John H. (Jack) Mason

4012 Grays Gable Road

Laramie, WY 82072

303 263-8678

jmason@masoneam.com

Summary

  • Executive, consultant, engineer, entrepreneur, and educator with more than 40 years of energy industry experience,

    • In start-up, turn-around, merger/acquisition, integration, and strategic planning,

    • As a line executive and consultant, and

    • In organizations ranging from a few to thousands of employees;

  • Developed directly or indirectly through managers or executives reporting to me more than $100 million in professional service and technology business for energy companies and government;

  • Led two dozen successful strategic consulting engagements in electric utility companies with 1000 to 20,000 employees under the sponsorship of senior executives such as president and senior or executive vice president during turnarounds, mergers, acquisitions, integration, and enterprise information system implementation and recovery projects;

  • Assisted 10 national multiple-facility companies develop corporate energy and environmental management strategies;

  • Led as president turn-around of a 350-person $50 million public professional services and enterprise information system firm;

  • Founded 8 businesses as both intrapreneur and entrepreneur,

    • Raising venture capital for one and

    • Leading three to acquisitions;

  • Led divisions of an engineering and management services firm providing engineering design, systems engineering, and management consulting services to energy utilities;

  • Founded a subsidiary of a Department of Defense professional services firm to port maintenance, spare parts, training, and facility support programs to the electric power industry;

  • Served as interim vice president of engineering for an electric power utility for six months;

  • Served as senior vice president of a supplier of enterprise level information management systems;

  • Founded a business-to-business energy management software as a service firm and developed a set of more than 30 Fortune 500 clients;

  • Developed a business strategy for a combined firm, following an acquisition, to provide energy and environmental services to utility companies and their commercial customers;

  • Developed and delivered graduate courses as an adjunct at University of Colorado Bolder and Denver various online and hybrid formats,

    • Energy industry graduate seminar

    • Operations and Supply Management,

    • Entrepreneurial Finance,

    • Options, Derivatives, Futures, and Hedging,

    • Capstone Strategic Management, and

    • Management of Research & Development and Innovation;

  • Led the redesign/repositioning of Duquesne University Entrepreneurship program,

    • Developing a vision and strategy for and redesigning all elements of the program,

    • Engaging actively in the startup, investor, and business communities, and

    • Revising the curriculum and all courses for the entrepreneurship major and minor;

  • Conducted research into skills and knowledge affecting startup and small business success and failure and the implications for entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurship in the knowledge economy;

  • Conducted international research into how countries educate technical professionals for the energy industry in France, Germany, Japan, and the US;

  • Served as Chief Operating Officer University of Wyoming Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (www.uwyo-iie.org),

    • Starting up and establishing the strategy and initial programs for the institute and

    • Supporting entrepreneurship and innovation across the campus and state;

  • Developed a strategy for commercialization of School of Energy Resources coal-based technology;

  • Earned relevant academic credentials,

    • Doctor of Science and Master of Science, Engineering, MIT,

    • Master of Science, Management, Sloan School of Management,

    • Sloan Fellow, Sloan School of Management,

    • Bachelor of Science, US Naval Academy; and

  • Subject matter expert in a broad range of management and technical disciplines.

Professional Experience

2018 – 2020 University of Wyoming

Chief Operating Officer Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and

Professor of Practice College of Business.

Responsible for establishing and developing the institute, strategy, and programs. Provided leadership in innovation and entrepreneur education, coordinated assistance programs for new venture creation, collaborated with private sector employers to create experiential learning opportunities, and led community outreach efforts statewide. Developed and led initiatives which strongly align with the University of Wyoming's strategic plan, and the state's economic development and diversification goals. Accomplishments included:

  • Conducting a statewide tour meeting with more than two dozen organizations and more than 1000 individuals to gather information about strengths, weaknesses, needs, opportunities, and challenges to support economic development and entrepreneurship;

  • Performing a benchmarking comparison of US university entrepreneurship and innovation institutes/centers (peer and aspirant) and recommending structure, organizational alignment, attributes, and programs;

  • Developing and pursuing an interim strategy pending organizational changes;

  • Developing and maintaining collaborative relationships with numerous state economic development organizations;

