAR unit, meteorological tower, and off-grid hybrid wind/solar system.  Matt joined the Center for Renewable Energy after working for General Electric as a wind site manager, where he managed operations at the Grand Ridge and Rail Splitter wind projects.  Previously, he served in the U.S. Navy as the Reactor Electrical Officer on the USS John C. Stennis and as the Gunnery Officer on the USS O’Bannon.  He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Nuclear Power School and holds a Master of Engineering Management degree from Old Dominion University and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Northwestern University.  

Kyle Barry is an attorney with McGuireWoods LLP and a vice president in the State Government Relations group of McGuireWoods Consulting. An experienced commercial litigator and former deputy general counsel for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, he has established relationships with leading federal, state and local officials in Illinois. Kyle has an extensive background in business expansion services and economic development. While serving as deputy general counsel for the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Development, Kyle managed the legal affairs for the Large Business Development Division, the Energy and Recycling Division, the Office of Coal Development, the DCEO Grants Unit and the Illinois Trade Office. Kyle has provided guidance on general business development projects as well as on energy projects, including wind energy developments, ethanol plants, coal projects and a geothermal energy enterprise. In addition, Kyle recently helped form a trade association for wind energy developers in Illinois, and he now helps manage the government affairs for the association.

Kevin Borgia is founder and Executive Director of the Illinois Wind Energy Association, a non-profit trade group working to improve the business environment for wind power in Illinois. Previously, Kevin worked as editor of the federal energy and environmental policy newsletters Energy Washington and Inside EPA. He is a central Illinois native and a graduate of Illinois State University.  In his role as IWEA Director, Kevin has secured significant state policy victories for wind energy in Illinois, including new tax incentives and stable tax structures for wind farms in Illinois, improved power markets for renewables under the Illinois Power Agency, new loan guarantees for renewables, and better permitting regulations for Illinois wind projects.

Guenter Conzelmann is the Director of the Center for Energy, Environmental, and Economic Systems Analysis at Argonne National Laboratory. His center develops modeling and simulation tools and provides analytical services to government institutions and private sector clients around the world on strategic energy and power sector issues. Guenter is leading Argonne’s wind power technologies and analysis program. Argonne’s wind power research currently focuses on (1) addressing wind turbine drivetrain reliability issues, (2) improving statistical wind power forecasting methods, (3) providing instrumentation and measurement support for joint DOE/NOAA project on enhanced short-term wind energy forecasting, (4) enhancing grid systems operations for wind, (5) analyzing wind energy development in critical wildlife habitats, and (6) developing a new GIS-based visual impact risk analysis and mitigation identification system. Guenter is also actively engaged in Argonne’s smart-grid activities. He is the author/co-author of numerous publications, including sponsor reports, conference papers, journal articles, and book contributions in the energy and power systems field. He is frequently invited to speak on these subjects at conferences, workshops, and training courses around the world.

Andy Cukurs is a visionary with a passion for wind energy, and a commitment to energy independence and clean energy for homes, schools, and businesses across America.  His integral approach has earned him accolades among his wind energy peers and customers. As CEO for Suzlon Wind Energy Corporation, he provides strategic direction for the North American Operations. Under his leadership the company has become an authority in delivering wind power projects, installing more than 2000 MW in 17 states across the nation. As a recognized expert and veteran in wind, he is frequently invited to speak at events sponsored by the American Wind Energy Association and serves on Chicago’s Renewal Energy Board.

As a senior executive, Mr. Cukurs has nearly 25 years of management and engineering experience, with the last 11 years in the wind energy industry.  Before joining Suzlon in 2004, Cukurs served as CEO of NEG Micon Wind Energy Corporation of North America, where he oversaw sales and construction. Prior to that, Cukurs focused on providing design, engineering, and construction services to the food processing industry.
A Chicago native, Mr. Cukurs graduated from University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Chicago. 

P. Barton DeLacy, mai, cre, frics is Senior Managing Director and National Practice Leader for Valuation Consulting for Cushman & Wakefield. He also heads up the Energy Group within Valuation & Advisory at C&W. Based in Chicago, his work with renewable energy properties includes valuations and impact studies for wind and solar farms, as well as refineries and thermal  power plants. He recently published “Wind Farms- A Valuation Primer” in The Appraisal Journal, and has previously published in Real Estate Issues and The Journal of the American Planning Association. DeLacy holds a Masters in Urban Planning from Portland State University and earned a Bachelor of Arts from Willamette University, of Salem, Oregon.

Hans Detweiler is Director of Development with Clean Line Energy Partners, leading efforts to site, permit, and construct the Rock Island Clean Line, a 500 mile HVDC transmission line in Iowa and Illinois. Prior to joining Clean Line, Detweiler was Director of State Policy at AWEA, and previously was Deputy Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, where he administered the state’s renewable power, renewable fuels, and energy efficiency programs. Detweiler has also worked in a variety of policy and advocacy roles. Detweiler holds a B.A. in Political Science from Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa.

Pauline E. Doohan, a principal at Doohan Law, is a consulting counsel for Baker & McKenzie LLP in Chicago, where her practice focuses on finance, corporate and commercial matters with a specialty in energy-related transactions.  Ms. Doohan's finance practice includes representing lenders and borrowers in a variety of financing transactions, including syndicated credit facilities and the project financing of energy assets.  She represents a number of wind energy developers, investors and lenders in connection with the acquisition, development and financing of wind energy projects, including advising clients on land agreements, turbine supply agreements and other agreements necessary for development activities.  Ms. Doohan is proficient in Section 45 tax credit transactions and Section 1603 cash grant transactions for renewable energy, and has experience in both leveraged and unleveraged Section 45 transactions.  Ms. Doohan has insider experience in the energy industry, having been in-house counsel for the non-regulated subsidiary of a public utility holding company. Ms. Doohan is a cum laude graduate of the Honors College at Michigan State University and a cum laude graduate of Wayne State University Law School.  She is admitted to practice law in Michigan and Illinois.

