Speakers
THE 42ND USAEE/IAEE NORTH AMERICAN CONFERENCE WILL FEATURE A DYNAMIC LINE-UP OF SPEAKERS FROM ACROSS INDUSTRY, GOVERNMENT, AND ACADEMIA – MORE SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENTS AND INFORMATION ARE COMING SOON!
Thomas J. Gleeson
Chairman | Public Utility Commission of Texas
Thomas Gleeson was appointed Chairman of the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) by Gov. Greg Abbott on January 19, 2024. He previously served as the Executive Director of the PUCT, a position he held since December 2020. Thomas has worked for the PUCT for over 15 years in various roles, including chief operating officer, director of finance and administration, and as a fiscal project manager. Gleeson also worked as a legislative analyst for the Texas Senate and a budget analyst for the Legislative Budget Board. Gleeson is a graduate of the Governor's Executive Development Program at The University of Texas at Austin and served as the former chairman of both the City of Pflugerville Finance and Budget Committee and the First United Methodist Church of Round Rock Finance Committee. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Southwestern University and a Master of Public Administration from The Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University.
Ken Simonson
Chief Economist | Associated General Contractors of America
Ken Simonson has been Chief Economist for the Associated General Contractors of America, the leading construction trade association, since 2001. He provides insight into the economy and what it implies for construction and related industries through frequent media interviews, presentations, and the Data DIGest, his weekly one-page e-newsletter that goes to more than 20,000 subscribers. Ken has over 40 years of experience analyzing, advocating, and communicating about economic and tax issues. He currently serves as an advisor to the Census Bureau’s construction data re-engineering initiative. He is a Fellow and past president of the National Association for Business Economics, and he is co-director of the Tax Economists Forum, a professional meeting group he co-founded in 1982. Ken has a BA in economics from the University of Chicago, and an MA in economics from Northwestern University.
Dr. Dean Foreman
Chief Economist | Texas Oil & Gas Association
As chief economist for the Texas Oil & Gas Association (TXOGA), Dr. Foreman brings over two decades of experience in the oil and gas industry, including global and domestic policy analysis, finance and risk management, business planning, forecasting, and market analysis, all grounded by his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Florida. His career also includes progressive roles at the American Petroleum Institute, ExxonMobil, Talisman Energy, and Saudi Aramco, where he spearheaded initiatives crucial to industry planning, regulatory influence, and supporting multibillion-dollar investments. His work has driven analyses that guide strategic industry decisions and played a significant role in the development of legislation and regulatory frameworks. He is the president of USAEE, serves as an advisory board member and faculty fellow at TCU’s Ralph Lowe Energy Institute, and is recognized as a Top Voice on LinkedIn.
Dr. Greg Upton
Executive Director & Associate Professor - Research | LSU Center for Energy Studies
Dr. Greg Upton's research interests are related to the analysis of economic, environmental and public policy issues in the energy industry. During his tenure at LSU, he has addressed topical energy issues of significance to Louisiana, including state mineral taxes, solar tax credits, and net metering policies, the impact of the oil price collapse on Louisiana’s budgetary challenges, and implications of the crude oil export ban’s lifting on the Louisiana economy, among others. He has presented research to more than 150 industry, governmental, and academic audiences, and has been quoted or cited approximately 150 times in local and national media, including the Wall Street Journal and NPR’s Marketplace. Dr. Upton holds a Ph.D. in Economics from LSU, where he also received both an M.S. in economics and a B.S. in economics with a concentration in empirical analysis.
