Ed Stern is President and CEO of PowerBridge, the leading developer of non-utility, privately financed, electric transmission systems in the U.S. PowerBridge has developed, financed, constructed – and now operates – more than 1300 MWs of transmission capacity, with a total investment in excess of $1.5 billion. PowerBridge has also completed the development and construction of a natural gas line and is currently developing several billion dollars of new electric transmission facilities.

Ed has more than 30 years of experience leading the successful development, financing, construction, operation and ownership of major energy and infrastructure projects. Under Ed’s guidance, PowerBridge developed, financed and built the Neptune Regional Transmission System, completed in 2007, and the Hudson Transmission Project, completed in 2013.

Both Neptune and Hudson are 660 MW HVDC underwater and underground electric transmission systems, managed by PowerBridge, that interconnect the PJM market in New Jersey with power grids in New York. Neptune extends 65 miles (51 underwater) between Sayreville, New Jersey and Long Island, while Hudson runs from Ridgefield, New Jersey for approximately seven miles into Manhattan’s West Side, including four miles underneath the Hudson River. Both projects were completed on budget and ahead of schedule.

From 1991 through 2004, Ed was employed by Enel North America, Inc. — the North American subsidiary of the Italian electric utility Enel SpA — and its predecessor, CHI Energy, Inc., an energy company specializing in renewable energy technologies including hydroelectric and wind. While at Enel North America, Inc. and CHI Energy, Inc., Ed served as General Counsel and, commencing in 1999, as President, Director and Chief Executive Officer.

Prior to joining CHI, Ed was a vice president with BayBanks, Inc., a Boston-based $10 billion financial services organization, where for six years he specialized in energy project finance, real estate restructurings and asset management.

Ed has served on numerous public and private boards, most recently on the boards of CAN Capital, Inc., a small business specialty finance company; Deepwater Wind Holdings, LLC, America’s leading developer of offshore wind projects (recently acquired by Orsted), FMC GlobalStat Holdings, Inc., a global provider of satellite and wireless communications systems; and on the advisory board of Starwood Energy Group Global, LLC, a private equity firm specializing in energy and infrastructure investments.

Ed received B.A., J.D. and M.B.A. degrees from Boston University. He is a member of the Massachusetts Bar and the Federal Energy Bar.

Chris Hocker is Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer. He joined PowerBridge in 2004 after 20 years of experience in the electric power industry that encompassed project planning, licensing and permitting, government and community relations, business development, and corporate communications. He was responsible for permit compliance during Neptune construction and led the successful permitting effort for the Hudson Transmission Project. Between 1990 and 2004, he was employed by Enel North America, Inc., and its predecessor company, CHI Energy, Inc. With CHI, he initially focused on licensing, planning, and government and community relations for a proposed 1500-MW power project, responsible for preparing a successful siting application for the project generating facility as well as a separate siting application for a related 345-kV transmission line. He later served as Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, for CHI and Enel North America, part of the senior management team responsible for corporate development. He served on the board of directors of the National Hydropower Association, a Washington, D.C.-based trade association of utility and independent hydropower owners, for nine years, including one year as president of the association in 2000-2001.

Previously, Chris was a communications consultant for companies involved in the engineering, energy, and environmental fields and a Contributing Editor of Independent Energy magazine for several years, writing numerous articles on various business aspects of the independent power industry. He holds a BA degree from Stanford University.