Tom Kiernan, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), will open the seventh annual Nebraska Wind and Solar Conference and Exhibition with the Current State of Wind Development on Wednesday, October 29 at 8:45 a.m. This year's conference, "Turning Challenges into Nebraska Opportunities," will be October 29-30, 2014 at the La Vista Conference Center."We are pleased to have Tom Kiernan open our conference this year," said Adam Herink, Conference Co-chair. "Tom and AWEA have been at the forefront of wind energy advocacy for many years now."
Tom Kiernan took the Chief Executive Officer reins of AWEA in May of 2013, and spent the previous 15 years as President of the National Parks Conservation Association. Kiernan graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in Environmental Computer Modeling and pursued his Masters of Business Administration at Stanford Graduate School of Business. While at Stanford, he served as Assistant to the Director of Oregon's Department of Environmental Quality.
After college, Kiernan joined the Environmental Protection Agency as Special Assistant to the Assistant Administrator. A year later, he was promoted to Chief of Staff of the Office of Air and Radiation, and later appointed Deputy Assistant Administrator where he was instrumental in the implementation the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. "Tom's experience and education is the foundation for his support of the expansion of wind energy," said Dan McGuire, conference Co-Chair. "He knows the increase of wind energy use will have a positive impact on the environment and in Nebraska rural communities."
Registration for the conference is $100 before September 29, $125 between September 29 and October 28 and $150 for walk-in registrations the day of the conference. For participant registration, and to view the program, go to www.NebraskaWindandSolarConference.com .
For hotel reservations, contact Embassy Suites Omaha-La Vista/Hotel & Conference Center, 12520 Westport Pkwy, La Vista, NE 68128, 402-331-7400. To view last year's presentations, visit Nebraska's 2013 Wind Conference Agenda..