  • Developing a statewide mentor network in collaboration with the state economic development organization;

  • Starting up several centers to support entrepreneurs and economic development and diversification:

    • Center for Business and Economic Analysis,

    • Center for Design Thinking,

    • Health and Biosciences Innovation Hub, and

    • Entrepreneurial Law Practicum to provide legal advice to entrepreneurs;

  • Developing a minor in entrepreneurship for non-business students and recruiting and supporting colleges at the university and community colleges in developing or identifying courses meeting the learning objectives and suitable for credit;

  • Funding and supporting two faculty new ventures;

  • Designing and gaining approval for student internships in startup firms paid by the institute;

  • Designing and gaining approval of a student venture seed investment program;

  • Developing a web site (www.uwyo-iie.org) that provides a wide range of information to support entrepreneurship state-wide and integrates an entrepreneurial ecosystem platform (StartUpTree) that supports competitions, mentorship programs, events, team formation, job and internship posting, groups, discussions, and shared learning;

  • Developing a strategy for commercialization of School of Energy Resources coal-based technology, and

  • Developing an operations management course for MBA students in the College of Business and an experiential entrepreneurship course for students in the College of Engineering.

2013 - 2018 Duquesne University Palumbo Donahue School of Business

Director of Entrepreneurial Studies. Responsible for curriculum design and delivery, student advising, faculty selection and teaching, and maintaining connections to the startup, investor, and business communities to promote entrepreneurial activity and student engagement.

  • Pursued a strategic planning process of interviewing hundreds of individuals in the startup, business, investment, and academic communities and attending dozens of startup community events in order to develop a program strategy and positioning.

  • Developed a strategy to reposition the program uniquely within the university and region

  • Revised the entrepreneurship major and minor and gained university approval.

  • Developed and taught six core courses for the undergraduate major to incorporate more experiential learning and contemporary pedagogical techniques, including two writing intensive courses and a two-course new venture sequence in which student team start real “micro” business with an up to $5,000 investment.

  • Developed and delivered an energy industry seminar for MBA students and an enterprise risk management course for graduate students, and developed the syllabus for a highly experiential capstone course for graduate students

  • Led the development and design of a new entrepreneurship center, including student collaboration and maker spaces. Played a key role in raising $1 million to fund the center working with a small team of the dean and vice president of advancement.

  • Developed the Duquesne Angels student startup investment program and supervised their first investment in collaboration with a regional angel investor alliance.

  • Developed and delivered an entrepreneurship (online) course and energy industry seminar (classroom) for graduate students.

  • Led several workshops and competitive paper presentations at Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers and US Association of Small Businesses and Entrepreneurship annual conferences

  • Published a survey of topic coverage in 60 entrepreneurship textbooks.

  • Conducted and published research into entrepreneurship in the knowledge economy and root causes of startup failure and implications for education as a collateral activity not part of principal responsibilities

  • Experienced and supported two AACSB accreditation visits.

  • Revived the student entrepreneurship organization.

  • Increased dramatically the program visibility and engagement within the startup and investor ecosystem, including being invited to be

    • Board member and vice chairman of the Entrepreneur Forum of Pittsburgh and

    • Charter member of TiE of Pittsburgh.

2010-2019- University of Colorado, Denver, Business School

Concurrently, adjunct graduate faculty member and lecturer in the Global Energy Management program at the University of Colorado, Denver Business School. Developed and taught Energy Asset and Production Management, which included important risk management and organization development concepts, Advanced Finance in the Energy Industry, which included entrepreneurial finance, enterprise and project valuation and investment, and options, derivatives, and hedging, and a capstone Strategic Management in the Energy Industry courses to graduate students through a hybrid approach including live classroom and remote virtual instruction. Contributed to the development and enhancement of the program.

2009-2018 Mason Energy + Management (www.masoneam.com)

Principal of this energy and management consulting firm. Provided consulting services related to strategic energy planning, energy management, sustainability, and energy cost analysis. Pursued new business concept focused on energy efficiency for commercial buildings utilizing available energy consumption data, geospatial data, building modeling, and employee empowerment. Developed prototype products, piloted programs with four national multiple facility companies in different vertical segments, and pursued further business development in additional national vertical markets. Also provided consulting support for acquisitions and corporate development in the energy industry to a multi-billion-dollar company.

