Mark F. Bole is the vice president and head of V2X and Battery Solutions with General Motors since 2021. His team’s primary mission is to pioneer and grow innovative energy solutions to empower every person, home, business, and community by providing a full suite of energy products and services that add meaningful value to our customers and creating new GM recurring revenue streams.
Prior to 2021 he was chief administrative officer, GM Financial, a position to which he was named in 2018. He was responsible for leading the company’s global Human Resources and Information Technology, Risk and Internal Communications teams. He also served as president, International Operations (IO), with responsibility since 2013 for business operations and functions in Latin America, Europe and Asia, and the IO offices in the U.S.
Jim Nichols was named Head of Product and Technology Consumer Offer for the Americas in August 2021. He joined Volvo Cars in 2015 within the Communications team leading product, brand and technology communications for the United States before his appointment.
Prior to Volvo, Jim worked with several technology and science-related organizations driving communications, brand positioning, and go-to-market strategies. Early in his career he was an Emmy-Award winning Meteorologist with NBC News and worked at network affiliates in Baltimore, Philadelphia and elsewhere. This work contributed to Jim’s expertise in translating scientific and engineering-related material into products, services and information consumers want and need.
Born in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Jim holds a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University. He currently resides in New Jersey with his wife and two children.
Brendan Baker is an automotive writer and editor who lives in Akron, Ohio with his wife and two dogs. He has been involved in the automotive aftermarket from a very young age. He grew up in his father’s jobber store selling VW car parts and he started building race cars at age 12. For the past 20 years, Brendan has worked in automotive publishing on various titles. He is currently the editor of Professional Tool & Equipment News (PTEN) and Professional Distributor in the Endeavor Vehicle Repair Group
Stephanie is responsible for a daily update of news, events, interviews and product introduction summaries as well as special research reports and company profiles, providing context for and analysis of industry developments to worldwide subscribers. She joined the team in summer 2013 with more than twenty years of experience in the automotive sector, including a decade in automotive analysis, several years of experience in supplier-based strategic communications and as a supplier-OEM marketing liaison, and several years on the editing team of a top automotive enthusiast publication in the United States.Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Marketing from Eastern Michigan University, US, and an MBA in Integrative Management from Michigan State University's Eli Broad College of Business, US.
Scott is the founder and COO of CleanTechnica, one of the leading voices of climate solution tech for more than a decade. A 5 time entrepreneur, author, and public speaker, Scott focuses on moving the needle on climate change, with a motto of not making the perfect the enemy of the good. Scott is currently leading CleanTechnica's Series A investment raise. He spends much of his time in an urban ecovillage with a permaculture farm and hopes to someday live in a society that is clean, fair and sustainable.
Bobby joined the Austin Energy team 8 years ago after more than 20 years overseeing management and marketing efforts for 5-star global hotels. He has used his expertise in customer experience to create a vision for Electric Vehicle education designed to foster dialogue with the community on why Electric > Gas. Bobby has held progressive leadership roles in developing and deploying award-winning projects to include The Electric Drive Sustainability Showcase, the Austin Energy Auto-Dealership Initiative, and the business lead to deploy engaging marketing campaigns including “StEVie the EV-Loving T-Rex” and “Electric>Gas”. He has personally discussed the benefits of EVs with thousands of AE customers one-on-one at outreach events, given news/radio interviews, and is a passionate industry speaker promoting effective city/utility EV outreach programs.
As vice president of Off-Road Electric Vehicles, Josh Hermes leads the planning and execution of Polaris’ electrification strategy for its Off-Road business. Prior to his current role, he was responsible for guiding the go-to-market strategy and planning for key Off-Road brands, including RANGER, GENERAL and ATV. Before he joined Polaris, Josh served in a variety of roles that spanned responsibilities in operations, logistics, supply chain management and planning. Josh holds a degree in Supply Chain Management from Michigan State and has an MBA in Finance, Management & Strategy and Marketing from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
Jason Huntsman is a champion for innovation in the electric mobility space. He led the creation and launch of Serial 1 and oversees day-to-day operations. Prior to founding Serial 1, he worked as Director of the eBicycle Business at Harley-Davidson and led all aspects of the dedicated business unit. He also held various roles in Corporate Strategy and Advanced Analytics at Harley-Davidson, building new businesses and capabilities and, prior to Harley-Davidson, worked in electric vehicle strategy at Ford Motor Company and aerospace engineering at ATK-Orbital. Huntsman has a personal passion for helping people move in a more sustainable manner. He is based in Lehi, Utah.