Julie Elzanati earned a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, in 1992. In 2002, she earned a Master’s degree in Conservation Biology from Illinois State University. From 2002-2006, Julie served as Adjunct Faculty in Biology at Heartland Community College (HCC) and as the Assistant Director, Membership Chair and Energy Coordinator at the Ecology Action Center (EAC) in Normal. While at the EAC, Julie administered the Bloomington-Normal Regional Energy Program from 2003-2006. From 2006-2010, Julie worked in the Community & Corporate Education department at HCC. In 2008, Julie helped HCC create the Green Institute and co-found the Illinois Community College Sustainability Network, now called the Illinois Green Economy Network. In April 2010, Julie took on her current role as Director of College Partnerships for the Illinois Green Economy Network. In this capacity, she is helping all 48 Illinois community colleges develop sustainability centers similar to the Green Institute at Heartland, build capacity for green workforce training, and make their campuses more environmentally-sustainable.

Larry Flowers is currently the Deputy Director of Community and Distributed Wind for the American Wind Energy Association where he works with industry, government and NGO’s to increase the role of distributed and community wind resources in the nation’s energy portfolio through policy, advocacy, education and outreach.  Prior to AWEA, he spent 30 years at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the last 20 at NREL’s National Wind Technology Center in Boulder, CO. As National Technical Director of Wind Powering America, he led an interdisciplinary team that established 35 state wind working groups, created 11 state Wind for Schools programs, developed high resolution wind resource maps for all windy US states, and established a wind-water-nexus initiative.  Prior to WPA, he led programs and projects in international village power, hybrid energy systems, building sciences, thermal systems, and industrial applications.  Mr. Flowers has degrees in metallurgical engineering and materials science from Lehigh University and an executive MBA from University of Denver.

Daniel Foley is Chief Executive Officer of Acciona Energy North America.  Mr. Foley brings 20 years of industry experience to ACCIONA Energy North America. Preceding his role as CEO, Mr. Foley brought tremendous value to the company in his role as Chief Development Officer, where he led the company’s wind and solar development efforts throughout Canada and the U.S. Prior to joining ACCIONA in 2007, he held the Director, Power Marketing position with Invenergy LLC, a developer, owner and operator of large-scale electricity generation assets, where he was instrumental in executing power purchase agreement negotiations to support the development of electric generation projects. He also gained extensive experience in the energy sector as a Senior Manager for Deliotte and Touche, where he provided risk management consulting services to utilities, operating companies and other energy market participants specializing in trading practices, policies, procedures and controls. Mr. Foley earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Notre Dame, a Master of Engineering degree from the State University of New York- Buffalo and a Master of Business degree from the University of Chicago. He is married to Katherine Foley and is the father of three children.

Alan Glen has widely-recognized expertise in various areas of federal environmental law, including the Endangered Species Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act. He also has extensive experience in Texas environmental and land use laws. Mr. Glen represents both public and private entities across the country and has successfully handled dozens of permits and consultations under the Endangered Species Act. He was named one of the Best Lawyers in America in 2008, 2009 and 2010. He was named one of the top five environmental lawyers in Texas in the Texas Lawyer "Go to Guide" in 2002 and a "Texas Super Lawyer" in Texas Monthly magazine in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010. Mr. Glen and his team have experience with environmental issues affecting traditional and renewable energy industries, real estate development, water resources, agriculture and mining.  Much of Mr. Glen's practice relates to rare and endangered species.  Mr. Glen has testified before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Water regarding the ESA's interagency consultation process. He served as Vice-Chairman for the steering committee of the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan, a regional habitat conservation plan (HCP) in Central Texas, and was a member of the Recovery Team for the Barton Springs salamander.  He works on numerous large-scale HCPs, including the Central Flyway HCP for Whooping Cranes, Regional HCPs for Williamson, Hays, and Comal Counties, Texas, an HCP for 450 miles of Competitive Renewable Energy Zone high voltage electric transmission lines, and a two-county collaborative HCP for four water and electric utilities. 

Craig Gordon is Director, Origination at Invenergy LLC.  He is responsible for structuring and negotiating Power Purchase Agreements, financial hedges, REC agreements, and tolling agreements.  Mr. Gordon is also involved in Illinois legislative affairs pertaining to the renewable portfolio statute.  Before joining Invenergy LLC in 2010, Mr. Gordon spent the previous eight years at Ameren Corp, where he held numerous positions in credit risk management, power trading and dispatch, and power marketing and origination.  While at Ameren, Mr. Gordon led Ameren Energy Marketing Company’s efforts with respect to RPS compliance, renewable asset evaluation, and the introduction of a voluntary renewable product for its retail customer portfolio.  Mr. Gordon holds an MBA from the Olin School of Business, Washington University in St. Louis; and a BS in Geology from Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois.

Alyson Grady joined the Illinois Energy Office of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in December 2009 after nearly a decade working with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.  As the state’s Renewable Energy Manager, she oversees all programs promoting solar, wind, biofuel, and other renewable energy sources.  While serving at IEPA, Alyson worked on developing wetland and stream program initiatives at the State and Federal level, as well as coordinating with numerous state and federal agencies for project development and permitting activities.  Since joining DCEO, she has been responsible for directing projects made possible under the renewable energy and green industry business development portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. (ARRA) as well as the state Renewable Energy Resources Program.  Alyson received her B.S.  in Biology -- with a concentration in Chemistry – in May 1995 from Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State University). 

Jim Greenberger is a principal with Private Equity Law Advisors, a law firm located in Chicago, Illinois. He concentrates his practice in advising high growth companies working in cleantech and alternative energy on debt and equity transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and project development. Jim represents developers of wind farms, biofuels projects, and waste-to-energy projects as well as companies developing new technologies designed to supplement traditional sources of energy. He has represented some of the leading venture capital and private equity firms in the country in cleantech investments. Jim has particular interest in wind power and energy storage technologies. He is a co-founder and currently serves as Executive Director of the National Alliance for Advanced Technology Batteries (NAATBatt), a national trade association that represents the leading companies building advanced batteries for electric vehicles and smart grid applications. Jim has been representing high growth technology companies for over twenty years. He is a frequent speaker and author on topics relating to renewable energy, private equity and venture finance.

