SKW Engineering Manager Named Participating Member of SGIP

March 10, 2010

SKW is pleased to announce that Michael Bequette, P.E., has joined the North Kansas City office as Engineering Manager in the Instrumentation and Controls Department. His focus is to provide senior level management services on private and public projects. In a career that spans sixteen years, Michael has held various positions in the automation industry. Most notably, Michael was recently appointed a participating member of Smart Grid Interoperability Panel (SGIP) - a new stakeholder forum to provide technical support to the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as it coordinates standards for a modernized electric power system.

Mr. Bequette is a representative of the Information Technology (IT) Application Developers and Integrators stakeholder category. As such he will have input into standards to ensure compatibility among the emerging hardware and software elements of the smart grid.

Starting with an initial membership of more than 370 organizations spread among 22 stakeholder categories, the SGIP has three primary functions:

• Provide technical guidance to facilitate development of standards for a secure, interoperable Smart Grid;

• Specify testing and certification requirements necessary to assess the interoperability Smart Grid-related equipment, software, and services; and

• Oversee the performance of activities intended to expedite the development of interoperability and cyber security specifications by standards development organizations.

NIST is now completing its Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards, Release 1.0, which has undergone public review and comment. The SGIP will further strengthen this roadmapping effort in collaboration with NIST.