Synergy Smarter
Brien J. Sheahan was appointed Chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission by Gov. Bruce Rauner and will serve a five-year term. Sheahan chairs the Presidential Task Force on Innovation for the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC). Sheahan at the ICC established a first of its kind Office of Cybersecurity and Risk Management and Office of Diversity and Community Affairs.
Philip Mezey is former president and CEO of Itron. Mezey also served as COO for Itron’s global energy segment. Prior, Mezey worked at Silicon Energy as vice president, software development, and was a founding member of Indus, a provider of integrated asset and customer management software.
Henry Ford's famous quote, "coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success," is frequently cited to highlight the importance of teamwork and collaboration.
Interestingly, before becoming one of the most famous industrialists of the twentieth Century, Ford worked for Detroit Edison Company and Westinghouse Engine Company and was almost certainly introduced to, and influenced by, the electric industry's efforts to leverage economies of scale to reduce costs, improve quality, and increase demand for quality-of-life-improving modern inventions.
A century later, Ford's insight still resonates. Nations and communities around the globe are coming together to address climate change and the challenges of urbanization through smart cities initiatives.
The deployment of sensors, analytics, and other smart Internet of Things technologies can enhance public services, including utility services, public safety, and a range of new customer-focused services, to vastly improve our impact on the planet and the livability of our cities.
Staying together is progress, is a phrase that speaks to recognizing the value that each member of a team contributes to achieving the goal. Utilities have traditionally built their delivery systems, including communications infrastructure, to be independent and siloed even within business organizations.