Keynote Presentations

The Honorable Byron Dorgan (D-ND), U.S. Senator, Washington, DC
Senator Byron Dorgan was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1992. In 1998, then-Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle named Dorgan the Chairman of the Democratic Policy Committee, the first North Dakotan to ever hold this position or to serve in the democratic leadership. Throughout his career in both the House (six terms) and Senate, Senator Dorgan has fought for the interests of rural America. He has worked to create jobs and economic opportunity in North Dakota, to establish strong farm policies for family farmers, and to demand fairer trade policies. He has fought to ensure that rural areas have access to cutting-edge technology. Dorgan has been a leader in the fight for sensible spending reductions and responsible government by cutting government waste and fighting for a balanced budget amendment while protecting our most important priorities.

Marilyn Brown, Director, EERE Program, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), U.S.
Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, TN
Dr. Marilyn Brown is the Director of ORNL's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Program and a Commissioner on the National Commission on Energy Policy. Previously, she served as Deputy Director of ORNL's $110 million program to accelerate the development and deployment of sustainable energy technologies. In addition to her management responsibilities, she conducts research on issues surrounding the commercialization of new energy and environmental technologies and the potential for U.S. carbon emission reductions.

Luncheon Presentations
The Honorable John Hoeven, North Dakota Governor, Bismarck, ND Governor John Hoeven was first elected to office in 2000. He has focused on excellence in education, including increased investments in education and funding for training, technology, and a partnership with the North Dakota University System to create Centers of Excellence; economic development; agriculture; energy; technology; and quality of life in North Dakota.

Patrick Henry Wood, III, is Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
On April 30, 2001, he was nominated to the Commission by President George W. Bush and confirmed
by the Senate. His term expires June 30, 2005. In February 1995, Wood was appointed to the
three-member Public Utility Commission of Texas by then-Governor Bush to regulate the state’s telecommunications and electric power industries. Wood served as Chairman of the Commission. He has worked as an engineer with Arco Indonesia and as an attorney with the Baker & Botts law firm in Washington, D.C. Wood also served as legal advisor to Federal Energy Regulatory Commissioner Jerry Langdon and as legal counsel to Texas Railroad Commissioner Barry Williamson. Wood strongly believes that competition can do better than regulation in delivering customer benefits and service innovations. Throughout his career, he has worked to advance a procustomer, market-oriented vision of utility regulation.