Seven Years ago, Roy began his pivotal role in Deepwater Wind’s proposed wind turbine project off the coast of Rhode Island.
As the then business manager of Local 37 Ironworkers, Roy was positioned as a key catalyst to help bring Rhode Island labor union workers, residents, environmentalists and finance, government and business leaders together and make the project a reality.
On December 12, 2016, Block Island Wind Farm came online as the first offshore wind installation in the United States. 300 jobs were created and 17,000 homes are powered by five 6 megawatt turbines.
Roy and his Royal Advisors team offer all stakeholders roles in offshore wind and wave farm projects in the U.S. and overseas — from U.S. contract bid team building, design, and permitting to financing, manufacturing to installation — his invaluable front-line experience, high-level contacts and proven success.
Karen McGinnis, the current and founding director of the Volpentest HAMMER Federal Training Center, a Department of Energy Federal asset.Since 1991, Karen has guided HAMMER to its status as an industry recognized leader in safety and health training featuring one of the most multi-faceted training facilities in the world. Karen’s crowning achievement is her oversight in establishing the many partnerships forged through HAMMER. These relationships – made up of organized labor, federal and state agencies, tribes, safety professionals and community leaders – prompted AFL-CIO Chairman Richard Trumka to remark that HAMMER represents “one of the most important partnerships in the country.” Under Karen’s leadership, HAMMER has gained recognition as one of the premier training centers in the world while also achieving the top federal safety award of Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star Status. Karen also received a “Special Achievement Award” for outstanding Performance Leadership in furthering the US DOE VPP program, and was recently appointed to sit on the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) Advisory Board.Karen has a Master of Arts, Agriculture and Natural Resource Economics, Washington State University and a Bachelor of Science, Agriculture and Natural Resource Economics, Oregon State University.
Rear Adm. Stephen Williamson is a native of Bowie, Maryland. He entered the Navy through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program at the University of Maryland, College Park, and the George Washington University where he received a bachelor’s degree in economics. He attended the Naval Postgraduate School and became an engineering duty officer while earning his Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1996.
Williamson’s tours as a surface warfare officer included damage control assistant on USS Lynde McCormick (DDG 8) and first lieutenant on USS Long Beach (CGN 9). While on USS Long Beach, he completed a major overhaul while the ship was in Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
His engineering duty tours include deputy project superintendent and docking officer at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, mine warfare type desk officer at Commander, Naval Surface Forces Atlantic; officer in charge of the Fleet Technical Support Center det. Mayport; combat systems repair officer, Southeast Regional Maintenance Center; officer in charge Ship Repair Facility & Japan Regional Maintenance Center Yokosuka detachment Sasebo; business, production and operations officer at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility; the 48th commander of Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility; and individual augmentee tour for U.S. Central Command in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Williamson reported as the director, fleet maintenance, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet in October 2015.
Williamson assumed his current duties as deputy commander, logistics, maintenance and industrial operations, Naval Sea Systems Command in September 2017.
His personal decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards) and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (four awards).
Mr. Hale serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Ullico Inc. In this capacity, he works closely with the Ullico senior management and board of directors. He is responsible for a broad range of day-to-day operations of the company. He is intimately involved in business planning and cultivating strategic partnerships for the organization. He serves on the Ullico Infrastructure Fund (UIF) Opportunity Review Committee and on the senior management team for Ullico Inc. Prior to joining Ullico Inc. in June of 2008, Mr. Hale worked for the Laborers’ International Union of North America’s (LIUNA) Tri-Funds for six years. His responsibilities included working with LIUNA and their signatory contractors on a broad range of issues in the construction industry that promoted Labor/Management cooperation. Mr. Hale is a graduate of The University of Tennessee with a B.S. in Finance and he holds his M.B.A. from Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee. He also holds the Series 7 and 63 designations along with being a licensed producer in Life and Health insurance.
Special Advisor to the Secretary of the Department of Energy
Douglas A. “Doug” Matheney is the Special Advisor to the Secretary of the Department of Energy, as a liaison assigned to the Office of Fossil Energy.
A native of Southeast Ohio, Mr. Matheney worked in the coal industry from 1976 to 1993. After leaving the coal industry, he served as a consultant for the Ohio Coal Association and the National Mining Association, working on coal issues with various elected officials in Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky. He also handled coal and energy issues for Americans for Prosperity.
In addition to his industry and consulting experience, Mr. Matheney also served as County Commissioner for Morgan County, Ohio from 1983 to 1991. In 2016, he joined the Trump presidential campaign, where he managed 11 counties in Southeast Ohio.
Eric Dean completed his apprenticeship in 1984 and became a journeyman ironworker in Local 63 (Chicago). As an accomplished ironworker, he worked for various contractors as a journeyman, foreman and project superintendent throughout the Chicago area. From 1989 until 1995, he served as an apprentice instructor and earned the status of certified welding inspector. He became very involved in his local union serving as conductor, trustee, vice president and business agent. Recognizing his leadership skills, General President Jake West appointed him general organizer for the International in 1999, assigning him to the Department of Ornamental, Architectural and Miscellaneous Metals (DOAMM). In 2005, he was elected as president of the Chicago and Vicinity District Council of Iron Workers. General President Joseph Hunt appointed Eric Dean as general vice president effective August 4, 2008. General President Walter Wise appointed Eric Dean as general secretary effective February 1, 2011. The general executive council unanimously elected Eric Dean as general president effective July 1, 2015.