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Electrical co-ops and public power utilities provide service to about a 100 million Americans, including many rural parts of the nation and counties with persistent poverty. They have many of the same concerns about both physical and cybersecurity as investor-owned utilities, but different challenges in terms of terrain, staffing and resources.On this episode, we focus on those challenges and how utilities in rural parts of the country are coping. Our guests are John Ransom, director of regulatory affairs for grid security for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and Adrienne Lotto, senior vice president for grid security at the American Public Power Association. John and Adrienne discussed some of those unique challenges, how they work with state regulators and how something like high turnover in state energy offices can complicate their efforts. ResourcesAmerican Public Power AssociationNational Rural Electric Cooperative Association
On Episode 48 of the TID Water & Power Podcast we're joined by TID Lineman, Josh Klikna, and Apprentice Lineman, Will Malone, to discuss the lineworkers rodeo competition.Every year, hundreds of lineworkers and apprentices from around the country come together to compete in the American Public Power Association's Lineworkers Rodeo. But there's no roping, bull riding, or barrel racing at this rodeo – instead the competitors are climbing poles, replacing equipment, and even doing mock rescues – all for some friendly competition (and a whole lot of bragging rights).On this episode we to discuss the lineworkers rodeo competition, how the rodeo relates to the work they do everyday, and their experience at the recent APPA Rodeo. Let's get social! Facebook: @TurlockIDInstagram: @TurlockIDTwitter: @TurlockIDLinkedIn: /company/turlockid Find out more about TID at https://www.TID.org/podcast.
In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Kaukauna Utilities Commission President Lee Meyerhofer details what he thinks is valuable for public power governing board members to do to support their communities and discusses what steps public power utility leaders can take to help utility board members be effective in their roles. He was elected in July to chair the American Public Power Association's Policy Makers Council.
For the first part of our audio story, "Lighting the Way for the Line Trade," in our ICYMI series, we are featuring two volunteer projects involving lineworkers: Light Up Navajo, sponsored by the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority and American Public Power Association, and the NRECA electrification project in Guatemala. By listening to this episode, you can hear how two lineworkers: Arthur William Muñoz of Salt River Project in Arizona and Billy Patterson of CKEnergy Electric Cooperative in Oklahoma donated their time and talents to help provide first-time power to communities both at home and overseas. Stay tuned to Part 2 to hear the stories of Chad Dubea, Melissa Dawe, Jason Novak and Paul Koehler and how they are lighting the way for the line trade. Stop by T&D World Booth #73 at this week's International Lineman's Expo to pick up your copy of the 2024 Lineworker Supplement to read this story or check it out online. Also, swing by the booth to participate in a live podcast recording, and we will feature you on a future episode. Line Life Podcast listeners, we look forward to seeing you in Kansas City for Rodeo Week!
For the first part of our audio story, "Lighting the Way for the Line Trade," in our ICYMI series, we are featuring two volunteer projects involving lineworkers: Light Up Navajo, sponsored by the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority and American Public Power Association, and the NRECA electrification project in Guatemala. By listening to this episode, you can hear how two lineworkers: Arthur William Muñoz of Salt River Project in Arizona and Billy Patterson of CKEnergy Electric Cooperative in Oklahoma donated their time and talents to help provide first-time power to communities both at home and overseas. Stay tuned to Part 2 to hear the stories of Chad Dubea, Melissa Dawe, Jason Novak and Paul Koehler and how they are lighting the way for the line trade. Stop by T&D World Booth #73 at this week's International Lineman's Expo to pick up your copy of the 2024 Lineworker Supplement to read this story or check it out online. Also, swing by the booth to participate in a live podcast recording, and we will feature you on a future episode. Line Life Podcast listeners, we look forward to seeing you in Kansas City for Rodeo Week!
Steve Langley, the Electric Utility Director for Mount Dora, joins us to highlight the importance of mutual aid in disaster recovery. Following the catastrophic tornadoes in Tallahassee on May 10, utilities across the state rallied to support the capital in a coordinated effort led by FMEA. Steve delves into the mutual aid agreement facilitated by the American Public Power Association, which enables municipal utilities not only in Florida but across the nation to assist one another during emergencies. He emphasizes how these agreements are crucial for swift and effective response to large-scale utility disruptions.
Steve Langley, the Electric Utility Director for Mount Dora, joins us to highlight the importance of mutual aid in disaster recovery. Following the catastrophic tornadoes in Tallahassee on May 10, utilities across the state rallied to support the capital in a coordinated effort led by FMEA. Steve delves into the mutual aid agreement facilitated by the American Public Power Association, which enables municipal utilities not only in Florida but across the nation to assist one another during emergencies. He emphasizes how these agreements are crucial for swift and effective response to large-scale utility disruptions.
Volunteer lineworkers are bringing first-time electricity to American homeowners through the Light Up Navajo project, organized by the American Public Power Association and the National Utility Tribal Authority. Listen to this narrated version of an article published in T&D World's 2023 Lineworker Supplement to learn how the line trade is joining forces on the humanitarian project. Lineworkers are constructing new lines on the 27,000-square-mile Navajo Nation spanning parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah with 300,000 residents and a total of 55,000 homes.
Volunteer lineworkers are bringing first-time electricity to American homeowners through the Light Up Navajo project, organized by the American Public Power Association and the National Utility Tribal Authority. Listen to this narrated version of an article published in T&D World's 2023 Lineworker Supplement to learn how the line trade is joining forces on the humanitarian project. Lineworkers are constructing new lines on the 27,000-square-mile Navajo Nation spanning parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah with 300,000 residents and a total of 55,000 homes.
In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Scott Corwin, the American Public Power Association's President and CEO, details how APPA is helping its members successfully meet challenges facing the power sector. Corwin also discusses the benefits that have flowed from him traveling across the country to meet with APPA members.
In this episode, Marshall Jackson (Lineworker 1st Class) and Dustin Britt (Lineworker 3rd Class) joined us in "The Bucket" to discuss their contributions and the overall experience of the Light Up Navajo Nation Project. PWC and the American Public Power Association worked with the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) to help bring electricity to families in need with this project. Hear about the journey, the work days, and the response from the local families -- get connected!
In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Carolyn Slaughter, Senior Director for Environmental Policy at American Public Power Association, details how recent U.S. Supreme Court and the Environmental Protection Agency actions have significant implications for the utility sector.