Since joining EY in December 2021, Drew Johnston has been busy launching the eMobility Power & Utility team, serving utilities, public sector and commercial fleets across the Americas. Drew is creating and delivering new opportunity multipliers in the energy transition, with a focus on the intersection of ESG, Resilience and eMobility. Prior to joining EY, Drew launched strategic initiatives across energy, sustainability, and infrastructure at Guidehouse, driving the eMobility growth area. Drew has also played pivotal roles in the growth and development of two successful startups, one in control room operations software, the other in marketing, publications and events.
Saul Leiken, Global Category Leader for Specialized Globe, is a 10 year veteran of the electric bicycle industry and a lifelong advocate for getting more people riding bikes more often. After opening one of the USA’s first e-bike stores in Washington, DC, Saul moved on to lead Specialized’s Turbo business nationwide from 2017-2022. He is honored to accept a role on PeopleForBikes’ E-Bike Steering Committee, contributing to the e-bike strategy for the industry’s trade association. Today, Saul is accelerating the future with Globe, Specialized’s entry into the cargo e-bike market. In his free time, Saul moonlights as a League Cycling Instructor at the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, where he teaches children and adults how to ride and how to confidently navigate city streets by bike.
Dan is a Silicon Valley veteran with over twenty-five years of storage, networking, and virtualization technology experience at privately held start-ups and Fortune 500 public companies. Dan has a keen interest in building businesses, developing high-performance teams, and solving problems that make people’s lives easier. After owning three electric vehicles, Dan began looking for easy and cost effective ways to get fast, L2 charging at home. Realizing his dryer was already connected to a 240V outlet, Dan began working on a product that would allow him to share his dryer outlet safely and automatically with his EV charger. And so… the Splitvolt Splitter Switch was created.
Dan has a bachelor’s degree in Business Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Michigan.
Duncan McIntyre is the CEO, member of the Board of Directors at Highland, and a serial climatetech entrepreneur. Prior to founding Highland in 2018, Duncan founded and served as President of Altenex, the first renewable energy marketplace serving Fortune 500 companies, where he built over 2 GW of utility scale renewable energy for corporations. Acquired by Edison International in 2015, Altenex created the virtual power purchase agreement and authored the "REPA" (renewable energy purchase agreement), a structure that is now the industry standard contract format for large corporate purchases of renewable energy. Before that, Duncan was a venture capitalist with Polaris Venture Partners, investing in companies across the energy transition landscape, and a member of the mergers and acquisitions team at Harris Williams.
As an Industry lead, Mike is dedicated to supporting Google’s strategic manufacturing customers in North America to build and develop cloud solutions across their business. Prior to this role, Mike was the Automotive Cloud Sales Director. He has had the opportunity to create landmark partnerships with leading brands, including Ford Motor Company.
Before joining Google in 2011, Mike spent 6 years at Microsoft in Sales Leadership roles supporting several industries including CPG, Automotive, Healthcare and Financial Services. He holds a Marketing Degree and Logistics Management Degree from Central Michigan University.
Mike resides in Bloomfield Hills, MI with his wife Amy and 3 daughters.
Theodore Rolfvondenbaumen is a battle-tested communications professional with more than a decade and a half of experience. Importantly, he is committed to enabling more meaningful climate action now through the power of positive, human and inspiring storytelling. Theodore is the Director of Communications at Ideanomics, where he is focused on enabling the company to deliver on its mission of accelerating the commercial adoption of electric vehicles. He previously served as the Americas Communications Manager for Neste and in several roles at Shell.
Karl leads the Electric Vehicles & Emerging Technologies Team at Austin Energy, the 3rd largest city-owned electric utility in the country and one of most comprehensive electric vehicle programs in the nation that was recently recognized as Plugin America’s “Drive Electric Utility of the Year”. He has been the Principal Investigator on over ten grant-funded projects to deploy innovative energy and mobility solutions to address clean air/emissions, equity, and affordability. Karl is co-author of "Smart Cities; Applications & Standards” a book published by Springer and was previously the utility’s interim Chief Information Officer, a Managing Director at Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, and a Captain in the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Tom started at Radio Flyer in 2003 and now leads the Sales, Brand Communications, Product Development and Customer Service functions as the Chief Innovation Officer. For most of his 30 year career, Tom has worked in the toy industry developing, marketing and selling products for companies like McDonald’s (Happy Meal Toys), General Mills, Hasbro, and now Radio Flyer. At Radio Flyer, Tom built a talented team of designers and engineers that has transformed the 100-year-old company’s product line by developing over 200 products, expanding into new categories like electric bikes, and winning numerous product excellence awards. Tom is a key member of the leadership team that has built the strong company culture that continues to be recognized as one of the best places to work.
