THE WIND COALITION TEAM
| Walter Reid | Randy Cain
Electric Power Engineers | Curt Roggow | Kimberly Gencur-Svaty | Capitol Strategies | Polsinelli Shughart | Rich Lombardi
WALTER REID
Technical Consultant - ERCOT
Walter Reid is currently representing the Wind Coalition at ERCOT as well as providing support for proceedings at the Public Utility Commission of Texas. Walter is also consulting with a number of wind-power developers concerning ERCOT market rules and assisting with the business aspects of various contracting issues. He was heavily involved in the development of both the zonal and the nodal market rules for ERCOT and continues to help update those rules.
Before Walter starting consulting in 1995 he worked for the Lower Colorado River Authority for 25 years in a variety of engineering, managerial, and executive management positions. Walter was Executive Director of Electric Operations for several years in charge of all of LCRA's transmission, generation, fuels, and contracting activities. He continues to provide consulting support to the LCRA today.
Mr. Reid received his degree in Electrical Engineering from Tulane University and spent six years in the Navy Nuclear Submarine service before coming to Austin.
TEXAS
RANDY CAIN
Randy C. Cain represents clients before the Texas Legislature in the areas of utility law, transportation, municipal affairs, health care law, and other matters. He is recognized in the 2007, 2008, and 2009 Editions of The Best Lawyers in America in the specialty of Government Relations Law.
Prior to forming his own firm in 2004, Mr. Cain was a partner at Brown McCarroll, LLP. Before a merger with Brown McCarroll in 2003, he was a partner at the Austin law firm of Hilgers & Watkins, PC. Mr. Cain started the Legislative Section at Hilgers & Watkins in December 1994. Prior to that, in 1994 Mr. Cain served as general counsel to the Texas Secretary of State. As general counsel he was chief legal advisor to the Secretary on all matters within agency jurisdiction, including election law, agency administration, ethics, and statutory filings.
In 1993-94, Mr. Cain served as deputy to the Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. As a member of Secretary Bentsen's legislative staff at the Treasury Department, he worked on the passage of NAFTA, budget reconciliation and banking regulatory consolidation, among other issues. Mr. Cain met with congressional staff on treasury legislative initiatives, set up meetings with members of Congress and prepared legislative briefings for the Secretary of the Treasury.
Before his work at the Treasury, Mr. Cain was legislative director in Washington, D.C. for Senator Lloyd Bentsen during 1992-93. He directed a legislative staff of twelve persons. He supervised preparation of legislation, floor statements, and the answering of constituent mail.
Prior to his work in Washington, Mr. Cain was the City of Dallas assistant city attorney for legislative affairs, representing the interests of the city council and city manager of the nation's eighth largest city. He was the city's legislative liaison with both state and federal legislatures and agencies. In the 1991 session, the Texas legislature passed into law nine bills that were Dallas city priorities.
Before his work in Dallas, Mr. Cain practiced law for three years with Hilgers & Watkins. The majority of his practice consisted of civil trial work, including most areas of commercial litigation and consumer law. He also had an administrative law practice and a legislative practice, and in the 1989 Texas legislative session, was a contract lobbyist for the City of Dallas.
He is a 1986 graduate of Baylor University School of Law, a 1978 graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, majoring in Business Administration, and a graduate of Pampa High School in Pampa, Texas.
SPP CONSULTANTS:
ELECTRIC POWER ENGINEERS
Technical Consultant - SPP
Since 1968, EPE has provided engineering consulting and management services for Transmission, Distribution and Generation clients. EPE is experienced in every stage of generation project development from site evaluation, wind assessment, feasibility studies, curtailment and nodal analysis, applying for generation interconnection, and coordinating design/engineering/procurement of renewable generation facilities. EPE recently merged forces with International Institute of Geotechnics and Materials (IGM) to provide our clients with geotechnical and civil engineering services. Our President, Hala Ballouz, is currently Vice President of the Texas Renewables Energy Industries Association. Kristen Rodriguez, our Vice President, is currently the Wind Coalition advocate with the SPP.