Imagine working on the leadership team for a renowned organization that services thousands of customers -- only to learn that not everyone on the team is operating ethically or morally. What would you do? Today's guest found himself in this position and his story of what happened after his discovery is the topic of his book -- and of our conversation. If leadership matters to you in any way, you don't want to miss this episode. Gordon Graham gives us a front row seat to what happens when corruption infiltrates an organization -- and it's a wild, insightful ride. = = = = = Gordon Graham is a former information technology professional with over 30 years of experience in the electric utility industry. During his career, he was recognized by peers and industry trade associations as an authority on information technology management issues and was a sought-after speaker on information technology strategy and aligning technology with business. In addition to his decades-long career, Gordon earned an AAS degree in computer science from Columbia Basin College, a BA in public administration from the University of Puget Sound, and an MBA in information technology management from City University, along with numerous certifications in IT and project management. He has served as the information technology section chair for the Northwest Public Power Association and as both information technology section chair and vice chair of the Business and Finance Committee for the American Public Power Association. Additionally, he has also served on curriculum committees for Wenatchee Valley College and NCW High School Skills Center. Now retired, Mr. Graham lives in Oregon with his wife, where they enjoy gardening, boating, and traveling. Learn more about Gordon and get his book here: www.intrepidbrotherhood.com = = = = = As always -- thank you for supporting the show! Your 5-star rating and review makes a difference -- it's easy to leave one and it helps spread the word about the podcast! = = = = = My latest book, The Far Unlit Unknown -- is available everywhere books are sold! Get your copy and learn more about it here Are we connected yet on social? @maryloukayser (Instagram) https://www.linkedin.com/in/mlkayser/ (LinkedIn)
Podcast: The PrOTect OT Cybersecurity Podcast (LS 28 · TOP 10% what is this?)Episode: Joy Ditto: The Evolution of Utility Cybersecurity with NERC CIPPub date: 2023-06-01About Joy Ditto: Joy Ditto is a dynamic leader and influential figure in the energy sector. As the President and CEO of Joy Ditto Consulting, she advises companies on vital areas such as cyber and physical security, resilience, broadband, and clean energy development. With her strategic prowess, Joy helps organizations shape their engagement with the federal government and improve overall performance. Her exceptional track record includes being selected as part of a prestigious Blue-Ribbon Panel to assess the Tennessee Valley Authority's response to a major winter storm. Previously, as President and CEO of the American Public Power Association, Joy achieved remarkable milestones, including a substantial increase in revenue, tripled net worth, and securing a historic tax credit for clean energy development. Joy's expertise and media presence have garnered attention on crucial topics, and she has appeared in renowned outlets such as Bloomberg Radio and NPR. With a background encompassing Capitol Hill experience and influential roles in various organizations, Joy brings a wealth of knowledge and strategic insight to the energy sector.In this episode, Aaron and Joy Ditto discuss:The evolution of NERC CIP and the inclusion of cybersecurity.Transformative progress of cybersecurity in the power utility industry.Educating policy makers on OT and IT distinctions.The impact of AI on policy and operations in the OT space.Key Takeaways:The formation of NERC CIP and the development of reliability standards in the power industry were driven by the need to address integration challenges, ensure economic benefits, and mitigate the risks of cascading effects on the transmission grid, with cybersecurity considerations being added later during the implementation phase.The power utility industry has made significant progress in cybersecurity due to the implementation of NERC regulations, which have fostered an iterative and collaborative approach, enabling baseline maturity while allowing utilities to go above and beyond to protect critical assets.Recognizing the significance of clear communication and education in intricate domains such as cybersecurity, IT, and OT, it becomes vital to present policymakers and decision-makers with simplified yet precise information, empowering them to make well-informed choices while sidestepping unintended outcomes.Policy discussions surrounding AI in operational technology (OT) must carefully navigate its potential benefits in areas like cybersecurity and efficiency while addressing concerns about control, manipulation, and potential risks, emphasizing the importance of a balanced approach to its responsible implementation. "Even though we see danger in deploying AI and maybe cutting jobs out from people, maybe there's gonna be a positive there too, like professionals who come into play, right? We need a diversity of people in our industry to be able to manage these challenges." — Joy Ditto Connect with Joy Ditto: Email: joy@joydittoconsulting.comPhone: (703) 861-6361LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-ditto-utc/Twitter: https://twitter.com/joyditto?lang=enConnect with Aaron:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronccrowLearn more about Industrial Defender:Website: https://www.industrialdefender.com/podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/industrial-defender-inc/Twitter: https://twitter.com/iDefend_ICSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@industrialdefender7120Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Aaron Crow, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.
About Joy Ditto: Joy Ditto is a dynamic leader and influential figure in the energy sector. As the President and CEO of Joy Ditto Consulting, she advises companies on vital areas such as cyber and physical security, resilience, broadband, and clean energy development. With her strategic prowess, Joy helps organizations shape their engagement with the federal government and improve overall performance. Her exceptional track record includes being selected as part of a prestigious Blue-Ribbon Panel to assess the Tennessee Valley Authority's response to a major winter storm. Previously, as President and CEO of the American Public Power Association, Joy achieved remarkable milestones, including a substantial increase in revenue, tripled net worth, and securing a historic tax credit for clean energy development. Joy's expertise and media presence have garnered attention on crucial topics, and she has appeared in renowned outlets such as Bloomberg Radio and NPR. With a background encompassing Capitol Hill experience and influential roles in various organizations, Joy brings a wealth of knowledge and strategic insight to the energy sector.In this episode, Aaron and Joy Ditto discuss:The evolution of NERC CIP and the inclusion of cybersecurity.Transformative progress of cybersecurity in the power utility industry.Educating policy makers on OT and IT distinctions.The impact of AI on policy and operations in the OT space.Key Takeaways:The formation of NERC CIP and the development of reliability standards in the power industry were driven by the need to address integration challenges, ensure economic benefits, and mitigate the risks of cascading effects on the transmission grid, with cybersecurity considerations being added later during the implementation phase.The power utility industry has made significant progress in cybersecurity due to the implementation of NERC regulations, which have fostered an iterative and collaborative approach, enabling baseline maturity while allowing utilities to go above and beyond to protect critical assets.Recognizing the significance of clear communication and education in intricate domains such as cybersecurity, IT, and OT, it becomes vital to present policymakers and decision-makers with simplified yet precise information, empowering them to make well-informed choices while sidestepping unintended outcomes.Policy discussions surrounding AI in operational technology (OT) must carefully navigate its potential benefits in areas like cybersecurity and efficiency while addressing concerns about control, manipulation, and potential risks, emphasizing the importance of a balanced approach to its responsible implementation. "Even though we see danger in deploying AI and maybe cutting jobs out from people, maybe there's gonna be a positive there too, like professionals who come into play, right? We need a diversity of people in our industry to be able to manage these challenges." — Joy Ditto Connect with Joy Ditto: Email: joy@joydittoconsulting.comPhone: (703) 861-6361LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-ditto-utc/Twitter: https://twitter.com/joyditto?lang=enConnect with Aaron:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronccrowLearn more about Industrial Defender:Website: https://www.industrialdefender.com/podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/industrial-defender-inc/Twitter: https://twitter.com/iDefend_ICSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@industrialdefender7120Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.
PWC and the American Public Power Association are working with the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) to plan Light Up Navajo IV to continue to help bring electricity to families in need during April-June 2023. Not having access to electricity has many repercussions for Navajo families: lack of access to running water, reliable lighting, modern forms of home heating and cooling, and appliances such as refrigerators and microwaves. The Light Up Navajo initiative has brought together volunteer crews from public power utilities across the country to connect Navajo homes to the grid. Marc Tunstall, PWC Electric Operations Manager, joined us in "The Bucket" to discuss the preparation needed to provide this level of mutual aid and the purpose for the project.
A great podcast with a discussion about the U.S. energy, grid, and significant issues facing the delivery of electricity. Adrienne Lotto is the Senior Vice President of Grid Security, Technical & Operations Services at the American Public Power Association. Adrienne knows grid security, operations, supply chain issues, and potential risks that the APPA helps its members prepare for all contingencies. They also work with legislative bodies and with government regulatory agencies.Thank you, Adrienne, for stopping by the ENB podcast. It was a blast, and I was grateful for your time. - StuPlease connect with Adrienne Lotto on her LinkedIn HEREAPPA Website HERE0:00 - Intro01:00 - Introduction about American Power Association03:59 - Talks about Grid Securitya.) 06:11- Talks about Transformersb.) 08:44- Talks about the legislaturec.) 10:57 - Talks about grid balancing authorities14:15 - Talks about natural gas and nuclear available for renewable funding17:59 - Talks about homeowner's association at the Manufacturing Homeowners Association21:33 - Talks about cyber attacks on the grid26:17 - Talks about supply chain constraints30:05- back to the cyber attack topic32:27- OutroENB Top NewsENBEnergy DashboardENB PodcastENB Substack
In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Ben Collins, who became general manager of Wisconsin public power utility Cedarburg Light and Water in September 2022, details his long-term goals for the utility and explains the steps the utility has taken to earn a Smart Energy Provider designation from the American Public Power Association.
The latest episode of Public Power Now features a conversation between Joy Ditto, President and CEO of the American Public Power Association, Jackie Flowers, Public Utilities Director at Tacoma Public Utilities in Washington, and Gary Ivory, General Manager of Douglas County PUD in East Wenatchee, Washington. Joy, Jackie and Gary discuss the benefits of hydropower and how dams in the Northwest are becoming more important from a reliability and clean energy standpoint.