2008-2009 E Source LLC (www.esource.com)

Vice President of this provider of energy research, management, and consulting services and products to end-user companies and utilities.

  • Contributed $1.1 million margin in 2008.

  • Doubled E Source value based on conservative revenue and EBITDA multiples.

  • Developed the combined business strategy to provide energy supply, demand management, and sustainability services/products to business energy end-users.

1999-2008 EnergyWindow, Inc. (www.energywindow.com)

Chief Executive and founder of this business-to-business electronic commerce firm providing online tools and products for energy procurement and supply management.

  • Developed product concepts/specifications, obtained venture capital funding, obtained energy markets knowledge, led a team of internal and external resources to identify needs and develop products to meet those needs. Products ranged from

    • An online platform for business energy buyers to post requests and suppliers to bid on them resulting in $250 million savings on $1.2 billion in energy supply agreements to

    • An analysis tool, developed with client funding, using energy rate research and Monte Carlo simulation to project costs for energy supply portfolios.

  • Assisted 10 national multiple-facility companies develop corporate strategic energy and environmental impact management strategies and plans using a unique facilitated consulting process based on best-practices and research in strategic planning and organizational development.

  • Acquired more than 30 Fortune 1000 clients through a systematic marketing and business development process.

  • Registered and maintained relationships with virtually every electric and natural gas service provider in North America; established necessary electronic interfaces and partnerships with hundreds of local utilities; researched and modeled rates for essentially every electric and gas utility in the US.

  • Led the development of a national standard contract for buying and selling natural gas and electricity in wholesale and retail markets.

  • Grew revenue 10-fold and became highly profitable within 4 years of initial funding.

E Source acquired EnergyWindow in July 2008.

1997-1999 Indus International, Inc.

Senior Vice President with this supplier of enterprise information management systems and leader of The Indus Energy Group, their electric utility industry executive consulting practice.

  • Supported senior energy industry executives in developing and implementing strategies to improve organization and plant performance, value, and risk management.

  • Led development of a major new product for facilitating utility generation asset performance improvement; acquired additional accounts.

  • Managed a successful multi-million-dollar maintenance, repair, and operation management process/information system implementation recovery project requiring staffing in a month and managing a team of 50 consultants for an intervention in a 10,000-person plus organization located at three plant sites and two central offices in Ontario Canada

  • Met operating income commitments in 11 of 12 quarters.

  • Returned the value of the acquisition of PRISM by Indus in two years.

1993-1997 PRISM Consulting, Inc.

Principal/Owner of this executive consulting firm that assisted senior energy industry executives implement strategic planning, organizational change, plant performance improvement, and mergers.

  • Facilitated 24 major successful comprehensive electric power generation organization strategic planning and organizational performance improvement engagements for board members, CEOs, presidents and other senior executives at such companies as Carolina Power & Light, Commonwealth Edison, Constellation, Dominion, Entergy, Florida Power, Houston Power & Light, Illinois Power, Nebraska Public Power District, New York Power Authority, Ontario Hydro, and Public Service Electric & Gas of New Jersey.

  • In one assignment, served as Vice President of Engineering for 6 months

  • Indus acquired PRISM in 1997 for two times revenue.

1995-1997 University of Colorado, Boulder, College of Engineering

Concurrently, adjunct graduate faculty member and instructor in the Engineering Management Program at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Taught Management of Research & Product Development to graduate students through classroom and remote instruction. Supervised several graduate students’ research.

1990-1993 TENERA, LP

President and Vice President of this public professional services company with approximately $50 million annual revenue and 350 employees. Services and products included engineering, power plant design and safety analysis, environmental engineering, management consulting, and enterprise information systems for electric power, other industry, and government clients, including the Department of Energy.

  • Asked by the Board to take the position of president after a year of major losses, led a return to profitability and doubled shareholder value in two quarters.

1989-1990 Sloan School of Management

Sloan Fellow participating in an intensive 12-month program of academics and research with 50 other managers and executives from international companies. Completed publication quality research relating to professional services, innovation, education of technical professionals, and the electric power industry involving research in France, Germany, Japan, and the US.

