"Make it Monday" forum - Railbelt Utilities Working Together

Through power pooling, economic dispatch, and other joint projects, three of Alaska's Railbelt utilities are creating efficiencies, reducing costs for ratepayers, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
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Lee Thibert became CEO of Chugach Electric Association, Inc., in July 2016. Thibert has worked at Chugach since 1987, holding a variety of senior management positions over two decades. Born in Minnesota, Thibert holds a Bachelor of Arts in organizational management from Alaska Pacific University. He and his wife, Janet have two grown daughters and nine grandchildren. Thibert is a member of the Anchorage Downtown Rotary, and a past board member for Junior Achievement.

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Mark A. Johnston has served at Municipal Light & Power since 2013 and was appointed General Manager in 2015. He has over 24 years of experience in senior finance and executive management positions at various agencies and companies, including Alaska USA Federal Credit Union, Alaska USA Insurance, the Alaska Public Utilities Commission, the Alaska Railroad Corporation and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. This unique background has provided Mark with a solid understanding of complex financial operations and regulatory matters in a large public sector utility company. Mark also worked as an independent consultant for 15 years, a role in which he performed financial analysis of rate filings and company valuations, and served as an expert witness in regulated utility matters before the Regulatory Commission of Alaska or legal proceedings.  
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Tony Izzo is the new General Manager of Matanuska Electric Association (MEA) and brings over 35 years experience in the natural gas and electric utility industry to serve their 51,000 members. Tony came to Alaska in 1999 as Vice President of Engineering & Operations for ENSTAR Natural Gas where he moved up to President in 2001.  After leaving ENSTAR in 2006, he worked as an energy consultant in Alaska. He joined MEA as the Manager of Fuel Supply in 2012 and was then selected unanimously by the board to become General Manager in January 2016.  Tony is a past chair of the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, Anchorage Mayor’s Energy Task Force, and served as Honorary Commander of the USAF 3rd Wing at Elmendorf AFB from 2002-2008. 

Tony enjoys hiking and shooting skeet with the Arctic Warriors Skeet League.  He is a self-described car nut, spending time in the garage on weekends.  He and his wife, Susanne, have two daughters who they hope to lure back to Alaska once their studies are complete.
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