Almost 50 years of the Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Seminar!
Since 1976, the Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Seminar has been a staple for fuel cell industry professionals, researchers, and stakeholders to meet with colleagues and customers alike and see the latest developments of this exciting industry.
Attracting an international audience, the Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Seminar features the latest fuel cell and hydrogen products, technical and market research, policy updates, and commercialization strategies for all applications and market sectors. The Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Seminar is the foremost event for networking with industry representatives, current and potential customers, stakeholders and decision makers interested in the clean, reliable, resilient power potential of fuel cells.
Leadership for the non-profit Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Seminar is provided by our Board of Directors.
Board of Directors
Morry Markowitz
Chair
Morry Markowitz is the former President of the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA), leading FCHEA advocacy programs on Capitol Hill and outreach initiatives to target markets and users of fuel cells and hydrogen energy. Mr. Markowitz has extensive expertise in the energy field, in addition to sixteen years of association management.
Prior to coming to the FCHEA, Mr. Markowitz was the Group Director of External Affairs at the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) for nine years. Before his work at EEI, he was the Vice President of Public Affairs with the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers. Mr. Markowitz brings years of government relations, energy policy, and communications experience to the Association. Mr. Markowitz has worked on Capitol Hill, in addition to the Executive Branch of government.
Mr. Markowitz graduated with a J.D. from George Mason School of Law.
Erin Lane
Erin Lane serves as Vice President of Public Affairs at Plug after previously serving as the Director of Government Relations and as a consultant for several years. In her current role Erin is responsible for providing strategic insight into company relations with government and industry actors and deploying resources to advocate for Plug’s priorities.
Prior to her return to Plug in 2021, Erin was a Principal with Cascade Associates, where she advocated for clean energy technologies and energy efficiency for over twenty years. Throughout her career, she has amassed a notable and comprehensive track record of advancing energy-related legislation, tax incentives, including the Fuel Cell Investment Tax Credit, and increasing federal funding for her clients such as Plug.
Erin began her professional career working on Capitol Hill in the Office of Representative Jack Quinn (R-NY). She managed the Congressman’s energy and environment portfolio, and developed a deep understanding of electricity generation markets, energy efficiency and the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program. Her portfolio also included appropriations, taxes, telecommunications, and advising the Congressman on any issues related to his seat on the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. These responsibilities allowed her to develop close working relationships with agencies like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
She has held several leadership positions and is currently both the President of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Seminar Board of Directors and the Chair of the Tax Working Group at the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA). Erin was also Chairperson of the House Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Caucus Relations Committee for the Sustainable Energy Coalition, as well as a founding member of the Coalition for Clean Energy, Jobs, and Innovation.
Erin received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Muskingum University and attended American University's Washington Semester program. Erin currently resides
Frank Wolak
Mr. Wolak is the President and CEO of the Washington DC based Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA), an organization that represents over ninety leading international and domestic companies and organizations that are advancing innovative, clean, safe, and reliable energy technologies.
Prior to FCHEA, Mr. Wolak was a Senior Vice President at FuelCell Energy, Inc. (FCE). At FCE Mr. Wolak initiated and developed some of the most innovative and largest fuel cell technology applications in the world. In addition to his business successes, Mr. Wolak worked closely with the US Department of Energy, Congress and state agencies to define and sustain programs for hydrogen and fuel cells throughout the US.
Mr. Wolak has experience in all facets of energy including executive positions outside the fuel cell and hydrogen industry at an international energy services company, a power development and investment company, public energy resources corporation and as management consultant providing insight to clients in emerging technology and utility segments.
Mr. Wolak is a founding member of the Connecticut Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Coalition, past Chair of the California Stationary Fuel Cell Collaborative, serves as a Governor appointment to the New Jersey Fuel Cell Task Force and previously served two terms at the appointment of the Secretary of Commerce to the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee.
Mr. Wolak holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Western New England University and an MBA in Finance from the University of Hartford.
