Presenters
Boice Hillmer, Pipeline Safety Inspector
South Dakota Public Utilities Commission
Pierre, S.D.
Boice Hillmer has a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management from South Dakota State University's College of Engineering. Prior to joining the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission in October of 2013, he worked for South Dakota Game Fish and Parks Department as a Buildings Engineer for four years. He also worked as chief estimator project manager for a general contracting company for 5 years. In his current position as Pipeline Safety Instructor for South Dakota's PUC, he conducts periodic inspections and spot checks of records and property in the possession, custody, or control of the pipeline operator to determine compliance with applicable pipeline safety standards.
Decatur, Texas
Geoff Isbell is President of ENERGY worldnet (EWN). Geoff holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Texas in Applied Technology and Performance Improvement, and he has over 30 years of experience in regulatory compliance, technology solutions, process management, and training. Geoff is actively involved on numerous industry committees including the ASME B31Q, the API OQ Working Group (API 1161), and a new DCA OQ Portability Task Force. Geoff is directly engaged in crafting EWN’s training, compliance and technology solutions for the industry. He also stays involved with numerous regional and national associations as an advocate and change agent to help the industry ‘raise the bar’.
Larry Janes, Executive Director
Rapid City, S.D.
Larry Janes has served as executive director of South Dakota One Call, now known as South Dakota 811, since 2009. His career includes 35 years with Northwestern Bell, US West and Qwest, involved in the underground communications business including locating, placing and splicing aerial and buried cables; and installing and maintaining electronic communications equipment, both as a technician and manager. He was a project manager for US West in Omaha, Neb., from 1983 to 1988 where he was appointed to an FCC national standards setting committee. After leaving Qwest in 2004, he managed the safety program for FSH Communications for five years.
Perry McCollom, Electrical Engineer
Wyoming Public Service Commission
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Perry McCollom, Electrical Engineer, Wyoming Public Service Commission
Perry has been with the Wyoming Public Service Commission since 2010 performing various safety inspections over electric and gas utilities in Wyoming. He received his Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Bachelor Degrees from the University of Wyoming. Perry is currently serving as a backup NAPSR representative on the CGA Data Reporting & Evaluation Committee.
Chris McLaren, Program Manager, PHMSA State Programs Division
U.S. Department of Transportation, PHMSA
Houston, Texas
Chris McLaren works in Policy & Programs for the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), and Chris currently focuses on coordinating the implementation of Integrity Management Inspection Programs and related topics. Located in Houston, Texas, Chris has been with PHMSA since 2002 as a Program Manager in the PHMSA Southwest Region and currently in the State Programs Division. Prior to coming to PHMSA, Chris worked as a consultant to the hazardous liquid and natural gas pipeline industry and in the aerospace industry as a metallurgical engineer. Chris has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.
Robert Miller, Regulatory Compliance Specialist
The Woodlands, Texas
As a Regulatory Compliance Specialist, Robert Miller partners with Veriforce clients to provide critical subject matter expertise and guidance as they establish and manage defensible compliance programs. Robert routinely assesses and consults on OQ, CRM, O&M, and drug and alcohol programs. Before joining Veriforce in 2016, he spent 20 years with the Pipeline Safety Section of the Arizona Corporation Commission, first as a pipeline inspector and for 10 years as Program Manager. His prior industry experience includes 17 years managing design and construction, as well as maintenance to comply with state and federal regulations, for natural gas utility pipelines and the installation of LPG pipeline systems.
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Aaron Morman, Gas Pipeline Safety Inspector
North Dakota Public Service Commission
Bismarck, N.D.
Prior to joining the staff of the North Dakota PSC in 2012 as Program Manager and Inspector, Aaron was the maintenance lead at the North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, N.D. Aaron served as the NAPSR Central Region Vice-Chairman in 2014-2015 and hosted the NAPSR Central Region meeting in Bismarck in 2015. He also served as the NAPSR Central Region Chairman for 2015-2016. His background in the pipeline industry includes working for Alliance Pipeline as an operations and maintenance technician in commissioning and operations, and as the North Dakota stakeholder/landowner liaison for pipeline construction right-of-way restoration. He has also been an operations and maintenance technician for Northern Border Pipeline and an electrical and instrumentation technician for the Dakota Gasification Copany. Aaron studied industrial electronics and instrumentation technology at NDSCS. He was a dairy farmer in his pre-pipeline career.
