Principals

Darrel Palmer

As an independent energy consultant, President of Energy Associates Inc. Darrel Palmer brings with him 20 years of experience in the natural gas arena.  His experiences encompass a wide area of the natural gas industry and include working for natural gas marketing companies, local distribution companies, and FERC regulated pipelines.  He has worked in Sales and Marketing, Strategic Planning, and Support Services.

Prior to becoming an independent energy consultant in 1997, Darrel's last position was Vice President National Account Sales at UtiliCorp United Inc. of Kansas City, Missouri.  He spent the last three years at UtilitiCorp creating and starting up a new business unit, UtiliCorp Energy Services (UES), focused on marketing natural gas nationwide to the nonregulated retail market and providing energy management services to commercial and industrial end users for natural gas, electricity and related technical services.

Darrel has extensive experience in natural gas supply and transportation as well as the related regulatory experience in both the United States and Canada.  He has testified numerous times before Federal, State, and Canadian regulatory agencies.  While working as Vice-President Gas Supply and Governmental Affairs for Northern Minnesota Utilities, a division of UtiliCorp, he created and implemented a strategy that allowed the division to have the lowest weighted average cost of gas in Minnesota for several years.  Utilizing this supply, NMU at his direction was one of the first LDC's in Minnesota to do Buy/Sell transactions creating additional nonregulated profits for the division.

Tom Maus

Vice President Tom Maus is well regarded in the energy industry.  He has 25 years of experience in the natural gas business encompassing a diverse scope of responsibilities.  His work has involved Strategic Planning, State and Federal Regulatory Proceedings, Finance, Gas Pipeline and Supply Contracting, Commercial and Industrial Gas Sales Contracts negotiations, and Business Acquisitions Analysis.

Prior to entering the utility field as an Independent Energy Consultant in 1997, Tom held primary executive positions with UtiliCorp United Inc.  He began his tenure as Manager of Regulatory Affairs. Over the next 23 years Tom proceeded through the ranks holding such positions as Vice President of Accounting, Vice President of Administration and Vice President of NMU Ventures.

In 1990 Tom's role became a vital element in the creation and development of a new business venture for UtiliCorp United - a direct sales and marketing subsidiary - NMU Ventures.  His responsibilities included business planning and implementation, profitability analysis, and employee relations.  He led the effort in expanding natural gas service to additional towns which involved new construction off existing pipelines and a municipal acquisition.  At the same time, he maintained above average returns on equity for the LDC as NMU's Vice President.

Tom led UtiliCorp's acquisition team in dealing with analysis and negotiation of gas marketing companies located in the United States and Canada.  Such analysis included detailed review of financial statements, supply and transportation contracts, risk management practices, customer base, assessment of new market potential and ultimately the responsibility of recommending purchase price, candidates' strategic fit and modeling future financial performance.

As an Independent Energy Consultant, Tom Maus has the experience that ensures comprehensive and quality service.

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