Environmental Visionaries Sign-On to Speak at GreenXchange Leadership Conference

Business Wire, Sept 6, 2007

Former Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, California Public Utilities Commission President Michael Peevey, and Chair of the California Air Resources Board Mary Nichols to speak at the defining event for the world's green marketplace

LOS ANGELES and FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- GreenXchange LLC, the recently formed partnership of tradeshow innovator IDG World Expo and environmental think-tank VerdeXchange, today confirmed that Norman Mineta, Vice Chairman of Hill & Knowlton and former Secretary of Transportation; Michael Peevey, President of the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC); and Mary Nichols, Chair of the California Air Resources Board, will be speakers at the upcoming GreenXchange[TM] Leadership Conference, scheduled to take place December 10-11, 2007 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles.

Norman Mineta, the current Vice Chairman of Hill & Knowlton and former Secretary of Transportation for the Bush administration, will share how the transportation industry is using technology to reduce the impact of transportation on the environment.

"Transportation and environmental issues are strongly connected and in recent years, legislation at all levels of government has further heightened the links between these issues," said Norman Mineta. "Facilitating rapid development, public understanding, and acceptance of advanced transportation technologies will play a significant role in achieving energy and environmental sustainability."

As Vice Chairman, Mineta provides counsel and strategic advice to Hill & Knowlton clients on a wide range of business and political issues including expertise in transportation and national security. Secretary Mineta served in Congress for over twenty years and in the Cabinets of both Republican and Democratic presidents. Secretary Mineta was appointed the United States Secretary of Transportation by President George W. Bush in 2001, where he served until he joined Hill & Knowlton in July, 2006.

Michael Peevey will also play a prominent role at the conference as he addresses how the California Public Utilities Commission is stimulating the private sector to help their customers deal with environmental compliance through technology.

"This conference presents a unique opportunity for representatives from both the public and private sector to meet and exchange ideas and best practices for implementing and achieving sustainability," said Michael Peevey. "California has some of the most ambitious environmental goals in the country and the PUC plays a major role in facilitating those goals. I look forward to discussing the importance of renewable energy and environmental sensibility at what promises to be one of the most dynamic green events yet."

As President of the PUC, Mr. Peevey is committed to protecting the public interest by promoting consumer needs, while challenging utilities to embrace new technologies and provide safe, high-quality services. He is also a strong supporter of renewable energy and renewable procurement requirements for utilities, and is a leader in implementing California's Solar and Greenhouse Gas Initiatives.

Mary Nichols, Chairman of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and former Director of the UCLA Institute of the Environment, will address climate change policy at the Conference. Nichols is in charge of the nation's most progressive and expansive program that deals with green house gases and climate change. CARB is the nation's leading air quality regulatory agency and has a worldwide reputation. Because of California's unique authority under the federal Clean Air Act, the policies adopted in California often set the pace for the nation.

"California has the will and market power to drive the continuous improvement in energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reductions that will be necessary to survive the worst effects of climate change," said Mary Nichols. "The GreenXchange Leadership Conference provides an important forum for all the parties who will have to be involved in this effort--inventors and investors, buyers and sellers, and the policy makers who need to understand and support this massive undertaking. I'm looking forward to contributing to the conference agenda."

Mary Nichols has a distinguished career as a public servant and excellent environmental credentials. She previously served as the chair of the California Air Resources Board under Governor Jerry Brown. After a brief stint on the DWP board under former Mayor Tom Bradley, Nichols went to Washington as assistant administrator for air quality issues at the Environmental Protection Agency during the first Clinton administration. Nichols came back to L.A. to head up the UCLA Institute for the Environment before returning to the DWP board. Prior to her EPA appointment, she served as a senior staff attorney and director of the Los Angeles office of the Natural Resources Defense Council. Governor Edmund G. Brown appointed her chair of the California Air Resources Board; and Mayor Tom Bradley, to the five-member board of commissions of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Nichols has extensive experience in environmental law and in administration of public sector agencies responsible for civil litigation and environmental policy.