Dave Mulligan, Community Liaison
U.S Dept. of Transportation/PHMSA
Houston, Texas
Dave Mulligan is a Community Liaison with the U.S. Department of Transportation/Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration based in Denver, Co. His responsibilities include: policy and program development; community outreach; technical services; and technology and data information systems. He received his degree in electrical engineering from Colorado School of Mines, and is a registered professional engineer.
Craig Reamann, Gas Pipeline Safety Program Manager
North Dakota Public Service Commission
Bismarck, N.D.
Prior to joining the staff of the ND PSC in May of 2015, Craig was an operations and maintenance technician for Alliance Pipeline. His duties at Alliance included stints as Safety Lead, Communications Lead, and Backup Mechanical Lead.  Prior to working at Alliance, Craig held positions at Johnson Controls, Simplex, and ProGold. Craig has an Associate of Applied Science Degree from NDSCS in Wahpeton, and a Bachelor of Management Degree from the University of Mary in Bismarck.Â
Anita Romero, Senior Vice President/Staff Operations and Technology
Las Vegas, Nevada
Anita is a Senior Vice President/Staff Operations and Technology of Southwest Gas Corporation. In her position, Anita's focus is on technology strategies that support the company objectives. Anita also leads the Engineering Staff operations and oversees staff engineering programs and initiatives. She has served as the industry co-chair for the Plastic Pipe Database Committee since its inception in 1999. She graduated with distinction with a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of New Mexico, and an Executive MBA degree at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She is also a graduate of the Wharton Advanced Management Program at the University of Pennsylvania.
Ryan Schmaltz, Director of North Dakota Public Relations and Education
Bismarck, N.D.
Ryan Schmaltz has been the PR and Education director for North Dakota One Call since November, 2013. He was born and raised in North Dakota with family in the agriculture and pipeline industries. His previous employment with an electric cooperative gave him a good appreciation for 811 and underground damage prevention. Ryan travels the state or North Dakota promoting safe digging and educating excavators and the general public on the importance of calling before you dig.
Richard Stump, Director of Compliance Programs
Eagen, Minn.
As the MEA Compliance Director, Richard Stump is responsible for the overall management of the compliance issues that affect MEA's members. Richard is a member of teh ASME B31Q committee and attends many additional compliance and gas operations conferences, where he is asked to provide his views on the state of teh OQ Rule and other compliance issues. Prior to joining MEA, Richard worked for 35 years at Consumers Energy, where he held leadership positions in a number of areas including planning, project management, and various compliance and quality programs. His work experiences include responsibilities for both gas and electric, and for generation, transmission and distribution. Richard has an MBA from Wayne State University.
Collens Wakefield, Executive Director
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Wakefield’s career encompassed thirty-six years in the Natural Gas Industry, from  working in the field, laborer thru foreman, ending his career as Supervisor of Gas Operations. During his career he also served his IBEW local as negotiator-at –large, vice-president, president/business manager and executive board member. He served four years on the board of directors for One-Call of Wyoming prior to accepting his current position as Executive Director.
Harold Winnie, Project Manager
U.S. Department of Transportation, PHMSA
Kansas City, Mo.
Harold Winnie is an Inspector/Project Managaer for PHMSA in the Central Region Office located in Kansas City, Mo. He is currently a member of a number of industry groups including ASTM F-17 and D-20, the PHMSA Pipeline Safety Management Systems external team and the PHMSA Plastic Pipe Rulemaking team. Harold's duties include inspecting operators for compliance with Federal Code, contributing to the pipeline safety community through consensus standards development and working with teams on the analysis of incidents for potential improvements that might increase pipeline safety. Harold has a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Missouri at Rolla and a master's degree in business from Webster University.
Mary Zanter, Pipeline Safety Program Manager
South Dakota Public Utilities Commission
Pierre, S.D.
Mary Zanter has a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and a master's degree in business administration. Prior to joining the PUC staff in 2012, she worked for MidAmerican Energy for 19 years, first as a plant engineer at Neal Generating Station, then as a gas engineer, and finally as an operations supervisor in Sioux Falls, S.D. She then spent two years working for Interstates Engineering in Sioux Center, Iowa, as a senior project engineer doing electric distribution design for manufacturing facilities. Mary served as a pipeline safety inspector for the PUC for a year prior to being named program manager in 2013.