I sit onboard United Airlines, returning from Portland, Oregon, and if I’m lucky, I will get home by 2:00 am. I spoke this morning to the Board of Pacific Northwest Generating Cooperative (PNGC), a Generation & Transmission (G&T) cooperative similar to Wolverine, which serves members in seven northwest states. John Prescott, PNGC’s general manager, asked me to speak to his Board as follow up to a presentation I made to them back in 2008. PNGC deliberates this week over key strategic planning questions like how much equity to build at the G&T, and whether they should invest in new generating assets. This is especially important because they have nearly outgrown their low-cost Columbia River hydro power. Zach Anderson helped me prepare today’s presentation and I was proud to share how much Wolverine accomplished since 2008 in the areas of Transmission, Generation and Finance.

The Pacific Northwest is incredible with its mountains, ocean, major rivers, rain forests, glaciers, etc. Without question, my favorite mountains in the Pacific Northwest are the Cascades. They run down the center of Washington from Canada to Oregon, and they hold thousands of deep green valleys filled with towering pines and waterfalls. The alpine meadows above tree line burst with wildflowers and berries, and the mountains boast the greatest number of glaciers in the continental United States.

Fifteen years ago, I began mountain climbing in Washington. The great adventures, incredible challenges and unimaginable scenery remain insignificant contrasted against the lessons I’ve learned from these trips about Perseverance, Leadership and Teamwork. I hold the privilege of climbing with an incredible group of men, and I look forward to sharing some stories with you in upcoming blogs.