Austin Energy

John H. Baker Jr. is Chief Strategy Officer for Austin Energy, the community-owned electric utility of the City of Austin, Texas. His responsibilities include strategic planning, business intelligence, business model analysis, and emerging clean energy technology development. Since launching the strategic planning function at Austin Energy in 2002, Mr. Baker has helped set Austin Energy's sustainable energy direction by leading the development of Austin Energy's 2003 Strategic Plan that established aggressive long-range renewable energy and energy efficiency goals; by directing the formation of Austin Energy's Innovation and Opportunity Development process designed to evaluate and implement new clean energy technologies; and by implementing an agreement with the University of Texas' Clean Energy Incubator aimed at identifying and developing emerging clean energy technologies and companies. Mr. Baker's professional background includes thirty years of electric utility experience. He has worked for public power and investor owned electric utilities and consulting firms serving the electric utility industry. His utility experience includes strategic planning, engineering, operations, system planning, financial analysis, key account management, and customer service assignments. Since joining Austin Energy in 1994, Mr. Baker has served as Vice President of Customer Care and Marketing, Process Manager of System Operations and Reliability, Manager of Distribution System Support, and Manager of Distribution Engineering and Design. Mr. Baker is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Dallas.

Roger Duncan has been a leader in energy conservation and environmental policy for more than 20 years. As Deputy General Manager of Distributed Energy Services at Austin Energy, a municipally owned electric utility, he oversees governmental relations, strategic planning and business development, on-site generation, demand side management and the Green Building Program. Since joining the City of Austin Management staff in 1989, he has overseen the development, implementation and operation of water quality programs, air quality programs, environmental reviews, energy and water conservation programs, hazardous spill response and home chemical collection. He serves as Co-Chairperson for the Urban Consortium Sustainability Council. In this position, he advises municipal staff of the 50 largest cities and counties in the nation on energy and environmental matters. Under his direction, Austin Energy initiated a unique "GreenChoice" program which offers customers the option to choose electricity from 61 huge wind turbines that reduce pollution, reduce reliance on fuels that have volatile pricing and helps to preserve and enhance Austin's quality of life. Prior to his years in city management, Duncan served four years as a City Council member. His record of legislation includes the Lake Austin water quality ordinance, the landscape ordinance, expansion of the environmental department and establishment of Austin's energy conservation programs. In June 2004, the current Austin City Council approved a rebate of up to $15,000 to residential and commercial power customers who install photo voltaic solar panels on their homes or businesses, one of the most aggressive of solar incentive programs in the country. Duncan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the University of Texas at Austin.

Bill Ficke is the IS Division Manager for Data, Development and Architectural Services at Austin Energy. He is responsible for guiding corporate-wide technology standards, product implementation, applications development and database operations.

Michelle Noriega is a Senior Conservation Program Specialist in the Demand Side Management Division at Austin Energy, the municipal utility serving the City of Austin, TX. After receiving a Bachelor of Environmental Design degree from Texas A&M University, she moved to Austin to pursue a career in green architecture and conservation.