Steve Schwinke is Vice President of Customer Engagement at Sibros where he collaborates with OEMs to accelerate their connected vehicle solutions. Before joining Sibros, Steve spent two years at Tech Mahindra as Global Head of Connected Vehicles and 22 years as an executive at GM, where he was an original member of the GM OnStar team, developing and launching numerous industry-first connected vehicle products and services. Steve serves on the Executive Board of Directors for the Telecommunications Industry Association, has been awarded 34 patents (for telecommunications, telematics, and navigation), and holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan and a Masters of Science in Wireless Communication Systems from Santa Clara University.
Duncan Tait was appointed to the position of Group CEO and Executive Director of Inchcape plc in July 2020. Since joining, Duncan and his team have launched a new strategy, Accelerate, and ‘Driving What Matters’, our Responsible Business plan which will guide the Group, its objectives and how it does business over the coming years. Duncan was on the Board of Fujitsu Ltd, a global technology services company with responsibility for EMEIA & Americas. He has significant international experience, holding senior roles at Unisys, Hewlett Packard and Compaq in a technology focused career of over 30 years. He is also non-executive director at Agilisys. Duncan has a passion for cars and especially for motorcycles, and lives with his family in London.
As ev.energy's General Manager for North America, Joseph partners with leading utilities such as National Grid and Southern Company, auto manufacturers such as Volkswagen and Siemens, and charging networks such as ChargePoint and Volta to deliver greener, cheaper, grid-friendly EV charging to drivers across the US and Canada. Joseph has co-authored several reports on EV charging with BloombergNEF, EPRI and the Smart Electric Power Alliance and testifies before state utility regulators as they look to shore up the resilience of power grids and advance EV adoption. Joseph previously spent 5 years with the Boston Consulting Group’s energy and environment practice. He holds an MSc in Energy Economics from the London School of Economics and a BA in Public Policy from Princeton University.
Claudia Wasko is the GM of Bosch eBike Systems Americas, a global market leader of electric bike systems. In her position, Ms. Wasko is responsible for all operational activities in eBike Systems within North and South America.
Ms. Wasko co-founded Bosch eBike Systems, Germany, in 2009. In 2014, she established the US-based business unit Bosch eBike Systems Americas.
In addition to her role at Bosch, Ms. Wasko serves on the board of the US bike industry trade association, People for Bikes, and its Trade Association Committee (TAC). She is also co-chair of the nonprofit organization’s eBike committee.
Amy Atchley is a leader in social impact; possessing a diverse skill set that draws from over 20 years of experience serving vulnerable communities through her work with the non-profit sector with agencies like Meals on Wheels Central Texas and the VH1 Save the Music Foundation. Her role at Austin Energy is building frameworks of equity through transportation electrification access by collaborating with community stakeholders and historically underserved communities.Amy’s community leadership roles include Board of Directors at EcoRise and the Austin Forum on Technology and Society and she is also a working Austin-based singer/songwriter.
Josh has spent the last 17 years developing brands in many segments, whether that was relaunching an iconic brand or running a world class program with millions of members. Josh uses all the digital tools and tactics to create impact with speed, scale, and consistency. He strikes a balance to not let the technical side overshadow the core brand values. Josh believes people need something authentic to believe in, to feel like they belong to something special. He recognizes consumers don’t “buy” culture brands, they join them and take ownership. At Razor, Josh has worked to bring the “Ride with us” anthem to their current audience and also bring new customers into the brand.
Bio Coming Soon
Bio coming soon
Bio Coming Soon
Sam Abuelsamid is a principal analyst leading Guidehouse Insights' Mobility Ecosystems Research Service with a focus on transportation electrification, automated driving, and mobility services. With Guidehouse, Sam has worked with numerous clients to help them understand emerging technology trends and shape strategies. Sam regularly contributes to a number of publications including Autonomous Vehicle Engineering, Forbes, and One Zero, and co-hosts the Wheel Bearings podcast.Trained as a mechanical engineer, Sam worked in the automotive industry for more than two decades, developing advanced electronic control systems and embedded software. Prior to joining Guidehouse Insights (formerly Navigant Research) in 2014, Sam worked as an automotive journalist and in product and technology communications at Ford and GM.