Hello, and welcome to another episode of CISO Tradecraft -- the podcast that provides you with the information, knowledge, and wisdom to be a more effective cybersecurity leader. My name is G. Mark Hardy, and today we are going to discuss how nation state conflict and sponsored cyberattacks can affect us as non-combatants, and what we should be doing about it. Even if you don't have operations in a war zone, remember cyber has a global reach, so don't think that just because you may be half a world away from the battlefield that someone is not going to reach out and touch you in a bad way. So, listen for what I think will be a fascinating episode, and please do us a small favor and give us a "like" or a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform -- those ratings really help us reach our peers. It only takes a click -- thank you for helping out our security leadership community. I'm not going to get into any geopolitics here; I'm going to try to ensure that this episode remains useful for quite some time. However, since the conflict in Ukraine has been ongoing for over two hundred days, I will draw examples from that. The ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu wrote: “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” That's a little more detailed than the classic Greek aphorism, "know thyself," but the intent is the same even today. Let me add one more quote and we'll get into the material. Over 20 years ago, when he was Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld said: "As we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don't know we don't know. And if one looks throughout the history of our country and other free countries, it is the latter category that tends to be the difficult ones. So, knowledge seems extremely important throughout the ages. Modern governments know that, and as a result all have their own intelligence agencies. Let's look at an example. If we go to the CIA's website, we will see the fourfold mission of the Central Intelligence Agency: Collecting foreign intelligence that matters Producing objective all-source analysis Conducting effective covert action as directed by the President Safeguarding the secrets that help keep our nation safe. Why do we mention this? Most governments around the world have similar Nation State objectives and mission statements. Additionally, it's particularly important to understand what is wanted by "state actors" (note, I'll use that term for government and contract intelligence agents.). What are typical goals for State Actors? Let's look at a couple: Goal 1: Steal targeting data to enable future operations. Data such as cell phone records, banking statements or emails allow countries to better target individuals and companies when they know that identifying information. Additionally, targeting data allows Nation state organizations to understand how individuals are connected. This can be key when we are looking for key influencers for targets of interest. All targeting data should not be considered equal. Generally, Banking and Telecom Data are considered the best for collecting so be mindful if that is the type of company that you protect. State Actors target these organizations because of two factors:The Importance of the Data is the first factor. If one party sends a second party an email, that means there is a basic level of connection. However, it's not automatically a strong connection since we all receive emails from spammers. If one party calls someone and talks for 10 minutes to them on a phone call, that generally means a closer connection than an email. Finally, if one party sends money to another party that either means a really strong connection exists, or someone just got scammed. The Accuracy of the Data is the second factor. Many folks sign up for social media accounts with throw away credentials (i.e., fake names and phone numbers). Others use temporary emails to attend conferences, so they don't get marketing spam when they get home. However, because of Anti Money Laundering (or AML) laws, people generally provide legitimate data to financial services firms. If they don't, then they risk not being able to take the money out of a bank -- which would be a big problem. A second goal in addition to collecting targeting data, is that State Actors are interested in collecting Foreign Intelligence. Foreign Intelligence which drives policy-making decisions is very impactful. Remember, stealing secrets that no one cares about is generally just a waste of government tax dollars. If governments collect foreign intelligence on sanctioned activity, then they can inform policy makers on the effectiveness of current sanctions, which is highly useful. By reporting sanctioned activity, the government can know when current sanctions are being violated and when to update current sanctions. This can result in enabling new intelligence collection objectives. Examples of this include:A country may sanction a foreign air carrier that changes ownership or goes out of business. In that case, sanctions may be added against different airlines. This occurred when the US sanctioned Mahan Air, an Iran's airline. Currently the US enforces sanctions on more than half of Iran's civilian airlines. A country may place sanctions on a foreign bank to limit its ability to trade in certain countries or currencies. However, if sanctioned banks circumvent controls by trading with smaller banks which are not sanctioned, then current sanctions are likely ineffective. Examples of sanctioning bank activity by the US against Russia during the current war with Ukraine include:On February 27th sanctions were placed against Russian Banks using the SWIFT international payment systems On February 28th, the Russian Central Bank was sanctioned On March 24th, the Russian Bank Sberbank CEO was sanctioned On April 5th, the US IRS suspended information exchanges with the Russian tax authorities to hamper Moscow's ability to collect taxes. On April 6th, the US sanctioned additional Russian banks. These sanctions didn't just start with the onset of hostilities on 24 February 2022. They date back to Russia's invasion of Crimea. It's just that the US has turned up the volume this time. If sanctions are placed against a country's nuclear energy practices, then knowing what companies are selling or trading goods into the sanctioned country becomes important. Collecting information from transportation companies that identify goods being imported and exported into the country can also identify sanction effectiveness. A third goal or activity taken by State Actors is covert action. Covert Action is generally intended to cause harm to another state without attribution. However, anonymity is often hard to maintain.If we look at Russia in its previous history with Ukraine, we have seen the use of cyber attacks as a form of covert action. The devastating NotPetya malware (which has been generally accredited to Russia) was launched as a supply chain attack. Russian agents compromised the software update mechanism of Ukrainian accounting software M.E. Doc, which was used by nearly 400,000 clients to manage financial documents and file tax returns. This update did much more than the intended choking off of Ukrainian government tax revenue -- Maersk shipping estimates a loss of $300 million. FedEx around $400 million. The total global damage to companies is estimated at around $10 billion. The use of cyberattacks hasn't been limited to just Russia. Another example is Stuxnet. This covert action attack against Iranian nuclear facilities that destroyed nearly one thousand centrifuges is generally attributed to the U.S. and Israel. Changing topics a little bit, we can think of the story of two people encountering a bear. Two friends are in the woods, having a picnic. They spot a bear running at them. One friend gets up and starts running away from the bear. The other friend opens his backpack, takes out his running shoes, changes out of his hiking boots, and starts stretching. “Are you crazy?” the first friend shouts, looking over his shoulder as the bear closes in on his friend. “You can't outrun a bear!” “I don't have to outrun the bear,” said the second friend. “I only have to outrun you.” So how can we physically outrun the Cyber Bear? We need to anticipate where the Bear is likely to be encountered. Just as national park signs warn tourists of animals, there's intelligence information that can inform the general public. If you are looking for physical safety intelligence you might consider:The US Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs. The State Department hosts a travel advisory list. This list allows anyone to know if a country has issues such as Covid Outbreaks, Civil Unrest, Kidnappings, Violent Crime, and other issues that would complicate having an office for most businesses. Another example is the CIA World Factbook. The World Factbook provides basic intelligence on the history, people, government, economy, energy, geography, environment, communications, transportation, military, terrorism, and transnational issues for 266 world entities. Additionally you might also consider data sources from the World Health Organization and The World Bank If we believe that one of our remote offices is now at risk, then we need to establish a good communications plan. Good communications plans generally require at least four forms of communication. The acronym PACE or Primary, Alternate, Contingency, and Emergency is often usedPrimary Communication: We will first try to email folks in the office. Alternate Communication: If we are unable to communicate via email, then we will try calling their work phones. Contingency Communication: If we are unable to reach individuals via their work phones, then we will send a Text message to their personal cell phones. Emergency Communication: If we are unable to reach them by texting their personal devices, then we will send an email to their personal emails and next of kin. Additionally, we might purchase satellite phones for a country manager. Satellite phones can be generally purchased for under $1,000 and can be used with commercial satellite service providers such as Inmarsat, Globalstar, and Thuraya. One popular plan is Inmarsat's BGAN. BGAN can usually be obtained from resellers for about $100 per month with text messaging costing about fifty cents each and calls costing about $1.50 per minute. This usually translates to a yearly cost of $1,500-2K per device. Is $2K worth the price of communicating to save lives in a high-risk country during high political turmoil? Let your company decide. Note a great time to bring this up may be during use-or-lose money discussions at the end of the year. We should also consider preparing egress locations. For example, before a fire drill most companies plan a meetup location outside of their building so they can perform a headcount. This location such as a vacant parking lot across the street allows teams to identify missing personnel which can later be communicated to emergency personnel. If your company has offices in thirty-five countries, you should think about the same thing, but not assembling across the street but across the border. Have you identified an egress office for each overseas country? If you had operations in Ukraine, then you might have chosen a neighboring country such as Poland, Romania, or Hungary to facilitate departures. When things started going