Biographies - Board Members

Joe Barra (2012-13) is a Senior Consultant for Business Model Development at Portland General Electric. Joe develops business opportunities in the areas of Smart Grid, electric vehicles, demand response, energy efficiency, renewable energy integration, energy storage and distributed resources. Barra joined PGE in 1994 as Manager of New Products & Services. Prior to joining PGE, Barra held the position of Director of Energy Services at PacifiCorp where he directed the development of the Energy FinAnswer, a nationally recognized energy efficiency program for demand-side resource acquisition. Joe spent 12 years prior to joining PacifiCorp as a marketing manager with two premiere packaged goods companies undefined Del Monte and General Foods. Barra holds a bachelors degree from William Paterson University and has completed post-graduate courses in management, strategic planning, finance and statistics. He has been a guest lecturer at U.C. Berkeley and has conducted seminars in new product development and marketing research. Barra serves on the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry board of directors.


Bob Bass (2012-14) is an associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Portland State University.  His research is focused on electrical power systems, particularly distributed & renewable generation resources, optimization methods for multi-unit generation and the overlaying smart grid methods that link them together.  Dr. Bass specializes in teaching undergraduate and graduate courses on electric power, electromechanical energy conversion, distributed energy resources and power systems analysis.  His academic contributions include developing power engineering degree programs, ABET accreditation, undergraduate laboratory development and novel engineering course design.


Steve Crow (2012-15) has been executive director of the Council since December 1995. As executive director, he is responsible for overall management of the Council's central office. Steve was director of the Council's public affairs division from 1991 to 1995, after joining the Council in 1988 as government affairs director. Before that, he was staff director of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee with jurisdiction over federal energy and water policy. He also was counsel to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. He has a bachelor's degree from Oregon State University, a law degree from the University of Oregon and is a member of the Oregon and DC bar associations.


Tom Foley (2012-14) has over 30-years of experience in the field of energy analysis and management, including integrated resource planning in the Northwest and the Northeast, consultations with utilities throughout the country, providing expert testimony before public utility commissions in several states and widespread international integrated electric-utility resource planning activities in the United States, Indonesia, Latin America, the Soviet Union, Russia, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, and with Bulgarian scientists in the United States. Tom is a past President and Chairman of the Board of Energy Trust of Oregon, a non-profit entity chartered to direct expenditures of public purposes funds in Oregon for conservation and renewable resources; a member of BPA's regional Round Table to help it revise its transmission planning to include demand side resources, including distributed generation, strategically sited central station plants, and load management; and Board member of Smart Grid Oregon, a trade association established to build jobs and businesses associated with adoption of the Smart Grid.


Jeff Hammarlund (2012-14) chairs the Oregon Caucus and is on the Executive Committee of the NW Energy Coalition, an alliance of more than 115 environmental, civic and human service organizations, progressive utilities, businesses, coalitions, and trade associations in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia. Smart Grid Oregon and the NW Energy Coalition are reciprocal members of the each other’s organization. He is also an adjunct associate professor at Portland State University’s Mark Hatfield School of Government, a senior research fellow at the School’s Center for Public Service, and the president of Northwest Energy and Environmental Strategies consulting firm. At PSU, he teaches graduate and professional development courses and workshops on energy, environmental and natural resource policy, including a team-taught interdisciplinary course called Planning the Smart Grid for Sustainable Communities. Jeff has held senior staff positions with the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Department of Energy, and has served as an advisor to presidents, presidential candidates, senators, and other senior elected officials. He has also been a senior manager at Southern California Edison, a senior policy analyst for the Public Power Council, and a consultant to utilities, environmental organizations, and government agencies throughout the nation. He was lead author of the recent report to Governor Kitzhaber called Electric Vehicles, the Smart Grid, and Renewables Integration: An Initial Assessment of Challenges and Opportunities for Oregon as a part of the Governor’s Ten Year Energy Plan.


Roy Hemmingway, (2012-13) a native of Chicago, came to Portland in the 1970s to practice law after receiving a Bachelor's from Stanford and law degree from Yale University. Hemmingway spent a few years in private practice before starting his career in government involved in energy policy. While serving as Deputy Public Utility Commissioner and chief of utility staff at the Oregon Public Utility Commission, Hemmingway created and lobbied for key portions of Northwest Power Act particularly those which cover energy conservation, power planning and rates and mitigation efforts to restore fish and wildlife habitat. Beginning in 2001, Hemmingway served as Chair of the Oregon Public Utility Commission (OPUC). During his tenure, coincident with the West Coast energy crisis, Hemmingway supported greater renewable resource investments, created the Energy Trust of Oregon, refined the voluntary retail access program for commercial and industrial electricity customers, and advocated for a new design for a competitive western wholesale electricity and transmission market. Soon after retiring from the OPUC in 2003, Hemmingway moved to New Zealand where he chaired that country's newly created Electricity Commission. His three year service at the Commission included oversight and refinement of market and system operation rules; establishment of transmission pricing methodology and grid reliability standards; approval of grid investments according to standards established by the Commission; initiation of electricity efficiency programs; and acquisition and operation of reserve generation to operate when market supply proves inadequate. Since returning from New Zealand in 2007, Hemmingway has been in private consultation practice in Portland.