I’ve been in and around the auto industry since the 90s, and have written for a number of well-known outlets like CleanTechnica, The Truth About Cars, Popular Mechanics, and more. You can catch me on the Electrify News Podcast or chasing my kids around Oak Park, IL. If you really want my attention, start talking about how blockchain technology can help support ethical fair trade policies and push back climate change.
Michelle Krebs is executive analyst for Cox Automotive, based in in Detroit. An award-winning automotive writer, Krebs is a frequent guest on CNN, CNBC, FOX and other news programs. Before joining Cox Automotive, Krebs was a senior analyst and editor for Edmunds.com. She reviewed cars for The New York Times and participated in the selection of Motor Trend’s Car/Truck of the Year. She was a reporter and editor for Automotive News. She served as president of the Society of Automotive Analysts and the Automotive Press Association. She is a graduate of Syracuse University.
Matt Teske is the Founder/CEO of Chargeway. Teske’s career spans over twenty years with a focus on branding, marketing and communication strategies with numerous brands in the automotive, energy and lifestyle brand industries. After years of research into consumer behavioral response to electric vehicles Teske developed Chargeway to create a better way of understanding the complexities of EV charging and using electricity as a fuel. Chargeway’s patented software platform creates a simple, visual way for EV drivers to identify charging plug and power options for all vehicles and charging networks, while also providing electric utilities and dealerships tools to more effectively engage the public.
Welcome to Industry Day!
Consumer Reports’ senior policy analyst for transportation and energy Chris Harto takes us on a deep dive through Consumer Reports’ reader data and reveals the factors that are really driving Americans to buy EVs— and what’s still holding some of them back … and it might not be what you think!
Polaris’ VP, Off-Road Vehicles, Josh Hermes and VP of Corporate Strategy & Partnerships, Andrew Chase talk about making powersports better through electrification, and some of the unexpected ways that battery power— not fossil fuel— delivers more real-world utility to Polaris’ award-winning line of utility vehicles.
Moderator: Jo Borrás / ELECTRIFY NEWS
ModeratorS: Jo Borrás / ELECTRIFY NEWS & MATT TESKE / CHARGEWAY
The electrify news podcast team takes some time with Kia’s James Bell to celebrate the successful launch of the ev6, discuss the brand’s newest plug-in cars, and take a look ahead at the EV9 concept.
The way people buy cars and trucks in the US is changing, and consumers are getting more and more comfortable exploring new vehicle choices and navigating the purchase process on their own, from the comfort of their smartphone, leveraging the traditional franchise dealer as a delivery and service center — which may be new here, but it’s a well-worn path for European car buyers. In this fireside chat, Inchcape, the leading independent multi-brand automotive distributor in Europe, will share their insights into consumer behavior, and what the coming age of “online car buying” is really going to look like.
Moderator: Jo Borrás / ELECTRIFY NEWS
In the summer of 2017, Volvo shocked the automotive press, and set the bar for other carmakers by becoming the first mainstream auto brand to commit to a fully electric future. With the launch of its first, all-electric flagship, the EX90, Volvo plans to raise that bar even higher, by taking safety, sustainability, and Scandinavian luxury to new levels. In this power session, Volvo’s Head of Product and Technology for the Americas will explore what the all-new EX90 means for Volvo as a brand, and how its integrated suite of high-tech features will shape the company’s future going forward.
Moderator: Jo Borrás / ELECTRIFY NEWS
11:00 AM Transition to Breakouts
“If you build it, they will come,” might be good for a baseball stadium, but convincing customers that they can trust a whole new way to “fuel up” their cars after a hundred years of gasoline is going to take more than DC chargers every 50 miles. In this panel, Chargeway founder Matt Teske will discuss the EV charging ecosystem as-a-whole with home charging experts at Splitvolt, Austin Energy’s Senior Lead of EV Equity, Amy Atchley, municipal fleet solutions provider Duncan McIntyre of Highland Electric, and consumer home charging leader Dan Liddle from SplitVolt as they explore what it will really take to inspire “range confidence” in tomorrow’s EV buyers.
