Grid and large-scale software program delivery, from business case to control-room cutover
Project and program manager for utility IT/OT: ADMS, EMS, OMS and smart metering. Extensive experience with Itron and GE Vernova. More than 25 years delivering large technology projects, including continuous work with a major Canadian utility since 2011. I founded Kindred Technologies, my Vancouver-based consulting company, in 2003 to work on great projects with great people. Client names for these engagements are withheld; details are available on request.
Fifteen years delivering IT/OT projects
inside one utility's operations
I've moved from smart metering and a meter network migration to OMS, EMS and now ADMS project delivery. I've successfully delivered programs at every stage.
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2011–2013
Smart metering program PMO
Co-led a blended PMO of seven on a $930M program: executive reporting, the program schedule, and issues, risks, assumptions and change control.
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2013–2016
Field network program
Migrated the meter network from IPv4 to IPv6: 1.9 million meters, 7,000 range extenders and 2,000 routers, followed by firmware and head-end upgrades.
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2016 on
Control-room systems and regulatory delivery
GE EMS v3.0 to v3.3 and GE PowerOn v4.3, each with new infrastructure, regression testing across thousands of test cases and cutover inside fixed windows, delivered on time and on budget. Then FERC Order 881 ambient-adjusted transmission ratings in GE EMS, against a fixed regulatory deadline.
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Now
GE Vernova ADMS and Volt-VAR Optimization
Led definition through to a CIO-approved business case with a team of 30 and seven vendors. Now implementation project manager for control-room ADMS and VVO, including GIS, EMS and SAP integration.
What I'm brought in for
Getting to yes
Requirements, architecture, estimates and a business case that survives executive and regulatory review.
Holding many vendors together
One plan, one view of risk and change control across system vendors, integrators and internal teams.
Landing the cutover
Data readiness, testing, communications, training and a production cutover the operation can trust.
The same discipline, for any large program
Most of my recent work is in utilities, but the hard parts of a large program look the same everywhere: many vendors, an executive board or regulator watching, legacy systems to integrate, and a cutover that has to be right.
Before utilities, I led delivery in education technology, hospitality and enterprise software: product management for a leading large-district student management system, a teacher gradebook used in more than 9,000 schools across North America, and white-label booking platforms for more than a dozen banks in 13 languages. If your program is large, multi-vendor and high-stakes, the industry matters less than you might think.
Systems I've delivered on
- GE Vernova ADMSDMS and Volt-VAR Optimization
- GE EMSUpgrades and FERC 881 ratings
- GE PowerOnOutage management
- GE Smallworld GISCIM network model integration
- SCADA and ICCPReal-time data integration
- Itron OpenWayAMI head-end, meter firmware, MDMS
- Cisco FNDField network management
- SAPBilling and work order integration
How I work
Pragmatically. The questions that matter are simple: did it go live safely, did it hold up, and did it do what the utility needed? I skip the consultant-speak and keep the plan honest, especially when the news isn't good. I enjoy building teams that trust each other enough to say so.
Earlier in my career, I held vice-president roles running professional services with P&L accountability, along with internal IT, data centre, development and QA. That's why I think about programs in terms of cost, margin and the people doing the work, not just the schedule.
Get in touch
Tell me a little about your program, or ask for my full CV. You can also reach me on LinkedIn. I read every message myself.