Roger Hicks (2012-13) has run a business consulting practice since 2005 focused on helping companies evaluate the attractiveness of new market opportunities where technology innovation can be a disruptive advantage.  His passion is helping companies generate new growth by using innovative technologies to serve emerging markets.  Roger’s business management experience is in product management, strategic planning, product marketing and new venture development in small to mid-size technology companies in the flat panel display, solar energy and Test & Measurement industries.  His engineering experience is in machine design, performance testing, field service and project management in the energy equipment and power generation industries.  His objective is to be a founding member of a start-up or a senior manager in a technically oriented products company looking to capitalize on new opportunities in renewable energy, display solutions or managed services markets.


Michael Hoffman (2012-14) has focused on a career in electric utilities, industrial project management, and technology innovation. Prior to joining PNNL's Portland office he was a co-founder of a Smart Grid start up, Powermand and had worked for Bonneville Power Administration. His work at PNNL has included the Smart Grid System Report for Congress, evaluation of generation sources and renewables for federal facilities, micro grid applications for federal facilities and energy storage applications for grid and micro grid systems. He has 30 years of experience that covers electric utility transmission, distribution and end use efficiency, project management at electric utilities, industrial process plants and technology innovation experience with fuel cells, energy storage, demand response and integration of wind resources. His experience also includes working and presenting utility operations experience internationally in Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Germany, as well as working with State Department embassies and consulates on energy efficiency and electrical maintenance.


Bob Jenks (2012-15) is the Executive Director of the Citizens’ Utility Board of Oregon (CUB) and a national expert on utility-related issues.  Bob started working for CUB in 1991, and has participated in nearly every major Oregon Public Utility Commission case since that time, including dozens of cases dealing with utility mergers, rates, and deregulation. He also regularly represents ratepayers before the Oregon Legislature. Governor John Kitzhaber appointed Bob to a Blue Ribbon Panel on Low-Income Energy Issues in 1999-2000, and Governor Ted Kulongoski appointed Bob to a Task Force on Telecommunications Law and Policy in 2006 and to the Oregon Energy Planning Council in 2009. In 2011, the Governor's office asked Bob to serve on a task force drawing up recommendations for the Governor's Ten-Year Energy Plan. Bob has been flown across country on numerous occasions to speak on utility issues before such groups as the California Legislature, the Northwest Public Power Association, and the Consumer Federation of America. Bob sits on the board of Environment Oregon Research & Policy Center, and is the Oregon representative of the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA). Bob is a native Oregonian, and has an economics degree from Willamette University. Most recently, Bob has presented at the Public Interest Environmental Law Conference (March 2012), the Western Clean Energy Advocates Annual Meeting (April 2012), and the Northwest Smart Grid Summit co-hosted by the US Department of Energy and Portland General Electric (May 2012). Bob last spoke before the City Club of Portland on March 26, 2010, with a panel of speakers discussing "Where Will Energy Come From?"


Steve Jennings (2012-15) is Chief Marketing Officer at BPL Global® and is responsible for directing the marketing organization in establishing company strategy and growing the company’s leading position, brand and offerings in the marketplace worldwide. Mr. Jennings brings international business development and marketing experience, including Europe and Asia, to support the company’s global reach. He has worked in all aspects of marketing and led the definition and global launch of successful new products for multiple technology companies. During his career he has held senior sales, marketing and general management roles including 18 years executive experience serving the electric utility, computer, communications and semiconductor industries. Mr. Jennings joined the firm with BPL Global’s acquisition of Serveron where he was Vice President of Marketing. Mr. Jennings was a member of the executive team that grew Serveron into an industry leader in electric utility power transformer monitoring. He came to Serveron from Credence Systems where he was Director of Marketing. Prior to Credence, Mr. Jennings spent eleven years with Tektronix in a variety of positions including National Sales Manager, Director of Marketing and General Manager across multiple business units. Mr. Jennings holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Connecticut and earned his MBA from the University of Oregon.

Michael Jung (2012-13) serves as Policy Director at Silver Spring Networks, a leading provider of networking equipment and smart grid services for utilities across the country and around the world. He was appointed by Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber as chairman of the state’s ten year energy plan task force; is a founding board member of Smart Grid Oregon; and serves as an expert lecturer with the National Regulatory Research Institute and Portland State University. Prior to joining Silver Spring Networks, Michael served as an energy policy advisor to the campaign and administration of Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, where he was an architect of milestone energy legislation in 2008, Ohio Senate Bill 221. He previously managed climate change policy at American Electric Power and also worked as chief of staff to the President/COO of the company’s flagship operating company, AEP Ohio. Michael has served as a U.S. Fulbright Fellow, holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, was once a competitive ballroom dancer, and is an Eagle Scout. He is a graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy, Yale College, and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.