Moderator: MATT TESKE / CHARGEWAY
You’ve heard of speed dating? Welcome to Speed Networking, where industry stakeholders can make meaningful connections with their peers and find new avenues for collaboration and growth. CleanTechnica founder Scott Cooney will host this high-spirited, fun, and engaging exercise and introduce you to your next big project.
Radio Flyer has found ways to combine their unique talents and expertise to create compelling new products that don’t just move people and things — they move us, as well. Electrify News’ Jo Borrás will discuss Radio Flyer’s unique relationship with Tesla, and how they’re using their focus on family to develop a lineup of e-mobility products that’s unlike anything else.
Moderator: Jo Borrás / ELECTRIFY NEWS
The automotive industry is racing towards an all-electric future, and they’re only accelerating— but the switch to electric cars is about more than just a new type of fuel. It’s going to require a new generation of e-certified technicians who can properly maintain and repair this new type of car safely, effectively, and affordably. Brendan Baker from Endeavor Media explores the obstacles— and opportunities— facing the fixed ops side of the car business.
It takes money to make money, and the people in this session have watched ideas turn into startups that have grown into real players who collaborate with industry giants, generating real value for everyone involved. Ideanomics CEO Alf Poor, S&P Global/IHS Markit analyst Stephanie Brinley, and Ernst & Young analyst Drew Johnston have seen it all, and they'll explore some of the challenges startups and investors face when bringing two corporate cultures together. Cox Automotive executive analyst Michelle Krebs moderates.
Moderator: Michelle Krebs / Cox Automotive Insights
You’ve heard of speed dating? Welcome to Speed Networking, where industry stakeholders can make meaningful connections with their peers and find new avenues for collaboration and growth. CleanTechnica founder Scott Cooney will host this high-spirited, fun, and engaging exercise and introduce you to your next big project.
The COVID pandemic changed the way many people commute, work, and play — and those changes have brought with them an explosion in bicycle sales. As ever, bikes bring us closer to our communities and spaces, and enable us to experience them at a human pace. As cities evolve and adapt to this new normal, however, more complicated issues are beginning to arise. Global cycling leader Specialized has worked to develop the Globe brand as a more fun, everyday solution to these new challenges. We meet with Saul Leiken who will introduce us to this new venture.
Moderator: MATT TESKE / CHARGEWAY
Electrification is changing the way people and things move around cities today — and those changes will help shape the communities of tomorrow. Join Razor USA’s Josh Shaver as he explores how yesterday’s “Razor Kids” are driving the e-mobility transformation, and what today’s Razor Kids will expect from tomorrow’s infrastructure.
Enjoy a nice mid-day meal and get ready for the Power Session Panel!
Harley-Davidson-backed Serial 1 may have more than a hundred years of two-wheeled heritage to lean on, but they know that looking backwards won’t always help you go forwards, so they’ve partnered with Google Cloud to launch their new, end-to-end software solution that enables companies to launch predictive, proactive, and intelligent features that drive business outcomes called Intelligent Product Essentials. In this session, we’ll explore how their partnership will shape the future of e-mobility for everyone.
Moderator: Jo Borrás / ELECTRIFY NEWS
In this informative power session, Claudia Wasko, vice president of Bosch eBike Systems and e-bike industry veteran, dives into the important topic of e-bike product safety. Ms. Wasko will give context to the current market situation while exploring solutions for a safer and more sustainable path forward for the e-mobility industry
Karl Popham with Austin Energy, the nation’s 3rd largest city-owned electric utility, will discuss best practices, their award-winning programs, EV strategy, and the realities/myths regarding rapid EV adoption for the electric grid. How do EVs enable or hinder the shift to renewable energy, how charging rates drive customer behavior, and why collaboration is king.
GM Energy’s Mark Bole expounds upon the company’s new blueprint for collaboration, and how that’s working to evolve the EV charging experience for consumers while creating new opportunities and business solutions across the industry. Discussion to be led by Guidehouse Insights Sam Abuelsamid
Moderator: Sam Abuelsamid / Guidehouse Insights
Experience the latest e-mobility press conferences, product reveals and get exclusive access to company founders and executives at Electrify Expo. Get ready to ride, drive and demo all the newest products, network with your peers, and get an exclusive firsthand look experience of the festival prior to general public days on the weekend.
Our Industry Day cocktail reception is a time to network and reconnect with colleagues to talk about what you've seen and heard, and plan your next moves in this rapidly growing space. Join us at the Austin Energy VIP Lounge!
8 am - 5 pm
2 pm - 5 pm
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