LEADER'S CORNER

The Year In Review

2007 goals, action items, and accomplishments
John McDonald

 
Although it is late 2007 as you read this column, it was prepared in mid-August. The final 2007 PES Executive Committee (Excom) meeting will be in Beijing in conjunction with a Region 10 Chapter Chairs Training Meeting. Though 2007 is far from over, I will discuss our accomplishments, primarily from a Governing Board perspective, but from a personal perspective as well.

First, let us look at the goals we set, the action items resulting from these goals, and accomplishments to date.

2007 Goals

The PES president-elect serves as the chair of the Long-Range Planning Committee (LRC). With the assistance of Wanda Reder and Chris Hickman, I resurrected this group when I became president-elect. The LRC has a diverse representation from our membership segments (academia, electric utilities, suppliers, consultants, and industry councils/associations) as well as Governing Board members. It was especially important to obtain input from industry leaders not on the Governing Board.

The year's final Excom meeting sets PES goals for the following year. The PES goals for 2007 follow.

Strategy A — Improve Nimbleness and Effectiveness

To be valued and receive ongoing and enhanced support, PES needs to be nimble, flexible and able to effectively operate. To improve, PES needs to consider restructuring some aspects to:
  • rapidly address emerging themes and technologies
  • develop framework to efficiently enter into alliances
  • enhance discussion opportunities for technical papers
  • review meeting structure to increase attendance and time for standards making
  • expand volunteer opportunities
  • expand awards to emphasize importance
  • allocate limited resources for optimal output.

Strategy B — Develop and Deliver Relevant and Accessible Information

By developing and delivering relevant and accessible information, the interests of existing members will be served and PES will attract new members and the support of their employers:
  • PES has information available
  • possibilities for electronic media are vast and evolving.

Focus areas include:

  • member education and training
    • existing classes and short courses being inventoried
    • American Education Institute (AEI) transferring education assets (course material and instructors) to PES
  • information available on-line
  • growth targeting information for associate members
  • improved membership value through information "packaging."

Strategy C — Increase Interaction Between Academia and Industry

While the core value proposition needs to continue, the diversity of membership provides an opportunity to increase the value proposition by bringing together perspectives regarding issues faced by industry.

Objectives are:

  • collaboration exchanging perspectives through boutique meetings to increase the rate of understanding for topical themes
  • distinguished lecturers and regional speakers
  • connection with non-technical professionals in the power industry
  • increased interaction between industry and academia.

Strategy D — Boost Membership and the Power Engineering Image

The visibility and image of power engineering and PES must improve to attract talent to the industry and to the Society. Image enhancement will increase membership and ensure there is an academic infrastructure and a pipeline of talent for the future.

The objectives are:

  • attract new members
  • build membership worldwide
  • boost the involvement of GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) members
  • boost students' image of power engineering and PES membership value proposition
  • seek collaboration to communicate the value of PES and the power profession to attract the future workforce.

Governing Board Actions in 2007 (Based on Goals)

The LRC 2007 goals were converted into realistic, implementable actions. These are the actions Excom agreed to address in 2007. The responsible PES officer for each action is identified as well. Progress reports on assigned actions were reported at each Governing Board/Excom meeting.

Strategy A — Improve Nimbleness and Effectiveness

VP, Technical Activities
  • create an emerging technology assessment report
    • create a framework to support/ expedite standards and new groups to deal with emerging technologies
    • create a half-day open session having the Technical Committee (TC) chairs give highlights of emerging technology work being carried out in their respective TCs.
    President
    • survey TC subcommittees, working groups, and task forces to determine their primary issues
    • arrange for a Governing Board representative to meet with each TC annually to coordinate LRC issues
    • evaluate overlaps and inefficiencies; prioritize and create plans including the structure of the TCs
    • identify metrics and targets
    • finalize the database to track conference and meeting participants.

    Strategy B — Develop and
    Deliver Relevant and Accessible Information

    VP, Education/Industry Relations
    • create an education and information advisory committee
    • inventory presentations, classes, and short course material available within IEEE; capture materials digitally and integrate them into educational efforts
    • develop delivery content/mechanisms/framework
      • courses with instructors
        (in person)
      • online training
      • tutorials
      • continuing education credits
      • technical and soft skills
    • set targets for annual course development and offerings
      • together with AEI, select three courses for on-site presentations per year.