Jim Griffin is a partner in the Chicago law firm of Schain, Burney, Banks & Kenny, Ltd.  Jim and his firm have counseled clients regarding several wind energy projects, representing both wind energy companies and local government.  Jim has advised wind energy clients on siting and land use matters, environmental issues, state and local taxation, leases and easements, and contract negotiations.  He has also served as lead counsel in two lawsuits challenging wind energy projects.  Jim is a member of the American Wind Energy Association and served as a presenter at AWEA’s 2009 national conference in Chicago, and at AWEA’s 2008 national conference in Houston.  He serves on the executive committee of the Illinois Wind Working Group, and has lectured on wind farm siting, project opposition, taxation, and other topics.  In addition to his wind energy experience, Jim represents clients in other land use, environmental, litigation and business matters.  He obtained his law degree cum laude from John Marshall Law School after earning a degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University.

John Hummer is a project manager for the Great Lakes Commission where he has completed 10 years of service. He is the Commission’s lead staff person for the Great Lakes Wind Collaborative, a multi-sectoral group entering its 5th year which identifies and addresses issues affecting the planning, development, and operation of wind power facilities in the Great Lakes region. John is the lead staff person for the group’s Steering Committee, as well as its Offshore, Transmission and Economic Development workgroups. In addition to the Wind Collaborative, he is Team Leader for the Commission’s Clean Energy Initiative. He serves on the Board of the U.S. Offshore Wind Collaborative and the National Water Quality Monitoring Council. John holds a Masters degree from Michigan State University in Natural Resources Policy and Planning.

Fred Iutzi manages renewable energy and agriculture programs for the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA) at Western Illinois University (WIU), leading a unit of specialists in wind energy, applied economics research, bioenergy feedstock assessment, green entrepreneurship, and cooperative development. Iutzi chairs the Illinois Biomass Working Group and is an appointee to the Illinois Alternate Fuels Commission. He holds an MS in Sustainable Agriculture and Agronomy from Iowa State University and an AB in Geography from the University of Missouri Columbia, and is a Certified Crop Adviser. Previous professional affiliations include the WIU School of Agriculture and Iowa State University Extension. Iutzi resides in rural Hancock County, IL, where he assists with his family’s cash grain farm. Founded in 1989, the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs is the state’s designated academic clearinghouse for rural development research and initiatives.

Shawn Kestler is Vice President of Power Marketing for ACCIONA Energy North America.  He oversees all of Acciona’s power marketing activities, including fostering customer relationships, developing market and product strategies, pursuing, negotiating, and executing long-term power purchase and alternative structure hedge agreements, actively managing the renewable attributes portfolio, and developing and implementing asset optimization market strategies, all in support of the development, construction, operation, and financing of ACCIONA Energy North America’s renewable energy generation fleet. Shawn has more than 20 years of experience in the energy industry, and is an innovative and collaborative energy professional, with a proven record of success.  Prior to joining ACCIONA, Shawn held marketing director positions at DTE Energy Trading, Williams Power, Reliant Energy, and Commonwealth Edison Co. where he led those organizations' power marketing activities in the MISO, PJM, and SPP markets. Shawn earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois, and a Master’s of Management degree from Northwestern University’s, Kellogg School of Management.  He currently sits on the Illinois Chamber of Commerce board of directors, serves as Chairman of the Illinois Energy Council, and is an active member of the Illinois Wind Energy Association. 

Alan Kurtz is a Champaign County Board Member, Chair of the Environment and Land Use Committee, and chief sponsor of the Wind Farm Ordinance. He is also a member of the Champaign County Farm Bureau and sits on the Legislative and Land Use committees; a member Champaign Chamber of Commerce and active on the Agri-Business Committee; a member of Transition Champaign County, dedicated to preservation and restoration of natural habitat; Chair of the governing policy board of the Champaign Consortium, a four-county agency that prepares unemployed workers for new jobs; and Chair of the Democratic Caucus. As a member of the County Board, Alan Kurtz has worked to ensure county operations run efficiently. He successfully forged the bipartisan supermajority that enacted the County’s Wind Farm Ordinance, which promises to create thousands of jobs and add tens of millions in revenue for our county. As vice-chair of the County’s Environment and Land Use Committee, Al worked to develop and adopt a comprehensive Land Resource Management plan that will protect our prime farmland for future generations.

Tim Libson has 32 years of energy industry experience including international and domestic assignments with Amoco Corporation, The AES Corporation, and Trintek Energy Consulting, Inc., which he founded in 2003. As Principal Consultant of Trintek Energy Consulting, he has assisted clients with site feasibility, site leasing, project economic modeling, Negotiating PPA’s, negotiating turbine supply, and balance of plant contracts, permitting, and interconnection agreements and acquisition and divestment advice for wind energy projects in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Tennessee, California, Arizona, and Canada.  During his career,Tim has negotiated and executed a variety of power sales, turbine supply contracts, EPC contracts, and fuel supply agreements with counterparties such as Exelon, Constellation/New Energy, TXU, El Paso, and PG&E.  He has significant experience in EPC contractor and turbine supplier negotiations with counterparties such as, GE, and Vestas American Wind Technology, Mitsubishi, Duke Fluor Daniel, Stone and Webster/Shaw Group, NEPCO, Parsons, Mortenson, D.H. Blattner, TIC, Westinghouse. Tim negotiated the $275 MM non recourse financing for the AES Wolf Hollow 730 MW combined cycle project in Granbury, Texas in 2001, and also assists wind energy clients with analysis and negotiation of financing terms and conditions. He is a licensed Professional Engineer by exam in Texas, and holds a B.S. degree in Petroleum Engineering from Texas Tech University and an MBA with a concentration in Finance from the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas.

David Loomis, Ph.D., is Professor of Economics at Illinois State University where he teaches in the Master’s Degree program in electricity, natural gas and telecommunications economics.  Dr. Loomis is Director of the Center for Renewable Energy and Executive Director of the Institute for Regulatory Policy Studies.  As part of his duties, he leads the Illinois Wind Working Group under the U.S. Department of Energy.  Dr. Loomis is part of a team of faculty that has designed a new undergraduate curriculum in renewable energy at Illinois State University.  Dr. Loomis earned his Ph.D. in economics at Temple University.  Prior to joining the faculty at Illinois State University, Dr. Loomis worked at Bell Atlantic (Verizon) for 11 years. He has published articles in the Energy Policy, Electricity Journal, Review of Industrial Organization, Utilities Policy, Information Economics and Policy, International Journal of Forecasting, International Journal of Business Research, Business Economics and theJournal of Economics Education.