Mike Hicks, Ph.D.
Treasurer
Dr. Hicks holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Dayton and a Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering from North Carolina State University. In 2000, he joined 3M’s Fuel Cell Components Program where he worked on electrode development for PEM fuel cells and lead the development of 3M’s next generation MEAs. From 2003 to 2007, Dr. Hicks was the Principal Investigator on a US Department of Energy Project entitled “MEA and Stack Durability for PEM Fuel Cells.”
In April of 2007, Dr. Hicks joined IdaTech, (now H2PowerTech) as a Fuel Cell Engineer responsible for durability of fuel cell stacks and systems, development of new stack technology and sourcing stack BOP. He is currently Engineering Manager, Technology Development & Integration at H2 PowerTech.
Dr. Hicks has authored three fuel cell related papers and one fuel cell book chapter. He has also given numerous invited and plenary talks at the annual DOE Hydrogen Program Review, Gordon Conference on Fuel Cells, NRC-CNRC Annual Fuel Cell Testing Workshop, Fuel Cell Durability Conference, Advances in Materials for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells Conference, and The Electrochemical Society Conferences.
Mark Williams, Ph.D.
Dr. Williams is a proven URS manager and supervisor, directing a $60M R&D portfolio including distributed generation fuel cells, fuel processing, energy storage, turbines, advanced combustion, CFD modeling, waste immobilization, and carbon capture (sorbents, solvents, and membranes), and supervising a mostly Ph.D. R&D staff within Quality Assurance and Environmental, Safety, and Health guidelines. He is responsible for enhancing conduct of operations, conduct of research and project management including integrated resource loaded schedules.
Beginning his career as a chemical engineer for DOE’s Morgantown Energy Technology Center, he, as the DOE Fuel Cell Technology Manager, was instrumental in formulating and directing U.S. fuel cell programs, such as Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA).
As the manager of DOE’s Stationary Fuel Cell Program, the world’s largest program of its kind, Dr. Williams directed nearly $1B of critical federal stationary fuel cell funding for phosphoric acid, molten carbonate, and solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) R&D. In addition, he served as Chief Technology Officer of a fuel cell company for 2 years and is Visiting Professor, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan and Adjunct Professor, University of Utah and West Virginia University.
Gerard L. Conway, Jr
Gerard L. Conway, Jr. has served as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary since September 2004 and, since March 2009, has also served as Senior Vice President. In that capacity, Mr. Conway is responsible for advising the Company on legal issues such as corporate law, securities, contracts, strategic alliances and intellectual property. He also serves as the Compliance Officer for securities matters affecting the Company.
During his tenure, Mr. Conway served as Vice President of Government Relations from 2005 to June 2008 and in that capacity he advocated on energy issues, policies, legislation and regulations on the state, federal, national and international levels on behalf of the Company and the alternative energy sector. Prior to his appointment to his current position, Mr. Conway served as Associate General Counsel and Director of Government Relations for the Company beginning in July 2000.
Prior to joining Plug Power, Mr. Conway spent four years as an Associate with Featherstonhaugh, Conway, Wiley & Clyne, LLP, where he concentrated in government relations, business and corporate law. Mr. Conway has more than twenty years of experience in general business, corporate real estate and government relations.
Mr. Conway holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Philosophy from Colgate University and a Juris Doctorate from Boston University School of Law.
Jack Brouwer, Ph.D.
Chancellor’s Fellow Professor: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Irvine
Director: Clean Energy Institute
Prof. Brouwer is an energy system dynamics expert with research interests in renewable energy systems; dynamic simulation and control; energy system thermodynamics, design, and integration; electrochemical conversion devices and systems such as fuel cells, electrolyzers and batteries; hydrogen production, storage and conversion systems; hydrogen transmission, distribution, and dispensing; and electrochemical reactions with concurrent heat, mass and momentum transfer. Prof. Brouwer obtained his M.S. and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from UCI and his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at MIT.