Q. Shane Lies
Executive Vice President, Projects and Services, American Electric Power

Shane Lies is executive vice president of Projects and Services for American Electric Power and leads generation shared services, environmental services, project solutions, distribution planning and performance and strategic supplier management.

Most recently, Lies was executive vice president and chief nuclear officer and was responsible for oversight of AEP’s Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman, Michigan.

Lies began his career at Cook in June of 1996 as a System Engineer. In 2000, he joined the Operations Department and obtained his Senior Reactor Operator's license. After serving in the control room as a Unit Supervisor, he has held the positions of System Engineering Manager, Operations Manager, Assistant Plant Manager, Engineering Director, Plant Manager, Engineering Vice President and Site Vice President.

Lies received his bachelor's degree in nuclear engineering and master's degree in mechanical engineering from Kansas State University.

Heather L. Cushman
Controller, BHE U.S. Transmission

Heather Cushman is the controller of BHE U.S. Transmission. Cushman is responsible for accounting, financial analysis related to acquisitions and competitive project bids, reporting and controls, forecasting and budgeting oversight and joint-venture coordination. She oversees regulatory accounting activities and has provided testimony on filings covering electric transmission before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Prior to joining Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Cushman served in finance, accounting and treasury roles at public and private international companies in industries including software, food distribution and teleservice operations.

Cushman has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting and financial leadership. She has a bachelor's of business administration degree in accounting from Iowa State University and a master's of business administration from the University of Iowa.

Cushman was the vice president of finance during Grid Assurance's start-up phase and now serves on the board.

Her and her husband, Bill, have two daughters and reside in Urbandale, Iowa.

R. Patrick Reiten
Senior Vice President, Government Relations, Berkshire Hathaway Energy

Patrick Reiten is senior vice president of government relations at Berkshire Hathaway Energy. Reiten is responsible for leading the national policy and legislative work of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, a $91 billion portfolio of locally managed businesses that share a vision for a secure and sustainable energy future.

Reiten has extensive experience in executive leadership in the energy business. Prior to his current role, he was president and chief executive officer of PacifiCorp Transmission at PacifiCorp, a position he has held since March 2015, managing the West's largest single owned-and-operated transmission system. Prior to that role, Reiten was President and CEO of Pacific Power, an electric energy company serving about 750,000 customers in California, Oregon and Washington. He was appointed to that role in September 2006.

Before joining PacifiCorp, Reiten was president and chief executive officer of PNGC Power, an energy cooperative located in Portland, Oregon. He was appointed to that position in May 2002 and was responsible for the overall operations of two corporate entities (PNGC Power and Power Resources Cooperative).

Prior to PNGC Power, Reiten served as an aide to U.S. Sen. Mark O. Hatfield, responsible for many issues, particularly those associated with the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. He also served as an official in several different capacities at the U.S. Department of Interior, including deputy director of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

Reiten has served in many director or board leadership roles in community and industry groups. He is the immediate past chair of Associated Oregon Industries and is co-chair of The Freshwater Trust; he also serves on the board of directors of the American Council on Renewable Energy, Legacy Health System and Electric Transmission Texas LLC.

He earned a bachelor's degree in political science with an emphasis in economics from the University of Washington and completed executive training at the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania.

Robert W. Bradish
Interim Transmission President, American Electric Power

Bob Bradish is senior vice president, Regulated Infrastructure Investment Planning for American Electric Power. He is responsible for identifying and implementing advanced infrastructure solutions for AEP’s regulated Generation, Transmission and Distribution businesses.

Previously he was vice president, Transmission Planning and Engineering, where was responsible for managing activities related to the planning and engineering of the transmission grid, the development of engineering standards, advanced technical/analytical studies addressing system dynamic analysis, and asset management functions. He is also responsible for managing AEP’s Transmission technology research and development Program.

Prior to returning to AEP Transmission, Bradish led the Market Operations group within AEP’s Commercial Operations organization. He was responsible for the development and execution of AEP’s day-to-day commercial strategy within the RTO wholesale markets.

Bob holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in electrical engineering from Clarkson University in New York. He also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from The Ohio State University and is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Ohio. He has completed the Tuck School of Business Leadership and Strategic Impact Program at Dartmouth College.