Farrell Lord was raised on the Lord Family Farm in Bureau County, Illinois.  He attended the University of Illinois and William and Mary College. He is a US Army Veteran.  His primary working career was in IT (Information Technology) executive management with Scrivner, Promodes of France, Kmart and American Stores/Albertsons. He retired in 2001 as IT director from Acme Markets, Malvern, PA, and a division of Albertsons.   He then returned to Illinois on a wildlife/conservation farm near Metamora, Woodford County, Illinois, where he currently resides with his wife, Lynn.  Recently they installed a grid tie 5KW solar PV generation system at that location.  In 1997 Farrell purchased the Lord Family Farm in Bureau Country from his mother.  A small wind farm project of 36 towers was built near that farm in 2003/2004. Subsequently the developer began preliminary plans for a ‘Phase Two’ of the first wind farm.    During the decades after leaving his family farm for his own career, Farrell had remained in contact with many of the farm neighbors and friends of the past in that area. Subsequently he and several other local landowners were contacted regarding leasing their land for the potential Phase Two development. A landowner’s lease development committee was formed.   Because of Farrell’s farming and business experience along with being familiar with the potential lease/landowners, he was chosen to be the chairman of the group of 26 landowners. An attorney was then retained. After approximately two years of negotiations, a lease agreement was completed. Construction began in August of 2007. It was no longer a ‘Phase Two’ but a separate, unrelated entity as developer ownership had changed. Electrical production began in the summer of 2008.

Brad Lystra is the Manager of State Campaigns for the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).  Brad joined AWEA in September 2008 and currently works with state legislatures, AWEA member companies and economic development organizations to support targeted state policies for wind construction and manufacturing.  Brad has worked on numerous campaigns and his recent work includes the passage of Ohio SB 232 (Ohio renewable tax bill), Indiana SB 251 and Governor Jim Doyle’s successful 2006 Wisconsin reelection campaign.  Brad completed his Masters of Science in Life Sciences Communication at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and has a B.A. in History from Kenyon College. 

Mike Matejka is the Governmental Affairs Director for the Great Plains Laborers District Council, which represented 11,000 union Laborers in northern Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota.   For the last 30 years he has edited the Grand Prairie Union News and writes frequently on worker issues and labor history.

Dave McGonagle joined the BlueGreen Alliance in August 2009 as the National Field Director.  In this position, Dave directs various state-based advocacy campaigns and educational efforts across the country aimed at expanding the number of quality jobs in the clean energy economy.  With a background mostly in political and issue organizing, Dave has worked for many organizations and political campaigns, including several national and federal candidate campaigns.  Dave holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Jody Millar has over 35 years experience working with the US Fish and Wildlife Service.  For the past 15 years, she has been the Assistant Field Supervisor for the Rock Island, IL Field Office which covers most of Illinois and all of Iowa.  Areas of expertise include Endangered Species and Federal Projects.  She also ushered the bald eagle off the Endangered Species List and lead the effort to develop the Bald Eagle Post-delisting Monitoring Plan.  The Rock Island Field Office has been active in reviewing impacts of wind projects on wildlife including the federally listed endangered Indiana bat and the federally protected bald eagle.  Jody received her Masters of Science degree from Western Illinois University and Bachelors of Science from the University of Minnesota.

Gary Miller, Ph.D., is the Associate Executive Director of the Prairie Research Institute,  University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  From 1985 until 2009 Dr. Miller was Assistant Director at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (formerly the Waste Management and Research Center) and twice served as Acting Director. His duties have included managing the Center's Research, Pollution Prevention and Data Management programs. Dr. Miller has been actively involved with providing pollution prevention assistance to businesses, developing ISTC's pollution prevention technology research capabilities and developing related regional and national information resources.  The Center was in state government until 2008 when, by law, it was made a part of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  Also, he is an active member of the Illinois Green Government Coordinating Council representing the University of Illinois.  Currently he is Co-Chair of the Illinois Sustainable Universities and Colleges subcommittee for the Office of the Governor.  During 2007 to 2008 Dr. Miller served as Chair of the Board of Directors for the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable and for 12 years was Director of the Printers' National Environmental Assistance Center, one of the first compliance assistance centers funded by USEPA.  For 5 years he also served as subject editor for the Journal of Cleaner Production.  Dr. Miller earned an M.S. in Environmental Science and a Ph.D. in Engineering from the University of Oklahoma. He also earned a B.S. in Biology from Oral Roberts University.

Mayor Ron Mool of El Paso, Illinois, was born and raised in central Illinois. He started as a Trustee of Panola Township Road District, late sixties to early seventies. In 1974 he was elected to El Paso School District 375. His tenure there was 12 years, and part of that time as President and Secretary of the District. He began to understand what it takes to keep the doors open. He bargained with the teachers union and worked with state mediation. Local tax dollars at work at their best. He also served on the Illinois Association of School Boards as President of the Corn Belt Division. This gives you a much bigger picture of education and school funding as a whole. Mayor Mool was a member of the El Paso Rescue Squad for 20 years from 1984 to 2005, another use of tax payer's dollars for local use at its best. He is presently Chairman of the Board of Directors of El Paso Rescue. In 1993, he was elected Mayor of El Paso and served in that capacity for 12 years. After a four year absence from that position, he was again elected Mayor in 2009 until present. He enjoys working with the public, trying to make rural life in small communities a great place to live and raise a family.

Doni Murphy is a Partner and Project Manager in ERM’s Chicago office and specializes in power generation and power delivery siting and permitting.  Environmental Resources Management is the world’s leading provider of environmental, health and safety, risk, and social consulting services with more than 3,600 staff in 130 offices in 40 countries, specifically including more than 200 in the Midwest. With more than 12 years of experience and having managed or supported the siting, permitting, and construction management of more than 1,200 miles of electric transmission facilities and 30 renewable energy development projects across the U.S., Doni has extensive experience with the various nuances and considerations associated with these types of projects – as it relates to both regulatory requirements and public perceptions.  Doni has provided expert witness testimony on multiple electric transmission projects and is regularly called upon to support capital planning and navigate transmission related policies. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Forest Biology from Colorado State University and started her career with the U.S. Forest Service in Colorado. 

