E4 Carolinas Emerging Leaders (E4E)
Program is a broad-based energy industry
initiative to train young leaders and build
their energy knowledge, camaraderie and
network — and in the process, strengthen
the energy industry in the Carolinas. This
whitepaper
portrays
one
team’s
perspectivesonthe2015E4Eoffering.
TheE4E
Experience
2015
Team:TheOpposition
JamieBond|TravisBruner|CharmaineDavis
SummerNichols|DavidPlonk
Pictured:UNCCharlotte’sEnergy
JamieBond|TravisBruner|CharmaineDavis|SummerNichols|DavidPlonk|0
Production&InfrastructureCenter(EPIC)
buildinginCharlotte,NCwhichhousesE4
Carolinasmainoffices
E4CarolinasEmergingLeaders(E4E)Program
TheE4EExperience2015
The Opposition
MEETTHETEAM:THEOPPOSITION
Jamie is a first line manager who leads a team that is focused on
developing education and outreach strategies that support Duke
Energy’seffortstomodernizeitsgrid.
JamieBond
DukeEnergy
She was encouraged to participate in E4E to broaden her local energy
industry network. Jamie was particularly interested in learning more
aboutthebusinessofenergybeyondjustgridtechnology.
Travis is a Director of Fleet Operations for Pike Electric in the
Carolinas where he has responsibility for preventative
maintenance,warranty,leasing,andoutsidecostcontrols.
He took part in this year’s E4 program offering to sharpen his
leadership skills and learn more about the industry that his
companyhelpstosupport.
TravisBruner
PikeElectric
Charmaine is an HR manager at the Electric Power Research
Institute(EPRI).
Shelookedforwardthenetworkingopportunitiespromisedbythe
diversely populated E4E program. She also hoped to strengthen
hertechnicalacumenrelatedtoadvancedenergytechnologies.
CharmaineDavis
EPRI
Summer served as a senior diversity sourcing specialist at
PiedmontNaturalGaswhereshedevelopedandmanagedPNG’s
Supplier Diversity Program to promote diversity among
suppliers,includingsmallbusinessesandminority-,veteran-and
women-ownedbusinesses.
She entered the E4E program with expectations to grow her
knowledgeoftheindustry,expandherprofessionalnetworkand
furtherdevelopherleadershipskills.
SummerNichols
PiedmontNaturalGas
DavidisamanufacturingengineeratSiemensandisresponsible
for the technical support and CNC program for Siemens gas
turbineproduction.
Helookedforwardtoparticipatingintheleadershipprogramas
a way to hone his leadership skills and to help position himself
forthenextrungofhiscareer.
DavidPlonk
Siemens
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E4CarolinasEmergingLeaders(E4E)Program
TheE4EExperience2015
The Opposition
E4EPROGRAM
TheE4CarolinasEmergingLeadersProgram(E4E)sprangfromarecognitionthattheCarolinas–touted
to be “the new energy capital” of the country – was in need of a strong, well-connected pipeline of
youngleaderswhowereknowledgeableaboutindustryprocesses,technologiesand,moreimportantly,
key opportunities. E4E has offered programing aimed at building the energy knowledge, camaraderie
andnetworkofitshighpotentialparticipants.
Overtheprogramyear,theE4Eprogramoffersaseriesofbroad-brushenergyeducationalsessionsto
expand participant knowledge of energy issues paired with personalized leadership development to
assistparticipantsinfine-tuningtheirleadershipabilities.Theprogram’sleadershipfocushighlightsthe
value of cross-functional collaboration and teamwork. Participants, Jamie Bond, Travis Bruner,
CharmaineDavis,SummerNicholsandDavidPlonk,sharetheirperspectivesfromthe2015E4Eclass.
