People

“It’s clear that states don’t want to subsidize other state’s policies, and they don’t want their customers being affected by another state’s policies.”

Innovators and superstars of the energy and utilities industry attended Fortnightly Top Innovators 2023 at the historic Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C. to learn, trade ideas, and network.

“We would have challenging CEO meetings, to iron out differences. Tom provided a forum where CEOs could disagree on issues. Then he brokered dialogues where he was able to manifest everyone’s ideas, but at the same time, get the industry what it needed.”

“There is not enough time or space to list Tom’s achievements. Just think back to all the challenges that confronted the industry over all these years and recognize that Tom led us capably through them all.”

“Tom helped me understand the art of finding an acceptable solution for everybody even when positions would seem to indicate it was patently impossible. He was very good at that.”

“He’s a lion tamer and a task master, but not in a negative way, meaning he’s on task all the time. He knows what needs to be done, wants input from all his constituents, but nothing will stop him from getting done what needs to be done for the good of the industry.”

“Tom’s secret sauce is his ability to create relationships across such a wide array of personality types and viewpoints. That happened within industry, in Congress, several agencies, and in the states. His personality and demeanor enable him to create relationships and unity.”

“The contribution that Tom Kuhn made on the ESCC and getting us to understand that has made a huge difference for our national security, in terms of cyber and physical. That is oftentimes overlooked, and everybody thinks that EEI is just this policy shop. But we are in a much better and more secure place as an electric industry, a grid, and a country because of Tom’s leadership.”

“Tom is a consensus builder, and his approach and focus on collaboration helps to shape public policy both in Washington and across the country. Passage of the clean energy tax package in the Inflation Reduction Act is just one example of a significant and recent legislative achievement.”

“He is bipartisan in every sense of the word. Our industry needs to work with all sides of the aisle. There are not just two sides because there are all sorts of shades and he’s been masterful in navigating us through that.”