Top of PageOKLAHOMA
CURT ROGGOW
Curt Roggow is a government consultant and registered lobbyist in the state of Oklahoma. For over 18 years, Curt Roggow has been involved in Oklahoma's political process developing good relationships while understanding the dynamics of grassroots representation, pro-business issues and political strategy.
Curt completed a successful career in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1998 to 2006. Representative Roggow served as the Assistant Majority Floor Leader and Chairman of the Appropriation and Budget Sub Committee on Natural Resources. As chairman, Curt worked closely with state water and environmental projects by authoring legislation to dedicate revenue to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board and Oklahoma Conservation Commission. Curt also severed on the staff of US Congressman Frank Lucas from 1994-96.
In 2007, he created Roggow Consulting, LLC, because he thoroughly enjoys using his skill to guide others through the legislative process for the betterment of Oklahoma and our nation.
Curt is a graduate of Oklahoma State University with a BS in Agricultural Economics. Curt and his wife Allison have four children and live in the small community of Hillsdale, Oklahoma.
KANSAS
KIMBERLY GENCUR-SVATY
Kimberly Gencur-Svaty is the owner and principle in Gencur Svaty Public Affairs, a government relations, communications and public affairs firm incorporated in Topeka, Kansas. Prior to starting GSPA, Kimberly served as Vice-President Government Affairs and Community Relations for ITC Great Plains, a transmission-only utility operating across the Great Plains region. Kimberly was one of three individuals tasked with creating the company from scratch and doing something that has never been done before in the energy industry- receiving a utility designation by a Corporation Commission without having utility assets.
Previously Kimberly served as Government Affairs Director for Aquila, an electric and natural gas utility that served seven Midwest states and Sprint where Kimberly had responsibility for a seven-state region concerning wireless, wireline and VOIP public policy. Kimberly also was tasked at Sprint and Aquila for creating and growing both organizations' state and federal PACs- including at Sprint where Kimberly raised $500,000 for the PAC in less than six months. Serving as the Program Assistant for the newly-established Dole Institute of Politics in Lawrence, KS and working for the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee in Washington D.C. provided Kimberly's entrée into the political realm. Her passion remains with creating good and effective public policy.
Kimberly is a graduate of the University of Kansas receiving a Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Political Science and History and a Master of Arts degree in International Studies also from KU. Volunteer activities include working with the Special Olympics, Habitat for Humanity and community speaking on leadership. In May of 2007, Kimberly married Joshua Svaty, a farmer who also represents the 108th District in the Kansas House of Representatives. They are content to reside with their animals in their "little yellow house on the hill" in rural Ellsworth County, Kansas.
CAPITOL STRATEGIES
John C. Peterson (Principle)
Founder and chief executive of Capitol Strategies, John has been lobbying continuously since 1976. He served in the Kansas House from 1970 to 1974 when he was chair of the Public Health & Welfare Committee. Peterson received his undergraduate degree in political science from Stanford University and his J.D. from Washburn University School of Law in 1974.
Bill Brady
Bill joined Capitol Strategies in 1999, recently becoming a partner in the organization. Brady served ten years in the Kansas House and six years in the Kansas Senate where he served on the Senate Ways & Means Committee. He has worked in association management, as an independent businessman, and as Business Administrator for Parsons State Hospital. He received his Masters of Science and Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Pittsburg State.
Sean Miller
A graduate of University of Kansas School of Law, Sean earned his undergraduate degree from Texas A&M. He worked for the Kansas Water Congress and as campaign manager of the Robin Jennison for Governor Campaign before joining Capitol Strategies in 2007.
Michelle Butler
Michelle joined Capitol Strategies in 2009 after serving as the Chief of Staff for Melvin Neufeld, Speaker of the Kansas House of Representative during the 2007-2008 biennium. She brings a wealth of legislative experience at both the state and federal levels having also served as Chief of Staff to Kansas House Majority Leader Clay Aurand as well as US Congressman Jim Ryun in recent years. Michelle received her Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Kansas.
