"Veterans In Energy" Initiative Holds Inaugural National Leadership Summit

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "Veterans in Energy"—a new national initiative with the goal of providing transition, retention, and professional development support to military veterans working in the energy industry—will hold its inaugural National Leadership Summit at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C. today.

The Veterans in Energy National Leadership Summit features leaders from the energy industry and the federal government speaking about the work being done around the country to support veterans transitioning from military life to successful careers in energy. Speakers include:

• Don Brandt, Chairman, President and CEO, Pinnacle West and Arizona Public Service
• Tom Fanning, Chairman, President and CEO, Southern Company
• Tom Farrell, Chairman, President and CEO, Dominion
• Tom Kuhn, President, Edison Electric Institute
• Mike Langford, National President, Utility Workers Union of America
• Mike Michaud, Assistant Secretary of Labor
• Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, Deputy Secretary of Energy
• LT Brad Snyder, USN Paralympian and Gold Medalist Swimmer

"While Veterans in Energy is a new initiative, the energy industry has a long history of employing and engaging military veterans. Their capabilities and skills match those required for technical, engineering, leadership, and support positions in the energy industry," said EEI President Tom Kuhn. "At the National Leadership Summit, veterans who work in the energy industry are coming together with leaders in the federal government, the energy industry, and organized labor to support transitions from military life to successful careers in energy."

Veterans in Energy builds on the success of Troops to Energy Jobs, an initiative launched in 2010 by EEI under the leadership of then-EEI Chairman Tom Farrell. The mission of Troops to Energy Jobs is to connect military veterans to careers in the electric, natural gas, and nuclear industries.

One of the many best practices identified by Troops to Energy Jobs is the creation of Veteran Employee Resource Groups to help companies support the needs of employees who are military veterans. Many energy companies now have Veteran Employee Resource Groups. Veterans in Energy hopes to take this a step further by connecting military veteran employees to others around the country and by providing leadership opportunities in Veterans in Energy at the state, regional and national levels.

More information on the National Leadership Summit is available at www.veteransinenergy.org.

About Veterans in Energy
Working with Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz in 2015, the energy industry identified a need to provide transition, retention, and professional development support to the growing number of military veterans working in the energy industry. Supporting organizations include the U.S. Departments of Energy, Labor, Defense, and Veterans Affairs; the Center for Energy Workforce Development and its members: the Edison Electric Institute, the Nuclear Energy Institute, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the American Public Power Association, and the American Gas Association; and labor unions, including the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Utility Workers Union of America.

About the Edison Electric Institute
EEI is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. Our members provide electricity for 220 million Americans, operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and directly and indirectly support more than 1 million jobs. EEI has more than 70 international electric companies as International Members, and 270 industry suppliers and related organizations as Associate Members.

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SOURCE Edison Electric Institute

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