PLMA 2026 at-large
leader Elections
Ballot to Elect the 2027
PLMA At-large leader
Background
PLMA accepted At-Large Member self-nominations from member representatives and Leadership Council members through October 2, 2026 for election as an At-Large Leader. This one-year term that will expire at the conclusion of the 2027 year. The position will be elected with a term limit of six consecutive years from among At-Large members in good standing.
Job Description
At-Large Leaders represent the Associate and Academic PLMA Members on the PLMA Leadership Council to provide “Advice and Counsel” to the Board of Directors at semi-annual meetings and to participate in the annual election of Board Members.
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Election Process
The At-Large Leader election is conducted electronically before the next PLMA Leadership Council Meeting, scheduled for Monday, November 9, 2026 at 8:00 am PT.
Meet the PLMA At-Large Candidate
Gary Smith
President, Sagewell
EXPERIENCE
I have more than a decade of experience working with utilities to design, implement, and analyze a wide range of load flexibility and electrification programs. My client experience ranges from small public power utilities and cooperatives to some of the largest investor-owned utilities in the country. I have served as an At-Large Leader at PLMA since 2023, winning re-election in 2025.
GOALS
My primary goals are to encourage membership growth, increase engagement from existing members, and ensure PLMA stays at the forefront of load flexibility leadership in a rapidly evolving energy industry.
INITIATIVES
I will continue to champion member development, with a focus on public power, cooperative utilities, Joint Action Agencies, and CCAs. I also have a strong interest in the Load Flexibility Valuation initiative, where I advocate for thoughtful, robust approaches to valuation that leverage AMI data. As utility commissions and other stakeholders focus on affordability and program cost effectiveness, utilities can use AMI data to identify and capture additional value streams and grow load flexibility programs.
PAST ACTIVITIES
I have served as an At-Large Leader since 2023 and as a founding Co-Chair of the Public Power and Cooperatives Interest Group since 2024. Additionally, I have been an active presenter, session co-chair, Conference Planning Group member, and abstract scorer across PLMA conferences and symposiums since 2022.