Jim Murphy is the Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Invenergy.  He is responsible for the general and financial management of Invenergy, a renewable and clean energy company based in Chicago.  Invenergy was founded in 2001 and has to date organically grown a portfolio of approximately 5,000 MW of operating power plants, including wind farms and natural gas-fueled facilities. Mr. Murphy has managed over $10 billion in corporate and project financing transactions.  In 2005, his expertise led to Invenergy being awarded Project Finance International magazine’s Environmental Deal of the Year and Project Finance magazine’s North American Portfolio Finance Deal of the Year for a financing of three U.S. wind farms.  In 2007, Mr. Murphy managed the financing for a combined cycle facility that received the North American Public Power Deal for the Year from Project Finance magazine. Mr. Murphy’s prior positions include Chief Financial Officer at SkyGen Energy LLC, Vice President at Deerpath Group and Audit Manager at Arthur Andersen.  He earned his BS, magna cum laude, at the University of Illinois and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Jonathan Nieuwsma serves as chairman of the Illinois Wind Energy Association’s  Small Wind Committee (SWC). The SWC works to improve the business climate for the small wind industry by advocating for favorable state legislation, educating local zoning officials on small wind technology, providing a forum for industry players up to date on market developments, and promoting small wind turbines as an effective distributed energy solution.  In addition to his duties with IWEA, Jonathan works as a business development director for  Heston Wind and Renewable Energy LLC, a community wind project developer, and is a partner in Creative Solar Structures LLC.  Prior to entering renewable energy Jonathan spent 15 years in the industrial manufacturing field. He formed a consulting business and continued to develop supply chain and manufacturing operations for US and international clients.   Jonathan merged his engineering experience with his environmental interests and has focused on wind power and distributed generation for the last several years. He serves as co-chair of Citizens’ Greener Evanston’s renewable energy task force and sits on the board of directors of that organization.

Gary Nowakowski is a Branch Chief for Renewable Energy Technologies at the U.S. Department of Energy's Golden Field Office. He is responsible for the procurement and field project management support of the Wind and Water Power Program. Prior to this position, Gary was the Technology Team Lead at the U.S. Department of Energy's Midwest Regional Office. He was responsible for the Midwest regional coordination and management of all power production technology programs including wind, solar, biomass, industrial, distributed energy resources and energy system transmission and reliability. Prior to joining the U.S. Department of Energy, Gary worked for 14 years at the Gas Research Institute in a variety of Principal Program Management positions. At the Gas Research Institute, Gary was responsible for the product development and commercialization of engine chillers, heat pumps, and refrigeration equipment. At the Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory in Port Hueneme, California, Gary evaluated the impact of boiler efficiency improvements and installation of direct digital control systems to reduce the Navy's energy consumption and operating costs. Gary started his career with Allis Chalmers working in the custom pump, compressor and tractor divisions. Gary is the author and co-author of more than 30 energy-related papers and articles. He has a MBA with a major in marketing from DePaul University and a B.S. and M.S. degree in Energy Engineering from the University of Wisconsin.

Craig Pals is Vice President and co-founder of Tick Tock Energy, Inc. based in Effingham, IL.  Craig leads the company’s business development and implementation of small wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) projects.  The company has installed four 10 kW and two 40 kW wind turbines and actively developing larger wind projects ranging from 225 kW up to 750 kW in size, in addition to numerous solar PV and energy-efficiency retrofit projects.  Over his 20 year career, he has helped develop and/or implement over $25 million dollars of energy projects involving small wind, solar PV, lighting, central heating, cooling and cogenerations plants, and other technologies.  Mr. Pals has considerable knowledge of green building techniques, energy-efficiency and conservation, renewable energy systems, and energy management concepts applied in many types of facilities.  Craig attended Eastern Illinois University and completed his mechanical engineering degree from California State University, Long Beach.  He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of California, a Certified Energy Manager (CEM), and Green Building Engineer (GBE).

Jon Peeples is the Manager of Financial Analysis for TradeWind Energy, LLC.  TradeWind specializes in the development and management of utility scale wind energy projects in the Midwest, including the current development of 400 MW in the state of Illinois.  Mr. Peeples works to value TradeWind’s 4,500 MW wind portfolio in order to get the projects to financeable status.  Mr. Peeples also plays an integral role in the process of marketing TradeWind’s projects to potential offtakers.  Prior to joining TradeWind in 2008, Mr. Peeples was employed by the Henry W. Bloch School of Business at the University of Missouri Kansas City, teaching finance to undergraduate students while earning his Masters of Business Administration, with a concentration in finance.

Bill Poole is Senior Environmental Scientist/Project Manager with Stantec. Bill has degrees in biology and wildlife management from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and has been professionally involved in the natural resources field for over 24 years.  As a consultant, he evaluates the potential for environmental impacts associated with a variety of development projects such as transmission lines, pipelines, transportation, residential and commercial development and power generating facilities including coal, natural gas, hydroelectric and wind energy projects.  Subsequently, he works closely with developers, engineers, contractors and natural resource agency staff to provide solutions for environmental impact avoidance or minimization and, when necessary, develops conservation plans and mitigation strategies for regulatory compliance.  His involvement in such projects includes wildlife habitat and risk assessments, endangered and threatened species surveys, wetland and waterway identification and permitting, and avian and bat surveys.