    Strategy C — Increase Interaction Between Academia and Industry

    VP, Membership/Chapter Activities

    • create a brochure for the Distinguished Lecturer Program and update as necessary.

    VP, Education/Industry Relations

    • broaden the Power System Basics course offering
    • offer additional educational topics of interest to nontechnical audiences.

    President

    • establish agreements in other countries
      • conferences
      • education.
    VP, Meetings Activities
    • offer at least one "boutique" meeting per year
    • review effectiveness of meeting structure
    • establish a steering committee for general meetings
    • prepare O&P manual for Meetings Activities.

    Strategy D – Boost Membership and the Power Engineering Image

    President-Elect
  • develop a strategy to address future workforce
    • continue speaking engagements and article writing
    • implement the PES/ PSERC/ NSF/ISU "PES-Careers" student/employer job board on PES Web site
    • identify authors for Young Engineer column in IEEE Power & Energy Magazine
  • boost the image of power engineering in the eyes of industry leadership and society
    • obtain professional help to craft strategy, budget, and time schedule
    • offer Power System Basics course broadly
    • convey "high-tech" image
    • targeted effort to industry leadership
    • generate excitement about careers due to the changes in the industry.

    • Review of 2007 Accomplishments

    The accomplishments listed below would not have been possible without the hard work of the Governing Board, as well as many other devoted members. I want to personally thank everyone who contributed!

    Education/Industry Relations Activities

    • coordinated with PSERC, NSF, and ISU to develop the "PES-Careers" student/employer job board on the PES Web site
    • the Subcommittee within the Power Engineering Education Committee (PEEC) who manages and maintains the Power System Basics course prepared a document on how to effectively promote this course; they are also preparing documents on improving the quality of the course, modifying policies, and an article with testimonials from people who have attended the course
    • in cooperation with IEEE and the IEEE Industry Applications Society (IAS), developed two new IEEE Expert Now online courses titled Power Quality and Distributed Generation
    • Received up to US$50,000 per year for 2006–2008 from the Grainger Foundation for PES conference student programs; these funds must be matched with PES and industry funds
    • the Advisory Group on Education/Industry Relations discussed technical information and educational needs of the electric power industry and how PES can assist in meeting these needs
    • held industry leader focus group meeting during the General Meeting
    • in cooperation with the American Education Institute (AEI), held three jointly sponsored PES/AEI courses (Power System Basics, Distribution, and New Technologies), targeting a nontechnical audience; also held these courses once more (replaced New Technologies course with Transmission Grid course), as well as a new three-day expanded course on new technologies
    • completed the transfer of educational assets from AEI to PES
    • replaced Power & Life Award with two new awards: Leadership in Power and Lifetime Achievement (pending IEEE approval).

    Meetings Activities

    • held Excom meeting in Beijing, China—the first PES Board Meeting in China
    • in conjunction with five other organizations (including three other IEEE Societies, and IEEE-USA), cosponsored "2007 Plug-in Hybrids: Accelerating Progress" Symposium
    • held joint TC meeting
    • held an IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE) event at the 2007 PES General Meeting
    • planning for a third joint IEEE PES/CIGRE Symposium in conjunction with the 2009 PSCE in Seattle in conjunction with other IEEE Societies and Councils, cosponsored Electric Ship Technologies Symposium (ESTS 2007)
    • held PowerTech 2007 Conference in Lausanne, Switzerland
    • held PowerAfrica 2007 Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa.

    Membership/Chapters Activities

    • held Region 8 Chapter Chairs Meeting during PowerTech Conference in Lausanne, Switzerland
    • held Region 10 Chapter Chairs Meeting in Beijing, China
    • held Regions 1–7 Chapter Chairs Meeting in Tampa, Florida
    • held GOLD outreach event during General Meeting
    • increased student membership through new initiatives
    • implemented new membership contest for PES Chapters to increase membership
    • preparing new recruitment posters and a four-page marketing brochure
    • preparing a new member booklet
    • conducted Web site contest for PES chapters
    • execution of programs including: Outstanding Chapter Award, High Performing Chapter Program, Distinguished Lecturer Program, and Outstanding Chapter Engineer Award
    • formation of several PES Student Branch Chapters in universities around the world
    • seeking nominations for new "IEEE Robert P. Noberini Distinguished Contributions to Power Engineering Professionalism Award" PES highlighted in IEEE Institute as having fourth highest growth rate among Societies and Technical Councils from 2005 to 2006 (5.2%).