ENERGYEDUCATION
From tours of power plants, research labs and government facilities to discussions on economic
development and advanced energy technology, E4E offered its 2015 participants a career’s worth of
energy industry exposure over the course of just several weeks of program session time. Emerging
leaders were invited to travel to several Carolinas energy hubs to tour facilities, meet local industry
influences and participate in robust discussions on relevant topics address the future of our energy
ecosystem.Belowrepresentsjustsampleofthetoursandpresentationsinwhichthe2015classofE4E
was invited to engage. The most of all of the team members participating in this whitepaper found
extraordinary educational and career value in every educational single offering provided through E4E.
Each member surveyed rated the tours and topics as very valuable, noting that they believed the
contentwilleitherhelptheminfuturerolesorhasalreadysupportedtheircurrentwork.
Tours
GENERATIONFACILITIES
• CatesCHPPlantatNCSU
• LakeMurrayDamControlCenter
• MarshallSteamStation
• SaludaHydroStation
COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIALFACILITIES
• ABBSmartGridCenterofExcellence
• DukeEnergySystemOperationCenter
• SiemensTurbineManufacturingPlant
RESEARCHFACILITIES
• ClemsonUniversity’sInnovationCenter
• ElectricPowerResearchInstitute
• NCSUFREEDMCenter
• NCSUSolarHouse
• UNCCharlotte’sEPICLabs
Presentations
INDUSTRYFUNDUMENTALS
• LoadForecastingFundamentals
• MunicipalsandCooperativePowerDistribution
• NaturalGasDistributionFundamentals
• NuclearWasteDisposal
POLICY&REGULATORY
• Oil&GasLobbying
• RoleofUtilityInvestorRelations
• StateRegulatoryandPolicyIssues
FORWARD-LOOKING
• AdvancedNuclearTechnology
• BiofuelsintheCarolinas
• EconomicDevValueofSolar
• HydraulicFracturing
• IntegratedGrid
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E4CarolinasEmergingLeaders(E4E)Program
TheE4EExperience2015
The Opposition
“Afunnythinghappens
whenyoustarttoreally
knowwhatyouaretalking
about…Yousuddenly
becomemoreinfluential.“
DavidPlonk
2015E4EParticipant
•
USC’sFuelCellResearchLab
•
SmartTransportation
Oneteammember,CharmaineDavis,anHRmanagerattheElectricPowerResearchInstitutehasfound
alloftheorganiclearningthatcomeswithtouringindustrialfacilitiesagreatvalueadd.“Theworthin
simplyseeingequipmentwithmyowneyesandhearingsomeofthediscussionsandquestionswithmy
ownearsbringsadegreeoflearningthatIwouldhavenevergottenfromaclassroomorofficesetting.”
David Plonk, a manufacturing engineer at Siemens, reflected, “it’s amazing how acutely aware you
become of how much about your industry you didn’t know until you are exposed to it.” He teasingly
continues, “a funny thing happens when you start to really know what you are talking about at the
watercooler.Yousuddenlybecomemoreinfluential.”
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E4CarolinasEmergingLeaders(E4E)Program
TheE4EExperience2015
The Opposition
LEADERSHIPDEVELOPMENT
Partnering with the E4 Carolinas to provide E4E participants with
customizedleadershipandteambuildingprogramsisLeadAdvantage,a
Carolinas-basedleadershipdevelopmentconsultinggroupthathasover
a decade of domestic and international leadership strengthening
experience. LeadAdvantage kicked of their relationship with the E4E
participants by shepherding them through a Leadership Pattern
Assessmenttoeducatethegrouponthesevencoreleadershipprofiles
andtohelptheemergingleadersdeterminewhichleadershipprofilethe
display. Participants are then coached via a number of table top
exercises through the program year on topics ranging from effective
communication and negotiation to the avoiding common pitfalls of top
rankingleaders.
Travis Bruner, a 2015 E4E participant, found the Leadership Pattern
Assessmenttobeparticularlyworthwhile.
