What is your experience and expertise in the field that really got you going and what are your current responsibilities involved?

I have been in this industry for almost 22 years and I started off doing substation design for industrial facilities during the first several years of my career and then did some underground transmission line work. I spent the next several years managing projects primarily substation design work. I was a department manager and managed a team of engineers, designers, drafters, and support staff. Currently, I am the Vice President of the Electric Power Systems, engineering and design group. We are a group of 90 people from different types of disciplines who support the electric industry. We do all different types of projects like substation design for utilities and for renewable sites that are developed and built by third parties. We do a lot of commercial and industrial studies too.

What are the past and prevailing issues or challenges that exist in the marketplace?

Earlier on, a lot of the issues stemmed around technology, design, update, and equipment where people would use equipment that had been developed and designed in the 70s and 80s. As the industry started becoming a little more up-to-date with microprocessor devices and other intelligent smart devices, some of the issues have moved more from a technology point of view to people’s point of view.

There was so much work in the utility space when all the renewable sites came online and the coal and gas-fired plants were closing or repurposing. But it has created more demand than there is supply in the industry. One of the biggest issues today is for qualified engineers to understand what goes into these projects and be available to support some of them.

What are some of the leading trends of advanced technology that are having a huge impact on the industry?

One important aspect is the generation of green power from wind turbines and solar farms. Renewable energy is a leading-edge technology and is changing the way power generation is done across the world. It would be a huge game changer if we could recycle wind turbine blades and old solar panels.

“Investing in people’s growth and development by recognizing their strengths helps in the growth of the individual and the organization”

The other big thing is the closing of coal plants that are associated with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) violations. But now more and more utilities are recognizing that it is economically better to put in renewable generation than 30 or 40-year-old coal plants running and updating them for environmental guidelines. So, it has changed the way of power generation and nowadays, the replacements for solar and wind do not generate much. So those items coupled with battery storage are another big industry driver nowadays.

What is your leadership strategy for helping your team members with the necessary guidance and assistance?

Doing the same designs or executing projects the same way as we did earlier is not appropriate. So, it is important to know what is going on in the industry. Implementing the latest technologies for investor-owned and regulated utilities also becomes important. Allowing individuals to focus on the know-how of the latest trends and technologies by appreciating their skill sets and personalities is necessary. It allows the individual to grow within such specific areas and put them in places that match how they personally like to learn and develop.

What advice would you give to the developers that would help them to move forward by adopting the new advancements that are taking place?

I would advise to invest in the people. Sometimes the investment is time, and sometimes it is money, but we also have to invest in people’s growth and development. It is about getting people plugged in and delegating. It is important to recognize people’s strengths and how they can grow and encourage, which helps to bring growth both for the individual and the organization.

Also, it is an exciting time in the industry, it has been busy for the last several years. It continues to look promising for the next several years as well. There are a lot of new technologies and a lot of new exciting projects coming to the industry and I think it is a great place to be plugged in and involved with.