Fletcher named Chairman of UTC Smart Networks Council

The Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) announced that Burbank Water and PowerÂ’s Assistant General Manager, Fredric Fletcher, has been elected Chairman of the Smart Networks Council (SNC) Board of Directors, an independent operating unit of UTC charged with helping utilities develop, understand and adopt next-generation intelligent utility technologies.

Doug McGinnis, Principal Network Architect at Exelon Corporation, and Jeff Nichols, Director of Network & Communications Services at Sempra Energy Utilities, were elected Vice Chairmen of the SNC Board.

The SNC Board of Directors held its second meeting in San Diego on February 2. In addition to the election of Fletcher, McGinnis and Nichols, the SNC Board also authorized the creation of three new groups.

The first, the Smart Utility Network of Networks (SUN2) Work Group, will develop a forward-looking common vision for a “smart network of networks” among utilities. SNC Board Chairman Fred Fletcher will also chair the SUN2 Work Group.

The second group created at the SNC Board Meeting is the SNC Security Committee, which will identify and monitor ongoing security issues involving smart networks. The group will be chaired by Toronto HydroÂ’s Manager of Information Technology Security, Kshamit Dixit.

Finally, the SNC Board established the SNC Education and Research Committee to help council members track and understand the rapidly evolving business, technical and policy issues surrounding smart networks. Craig Maternoski, Manager of Applied Technologies at Integrys Energy Group, will chair this committee.

“As President Obama has stated many times, smart networks are vital to our national wellbeing, providing a platform for not only improved energy efficiency but also economic revival,” noted UTC President and CEO, William R. Moroney, in making these announcements.

“We’re pleased to have such outstanding volunteer leadership for our Smart Networks Council and these important projects,” Moroney added. “Under their capable guidance, utilities will undoubtedly gain keener insight into the vital new world of smart networks.”

Composed of telecom utility executives from both large and small utilities, as well as representatives of leading technology suppliers, SNC supports utilitiesÂ’ technology innovation through education, training, coordination and government policy representation.