David O'Brien Email & Phone Number

Rutland, Vt, Us

Greater New York City Area

Guidehouse is a purpose built global consultancy of 18,000 professionals focused on solving complex challenges for our government and commercial clients. Over the course of my time at Guidehouse I have managed major utility accounts, led projects that developed long term public facing strategic plans, led third party stakeholder engagement, while providing regulatory subject matter expertise to consulting teams across North America. Over the past decade I have led the development of multiple long range capital plans, driving the storytelling and tactical positioning that has paved the way for new investment in grid technology and driving the vital stakeholder engagement.Select accomplishments include:Led the development of multiple Long-Range Plans on behalf of New York investor-owned utilities (IOUs). The plans provide an in-depth view of vision, strategy and initiatives that advance state policy and customer priorities. The plans set the stage for triennial rate filings.Lead Guidehouse’s stakeholder engagement support to a federal power authority’s major grid transformation initiative working across the authority’s business units and 153 independent local distribution companies.Led Guidehouse team in the development of a New York IOU’s 2018 Utility 2.0 Filing and established their ongoing regulatory reporting to the Power Authority and the New York Department of Public Service

Marlborough, Ma

Led the regulatory go-to-market strategy for a start-up consultancy to investor-owned utilities at the intersection of digitization of the electric system and the transformation of the utility business model. Served as an organizing stakeholder in Massachusetts and New York state investigations into the direction of grid modernization and changed utility roles. Provided ongoing insight, collaborating across stakeholder segments including the development of alternative ratemaking framework for Massachusetts IOUs.Supported the New York Joint Utilities at the outset of the Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) proceedings to help articulate their role in the REV structure by developing the functional and technology profile of the Distributed System Platform (DSP).Developed regulatory strategy and tactical review of witness testimony of a major midwestern IOU’s docket filings in response to Illinois’ Energy Infrastructure and Modernization Act (EIMA), which secured approval of a ten-year, $2 billion grid modernization investment program.

Responsible for the oversight of the electric, telecommunications, gas and water industries. All rate matters, major capital projects, mergers & acquisitions that were jurisdictional to the Public Utility Commission were under my purview. Directly led numerous negotiated settlements with major electric, gas and telecommunications providers regarding major infrastructure investments and transfers of interest. In each case representing the public interest and the advancement of core goals around energy affordability, job creation and advanced telecommunications.Select accomplishments include:Led the creation of the Vermont Telecommunications Authority that was allocated $40 million in bonding capacity and oversaw a complete revision to tower siting regulations to attract advanced telecommunications investment.Formed a coalition of public and private utilities, state agencies and the Vermont congressional delegation to implement a $138 million Smart Grid investment program that would reach all electric customers. Key to the effort was securing a $66 million federal stimulus (ARRA) award that paved the way for the private utility commitment. Focused regulatory settlements to secure new broadband investment. Adelphia Communications committed to expand cable plants and Verizon committed to expand DSL from 56% to 80% of the state.Developed a long-term power supply strategy that resulted in new new long-term power supply contract between the Vermont utilities and Hydro Quebec.

Responsible for economic development of a rural Vermont county, leading a staff of four in $2.5 million economic development corporation. Reported to Board of Directors of area business and government leaders. Managed a $1 million small business revolving loan fund to underwrite emerging and growing companies in the region, in collaboration with area banks.Focused on ensuring capacity for expanding companies and new employers by maintaining a sites database and served as Administrator for the organization’s 144-acre Airport Industrial Park.Established a strategic partnership between General Electric’s turbine plant and Ellison Surface Technologies, a provider of coating for turbine blades, to improve the plant’s competitive position.Obtained additional GE investments in Rutland production facilities.Formed partnership of regional development corporations to advocate for financial incentives for job creation in the Vermont General Assembly, leading to the formation of the Vermont Economic Progress Council (VEPC).Formed a county-wide coalition to ease restrictions on fifty-three foot trailers, brokering a legislative compromise to respond to competitiveness concerns of local manufacturers.

Supervised staff of 5 in commercial lending institution with $100 million commercial loan portfolio. Reported to Senior Vice President of Lending.Responsible for credit review of all commercial credit transactions and subsequent loan documentation. Member of commercial loan and residential mortgage loan committees. Accomplishments:Restructured Commercial Credit department including establishing credit policy and loan documentation procedures.Evaluated automated loan documentation solutions and successfully presented a proposal for the acquisition and implementation of the LaserPro system to the Board of Directors. Oversaw the installation and operation of LaserPro. Green Mountain Bank was the first to utilize this system which soon became the standard in the marketplace.Helped plan and carry out a one day auction of all the bank's foreclosed properties. The process entailed an accelerated loan application, qualification and documentation process that was performed from the point of a successful bidder to their exit from the auction site with a complete set of closed loan documents.

Master Of Science, Finance

Bachelor Of Science, Accounting