Martin Price is Chief Technology Officer for Viryd Technologies, a start-up company focused on small and medium wind turbine generators and renewable energy systems. Viryd is a spin-off of Fallbrook Technologies, which developed the NuVinci™ CVP technology, owns an extensive IP portfolio, manufactures and licenses NuVinci™ for various applications. Viryd has the exclusive rights to the Fallbrook NuVinci ™ Continuously Variable Transmission for application in wind & tidal energy system. Mr. Price was the first employee at Viryd working on integration of NuVinci technology and validation of the value proposition of a CVP in a wind turbine.  Mr. Price worked nearly 25 years in the automotive industry, during which time Mr. Price worked for Ford Motor Company in capacities of Product Development, Advanced Manufacturing, Operations and Launch of new Domestic & International manufacturing facilities. Mr. Price also spent 2 years with ASIMCO Technologies as the Director of Business Development, and General Manager of the US based Camshaft operations. ASIMCO is the largest privately held automotive component manufacturer in China. Mr. Price has significant international experience which includes four years as a Simultaneous Engineering Team Manager for Autopal, a subsidiary of Visteon Corporation in the Czech Republic. Mr. Price completed a four year assignment in Queretaro, Mexico, constructing & operating a new manufacturing facility to supply local content to automotive manufacturers operating in Mexico. Mr. Price also spent 1 year in China for ASIMCO implementing Lean manufacturing techniques in several facilities, with a focus on improvement in operational metrics. Mr. Price holds a BSME from Purdue University and an MSME from the University of Michigan.

Dr. Ganesh Raman has 25 years of experience working with Industry, Academia and the U.S. Government. His interests are in the areas of  fluid flows, flow control and acoustic for industrial applications.   He has over 100 publications to his credit that have appeared in conference proceedings and leading scientific journals. He has provided noise reduction solutions for the Boeing company, the US Air Force and is currently working on wind turbine noise.  He is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society (UK) and an Associate Fellow of AIAA.  He has also served as the Chairman of the Fluid Mechanics Technical Committee of the ASME and the Aeroacoustics Technical Committee of  the AIAA.   He was awarded the ASME Lewis F. Moody best paper award in 2002. In addition he was cited in 2001 Boeing inventions awards and received a NASA Certificate of recognition for a creative innovation.  Dr. Raman currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Aeroacoustics.  He also serves on the editorial boards of Wind Engineering, The International Journal of Flow Control and the International Journal of Multidisciplinary Fluid Sciences.  He is editor of two books on “Jet Aeroacoustics” and “Computational Aeroacoustics.”  Dr. Raman received his Bachelor’s degree from IIT-Bombay and Ph.D from Case Western Reserve University, USA. 

Laura Rauch is a Senior Engineer for the Transmission Asset Management division of the MISO.  Throughout her career at the MISO, she has been responsible for many long-term transmission planning studies, including the powerflow analysis for the Regional Generator Outlet Study (RGOS), which created three long-term transmission portfolio options to enable states in the MISO to meet their renewable energy mandates, and the Minnesota Group Study 5, which determined the transmission upgrades needed to interconnect 37 different generation projects.  She is currently in charge of the business case development for the Candidate MVP Portfolio analysis, which seeks to develop a consolidated transmission plan to address regional needs, public policy, and increase stakeholder value across the Midwest ISO footprint. Laura graduated from Michigan Technological University in 2005 with a degree in Electrical Engineering and from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University in 2010 with a Masters in Business Administration.  She is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Indiana.

Walter Ravelo holds over 20 years in the power industry.  Walt is currently the Project Engineering Manager for GE Intelligent Platforms - SmartSignal which is based in Lisle, IL.  He manages the company’s Project Engineering Team as they implement projects worldwide in the Power, Oil & Gas, Aviation, and the Mining industries.  In addition, he is the Power Industry Manager responsible for developing and providing expertise and value services related to Power Industry clients.  Prior to working with SmartSignal, Walt served as a Project Manager and later the Business Manager for the Chicago location of Altran Solutions, a New Jersey based engineering consulting firm supporting Engineering and Equipment Reliability Programs for the Power Industry.  Walt started his career with Exelon Nuclear in procurement, reliability engineering, maintenance engineering, and eventually obtained a Senior Reactor Operator’s License for Dresden Station Units 2 and 3.  Walt has a Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree from Valparaiso University.

Kris Ruud is Manager of Resource Integration and Regional Operations Engineering at MISO.  He is responsible for development of processes to ensure a smooth transition from the Generation Interconnection Process into Operations across the entire MISO footprint.  In addition, he supervises the Operations Engineers in MISO’s West region, which contains roughly 90% of the installed wind capacity in MISO.  These roles provide Kris with firsthand knowledge of the impact the penetration of Wind Resources has had to the MISO system operators.  He has also been part of MISO’s Wind Integration Initiative, which is a comprehensive examination of Wind related issues in MISO.  One of the first outcomes of the Initiative is the recently approved Dispatchable Intermittent Resource (DIR) product, scheduled to become effective June 1st.  The DIR provides Wind Resources with enhanced interaction with the MISO Real Time Energy Market.  Previously, he worked in the Network Modeling and EMS Engineering groups at MISO, and has represented MISO at various NERC Working Groups and Standard Drafting Teams. Kris holds a Bachelor of Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

David Schweizer is Manager of Generation in the Operations Support Division at PJM Interconnection.  His department is responsible for generation related technical support for PJM’s Dispatch function and supports the needs of PJM’s Generation Owners in meeting their goals and objectives.  This support includes generation outage planning, generator operational data requirements, resolution of operational issues, generation performance monitoring (GPM and reactive testing), hydro scheduling and coordination, load forecasting tools, wind forecasting and wind statistics, automatic generation control, regulation, and generation related ancillary market support including black start services.  Prior to his current position, Mr. Schweizer was Manager of PJM’s Power System Coordination Department which focused on transmission outage analysis, EMS modeling, interregional studies and generation interconnection coordination.  Prior to this, he was in PJM’s System Planning Division.  Prior to joining PJM in 2002, Mr. Schweizer held various lead project manager positions at PECO Energy, Westvaco Corporation, and The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company.  Mr. Schweizer earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at Bucknell University, and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Mohammad Shahidehpour is Bodine Chair Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and Director of the Galvin Center for Electricity Innovation at Illinois Institute of Technology. He is currently the Principal Investigator of over $40 million projects on smart grid research and development. He serves on the Governing Board of the IEEE Power and Energy Society as the VP of Publications and is the Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid. He is the Chair of the 2012 IEEE Innovative Smart Grid Technologies Conference (ISGT) in Washington DC. Dr. Shahidehpour is the recipient of the 2011 Innovation Award from the Association of Electrical Engineering Department Heads. He was the recipient of 2009 Honorary Doctorate from the Polytechnic University of Bucharest, 2008 IEEE/PES Best Transactions Paper Award, and 2007 IEEE Burke Hayes Award for his research on hydrokinetics. He is an Honorary Professor at North China Electric Power University in Beijing and Sharif University of Technology in Tehran. Dr. Shahidehpour is the author of 6 books and 400 papers on electric power systems including a book published in 2003 on communication and control in electric power systems. As an IEEE Distinguished Lecturer, he has lectured in several countries on electricity restructuring issues. He is an IEEE Fellow.