bad, that office could begin creating support networks to find local housing for your corporate refugees. Additionally, finding job opportunities for family members can also be extremely helpful when language is a barrier in new countries. If we anticipate the Bear is going to attack our company digitally, then we should also look for the warning signs. Good examples of this include following threat intelligence information from: Your local ISAC organization. ISAC or Information Sharing Analysis Centers are great communities where you can see if your vertical sector is coming under attack and share your experiences/threats. The National Council of ISACs lists twenty-five different members across a wide range of industries. An example is the Financial Services ISAC or FS-ISAC which has a daily and weekly feed where subscribers can find situational reports on cyber threats from State Actors and criminal groups. InfraGard™ is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and members of the private sector for the protection of US Critical Infrastructure. Note you generally need to be a US citizen without a criminal history to join AlienVault offers a Threat Intelligence Community called Open Threat Exchange which grants users free access to over nineteen million threat indicators. Note AlienVault currently hosts over 100,000 global participants, so it's a great place to connect with fellow professionals. The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency or CISA also routinely issues cybersecurity advisories to stop harmful malware, ransomware, and nation state attacks. Helpful pages on their websites include the following:Shields Up which provides updates on cyber threats, guidance for organizations, recommendations for corporate Leaders and CEOs, ransomware responses, free tooling, and steps that you can take to protect your families. There's even a Shields Technical Guidance page with more detailed recommendations. CISA routinely puts out Alerts which identify threat actor tactics and techniques. For example, Alert AA22-011A identifies how to understand and mitigate Russian State Sponsored Cyber Threats to US Critical Infrastructure. This alert tells you what CVEs the Russian government is using as well as the documented TTPs which map to the MITRE ATT&CK™ Framework. Note if you want to see more on the MITRE ATT&CK mapped to various intrusion groups we recommend going to attack.mitre.org slant groups. CISA also has notifications that organizations can sign up for to receive timely information on security issues, vulnerabilities, and high impact activity. Another page to note on CISA's website is US Cert. Here you can report cyber incidents, report phishing, report malware, report vulnerabilities, share indicators, or contact US Cert. One helpful page to consider is the Cyber Resilience Review Assessment. Most organizations have an IT Control to conduct yearly risk assessments, and this can help identify weaknesses in your controls. Now that we have seen a bear in the woods, what can we do to put running shoes on to run faster than our peers? If we look at the CISA Shield Technical Guidance Page we can find shields up recommendations such as remediating vulnerabilities, enforcing MFA, running antivirus, enabling strong spam filters to prevent phishing attacks, disabling ports and protocols that are not essential, and strengthening controls for cloud services. Let's look at this in more detail to properly fasten our running shoes. If we are going to remediate vulnerabilities let's focus on the highest priority. I would argue those are high/critical vulnerabilities with known exploits being used in the wild. You can go to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog page for a detailed list. Each time a new vulnerability gets added, run a vulnerability scan on your environment to prioritize patching. Next is Multi Factor Authentication (MFA). Routinely we see organizations require MFA access to websites and use Single Sign On. This is great -- please don't stop doing this. However, we would also recommend MFA enhancements in two ways. One, are you using MFA on RDP/SSH logins by administrators? If not, then please enable immediately. You never know when one developer will get phished, and the attacker can pull his SSH keys. Having MFA means even when those keys are lost, bad actor propagation can be minimized. Another enhancement is to increase the security within your MFA functionality. For example, if you use Microsoft Authenticator today try changing from a 6 digit rotating pin to using security features such as number matching that displays the location of their IP Address. You can also look at GPS conditional policies to block all access from countries in which you don't have a presence. Running antivirus is another important safeguard. Here's the kicker -- do you actually know what percentage of your endpoints are running AV and EDR agents? Do you have coverage on both your Windows and Linux Server environments? Of the agents running, what portion have signatures updates that are not current? How about more than 30 days old. We find a lot of companies just check the box saying they have antivirus, but if you look behind the scenes you can see that antivirus isn't as effective as you think when it's turned off or outdated. Enabling Strong Spam Filters is another forgotten exercise. Yes, companies buy solutions like Proofpoint to secure email, but there's more that can be done. One example is implementing DMARC to properly authenticate and block spoofed emails. It's the standard now and prevents brand impersonation. Also please consider restricting email domains. You can do this at the very top. Today, the vast majority of legitimate correspondents still utilize one of the original seven top-level domains: .com, .org, .net, .edu, .mil, .gov, and .int, as well as two-letter country code top-level domains (called ccTLDs). However, you should look carefully at your business correspondence to determine if communicating with all 1,487 top-level domains is really necessary. Let's say your business is located entirely in the UK. Do you really want to allow emails from Country codes such as .RU, .CN, and others? Do you do business with .hair, or .lifestyle, or .xxx? If you don't have a business reason for conducting commerce with these TLDs, block them and minimize both spam and harmful attacks. It won't stop bad actors from using Gmail to send phishing attacks, but you might be surprised at just how much restricting TLDs in your email can help. Note that you have to be careful not to create a self-inflicted denial of service, so make sure that emails from suspect TLDs get evaluated before deletion. Disabling Ports and Protocols is key since you don't want bad actors having easy targets. One thing to consider is using Amazon Inspector. Amazon Inspector has rules in the network reachability package to analyze your network configurations to find security vulnerabilities in your EC2 Instances. This can highlight and provide guidance about restricting access that is not secure such as network configurations that allow for potentially malicious access such as mismanaged security groups, Access Control Lists, Internet Gateways, etc. Strengthening Cloud Security- We won't go into this topic too much as you could spend a whole talk on strengthening cloud security. Companies should consider purchasing a cloud security solution like Wiz, Orca, or Prisma for help in this regard. One tip we don't see often is using geo-fencing and IP allow-lists. For example, one new feature that AWS recently created is to enable Web Application Firewall protections for Amazon Cognito. This makes it easier to protect user pools and hosted UIs from common web exploits. Once we notice there's likely been a bear attack on our peers or our infrastructure, we should report it. This can be done by reporting incidents to local governments such as CISA or a local FBI field office, paid sharing organizations such as ISAC, or free communities such as AlienVault OTX. Let's walk through a notional example of what we might encounter as collateral damage in a cyberwar. However, to keeps this out of current geopolitics, we'll use the fictitious countries Blue and Orange. Imagine that you work at the Acme Widget Corporation which is a Fortune 500 company with a global presence. Because Acme manufactures large scale widgets in their factory in the nation of Orange, they are also sold to the local Orange economy. Unfortunately for Acme, Orange has just invaded their neighboring country Blue. Given that Orange is viewed as the aggressor, various countries have imposed sanctions against Orange. Not wanting to attract the attention of the Orange military or the U.S. Treasury department, your company produces an idea that might just be crazy enough to work. Your company is going to form a new company within Orange that is not affiliated with the parent company for the entirety of the war. This means that the parent company won't provide services to the Orange company. Additionally, since there is no affiliation between the companies then the legal department advises that there will not be sanction evasion activity which could put the company at risk. There's just one problem. Your company has to evict the newly created Orange company (Acme Orange LLC) from its network and ensure it has the critical IT services to enable its success. So where do we start? Let's consider a few things. First, what is the lifeblood of a company? Every company really needs laptops and Collaboration Software like Office 365 or GSuite. So, if we have five hundred people in the new Acme Orange company, that's five hundred new laptops and a new server that will host Microsoft Exchange, a NAS drive, and other critical Microsoft on premises services. Active Directory: Once you obtain the server, you realize a few things. Previous Acme admin credentials were used to troubleshoot desktops in the Orange environment. Since exposed passwords are always a bad thing, you get your first incident to refresh all passwords that may have been exposed. Also, you ensure a new Active Directory server is created for your Orange environment. This should leverage best practices such as MFA since Orange Companies will likely come under attack. Let's talk about other things that companies need to survive: Customer relations management (CRM) services like Salesforce Accounting and Bookkeeping applications such as QuickBooks Payment Software such as PayPal or Stripe File Storage such as Google Drive or Drop Box Video Conferencing like Zoom Customer Service Software like Zendesk Contract Management software like DocuSign HR Software like Bamboo or My Workday Antivirus & EDR software Standing up a new company's IT infrastructure in a month is never a trivial task. However, if ACME Orange is able to survive for 2-3 years it can then return to the parent company after the sanctions are lifted. Let's look at some discussion topics. What IT services will be the hardest to transfer? Can new IT equipment for Acme Orange be procured in a month during a time of conflict? Which services are likely to only have a SaaS offering and not enable on premises during times of conflicts? Could your company actually close a procurement request in a one-month timeline? If we believe we can transfer IT services and get the office up and running, we might look at our cyber team's role in providing recommendations to a new