The Honourable Ralph Goodale
Minister of Natural Resources, Canada

Ralph Goodale became Minister of Natural Resources, Canada in June 1997. In addition, he chairs the Federal Cabinet Committee for the Economic Union (formerly the Cabinet Committee on Economic Development Policy), a position to which he was appointed in January 1996. He was first elected to the Parliament of Canada in 1974 at the age of 24, representing the federal constituency of Assiniboia. In the 1980s, he served as leader of the Saskatchewan Liberal Party and in 1986 was elected a member of the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly. Mr. Goodale returned to the House of Commons as MP for Regina-Wascana (now Wascana) in October 1993 and was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. He was re-elected in June 1997.

Ms. Loyola de Palacio del Valle-Lersundi
Vice-president, European Commission,
Commissioner, Energy and Transportation

Loyola de Palacio detains a Law degree from Universidad Complutense de Madrid. She started her political career as Technical Secretary General of the Federation of Press Associations (1979-1982) and First General President of Nuevas Generaciones (1977-1978). Ms. Palacio then became Senator (1986-1989) while acting as Vice-president of the Popular Group. Elected in 1989 she became Member of the Spanish Chamber of Deputies (1989-1999) and was Vice-President of the parliamentary PP. Ms. Palacio was later nominated Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1996-1999).

The Honourable James Hoecker
Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, USA

James Hoecker was named by President Clinton to lead the Commission June 19, 1997. Chairman Hoecker has served as a Member of FERC since May 1993 and in August 1995 was reconfirmed to a five-year term, which expires on June 30, 2000. Before becoming a Commissioner, Mr. Hoecker, a Democrat, served as counsel to Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue from 1990 to 1993 and a partner in Keck, Mahin & Cate from 1988 to 1990. His work focused on gas production, transmission and distribution issues as well as on electric utility matters.

Dr. Hector Oléa
Chairman, Comisión Reguladora de Energia, Mexico

Member of the Presidential Advisors' Office, the Ministry of Finance (SHCP) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (SECOFI), Hector Oléa played an important role as negotiator in the GATT Uruguay Round, Mexico's adhesion to the OECD, and the free trade agreements with the U.S. and Canada, and several Latin American countries. During 1995, his first year as CRE Chairman, Dr. Oléa played a prominent role in the design of the natural gas industry regulatory framework. He has been in charge of designing proposals for the structural reform of the electricity industry.

Professor S. L. Rao
Chairman, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, India

Professor S.L. Rao is the Chairman of the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission since August 1998. He has been practicing professional manager, a management teacher and writer, business economist and researcher. He was the first executive Chairman of the National Management Programme, and then Director-General of the National Council of Applied Economic Research from 1990-96. He has been President of Madras and All Indian Management Associations, Vice-President, People's Union for Civil Liberties, Tamil Nadu, and President, Society for International Development, Tamil Nadu.

Mr. Kenneth W. Vollman
Chairman and CEO, National Energy Board, Canada

Kenneth W. Vollman was appointed Chairman of the National Energy Board in July 1998; he was Acting Chairman from December 1997 to July 1998. He was appointed Vice-
Chairman in 1995, Board Member in 1993 and temporary Member in 1988. He is also Administrator to the Northern Pipeline Agency. Mr. Vollman has spent his entire career in the energy field. He moved from the private sector to the NEB in 1973 and worked in a variety of positions including Director of Energy Resources Branch, Director General of Energy Regulation and Director General of Pipeline Regulation.

Mr. Gerry D. Forrest
Chairman and CEO of the Manitoba Public Utilities Board, Former President of the Canadian Association of Members of Public Utilities Tribunals, Canada

Gerry Forrest was appointed as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Manitoba Public Utilities Board in 1991. In 1997, he was elected President of the Canadian Association of Members of Public Utilities Tribunals and was re-elected in 1998. He has served on a number of national and international committees on energy regulation on behalf of CAMPUT as well as the government of Manitoba. Mr. Forrest has served as Deputy Minister since 1978 in the Ministries of Municipal Affairs, Urban Affairs and Rural Development. In addition, during the period 1978-1991, Mr. Forrest was Chairman of the Interdepartmental Planning Board.

The Honourable Bill Richardson
Secretary of Energy, USA

Bill Richardson was sworn in as the ninth United States Secretary of Energy on August 18, 1998. Prior to joining the Department, he served as the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations from February 1997 to September 1998. Prior to serving as the UN Ambassador, he was elected eight times to represent New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District. In addition to his Democratic Leadership role in Congress, he was a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Mr. Richardson has served as President Clinton's special envoy on many sensitive diplomatic missions, and has been nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Mr. Scott Hempling
Consultant, USA

Scott Hempling provides legal representation and policy advice concerning the electric utility industry, with an emphasis on competition, mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, diversification and State-federal jurisdictional issues. He is a frequent witness before Congressional committees and lecturer at industry conferences. Clients include State commissions, independent power producers, municipal power systems, residential consumers and public interest organizations.

Mr. Jim Mulholland
Manager, Natural Gas Programs,
Ford Motor Land Services Corporation, USA

Jim Mulholland is presently Manager of Natural Gas Programs at the Ford Motor Land Services Corporation. He is responsible for natural gas supply for Ford facilities in Canada and the United States. Mr. Mulholland has been with Ford for over thirty years. Prior to assuming his current position, he served in a variety of management positions in Ford Finance and Purchasing functions.

Mr. Gary L. Neale
Chairman, President and CEO, NiSource,
Chairman, American Gas Association, USA

Gary L. Neale joined NiSource in August 1989 as President and Chief Operating Officer and was promoted to Chairman, President and CEO in March 1993. He was chairman, president and CEO of Planmetrics, Inc., an energy industry management consulting firm, for 17 years. Mr. Neale's industry affiliations include serving as chairman of the American Gas Association and chairman of the North American Reliability Council.

Mr. Bruce W. Radford
Editor-in-chief, Public Utilities Fortnightly, USA

Bruce Radford is Editor-in-chief of Public Utilities Fortnightly and Editor-in-chief of Public Utilities Report. He has been on the staff of Public Utilities Fortnightly since 1981 and has contributed to Public Utilities Reports' case reporter service, CD-ROM legal products and newsletters. Mr. Radford is a member of the American Bar Association's Public Utility Law Section and is editor of that section's newsletter.

Mr. Daniel W. L. Fessler
Partner, LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae LLP, USA

Daniel Fessler was the President of the California Public Utilities Commission from 1991 to 1996. From 1991 to 1995, Mr. Fessler served as a Commissioner of the California Transportation Commission. From its inception in 1993, Mr. Fessler was the assigned commissioner in charge of the restructuring of the electric services industry. After two years of public debate and comment, Mr. Fessler authored the Commission's landmark restructuring decision and orders deverticalizing the investor owned utilities, creating the Power Exchange, and the Independent System Operator to run California's transmission assets.