Keith Shank has served as the primary point of contact in Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Office of Realty and Environmental Planning for wind energy projects and related issues since 2006. He has been providing guidance and advice to units of local government regarding the effects of development projects on Illinois Endangered Species and Natural Areas Inventory Sites since 1996. Keith joined IDNR after seventeen years with the United States Department of the Interior dealing with the environmental effects of past and present coal mining in Illinois. He has a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Forest Management from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (1978) and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Illinois at Springfield (1995).

Bill Shay is a founding partner in Cover, Shay & Evans, LLP, recently formed and based in Peoria. The fi rm provides legal services to businesses and individuals, and is involved in energy projects. Previously, he was associated with two separate major Chicago law fi rms, and served as General Counsel for approximately seven years for CILCORP, a major, NYSE electric and gas public utility holding company. Bill has also served in other operating and business positions for two different energy companies, as well as another small business. He is licensed to practice law in Illinois and is a Certifi ed Public Accountant. He is a 1974 honors graduate of Bradley University, with a B.S. degree in Accounting. Bill earned his J.D. from the University of Illinois, where he graduated cum laude in 1978 and was a member of Law Review and a Harno Fellow. His practice is concentrated in corporate/business law, alternative energy project development, and utility regulation. Bill has represented parties involved in wind energy, ethanol, biodiesel, and other alternative energy projects.

Lt. Governor Sheila Simon offers a lifetime and legacy of public service. She is a lawyer, teacher and working mother. Her record includes four years as a Jackson County prosecutor fighting crime, a decade as a Southern Illinois University law professor teaching young legal minds and participation in the Illinois Reform Commission, which aimed to restore ethics and trust in government.  As Lieutenant Governor, Simon is the second highest executive officer in Illinois, and her mission is to make government more accountable, accessible and transparent for the taxpayers of Illinois. She acts as the Governor’s point person on education reform and is leading efforts to increase college completion, inspire ethical government, protect our military bases from closure, improve services in rural areas and keep our waterways clean and safe.  In her first year in office, Simon is touring each of the state's 48 community colleges to highlight to the role they play in increasing the state's college completion rate. Simon wants 60 percent of working-age adults to hold meaningful college degrees or certificates by 2025, up from about 40 percent today. Simon is setting a higher standard for ethical leadership by releasing detailed financial profiles of herself and her senior staff each year so the public can see if any potential conflicts of interest exist. To safeguard taxpayer dollars, she requested a 2012 budget that is a fraction of a percent of the state’s overall spending and equal to the lowest appropriation request for the office in the last 15 years.

Glen Skarbakka is Director of Transmission Origination with Iberdrola Renewables in Minneapolis.  He has over 30 years of experience in the transmission and power resource segments of the electric industry, including positions in engineering, planning, business development, and senior management.  He holds an MS degree in Electrical Engineering and an MBA in Strategic Management, both from the University of Minnesota, and a JD from William Mitchell College of Law. 

Wes Slaymaker has a Bachelors of Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech, 1991, and is certified as a Professional Engineer in Wisconsin and Minnesota. He worked for 8 years as a mechanical design engineer for various fluid power equipment manufacturers prior to entering the wind business in 2000. Mr. Slaymaker  is President of WES Engineering Inc, and has ten years of experience working in the wind turbine business. He has assisted in all aspects of the design and development of wind turbine projects ranging in size from a single 35kW turbine in rural Minnesota, to a 100 MW wind turbine project in Northern Illinois. Mr. Slaymaker is a trained used of Windfarmer and WASP software used in wind speed modeling over the project site, project site design, shadow flicker and noise modeling, and long term wind speed and energy estimates.  Mr Slaymaker is also experienced in assisting with wind project interconnection applications and agreements, permitting, and project management.

Steven Smith has more than 30 years experience spanning the construction, consulting, and Public Utilities industry. Steve joined Farnsworth Group in 2007 and serves as a Director of Business Development, and Green Navigation Solutions with a focus on the Company’s Renewable Energy initiative. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Education from Illinois State University in 1972. Mr. Smith has a proven track record of building successful client relationships with private, educational, commercial, industrial, and municipal clients, as well as local, state and federal government agencies. He plays a key role in business development strategies, client support and project team building. In addition to his role as Business Development Director, Steve is a member of the American Wind Energy Association ( AWEA), Illinois Solar Energy Association ( ASEA), Midwest Renewably Energy Association, Illinois Renewable Energy association, and is a member of the Illinois Chapter of the Association of Professional Energy Consultants.

Joel Spenadel is Executive Director, Energy Investments at JPMorgan Capital Corporation. He is a founding member of the team of 20 professionals at J.P.Morgan that sources, structures and executes tax equity investments in energy projects. Since 2003 that team has been responsible for investing on behalf of J.P.Morgan or arranging with other institutional investors nearly $6.7 billion of tax equity for 6.7 gigawatts of U.S. wind power, solar and geothermal projects. During the prior decade the team was responsible for another $1.2 billion of tax motivated energy investments for JPMorgan predecessor companies. Joel earned his MBA from the J.L. Kellogg School, Northwestern University, and has Bachelor of Science degrees from the Wharton School of Business and the School of Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania.

James M. Sweeney is a second-generation Operating Engineer. Jim’s father, Martin Sweeney, was a crane operator since 1955 as was his uncle, John “Red” Carroll. Sweeney himself has been a member since 1978, working for contractors on sewer and water, slag paving, and deep tunnel projects. In 1987, Bill Dugan appointed Jim the first Local 150 full-time organizer, and Jim played an integral role in the tremendous growth of the Local and its fight against non-union opposition. Since 2001, Jim has served as Vice-President of Local 150, taking on a variety of additional responsibilities including serving as Trustee on the Pension, Health and Welfare, and Apprenticeship Funds, chairing the MOE Information Technology Board, as well as taking over direction of the Chicago Building Trades Joint Conference Board (the Board which settles jurisdictional disputes). Jim continues to play an integral role in all organizing activities.

