NJBIA will honor three longtime leaders in the energy and environment sector whose work has made a significant impact on New Jersey when the association hosts the 4th Annual Energy Policy Conference on Tuesday, Oct. 15 at the Delta Hotels by Marriott-Woodbridge in Iselin.
The 2024 honorees are former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator and New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman; former New Jersey Board of Public Utilities President and Chairman Emeritus of Salmon Ventures Edward Salmon; and former Director of the New Jersey Division of Rate Counsel Stefanie A. Brand.
“NJBIA’s Energy Policy Conference will offer a full day of insightful discussions about critical issues shaping energy policy in New Jersey, including decarbonization, climate change, wind and nuclear energy,” said NJBIA Deputy Chief Government Affairs Officer Ray Cantor.
“The evening cocktail awards reception that follows allows us an opportunity to recognize New Jersey executives whose past advocacy and leadership have steered energy policy in this state and whose sage insights can help us explore innovative solutions for the future,” Cantor said.
Christine Todd Whitman
Whitman, who was a former BPU commissioner and BPU president during the Kean administration in the 1980s, became the 50th Governor of New Jersey in 1994 and served until 2001 when former President George W. Bush appointed her U.S. EPA administrator. During Whitman’s tenure at EPA, the agency implemented landmark “brownfields” legislation to promote redevelopment of previously contaminated industrial sites.
Whitman is currently a member of the Presidential Climate Action Project, which develops policy recommendations on climate and energy security matters that can be accomplished by executive authority without action from Congress. In addition to her work on various corporate and nonprofit boards, Whitman is also president of the Whitman Strategy Group, a consulting firm specializing in government relations and environmental and energy issues.
Dr. Edward Salmon
In addition to serving as BPU president from 1991-1995 during the Florio administration, Salmon is also a former state assemblyman, Millville mayor, Ocean County freeholder and public schoolteacher. After leaving government service, he became vice president and chairman/CEO of AUS Consultants before branching out to establish Salmon Ventures Limited in 2003, a leading consulting firm specializing utilities, government relations, education, healthcare, business and trade. After two decades with the firm, Salmon retired earlier this year and now serves as chairman emeritus.
Salmon also founded and was the longtime chair of the New Jersey Energy Coalition, which he now serves as chairman emeritus. He is an immediate past president of the National Aviation Research & Technology Park, Inc.; and immediate past chair of the Steering Committee, and founder of the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University.
Stefanie A. Brand
Brand served as the director of the New Jersey Division of Rate Counsel at BPU for 14 years, representing the financial interests of residential, business and industrial customers of regulated electric, natural gas, water and sewer, telecommunications, cable TV service, and insurance companies.
Prior to joining the BPU, Brand worked for more than a decade as a deputy attorney general focusing on solid waste, environmental cases and federal litigation. She later was named assistant attorney general in 2003. After retiring from state government service in 2021, she continues to work part time as an adjunct professor at Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
For more information about the NJBIA 4th Annual Energy Policy Conference, including speakers panel discussion topics, and registration information, go here.