Cheryl Kennedy (2012-15) is Director of Business Development at Veris Industries, LLC, a smart grid vendor based here in Oregon.  Veris is an industry leading manufacturer of building automation sensors, current sensors, and power metering products.  Ms. Kennedy’s focus is on identifying new markets and segments for Veris products, procuring Voice of Customer input for new product development, and continued work with large EOEM clients.  Her expertise is in the following applications: Internet Data Centers, Alternative Energy, Commercial Buildings, motor control, and power distribution.  Ms. Kennedy has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, OH) and an MBA from Otterbein College (Westerville, OH).  She has worked in the electrical industry for more than seventeen years and worked twelve years for Eaton Corporation.


James Mater (2012-14) is co-founded and has held several executive positions at QualityLogic from June 1994 to present. He is currently Co-Founder and Director working on QualityLogic's Smart Grid strategy, including work with GridWise Architecture Council, the Pacific NorthWest Smart Grid Demonstration Project, the Smart Grid Interoperability Panel Test and Certification Committee, and UCA’s OpenSG Conformity Work Group, as well as giving papers and presentations on interoperability. From 2001 to October, 2008, James oversaw QualityLogic as President and CEO. From 1994 to 1999, he founded and built Revision Labs, which merged with Genoa Technologies to become QualityLogic. Prior to QualityLogic, James held Product Management roles at Tektronix, Floating Point Systems, Sidereal and Solar Division of International Harvester. Mater holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Reed College, Portland, OR and an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.


Dexter Turner (2012-13) is a board member of Smart Grid Oregon and the founder, President of OpConnect.  OpConnect is deploying a smart EV charging system that consists of touchscreen charging stations and a secure wireless network that is designed to interface the stations with smart grids for demand management, and one day, to use electric vehicles as distributed grid batteries. He is also the founder of Optimization Technologies, an aerospace software company started in 2001, that has provided flight management systems,electronic flight bag and flight instrument software to some of the largest companies in the aviation industry. Dexter holds a BS and MS in Engineering and an MBA.


Frank Rytkonen (2012-15) is an assistant professor and director of the BS program in renewable energy engineering program at Oregon Institute of Technology. He joined the faculty as a part-time adjunct member in January of 2007 and became a full-time member in 2010. Prior to his appointment at Oregon Tech, Mr. Rytkonen taught as a part-time adjunct instructor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at Portland State University, as an electronics instructor at ITT Technical Institute, and as a nuclear reactor operator instructor in the U.S. Navy. Mr. Rytkonen received his MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Portland State University in 2005, specializing in control and power systems. His thesis research centered on control system design for DC/DC converters. He also has a BS in physics and mathematics from Excelsior College. Frank currently consults on a part-time basis for Jacobs Engineering as an instrumentation and controls (I&C) engineer. Prior to his current faculty position, he worked full time for Jacobs, where he designed power plant I&C systems and SCADA systems. He has also held positions as facilities I&C engineer at Siltronic, field service engineer for Applied Materials, project engineer for Systems Interface, and electronics technician/nuclear reactor operator in the Navy, in addition to the teaching positions mentioned above. He has over fifteen years of experience in instrumentation and control.


Carolyn M. Vogt (2012-13) has more than 20 years of experience representing clients in complex business transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, financing, entity formation and structure, and commercial contracts.  Carolyn has worked with a range of clients, including manufacturers, retailers and energy project developers.  Her areas of industry expertise include renewable energy, clean technology and New Markets Tax Credits.  She has worked with clients  in the negotiation of long-term  purchase agreements, supply and distribution agreements, joint venture agreements, loan agreements, and credit support arrangements.  While serving as General Counsel for NACCO Materials Handling Group, Carolyn gained an appreciation of the delivery of legal services from a client’s point of view.


Bryce Yonker (2012-14) is Director of Business Development, Clean Edge, Inc. He is a Founding Board member for Smart Grid Oregon who helped the organization form in 2010 and remains actively involved. As Director of Business Development for Clean Edge (a clean-tech market research and advisory firm based in Portland), Bryce heads up the business strategy, sales, and marketing efforts and is often the first line of contact with the market on existing and new services. He was previously Vice President of Business Development for the Software Association of Oregon where he spearheaded many initiatives to support the software and technology industry, including serving as the founder of the Clean Technology Alliance, which among many smart grid related efforts, had the Smart Grid Start Up Project that resulted in the formation of two new smart grid companies. On the Smart Grid Oregon board Bryce helps with outreach, events, strategy, and membership. He is a Business Administration graduate from Pepperdine University and has an MBA from IE in Spain.