“The leadership portion of E4 has had quite an impact on me,” admits
Bruner,afleetmanageratPikeElectric.“Mostofushavebeenthrough
similar classes in our careers but the LeadAdvantge sessions seem to
focusmoreonleadershipstyles,helpingusidentifyourindividualstyles,
andteachingushowtoadaptthestyleofotherstomakeourselvesmore
effectiveleaders.“
“Theleadershipportion
ofE4hashadquitean
impactonme.Mostof
ushavebeenthrough
similarclassesinour
careersbutthe
LeadAdvantgesessions
seemtofocusmoreon
leadershipstyles,
helpingusidentifyour
individualstyles,and
teachingushowto
adaptthestyleof
otherstomake
ourselvesmore
effectiveleaders.“
TravisBruner
2015E4EParticipant
Overwhelmingly,theteamfoundtheleadershipdevelopmentaspectsof
theprogramtobeinvaluable.Teammembersparticipatingintheleadershipprogramcitedthevalueof
workingthroughcasestudiesinvolvingleaderslikeHerbKelleher,SouthwestAirlines’belovedCEOfor
nearly three decades, to help them understand the working environments created around various
leadershipphilosophies.
Kelleher’sstoryleftSummerNicholswiththedesiretomakeaconsciousefforttoincorporateherthree
keytakeawaysfromthiscasestudyassheprogressesdownherpathofleadership:workhardandplay
hard;holdyourteamaccountable;andaboveall,maintainapositiveattitude.
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E4CarolinasEmergingLeaders(E4E)Program
TheE4EExperience2015
The Opposition
“Thenegotiationexercise
demonstratedformehow
quicklymisconceptionsand
misunderstoodintentions
cansetatonethatleads
allplayersdownapathof
unnecessaryloss.”
JamieBond
2015E4EParticipant
Anothermemberoftheteamhighlightedherkeytakeaways
from an exercise meant to illustrate what a win-win in an
actual business negotiation could look and feel like. Jamie
Bond, a strategy manager at Duke Energy offers, “it
demonstrated for me how quickly misconceptions and
misunderstood intentions can set a tone that leads all
playersdownapathofunnecessaryloss.”
Many of the exercises facilitated by LeadAdvantage were
specifically called out by participants: the Hollow Square
exercise,theSumofthePartsexerciseand,asBondnoted,
the Win-Win Negotiation exercise. Unanimously, the team
heldthattheleadershipskillsdevelopedaspartoftheirE4E
experience have already made them into more competent
leaderswithintheirrespectivecompanies.
VALUABLENETWORKING
ThefinallegoftheE4Evaluestoolistherichcross-industrynetworkingopportunitiesaffordedbythe
program. Each of the multiday E4E sessions included a Power Breakfast that brought together local
energy leaders, media, universities representatives and E4E participants to hear and discuss topics
relevanttotheindustry.ThePowerBreakfastsofferedemergingleadersuniqueopportunitiestomeet
local influencers (proponents and opponents), as well as the chance to be part of the conversation.
Discussiontopicsrangefromapproachestobetterengageregionaluniversitieswithindustrypartnersto
theeconomicdevelopmentimpactsoftherooftopsolarevolutioninNorthCarolina.
CBJENERGYINC
In May 2015, the E4E group was invited to participate in Charlotte
Business Journal’s Energy Inc. Summit and Leadership Awards, an
event meant to provide attendees with exclusive
opportunities to connect with executives in the
energyindustryandgetinsideinformationon
thefutureoftheCarolinasasanenergyhub.
The Uptown Charlotte event brought
togethermorethan400energyprofessionals
Pictured:KeynotespeakerJim
for awards, panel discussions and a
RodgersatEnergyIncSummit
provocative keynote from Jim Rogers,
2015;courtesyofNancy
Pierce(CBJ)
former CEO of Duke Energy. The Energy Inc
Summit offered additional insights on the
proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline and a future outlook on the hydraulic fracturing business impacts on
theCarolinas.
