Keynote Speakers

Morning Keynote

Mr. Downey joined the Company in 2000 after 28 years of electric utility experience, including 20 years in executive positions with Commonwealth Edison in Chicago. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Downey served as vice president of Commonwealth Edison and president of Unicom Energy Services Company, Inc., an unregulated energy marketing and services company operating throughout the Midwest. In October 2003, he was named to his current position and also was elected as a Director of Great Plains Energy.

He holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Boston University, a Master of Science degree from Columbia University and a Master’s of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago.

Mr. Downey is active in the community, serving as a board member of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. He is also a board member of the Kansas City Industrial Foundation and the National Association of Manufacturers, where he serves on the Executive Committee. He is a board member of Starlight Theater and vice chairman and a board member of Swope Community Enterprises. He is a board member and past chair of the Missouri Energy Development Association (MEDA). He serves as a director of Enterprise Financial Services Corporation and Grubb & Ellis Realty Advisors, Inc. He is a board member of the United Way of Greater Kansas City (UWGKC) and also the Heart of America United Way (HAUW).

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Luncheon Keynote

Kateri Callahan brings more than 20 years of experience in policy advocacy, fundraising, coalition building, and organizational management to the presidency of the Alliance to Save Energy, one of the world’s premier nonprofit organizations promoting energy efficiency. Prior to becoming president of the Alliance in January 2004, Callahan was head of the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA), a Washington-based international nonprofit coalition of industry, government, academia, and nonprofit organizations, for 11 years.

Since assuming the Alliance presidency, Callahan has spearheaded development of an ambitious five-year strategic plan, Vision 2010, which addresses increased energy efficiency in the transportation, buildings, industrial, and power supply sectors. The plan promotes energy-efficiency policies that could reduce the predicted increase in U.S. energy demand by about 10 percent by 2010 and about 15 percent by 2025. Callahan also reorganized the Alliance’s staff to reflect and implement the strategic plan.

Callahan oversees the Alliance’s key mission of promoting energy efficiency worldwide to achieve a healthier economy, a cleaner environment, and greater energy security. She leads a staff of more than 50 and oversees an annual budget of $10 million that supports energy-efficiency projects, research, educational programs, policy advocacy, and communications and marketing; promotes technology development and deployment; and builds public-private partnerships.

Callahan has become a sought-after spokesperson for the Alliance and energy efficiency with major media, including The New York Times, Associated Press, Reuters, CNN News Source, CNN Radio, National Public Radio, AP Radio, and ABC Radio and has addressed major organizations including the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National Association of Realtors, the United States Energy Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the National Association of State Energy Officials, the National Insulation Association, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and the Mexico-based Asociación de Empresas para el Ahorro de la Energía en la Edificación (Association of Businesses to Save Energy in Buildings).

Callahan serves as a member of The Keystone Center Energy Board, as well as on the board of directors for the Collaborative Labeling and Appliance Standards Program (CLASP) and the Business Council for a Sustainable Economy.

Callahan has focused her career around policy issues with an emphasis on energy, environment, and natural resources. Prior to her tenure with EDTA, Callahan served four years on the staff of a U.S. senator; two years as director of federal and government relations for a nonprofit group advocating reform of U.S. immigration laws; and six years at the law firm of Van Ness Feldman, where she filled various management and advocacy roles for a number of the firm’s important coalition clients.