office that will be able to survive a time of turmoil. All laptops shall have Antivirus and EDR enabled from Microsoft. Since the Acme Orange office is isolated from the rest of the world, all firewalls will block IP traffic not originating from Orange. SSO and MFA will be required on all logins Backups will be routinely required. Note if you are really looking for effective strategies to mitigate cyber security incidents, we highly recommend the Australian Essential Eight. We have a link in our show notes if you want more details. Additionally, the ACME Orange IT department will need to create its own Incident Response Plan (IRP). One really good guide for building Cyber Incident Response Playbooks comes from the American Public Power Association. (I'll put the link in our show notes.) The IRP recommends creating incident templates that can be used for common attacks such as: Denial of Service (DoS) Malware Web Application Attack (SQL Injection, XSS, Directory Traversal, …) Cyber-Physical Attack Phishing Man in the middle attack Zero Day Exploit This Incident Response Template can identify helpful information such as Detection: Record how the attack was identified Reporting: Provide a list of POCs and contact information for the IT help desk to contact during an event Triage: List the activities that need to be performed during Incident Response. Typically, teams follow the PICERL model. (Preparation - Identification - Containment - Eradication - Recovery - Lessons Learned) Classification: Depending on the severity level of the event, identify additional actions that need to occur Communications: Identify how to notify local law enforcement, regulatory agencies, and insurance carriers during material cyber incidents. Additionally describe the process on how communications will be relayed to customers, employees, media, and state/local leaders. As you can see, there is much that would have to be done in response to a nation state aggression or regional conflict that would likely fall in your lap. If you didn't think about it before, you now have plenty of material to work with. Figure out your own unique requirements, do some tabletop exercises where you identify your most relevant Orange and Blue future conflict, and practice, practice, practice. We learned from COVID that companies that were well prepared with a disaster response plan rebranded as a pandemic response plan fared much better in the early weeks of the 2020 lockdown. I know my office transitioned to remote work for over sixty consecutive weeks without any serious IT issues because we had a written plan and had practiced it. Here's another one for you to add to your arsenal. Take the time and be prepared -- you'll be a hero "when the bubble goes up." (There -- you've learned an obscure term that nearly absent from a Google search but well-known in the Navy and the Marine Corps.) Okay, that's it for today's episode on Outrunning the Bear. Let's recap: Know yourself Know what foreign adversaries want Know what information, processes, or people you need to protect Know the goals of state actors:steal targeting data collect foreign intelligence covert action Know how to establish a good communications plan (PACE)Primary Alternate Contingency Emergency Know how to get out of Dodge Know where to find private and government threat intelligence Know your quick wins for protectionremediate vulnerabilities implement MFA everywhere run current antivirus enable strong spam filters restrict top level domains disable vulnerable or unused ports and protocols strengthen cloud security Know how to partition your business logically to isolate your IT environments in the event of a sudden requirement. Thanks again for listening to CISO Tradecraft. Please remember to like us on your favorite podcast provider and tell your peers about us. Don't forget to follow us on LinkedIn too -- you can find our regular stream of low-noise, high-value postings. This is your host G. Mark Hardy, and until next time, stay safe. References https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/17976-if-you-know-the-enemy-and-know-yourself-you-need https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_are_known_knowns https://www.cia.gov/about/mission-vision/ https://www.cybersecurity-insiders.com/ukraines-accounting-software-firm-refuses-to-take-cyber-attack-blame/ https://www.wired.com/story/notpetya-cyberattack-ukraine-russia-code-crashed-the-world/ https://www.nationalisacs.org/member-isacs-3 https://attack.mitre.org/groups/ https://data.iana.org/TLD/tlds-alpha-by-domain.txt https://www.publicpower.org/system/files/documents/Public-Power-Cyber-Incident-Response-Playbook.pdf
In the latest episode of Public Power Now, John Godfrey, Senior Government Relations Director at American Public Power Association, discusses the recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act and how the new law will affect public power.
Host Llewellyn King discusses the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on electric utilities with Joy Ditto, president and CEO of the American Public Power Association, and Louis Finkel, Senior Vice President of Government Relations for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
The latest episode of Public Power Now features a conversation between Joy Ditto, President and CEO of the American Public Power Association, and Tangela Johnson, a consultant, executive coach, speaker and author. Joy and Tangela discuss workforce and corporate culture issues.
Markham interviews Paul Zummo, manager of policy research and analysis, American Public Power Association.
Joy Ditto, president and CEO of the American Public Power Association, discusses her member utilities' efforts to transition to a clean-energy grid within the traditional vertically integrated utility construct. She provides a mixed view of the benefits APPA-member utilities have enjoyed as a result of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's open-access wholesale power market regime, and calls for passage of federal legislation to provide non-profit utilizes, like municipal utilities and rural co-ops, the same sort of federal subsidy that for-profit utilities and others derive for implementing renewable wind and solar energy technologies.Support the show
Guest: Jessica Matlock is LaPlata Electric Association's (LPEA) first female CEO in the co-op's 80-year history. Before this role, Matlock served as a member of the executive leadership team for 13 years at the nation's 11th largest public utility (Snohomish Public Utility District). In her last role – Assistant General Manager of Customer, Energy Services, and External Relations – she directed customer engagement, legislative and policy strategy, and the development and implementation of the utility's solar, electric vehicle, and demand response programs. Prior to this, Jessica worked as an energy expert for the U.S. Senate and held numerous positions with the Bonneville Power Administration. She has served in various board and leadership positions with the Large Public Power Council, National Hydropower Association, American Public Power Association, the Alliance to Save Energy, Washington State Clean Technology Alliance, and GridForward. Episode in a Tweet: Leadership is about being empathetic and knowing that you're not always right, and you must have the courage to admit you are wrong and then course correct. Quick Background: Jessica is a dear friend of mine and one of the most respected leaders in the power generation industry. Jessica recently founded and is the co-Chair of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association's Women in Power professional network. This group convenes women working in public power throughout the country to share ideas, develop professional connections, and support female advancement in a predominantly male industry. Let's just put it this way; she's a total rockstar. During our conversation, Jessica keeps it real. She shares how she gets herself back on track when she loses her way. Jessica talks about juggling what's fair with the reality of constraints and tradeoffs in both the industry and the workplace. She is candid about how her team gives her feedback and how she's learning how to respond to it with gratitude and action. Jessica also gives us an inside look at the innovative ways she looks at bringing traditional and renewable power to rural Colorado. She's truly a remarkable leader, and I'm confident you'll enjoy this interview.
PWC earned our second Smart Energy Provider Award from the American Public Power Association for demonstrating a commitment to and proficiency in energy efficiency, distributed generation, and environmental initiatives that support the goal of providing safe, reliable, low-cost, and sustainable electric service. Carolyn Justice-Hinson (PWC CCR Officer) and Tim Stankiewicz (Principal Engineer - Planning & Reliability) joined us in "The Bucket" to discuss some of the key disciplines that PWC was evaluated on in order to be just one of four NC Public Power utilities to receive this designation.
The Light Up Navajo initiative was a pilot effort to bring together volunteer crews from public power utilities across the country to connect Navajo homes to the grid. The project has extended for Light Up Navajo II and Light Up Navajo III. Even though the 2020 event was cancelled due to the pandemic, PWC helped bring electricity to homes of 300 Navajo families. Jon Rynne, Electrical Systems Chief Operating Officer, joined us to discuss the background of this project, PWC's involvement, and the award recognition from the American Public Power Association and the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority.
One in a series of regular discussions with muni market leaders in DC and throughout the industry.
Board of Trustees North American Electric Reliability Corporation, Retired President and CEO of the American Public Power Association, former Attorney Miller, Balis & O'Neil, Former Attorney with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Past President of EBA and served on the U.S. Department of Energy's Electricity Advisory Committee under two Presidents from different partiesIn this episode of the Energy Exchange, Mosby asks Sue Kelly about her time representing Coops against the backdrop of looming bankruptcies in the wake of the Texas Blackout of 2021. Sue shares her thoughts on making choices and being confident that life is not linear and one can always make another choice. Mosby asks Sue to discuss electric reliability, what the blackouts in Texas may teach us, and how we might prepare the grid of the future for even more renewable resources. Sue reveals what she learned moving from being general counsel of a trade association to becoming its President and CEO. Sue gives a life lesson she learned from Willy Nelson, explains a gift of knitting, and tells why she joins a massive chorus to sing Handel's The Messiah every year.
About 50 million Americans get their electricity from publicly owned power systems. In this episode, Joy Ditto, the president and CEO of the American Public Power Association talks with Robert about the lessons learned from the Texas and California blackouts, the importance of nuclear reactors and coal plants for baseload power generation, realistic timelines for decarbonizing the power sector, and why we need to, in her words, “rethink how we value reliability and supply” on the electric grid.