    Technical Activities

    • approved and published Policy Statement on Energy and Environment (prepared by Policy Development Coordinating Committee) new item TC Advisory Board (TCAB); increased TC representation to better represent technical committee views, needs and plans to the Governing Board
    • Wanda Reder and John McDonald participated in approximately half of our TCs meetings to discuss "What's New in PES" and to learn how the Governing Board can further support the committee's activities.

    Technical Information Services

    • IEEE Power & Energy Library has 21 corporate sales to date in less than one and one-half years
    • developed process to contact nonmember authors to join PES
    • extend IEEE Xplore legacy base for material to cover the periods from 1963 through the present. Transactions of the AIEE (1952–1962) will be digitized in the near future.

    Executive Office

    • celebrated Bob Dent's five years of service as executive director (ED)
    • successfully completed search for new ED and hired Pat Ryan, who began on April 30
    • hired Lynda Bernstein to support both PES and IAS
    • completed report for the IEEE Society Review Committee (each IEEE Society and Council is reviewed every five years)
    • congratulatory letters from the PES president were sent to PES members who were newly elected IEEE Fellows
    • made PES Constitution and Bylaws changes for:
      • new Division VII Director-Elect position on Governing Board
      • six "must have" changes mandated by IEEE.

    Long-Range Planning

    • retained Bernard Hodes Group to perform online surveys of members, nonmembers, and students on the PES image, which will be useful input for a rebranding effort including member referral program, Web site content enhancement, and possible Society renaming
    • change of society name to Power & Energy Society (pending approval by IEEE and PES membership)
    • worked with PSERC and NERC to outline an action plan to address the workforce challenge

    Liaison with IAS

    • participated in IAS Board meetings to strengthen relationships, share successes, and plan joint activities
    • IAS president-elect participated in PES Governing Board Meetings.

    Plans for 2008

    Excom will discuss the PES goals for 2008 at its forthcoming meeting. Wanda Reder, PES president for 2008–2009, will lead this discussion and will share the results with our membership in a future column

    Distinguished Lectures in 2007

    I am pleased to report that my participation in the PES Distinguished Lecture program is not only personally rewarding but beneficial to the hosting chapter in terms of membership development and fund raising. As an example, lectures given in Tegucigalpa, Honduras; Managua, Nicaragua; and Panama City, Panama reached approximately 150 attendees, many of who are not IEEE or PES members. I trust that some of these nonmembers have been encouraged to join our ranks. These activities provide the opportunity to work with many of our Chapters worldwide and in the process meet many members. Indeed, the Distinguished Lecturer Program is a valuable asset that all Chapters should utilize.

    Final Words as President

    As this is my final "Leader's Corner" as PES president, I thank all of you for your support. As I said previously, our accomplishments in these past two years were possible due to the dedication and hard work of the Governing Board. I am also indebted to the tremendous support of the PES Executive Office staff. Though I have been on the Governing Board since 1998, I did not truly understand and appreciate all the work done by our staff each and every day until my tenure as president. I thank Bob Dent, Susan Sacks, Donna Florek, Maria Proetto, Shanon Nason, Cheryl Nadeau, Randi Scholnick, and Lynda Bernstein.

    Pat Ryan had little time to get situated in his new job. He had many things to do from the very beginning and vigourously plunged into these efforts. Likewise, Lynda Bernstein, who was a temporary Executive Office employee, is a welcome addition to the staff in her new permanent position. She has made significant contributions already.

    I look forward to serving as the IEEE Division VII director for the next two years as well as being the PES past president, and therefore chair of the Nominations and Appointments Committee.

    Wanda Reder has been actively involved in LRC and many other Governing Board activities as president- elect. Please join me in supporting Wanda during her presidency in 2008–2009.