Smart Grid Summits

SGS Advisory Board: World Class Industry Pros

Rick Gerdeman

Visionary Chief Executive Officer with 32 years experience in the electric cooperative industry. Good working knowledge of all aspects of electric utility operations. Certified Cooperative Communicator (CCC) and TEAM builder. Understanding and commitment to member service, the Cooperative business model and community involvement. National leader in legislative grassroots advocacy and empowering member-owners with involvement in political action. Can apply managerial and leadership skills to orchestrate and champion a strategic plan that meets member needs and addresses critical industry issues. A trusted professional with excellent people and organizational skills.

Rick Thompson

Prior to co-founding Greentech Media in 2007, Rick Thompson spent 15 years at leading technology start-ups, incumbent networking and communications companies, and technology media and market research firms. Most recently, Rick was senior telecom analyst at Light Reading/Heavy Reading, the dominant online media company in the telecommunications market, acquired by CMP Media in 2005. Mr. Thompson previously served as the vice president of marketing at PanGo Networks, a wireless software company, and as director of product management and marketing at Sycamore Networks Inc., where he defined the product strategy and launch of the industry\'s first intelligent optical switching platform. Under his leadership, Sycamore deployed several of the world\'s largest intelligent optical network infrastructures. Prior to joining Sycamore, Rick held similar product management positions with Packet Engines, a pioneer of Gigabit Ethernet switching that was later acquired by Alcatel, and FORE Systems, a leader in ATM nnetworking that was later acquired by Marconi and, subsequently, Ericsson. Mr. Thompson earned a bachelor\'s degree in industrial engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.

Patrick Miller

Patrick Miller is a security executive dedicated to the protection and defense of the nation's critical energy infrastructure. He is the founder of EnergySec and currently its President and CEO. This nonprofit information sharing organization began as a few colleagues meeting for lunch and has grown into a nationwide effort to promote sound security principles in the energy industry through the National Electric Sector Cybersecurity Organization (NESCO) program.

One of his strengths is the diversity of his professional experience. In Energy, he has held positions with a utility asset owner, a regulator, and a private consulting firm. He has also held key positions in the Insurance, Internet and Telecommunications sectors. Among other credentials he holds the CISA, CRISC, CISSP, ISSAP, SSCP, CEH and IAM certifications.

Patrick is an active member of several critical infrastructure security working groups and a sought after speaker and industry expert on the subjects of critical infrastructure protection, process control system security, regulatory compliance, audit, and privacy.

Bob King

Bob King manages his own Professional Services & Consulting Company, since his retiring from Toronto Hydro Electric Systems Limited as Chief Operating Officer. During his 34 years working in the Utility Sector, he demonstrated a very unique insight in developing and leading tactical initiatives with clear positive results.

Prior to his appointment as Chief Operating Officer at Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited in October 2006, he was Senior Vice-President of Distribution Services, a position that he held since September 2002.

Mr. King has been riding a wave of change since first coming into the energy business. He started as a power lineperson for the former Ontario Hydro while attending night school to obtain his professional engineering (P. Eng.) degree. He then continued to work in variety of positions in both Transmission and Distribution Organizations.

In 1999, after the amalgamation of Metro Toronto's six municipal electric utilities, Mr. King was asked to lead as Vice-President, Business Transformation, a program that involved new technology and change processes for a simpler, more efficient and effective approach to execution of work, transforming every aspect of Toronto Hydro Electric Systems Ltd..

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