This is two-part series about the importance of Publicly Owned Power Utilities. Redding Electric Utility, our locally owned power utility, is celebrating 100 years of public power this year. We want to understand what it means to have locally owned public power and how the community benefits from this.Power Utilities in general are expensive and complicated systems. What makes Public Power utilities better than their Investor Owned counterparts? Why should Redding care that REU is celebrating 100 years?In this series, we talk with Joy Ditto, the President, and CEO of the American Public Power Association in Washington DC, and Dan Beans, Director of REU for the City of Redding.We think you'll learn some new information about the history of the power grid, how REU benefits our community, and why it is important to have people like Joy and Dan advocating for our local area in Sacramento and Washington, DC.For more information on the APPA visit publicpower.org. For information on REU visit reupower.com. And please remember to subscribe to the podcast to get notified of new episodes. If you like the podcast, one of the best ways to let others know is to give us a rating on Apple podcasts. Thanks so much for listening! Comments, concerns or questions? Email podcast@cityofredding.org
This is two-part series about the importance of Publicly Owned Power Utilities. Redding Electric Utility, our locally owned power utility, is celebrating 100 years of public power this year. We want to understand what it means to have locally owned public power and how the community benefits from this.Power Utilities in general are expensive and complicated systems. What makes Public Power utilities better than their Investor Owned counterparts? Why should Redding care that REU is celebrating 100 years?In this series, we talk with Joy Ditto, the President, and CEO of the American Public Power Association in Washington DC, and Dan Beans, Director of REU for the City of Redding.We think you'll learn some new information about the history of the power grid, how REU benefits our community, and why it is important to have people like Joy and Dan advocating for our local area in Sacramento and Washington, DC.For more information on the APPA visit publicpower.org. For information on REU visit reupower.com. And please remember to subscribe to the podcast to get notified of new episodes. If you like the podcast, one of the best ways to let others know is to give us a rating on Apple podcasts. Thanks so much for listening! Comments, concerns or questions? Email podcast@cityofredding.org
In the latest episode of Public Power Now, Michele Suddleson, Director of R&D Programs at the American Public Power Association, details the benefits of public power entities applying for funding from APPA's DEED program and discusses the types of projects that the DEED program has funded.
Youth and Culture Podcast | Youth Ministry | Student Ministry
As Head of Global Faith-Based Partnerships at Facebook, Nona Jones is recognized as one of the world's foremost experts on digital discipleship through social technology, motivating thousands of church leaders each year to reimagine social media as a strategic tool for ministry. Prior to Facebook, Nona held executive roles in the private, public and nonprofit sectors, being profiled by ESSENCE Magazine as an "Under 40 Woman to Watch" and Florida Trend Magazine as one of Florida's "30-Something All Stars." She also received the American Public Power Association's Robert F. Roundtree Rising Star Award as national peer recognition of her leadership while under the age of 35. Nona's passion and purpose in life is to demonstrate God's power to turn pain into purpose, a calling she fulfills in her career as well as alongside her husband as co-leader of Open Door Ministries in Gainesville, Florida. Get Nona’s new book, From Social Media To Social Ministry! Get Connected with Nona Jones: · Facebook · Instagram Get Connected with Youth & Culture: · Facebook · Instagram · Youtube Covenant Eyes: If you want more information on Covenant Eyes and how to protect your home or use it as a resource for parents and students in your ministry then click the link! Make sure you signup today! Music Provided by hooksounds.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ryan-sebastian/message
This week on American Resolution, Host David Jolly is joined by Joy Ditto, President and CEO of the American Public Power Association. The APPA is the voice of not-for-profit, community-owned utilities that power 2000 towns and cities nationwide. Joy has an intimate knowledge of what goes in Washington and they discuss the latest on the stimulus package, what a Biden administration means for energy policy, and just how public utilities have been affected by COVID-19.
While many people know Kroger as the nation’s largest traditional food retailer, few know that they are effectively the fifth largest consumer packaged goods manufacturer in the nation and have more than 2800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names. In this episode, we learn that Kroger is committed to protecting people and the planet by advancing positive change in their company and communities and realizing that they could have multiple environmental and social impacts through their own operations, through the supply chain, and in other areas. Zero Hunger, Zero Waste is what Kroger named their social impact plan to end hunger in their communities and to eliminate waste in their company by 2025. This plan was launched in September of 2017 and was inspired by their purpose to feed the human spirit. They are always looking to the future and have recently announced their new, and very ambitious, 2030 ESG Goals. Joining Smart Decisions Founder John Failla for this closer look are Kroger’s Lisa Zwack, Head of Sustainability, and Denis George, Category Manager – Energy. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [1:58] A brief scope & scale of Kroger and Lisa & Denis’ roles and responsibilities [5:00] Drivers and commitments related to Kroger’s sustainability and energy management [8:30] Drivers behind Kroger’s energy programs [10:50] Safety and quality are paramount [12:30] The role that investor interest has played [20:45] More about Kroger’s approach to Climate Impact [25:08] Two key ideas for getting store-level associates to buy into the idea of saving energy [29:17] the La Habra Baking Project [34:01] What role, both internally and externally, do you see relationships playing in pursuit of your ESG goals? [41:45] What is unique about Kroger’s relationship with Duke Energy? [43:57] Talk about the future and where things are headed Stakeholder/Investor Engagement Stakeholder engagement is a great way for Kroger to learn what their key internal and external stakeholders think about what they are doing and what they think Kroger should be doing moving forward. Kroger engages with its stakeholders through its materiality assessment early in the year. It is a great focused opportunity to get input from their various stakeholders, investors, NGOs, and any number of people outside of the company as well as inside the company. Kroger wants to hear what is most important to their leaders as well. Investors are a key audience. There is increased investor interest in how companies are managing climate risk and climate impact and how they are reducing energy usage and moving to more renewables and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Kroger is generally always trying to increase and improve the amount of transparency that they use when they talk to their stakeholders as they know that they are trying to get more decision-useful information for their purposes of making investments in different companies. Kroger prides itself on being very in tune with what investors are looking for and being responsive to that. They also took part in a qualitative climate risk assessment late last year. Kroger assesses and manages risk as a company overall, but this assessment was a great foray into the more dedicated climate risk assessment process, which is something else investors are looking for companies to do. Historically Driven by Expense Savings Twenty-some years ago, when Denis started with the company, they were more “Zero Energy, Zero Waste” before they were “Zero Hunger, Zero Waste.” Denis states that if they can fulfill their mission to their customers by using less energy, that is just a smart way to operate a business. They learned long ago that through energy efficiency they could achieve that very quickly and very uniformly. They have also found that one can achieve cost reduction in many other ways - through contract negotiations, better rates from utilities, items of that nature, and, as renewables continue to come on and there are more and different ways to engage in renewable energy acquisition those costs are coming down. This is very consistent with Kroger’s desire to reduce expenses, to maintain reliable well-lit stores, keep food safe and tasty while ensuring the quality of their food, as well as to contribute to the environment. Denis comments that it is wonderful when all those goals that can sometimes seemingly conflict come together and, by doing what they have been doing with reducing the amount of energy and starting to bring on additional renewable purchases, that they are beginning to achieve a lot of the goals all at the same time. Safety and Quality are Paramount Three of Kroger’s four drivers mentioned in this podcast come up in varying order. Cost reduction is number one nearly 80 percent of the time, followed by greening the environment, but the one most interesting point of the conversation is the notion of food safety because that is a unique and very important driver for the entire food industry. You could save a lot of money by turning everything off, but ice cream doesn’t work well in a zero-energy environment. Everyone’s been inside a grocery store and knows how much energy it uses, but milk has to maintain a certain temperature, the quality of ice cream depends on how cold you keep it - too cold is actually as bad as too warm. There are not only a lot of state, federal, and local food requirements to follow but a lot of other things Kroger wants to do to maintain freshness as well. Those are the rules by which Kroger must live that perhaps might not be needed in a clothing retail store or an auto parts place where humidity and temperature would not affect the product as much as it does fresh produce and fresh meat. Kroger must respect those guidelines and principles to sell their product to their customers in a very safe and comfortable environment. Resources & People Mentioned Duke Energy CDP Climate Questionnaire Kroger 2020 ESG Report Kroger Zero Hunger Zero Waste Sasb.org Standards Connect With Our Guests Lisa Zwack, Head of Sustainability Lisa is the Head of Sustainability at The Kroger Co., the nation’s largest grocery retailer, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. In this role, she leads and executes on Kroger’s sustainability strategy across a variety of topics, including the company’s progress towards its 2020 sustainability goals as well as goals for the next decade. Previously, Lisa served as Sustainability Manager for Staples, Inc. for nearly five years, where she played a key role in implementing and communicating the company’s global sustainability vision. She earned her MBA from the Ross School of Business and her MS and BS degrees from the School for Environment and Sustainability, all at the University of Michigan, during which time she worked with several leading companies on sustainability-related projects. Follow Lisa Zwack on LinkedIn Denis George, Category Manager – Energy As Category Manager — Energy for The Kroger Co. (www.thekrogerco.com) — one of the Nation’s largest grocery and retail