Dr. Michael Howard is a seasoned Board Director and executive with over 40 years of global experience accelerating technology and policy toward cleaner energy pathways. Dr. Howard served as President and CEO at Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) from 2010 until his retirement in 2020. After retiring from EPRI, he was honored by its Board of Directors as CEO Emeritus.

Before serving as EPRI's President and CEO, he served as EPRI's Senior Vice President, Research and Development, and President and Chief Executive Officer of EPRI Solutions, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of EPRI. His previous leadership roles span global organizations ranging from entrepreneurial start-ups to large public companies with responsibilities including operations, finance, sales and marketing, product development, and strategic planning. He began his career in 1980 with Westinghouse Electric Corporation.

Dr. Howard serves on the Board of the World Energy Council, the CMU Scott Institute for Energy Innovation, and a Senior Fellow of the Enel Foundation. He previously served on the Boards of Directors of several private technology-based companies, university advisory councils, and industry organizations and is an active member of IEEE and other technical societies. In 2019, he was elected by the United States Energy Association (USEA) as the 2019 U.S. Energy Award recipient, recognizing preeminent energy leadership and contributions to international understanding of energy issues.

"We are delighted to welcome Dr. Howard as Chairperson of our Board of Directors. He is a strong, known, and visionary leader in the energy industry, with relevant experience and skills for our business. As we continue to evolve our technology and encourage the global grid industry to become a digital platform for energy transition, Dr. Howard will be invaluable in helping our vision become a reality," said Smart Wires' CEO, Peter Wells.

"I'd like to thank Tom Voss for his service as Chairperson since 2014, during which time Smart Wires evolved from being a small R&D company to the leading provider of digital modular power flow control. His experience and steady hand have been invaluable," he said.

"I started my career at Westinghouse Electric Corporation, whose work, along with EPRI on power electronics, opened the door for the power electronics-based grid technology that Smart Wires provides today. I have been following Smart Wires' journey with great interest over the years and share Peter, and his team's, vision for a digital grid," said Smart Wires' new Chairperson, Dr. Michael Howard.

"Joining as Chairperson allows me to combine my passions for technology and making the world a better place through sustainable energy supply and use. It's a great fit, and I am thrilled to be joining the business and team. In today's world, digital grids play an essential role in the energy transition, and I look forward to contributing to this as Smart Wires new Chairperson," he said.