Leigh Keck
Leigh graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 2008. During her senior year she served as an intern in the Kansas House of Representatives and has returned to Topeka to work each Legislative Session since, joining Capitol Strategies in 2011. She has covered a wide variety of topics including the appropriations process, health care, and economic development.
MISSOURI
POLSINELLI SHUGHART
Richard S. Brownlee, III
Richard Brownlee is a shareholder at Polsinelli Shughart, PC law firm and has been representing clients before the Missouri legislature and the executive branch for over 40 years. He serves as general counsel to the Missouri Limestone Producers Association and regularly handles major quarry and mining permit issues. In addition, he is counsel for one of the largest solid waste companies in the nation and has handled solid waste permitting for that company. He has also handled major environmental permitting for air quality issues and industrial lime production. Mr. Brownlee serves as state counsel for State Farm Insurance Companies and provides corporate legal services to over 30 of the major property, casualty, life and health insurance industry leaders in matters dealing with market conduct exams, reorganizations and acquisitions, complaint matters and agency issues. He has served as general counsel to the Missouri Cable Telecommunications Association and has represented them on various matters dealing with telecommunications issues at the Commission. He has also represented major industrial users in various electric and gas rate cases and has represented major intrastate pipelines on various environmental and permitting matters. Mr. Brownlee earned both his Juris Doctorate and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law.
Susan Henderson Moore
Susan Henderson Moore is an attorney at Polsinelli Shughart PC. She has extensive experience working with the Missouri legislature after serving seven years as a staff attorney and assistant director for the Missouri Senate Division of research. In this nonpartisan office, she advised and drafted legislation for all 34 Senators of both political parties. during each legislative session, she was responsible for drafting and maintaining approximately 100 bills from initial drafting to final passage or failure. While in such positions, she also prepared legal opinions, researched and analyzed legislative proposals and developed policy alternatives for Senators. She also staffed the Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee and the Jobs, Economic Development, and Local Government Committee. She was involved with drafting significant legislation concerning a variety of topics, including eminent domain, political subdivisions, the sale of pseudoephedrine products, and criminal law, including driving while intoxicated. In addition to developing technical knowledge and skills specific to legislation and public policy, Ms. Henderson Moore worked extensively with persons in government relations representing the interest of their clients before the legislature. She also developed positive working relationships with legislators and staff throughout the capitol. Ms. Henderson Moore earned her Juris Doctorate at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts at Truman State University.
NEBRASKA
Rich Lombardi
The Wind Coalition's efforts in Nebraska are led by veteran lobbyist Richard Lombardi and his company American Communications Group, Inc.
Over the past three decades, every piece of Nebraska reneable energy legislation, enacted by the nation's only Unicameral Legislature, has had the involvement of Rich Lombardi. This expertise encompasses and includes statutes which eventually created the Nebraska Energy Office, state solar easements, renewable tax credits, regulatory incentives for renewables and specific wind energy legiatlion passed since 2008 due to the wind industry's committment to advocacy in the state.
In the nation's only public power state, Rich served as a member of the Board of Directors of the lincoln Electric System, the publically-owned energy system serving Nebraska's capital city. During this tenure, Lombardi was elected Chairman of the Power Supply Committee.
Celebrating more than 26 years of service, american Communications Gruop, Inc. (ACG) provides policy research, political consulting and advoccy services to The Wind Coalition's members by navigating the unique political landscape of Nebraska. Through the building of a deep network of advocates, ACG deploys an array of communications to better move the wind interests of the state.
From organizing a statewide wind energy educational tour on behalf of AWEA to organizing polling for a collaboration of TWC, AWEA and the Energy Foundation to the annual Nebraska Wind Conference Planning efforts, Lombardi and Co are the voice for wind energy industry advocacy in Nebraska.