companies — Denis George manages the Company’s renewable energy acquisition, gas & electricity contracts, utility agreements, regulatory intervention, and related matters. From 1998 to 2016, Denis served as Kroger’s Corporate Manager — Energy with responsibilities that also included energy efficiency initiatives, carbon footprint calculations, mechanical system design, and Energy Star program compliance. Over these years, Kroger received numerous national and regional awards for energy efficiency and sustainability, including the Energy Star “Partner of the Year” Award (twice), the Alliance to Save Energy's top award — the "Galaxy" Star of Energy Efficiency, and an “Award of Excellence” from Platt’s Publications. Mr. George has presented before numerous Commissions and Associations, including the Edison Electric Institute, American Public Power Association, Touchstone Energy Partnership, Green Retail Decisions, Smart Energy Decisions, and the Critical Consumer Issues Forum. He serves on the Customer Advisory Board of Smart Energy Decisions and has previously served on numerous utility customer advisory groups. Denis also served two terms on the State of Ohio Public Benefits Advisory Board, a non-compensated Board advising the State of Ohio and utilities on low-income consumer energy needs. From 1980 to 1997, Denis worked at The Dayton Power and Light Company, serving in several legal and management positions that included appearances and representation before the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio as well as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Mr. George received a Juris Doctor Degree in 1985 from The University of Cincinnati College of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics/Business Administration, cum laude, from Wittenberg University in 1980. He remains a licensed Attorney at Law in the State of Ohio. Denis and his wife, Alice Sutherland George, live in Loveland, Ohio. Follow Denis George on LinkedIn Connect With Smart Energy Decisions https://www.smartenergydecisions.com/ Follow them on Facebook Follow them on Twitter Follow them on LinkedIn Subscribe to Beyond The Meter on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts
Part 2 of this episode features three of the six 2020 ASAE Power of A Summit Award winners about their exceptional efforts to strengthen society. Host Mary Kate Cunningham speaks with Alex Hofmann, Vice President, Engineering Services, of the American Public Power Association, about their efforts to get unelectrified Navajo Nation homes on the grid; Rhian Allvin, CEO of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, on their efforts to support sustained, quality childhood education; and Marie-Caroline Strok Director of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Alliance Gender Parity Initiative on their efforts to accelerate workplace diversity.
Peace, love, soul, and Good News. Nona Jones is considered a global thought-leader at the crossing of faith and tech and serves as a voice of hope and healing to victims of trauma due to her own history as a survivor of physical and sexual abuse. Nona is an acclaimed author with titles such as Success from the Inside Out and From Social Media to Social Ministry, which are equipping church leaders and individuals to harness their potential and realize their purpose. Nona Jones is recognized as one of the world's foremost experts on building The Kingdom through social technology, motivating thousands of church leaders each year to reimagine social media as a strategic tool for ministry.With zero background in the Christian faith, Nona met Christ in grade six after being invited to a Sunday church service. From that point on, her world was flipped and her life was never the same. From serving as Chief External Affairs Officer for PACE Center for Girls, building Facebook's global faith-based partnerships strategy, partnering with the largest churches in America and abroad, co-producing the Billboard charting album Take Me, founding the Christian movement Faith and Prejudice, and receiving the American Public Power Association's Robert F. Roundtree Rising Star Award as national peer recognition of her leadership while under the age of 35, Nona is considered a thought-partner to many of the world's most influential faith leaders and tech thinkers. Nona has been profiled by ESSENCE Magazine as an “Under 40 Woman to Watch” and Florida Trend Magazine as one of Florida's “30-Something All-Stars.” She currently serves as President of the Gainesville (FL) Chapter of The Links, Inc and serves on the University of Florida Digital Advisory Council. She most recently served as Secretary of the Florida Juvenile Justice Association Board of Directors and on the Georgia Statewide Human Trafficking Task Force. She is a graduate of Leadership Florida and the Presidential Leadership Scholars Program, a unique leadership development initiative led by President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush.But away from all of that, Nona is a regular mom and wife to her husband Tim, who leads Open Door Ministries in Gainesville, Florida. And most importantly, she is a Christ-follower with an inspiring story to share.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Connect with Nona: Instagram Facebook YouTube Connect with Faith and Prejudice: Instagram Facebook Connect with Open Doors Ministries:YouTube________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Connect with us at TWU Student Ministries
How to Find the Lowest-Cost Option for Electricity in Competitive Markets. How electricity is delivered to customers in the U.S. is complicated. Consumers in some states have no choice who supplies their power; state commissions regulate utilities as vertically integrated electricity providers. Other states utilize a competitive model in which power producers can openly access transmission infrastructure and participate in wholesale electricity markets. Yet, there isn't complete consistency among states within the two general models. The entire system is a complex mechanism where different technologies, jurisdictions, and regulatory designs must interact. Free-market proponents will tell you that having competition is the preferable alternative, but that is debatable if you look at power prices in different areas. According to a study published by the American Public Power Association, the average revenue per kWh in regulated states has been less than in deregulated states. Currently, 15 states and the District of Columbia have deregulated electricity markets. The states are Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Virginia. But for consumers, understanding and choosing the best option to meet their needs can be difficult. That's where a company like WattBuy comes in. WattBuy is an online electricity marketplace that helps customers save on electricity costs by identifying the best option and switching users to the cheapest electricity provider. “So, the way that we work is we have an algorithm that looks at how your home uses electricity down to 15-minute increments, and we take into account all sorts of data,” Naman Trivedi, co-founder and CEO of WattBuy, said as a guest on The POWER Podcast. Among the things WattBuy considers are a home's square footage, number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, and historic usage data. It also compares a customer's data to that of other consumers in the same area. With the information, “We can get pretty accurate at predicting what your home's electricity usage will look like,” Trivedi said. Understanding usage is only the first piece of the puzzle. Then, WattBuy looks at plans offered by power companies to see which one fits best for the customer in question. That includes evaluating tier-pricing options, which comes into play when a different rate applies to different usage thresholds. For example, rates could differ from 0–500 kWh, 500–1,000 kWh, and greater than 1,000 kWh. Other things that may need to be considered include available rebates, promotional incentives, loyalty plans, time-of-day usage, and renewable energy preferences of the consumer. There's obviously a lot to consider, but Trivedi said WattBuy can save customers as much as 40% on their electric bills. “We have that machine learning model that assures that we're going to be very accurate,” he said. “The best part about it is that it continues to improve over time.” Trivedi has an interesting background. He was included on the 2020 Forbes “30 Under 30” list in the Energy category. On the podcast episode, Trivedi told about some of the past projects he's been involved in, which include working with the Silicon Valley Leadership Group promoting a policy initiative for community choice aggregation, working for the White House Office of Science and Technology under the Obama administration, and working on renewable energy projects in Haiti and Paraguay.
The year is only half over, but it’s safe to say that 2020 is already one for the record books within the utility sector. With the year already starting off to be hectic for utilities among an energy transition, fluctuating energy markets, grid modernizations, and more, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was just another screwball the industry was forced to adapt to on the fly. But adapt it has, and, as you’ll hear in this episode, it’s been the public power utilities who have been in many ways setting the standard for how utilities should prepare before a crisis, react to it, and adjust to it as time goes on. In this riveting episode, Jason Price and Matt Chester are joined in the podcast booth by Joy Ditto, who recently became the CEO of the American Public Power Association. Joy takes us through what public power utilities across the country have had to do to react to an everchanging landscape, while simultaneously keeping an eye forward on potential for innovation, transition, and more. You won’t want to miss this episode to learn what the community-owned difference is in the utility sector and what lessons can be learned across the wider energy industry. Key Links: Joy Ditto’s Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/238361/about The Community-owned Difference: Lessons for Maintaining a Customer Focus: https://energycentral.com/c/cc/community-owned-difference-lessons-maintaining-customer-focus Link to register as a member of the Energy Central community: https://energycentral.com/user/register
A key CA reservoir is to be drained due to earthquake risk but leaves us with lots of questions considering water storage is such an issue. Listeners respond. The District 16 Congressional Debate is short one candidate and she's taken to Twitter to explain why. We have another submission for PM Drive Vocabulary, a "Biden," and the reason why is kind of sad. Tue 2/25: Hour 3 Photo by American Public Power Association (https://unsplash.com/@publicpowerorg?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on Unsplash (https://unsplash.com/s/photos/dam?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText)
Host Marty Rosenberg talks with Doug Hunter about Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). Mr. Hunter is the Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems or UAMPS. UAMPS is at the forefront of the nuclear frontier with its push to construct an SMR plant. Mr. Hunter explains how an SMR is different from a traditional nuclear reactor and why he believes it's a game changer when it comes to carbon free power delivery. Mr. Hunter joined UAMPS in December of 1983 and is a 36-year veteran of the electric utility industry. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Utah State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from the University of California, Davis. He has served on the board of directors for the American Public Power Association.