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E4CarolinasEmergingLeaders(E4E)Program
TheE4EExperience2015
The Opposition
E4CAROLINAMEMBERPARTICIPANTS
ByfarthegreatestnetworkingopportunitiescamewitheveryinteractivesessionoftheE4Eprogram.By
design,E4EclassmemberscomefrommembercompanieswhoeachdobusinessintheCarolinasand
beyond.WhiletheobvioussponsorcompanieslikeDukeEnergyandSiemenswerewellrepresented,
less recognizable companies, such as start-up H2O Eco-Innovations, and newcomer Alevo, sponsored
participants as well. For these smaller or newer companies, E4E gave their presentative a chance to
buildrelationshipswithfutureleadersofmoreestablishedcompanies.
Forthoserepresentativesfromthelargersponsors,theexposuretotheE4Eclassmatesfromstart-ups
andothercompaniesprovidedtheE4Egroupwithgreatinsightintoandstrongconnectionpointswithin
adiversitymixoftheCarolinasenergyecosystem.
The E4E program provided an excellent forum for bringing together environmental advocates and big
utility employees, allowing each to better understand the viewpoints and perspectives of the other
without suspicion of hidden agendas. Lawyers and regulators, strategists and executors, all laid down
theirday-jobhatstoparticipateinaninvitingenvironmentoflearningandcollaboration.Manyprogram
participants, found themselves quickly transitioning from colleagues, to classmates, to friends. In a
rapidly changing industry where disruption is always just around the corner, being part of a strong
networkofconnectedindustryprofessionalscanmakeacareer-changingdifference.
SUMMARY
Overall, not a single member of the team disagreed with the notion that the E4E program provided
more than expected value. Furthermore, each members of the team expressed, in some form or
another, that the E4E program significantly expedited their leadership development. The tours and
topics presented as part of the E4E programing exposed participants to locations and comprehensive
subjectmattersthatfew,ifany,ofthememberswouldhaveotherwiseexperienced.
ForfutureE4Eparticipants,thememberofthisteamhavesomepartingwordsofadvice:
“Continuallyhighlightvalue
thatyouaregainingfrom
E4Etoyourleadershipteam;
You,inturn,becomemore
valuable.”
CharmaineD.
“It’soktolearnAND
havefun!”
SummerN.
“DuringtheE4E
sessions,youwill
beexposedtokey
influencers.Take
advantageofthe
opportunityto
makeconnections
andgrowyour
network.”
TravisB.
“EvaluateeverythingE4Eexposesyoutothrough
thelensofhowitmightimpactsyourroleatyour
company.Thiswillprovideyouwithvaluable
perspectivefordecisionmaking.”
JamieB.
“Inadditiontolearningabouttheindustry,be
suretocontributeyourknowledgetothe
discussions.Itencouragesotherstodosoas
well.”
DavidP.
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E4CarolinasEmergingLeaders(E4E)Program
TheE4EExperience2015
The Opposition
APPENDIX
THEE4EEXPERIENCEGALLERY
Pictured:SaludaHydroStation
(Columbia,SC)
Pictured:UNCCEnergyProductionandInfrastructure
Center(left),learninglabatEPIC(above),EPICHigh
Bayinsulatortesting(below)(Charlotte,NC)
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E4CarolinasEmergingLeaders(E4E)Program
TheE4EExperience2015
The Opposition
Pictured:NCStateUniversitySolarHouse(above,
right),ABBSmartGridCenterofExcellence
(below)(Raleigh,NC)
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E4CarolinasEmergingLeaders(E4E)Program
TheE4EExperience2015
The Opposition
Pictured:CBJEnergyINCSummitPanelonthe
futureofenergy(below),DukeEnergy’sSystem
OperationsCenter(center),MarshallSteam
Stationplanttour(right)(Charlotte,NC)
Pictured:Bestpartof
theE4Eexperience
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