Dan Turner, Ph.D., started his career in the wind industry in 2007, apprenticing with and then working for Tom Wind, of Wind Utility Consulting, PC, focusing primarily on financial feasibility studies for community wind projects.  He joined Windustry in 2010, where he has authored or contributed to a variety of publications, and given presentations at a variety of conferences.  He is currently managing three projects whose aim is to develop community wind farms.  In previous careers Turner was an academic, a farmer, and an IT manager, among other things.  He would like to live in a world in which Glacier National Park’s glaciers are not disappearing.

Karen Tyrell, Ph.D., is a Senior Vice President of BHE Environmental. Dr. Tyrell’s work centers on integrating land-use planning and predictive impact analyses to evaluate and resolve environmental conflicts in a way that is ultimately compatible with project goals.  Dr. Tyrell specializes in wildlife impact analyses and regulatory permit compliance, and has provided a wide range of environmental support studies for the development of wind energy facilities throughout the US.  Dr. Tyrell received her doctorate from the University of Illinois, subsequently served on the faculty of two major universities, and has developed impact assessment and environmental compliance training courses for a number of federal and state environmental programs.  Dr. Tyrell has served on the US Fish and Wildlife Service Indiana Bat Recovery Team, and is currently active on a number of technical advisory committees addressing environmental effects of utility-grade wind power facilities.

Kent Utsurogi, AIA., is a Lead Architect for Monarch Renewable Energy, the company that is installing a small wind turbine at the Illinois Institute of Technology's Main Campus in Chicago. Kent has been involved in a variety of award winning commercial, educational and institutional projects. He has been a visiting professor at Oklahoma State University’s Landscape program. Prior to joining Monarch, has 25 years as either a Principal or Associate for the following National architectural firms, Urban Design Group, Wold Architects and Engineers and the design-build firm Hoffman. Currently, Kent is the head architect of the design team at Monarch Design & Construction, Monarch Renewable and Centerline, managing architectural and consulting services from conception to completion. Kent is a licensed Architect in Illinois, Mississippi and California. Kent received his A.B. in Architecture from the University of California at Berkeley and his Masters of Architecture from Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. Kent also has held a Landscape Architecture License.

Lauren Valentino, is a research assistant at Argonne National Laboratory. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering and a minor in Chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign. At Argonne, Lauren works for the Center for Energy, Environmental, and Economic Systems Analysis where she focuses on evaluating the impacts of wind power on the operations of the electric power system.

Marty Vanags is Executive Director and CEO of the Economic Development Council of the Bloomington Normal Area. He graduated from Illinois State University, Normal, in 1984 with a bachelor's degree in political science. He earned a master's degree in public administration from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, in 1986. Marty began work at the EDC in May of 2004 with over 15 years of experience in community and economic development, private commercial development and business management. Marty currently manages the Central Illinois Partnership a marketing organization of Central Illinois communities and EDOs; Chairs the Education Committee and serves on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Development Council; Co-Chair of the Public Policy Advisory Committee (chair of the Entrepreneurship Sub-committee) and the member of the Economic Development Research Partners of the International Economic Development Council; Advisory Board member of the Illinois  State University Alternative Energy Major, ISU Alumni Board and Advisory Board Member of the Small Business Development Center at Illinois State University; member of the McLean County Chamber of Commerce Board and the McLean County Branding Task Force.  Under Marty’s leadership, the EDC has been recognized for its best practices in marketing, foreign trade development, business retention and by the McLean County Chamber of Commerce for public service.

Terry VanDeWalle is a Senior Biologist/Associate responsible for managing Stantec’s Independence, Iowa office.  He has been conducting wildlife and other environmental studies for over 20 years and has worked closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and state resource agencies throughout the Midwest on numerous projects, which have included baseline studies and permitting at over 30 wind projects in 12 Midwestern states.  He specializes in animal and natural areas surveys, threatened and endangered species surveys, ESA Section 7 and Section 10 consultation, wetland delineation and Section 404 permitting, and coordination of environmental impact statements and environmental assessments prepared under NEPA. 

Jolene Willis is Wind Energy Program Coordinator for the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA) at Western Illinois University. As part of its mission to serve as the state’s academic clearinghouse on rural development data and initiatives, IIRA provides technical assistance to communities on wind power and other forms of renewable energy. Willis has been closely involved in advancing several community- and utility-scale wind farm projects, and has comprehensive experience in professional economic development organizations and non-profit organizational management and programming. She was previously the economic development coordinator for University of Illinois Extension H-M-W Unit and served as Executive Director of the Western Illinois Economic Development Partnership, the economic development entity for Warren County. She is an M.P.A. candidate at the University of Illinois Springfield and has a B.S. in Agricultural Communications from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Jeff Yuknis is Director Transmission Development at Exelon Transmission Company.  He is responsible for developing electric transmission partnerships for Exelon Transmission Company, the new national venture formed by Exelon to capitalize on the growing national market for new transmission lines. Most recently, Jeff served as a Manager with Exelon’s Corporate Development team where he led analysis, structuring and due diligence of strategic transactions, mergers and acquisitions. While with Corporate Development, Jeff also focused on investigating the Clean Technology industry and developing relationships with venture capital investors in these nascent energy technologies.  Yuknis began his career with Exelon in 2002 with the Power Team, Exelon’s wholesale power marketing and trading function. While with Power Team Jeff originated, negotiated and executed several long term power sales agreements with other utilities in numerous markets. Prior to joining the Exelon team, Jeff’s career spanned leadership positions in finance and development for Sabre Holdings, a leading provider of technology to the travel industry. While at Sabre, Jeff was involved in projects integral to the strategic spin-off from its parent company, American Airlines. Jeff and his wife are active in raising merit based scholarship funding at the University of Illinois and in raising awareness for child/infant focused services at several Chicago and Philadelphia based hospitals. He received his Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Illinois and Master of Business Administration, with a concentration in Finance and Strategic Management, from the University of Chicago.

*Topics and speakers subject to change.

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Directions to the Main Campus

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