Mike Hyland is a Sr. VP Engineering at American Public Power Association. Mr Hyland and a group of amazing people have begun and almost completed a pilot project called Light Up Navajo. The goal is to energize 15,000 Navajo home still without electricity. For more info about this project or to donate to the cause go to www.publicpower.org You can also connect with Mike Hyland on LinkedIn, follow the project @publicpowerorg on Instagram and use the hashtag #lightUpNavajo.
Sue Kelly has been president and CEO of the American Public Power Association since April 2014. Prior to becoming president and CEO, Kelly was the Association’s senior vice president, policy analysis and general counsel. In that capacity, she helped the Association and its members in energy policy formulation and with policy advocacy before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), federal courts, and other governmental and industry policy forums. Kelly is a frequent speaker on energy-related topics. She has given presentations to many industry groups and has also appeared before federal and state administrative agencies, and testified before committees of the U.S. Congress and state legislatures. Kelly was named one of Washington’s “Most Powerful Women” in the November 2015 issue of Washingtonian magazine in the “Business, Labor, and Lobbying” category and the Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment 2017 “Woman of the Year.” Additionally, she received the Energy Bar Association’s 2018 Paul E. Nordstrom Service Award. The American Public Power Association is the voice of not-for-profit, community-owned utilities that power 2,000 towns and cities nationwide.
A CEO’s Virtual Mentor Episode 18 Leading an Industry Association with Sue Kelly, President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Public Power Association (APPA) Welcome to Episode 18. I am joined by Sue Kelly, President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Public Power Association (APPA) in her office in Washington, DC. Our past 17 episodes have presented CEOs across a wide spectrum of company settings including publicly-traded, privately-held, and not-for-profits. This episode presents a CEO’s leadership over a unique type of organization – the industry association. Industry associations perform many complex roles for their membership including: as advocate for an industry’s position on political, legislative, and regulatory issues; as information source on current and emerging issues from an informed frontline position; as promoter of the industry, its people and their accomplishments; and as educator for the professionalism of its membership. The American Public Power Association serves its membership, which is comprised of about 1,400 public power utilities, in 49 states, excluding Hawaii, and including the territories of American Samoa, Guam, northern Mariana, the US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Sue Kelly has served as APPA's CEO since 2014. Like public schools and libraries, public power utilities are owned by the community and run as a division of local government. Governance is typically provided by a local city council or an elected or appointed board. Thanks for listening. We can’t improve without your feedback – write us through our website www.LeadershipLyceum.com and subscribe on iTunes. See you next time. Informative and Helpful Links Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America Alex Radin’s Public Power - Private Life Washington Post Obituary for Alex Radin from May 31, 2014 Speech of Franklin Delano Roosevelt a Campaign Address in Portland, Oregon on Sept 21st 1932 Sue Kelly’s bio and blog Program Guide Episode 18 Industry Association Leadership and the American Public Power Association An Interview with Sue Kelly President and Chief Executive Officer of APPA 0:00 Introduction to Episode 18 1:44 Introduction to Sue Kelly, President and CEO of APPA 2:44 Associations, democracy, and Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America 3:30 An association’s general role and function 4:30 APPA’s service role and function 5:30 Sue Kelly’s foundational experience leading to CEO of APPA 6:33 Policy areas of focus in Sue Kelly’s foundational experience 7:39 Break 1 7:55 Well intended policies – unintended consequences: enter joint action agencies and the autobiography of long time APPA CEO Alex Radin - Public Power - Private Life 10:40 Break 2 10:56 The influence of Alex Radin on public power 12:10 Franklin Delano Roosevelt and public power as the birch rod and historical look at FDR’s influence on public power. Speech of Franklin Delano Roosevelt a Campaign Address in Portland, Oregon on Sept 21st 1932 15:14 Break 3 15:32 Story-worthy moments for Sue Kelly as CEO of APPA 19:46 Break 4 20:05 Technology’s role at APPA as enabler 25:13 The dark side of technology – cybersecurity risk 27:54 (Final) Break 5 28:15 APPA and mutual aid and assistance 32:32 Closing comments Biographies of Guests Ms. Sue Kelly Sue is president and CEO of the American Public Power Association — the first woman to hold the position in the Association’s 76-year history. Under her leadership, the Association has advocated to protect tax exemption for municipal bonds and preserve public power’s right to self supply in wholesale electricity markets. She has helped strengthen cybersecurity awareness and resources and raise the profile of public power. Sue was designated 2017 Woman of the Year by the Women’s Council on Energy and Environment. In 2015, she was named one of the 100 Most Powerful Women by Washingtonian magazine. She has been in the energy field for 35 years, spending much of her career as an energy lawyer. Subscribe to the podcast at iTunes: https://t.co/a70rtSiQnW or SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/thomas-linquist Follow Leadership Lyceum on: Our website: www.LeadershipLyceum.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-linquist-682997 Twitter: @LeaderLyceum https://twitter.com/LeaderLyceum Email us: info@LeadershipLyceum.com Please subscribe to the Leadership Lyceum at iTunes which will enable future content to come to you automatically. Rate us and spread the word among your fellow executives and board colleagues. Your host Thomas B. Linquist is the Founder and Managing Partner of Lyceum Leadership Consulting and Lyceum Leadership Productions. Over his 16 years in management and leadership consulting he has served a wide array of industrial clients. This includes leadership assessment and search for chief executive officers, chief financial officers, chief operating officers and boards of directors. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and over his 27-year career has served in a variety of roles: as an engineer with Shell Oil Company, a banker with ABN AMRO Bank, and as treasurer was the youngest corporate officer in the 150+ year history at Peoples Energy Company in Chicago. He is an expert on hiring and promotion decisions and leadership development. Over the course of his search career, he has interviewed thousands of leaders. Please subscribe to the Leadership Lyceum in the podcast section at iTunes which will enable future content to come to you automatically. Rate us and spread the word among your fellow executives and board colleagues. Program Disclaimer The only purpose of the podcasts is to educate, inform and entertain. The information shared is based on the collection of experiences of each of the guests interviewed and should not be considered or substituted for professional advice. Guests who speak in this podcast express their own opinions, experience and conclusions, and neither The Leadership Lyceum LLC nor any company providing financial support endorses or opposes any particular content, recommendation or methodology discussed in this podcast. This podcast Leadership Lyceum: A CEO’s Virtual Mentor has been a production of The Leadership Lyceum LLC. Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.
Sue Kelly, President and CEO of the American Public Power Association, spends her time advocating for the needs of Public Power in Washington, D.C. as well as “keeping away the bad.” In this episode, Kelly discusses a few current efforts of the APPA as well as the role of advocacy in general for utilities. Website: www.publicpower.org
Energy Efficiency Markets interviews Ralph Cavanagh, co-director of the energy program for the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), about the challenges facing the EE industry—including lack of programs in higher education—and the programs and policies needed to ramp up EE as quickly as possible. Cavanagh, whose organization has partnered with the American Public Power Association, calls, among other actions, for creating more rewards for customers using EE—including inverted rates that provide an incentive to use less energy.
Mark Crisson, CEO of the American Public Power Association, discusses how the public power business model lends itself to efficiency efforts. He describes APPA's new partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council, and its plans to help expand energy efficiency offerings for the 2,000 not-for-profit utilities it serves.
Mark Crisson, CEO of the American Public Power Association, discusses how the public power business model lends itself to efficiency efforts. He describes APPA's new partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council, and its plans to help expand energy efficiency offerings for the 2,000 not-for-profit utilities it serves.
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