Wyoming Infrastructure Authority

Mike Easley, is a native of Stillwater, Oklahoma, and a graduate of Oklahoma State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. Before coming to Powder River Energy he was employed by Wolverine Power Supply Generation and Transmission Cooperative in Cadillac, Michigan as Vice President of System Operations.

Prior to that, he worked at Copper Valley Electric Association in Valdez, Alaska for 10 years where he was the Chief Operating Officer.

Mike’s first job at an electric cooperative was as an electrical engineer with Western Farmers Electric Cooperative in Oklahoma. He started off as a Transmission Design Engineer and eventually moved into a supervisory position responsible for Western’s Transmission and Substation construction.

As CEO of Powder River Energy, Mike is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the electric cooperative. He answers directly to the board of directors, which is made up of 10 Powder River Energy members.

Appointed 03/01/2008
Expires 03/01/2012

Kyle D. White, age 51, has been Vice President – Resource Planning and Regulatory Affairs for Black Hills Corporation since February 2011. Mr. White has 29 years of experience with the Company beginning his employment with the corporation in 1982 at Black Hills Power. During his career, he has had various regulatory, governmental affairs, public affairs and marketing responsibilities within the corporation and its subsidiaries. His previous executive positions include Vice President Regulatory and Governmental Affairs (July 2008) of Corporate Affairs (January 2001), Vice President – Marketing and Regulatory Affairs (July 1998) and Vice President of Energy Services (January 1998). Through these responsibilities he has had the opportunity to support the Corporation’s efforts to build coal-fired and natural gas-fired power plants as well as transmission infrastructure, including 230 kV transmission lines and an AC/DC/AC tie converter station. In addition, he provided leadership for achieving regulatory approvals of the Corporation’s utility acquisitions.

Mr. White has been active in both business and civic organizations. He currently serves on the Board of Directors at Rapid City Regional Hospital. He is a past chairman of the Western Business Roundtable, a business advocacy organization which focuses on environmental and energy issues in the West. In 2011 Mr. White was re-appointed by Governor Mead to the Wyoming Infrastructure Authority, a state instrumentality focused on developing electric transmission in Wyoming. He has served on the Wyoming Infrastructure Autority Board since 2004. In 2005, Governor Rounds appointed him to the South Dakota Energy Infrastructure Authority.

Mr. White holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Business Administration from the University of South Dakota.

Appointed 07/01/2007
Expired 03/01/2011

Appointed in May of 2003 by Governor Dave Freudenthal, Bryce Freeman currently serves as Administrator of the Wyoming Office of Consumer Advocate. The OCA provides independent representation of utility customers in contested cases before the Wyoming Public Service Commission. Prior to being appointed to his current position, Bryce was on the staff of the Wyoming Public Service Commission for approximately nine years. Prior to his time at the Public Service Commission Bryce served as a Principal Appraiser in the utility valuation section of the Wyoming Department of Revenue and served as Assistant Deputy Treasurer in Laramie County. Bryce has also been, and continues to be, heavily involved in regulatory and energy policy development on behalf of Wyoming including serving as Secretary of the Wyoming Infrastructure Authority, Secretary of the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates, as well as active participation in the Committee on Regional Electric Power Cooperation and the Northern Tier Transmission Group.

Appointed 07/01/2006
Expired 03/01/2013

Recently retired from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc., where he served as Executive Vice President and General Manager, Shafer has 42 years experience in the Electric Utility Industry. He has worked in the Private, Federal and Rural Electric Cooperative Sectors of the industry. Included in his experience is 30 years of management of the construction, operation, maintenance, rate setting and marketing of electric power generation and transmission facilities and products. He also served as the Administrator of Western Area Power Administration in Golden, Colorado and Southwestern Power Administration in Tulsa, Oklahoma and was the Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Western Farmers Electric Cooperative in Anadarko, Oklahoma. He has served on the Board of Directors of regional and national electric utility industry organizations such as the North American Electric Reliability Council, Western Electric Coordinating Council, Electric Power Research Institute, and Southwest Power Pool. He has an in-depth understanding of the electric utility industry and the challenges it faces.

Shafer is a native of Thermopolis, Wyoming and a graduate of the University of Wyoming with a degree in Electrical Engineering. He is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Wyoming.

Appointed 03/01/20009
Expired 03/01/2013

As executive vice president – transportation systems & services, Dave Sparks is responsible for TransCore’s revenue management systems and intelligent transportation systems (ITS) business units. These areas include TransCore’s toll, airport and traffic management system integration, operations and maintenance related activities. He has been an officer with the company since 1991, with sales and profit and loss responsibilities for domestic and foreign operating units. Dave’s experience with TransCore includes corporate development focusing on solutions and applications of the company’s core technologies, customer service center operations, acquisitions, and acting as the company’s interim chief financial officer.
Dave is a member of the Board of Directors of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America), the leading advocate for solutions and technologies that improve the safety, security and efficiency of the nation’s surface transportation system.
Prior to joining TransCore, Dave spent eight years in the financing and operation of private capital financed businesses. Dave is a summa cum laude graduate of Texas A&M University, where he received his Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Business Administration degrees.
He was appointed to the Authority by Governor Mead in 2011.

Appointed 03/01/2011
Expired 03/01/2015