1983-1989 Advanced Technology, Inc.

Vice President and Division Manager (one of three founders) of a successful subsidiary of a large government professional services company formed to port maintenance, configuration, operation, and supply management and training services and products to the electric power industry and other commercial, industrial, and government (DOE) clients based on parent company capabilities and technology serving DOD clients.

  • Contributed 10% of the company’s revenue and 30% of the operating income resulting in significant additional value realized in an acquisition of the parent.

1979-1983 Impell Corporation

Manager responsible for starting up and managing several different divisions of an engineering and management services company performing system engineering, design engineering, probabilistic risk analysis, engineering analysis, management consulting, and information systems development for power industry clients. Chartered a new corporate function responsible for new product and service development.

1976-1979 Combustion Engineering

Supervisor and Engineer performing design and analysis of large nuclear steam supply systems—activities included development and application of integrated coupled space- and time- dependent computer-based physics, thermodynamics, and system modeling for nuclear power plants as well as fuel material performance analysis. Responsible for developing, obtaining Electric Power Research Institute funding for, and managing research and development projects.

Education and Academic Experience

Master of Science, Management, Sloan School of Management

  • Management master’s degree research focused on education and training of power plant operators requiring travel and observation and evaluation of power plant training in France, Germany, Japan, and the US.

Doctor of Science, Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Master of Science, Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • Engineering doctoral and master’s thesis research focused on mathematical methods for solution of the neutron diffusion and transport equations in power reactors.

Bachelor of Science, Minor in Mathematics, U. S. Naval Academy

Sloan School of Management

  • Sloan Fellow – Completed a 12-month program of research and academics in collaboration with 55 managers and executives from 25 countries and 50 companies.

  • Interacted with several dozen senior executives and officials of global 500 companies;

  • Conducted and published research involving management of technical professionals, innovation in professional services, and power plant training in France, Germany, Japan, and the US.

University of Colorado Boulder School of Engineering

  • Adjunct faculty member and lecturer in the Engineering Management Program - Taught graduate courses in management of research and development. Supervised several graduate students’ research.

University of Colorado Denver Business School

  • Adjunct faculty member and lecturer in the Global Energy Management Program - Teaching graduate courses in energy asset, operations, quality, project, process, and supply management, advanced finance including entrepreneurial finance and options, derivatives, futures, hedging, and trading, and a capstone strategic management course.

Duquesne University Palumbo Donahue School of Business

  • Director of Entrepreneurial Studies leading the program and maintaining linkage to the business community, other school disciplines, and the other schools at Duquesne.

  • Revised the curriculum for the entrepreneurship major

  • Revised major courses to incorporate more contemporary and experiential content and taught Introduction to Entrepreneurship (undergraduate), Entrepreneurial Finance (undergraduate), Capstone Entrepreneurship (undergraduate), Entrepreneurship (graduate, online), and Energy Industry Seminar (graduate)

US Navy Nuclear Power Program

  • Officer - Completed the 18-month US Navy nuclear power training program involving classroom and plant instruction; qualified as the equivalent of senior reactor operator on three different design nuclear power plants. In one 2-year assignment led a staff of 20 training and qualifying officers and enlisted on an operating nuclear power plant.

Publications

Refereed Journal Articles

Published Articles (peer reviewed)

Mason, J. Entrepreneurship in knowledge-based services: opportunity for accelerated new business, economic, and workforce development, Journal of Business Venturing Insights. 10, e92.


Mason, J., and Hornsby, J. Autopsy: Post mortem analysis of the root causes of 105 failed startups, Proceedings of USASBE 2019 Annual Conference, St. Pete Beach, FL, 151-158.


Mason, J. Entrepreneurship in knowledge-based services: Opportunity and challenges for new venture, economic, and workforce development, Proceedings of USASBE 2019 Annual Conference, St. Pete Beach, FL, 142-150.


Mason, J. Innovation in professional services: potential productivity and trade improvement, Technological Forecasting and Social Change 42, 31-45.

Published Chapter

Mason, J. and Siqueira, C.O., Addressing the challenges of future entrepreneurship education: an assessment of textbooks for teaching entrepreneurship, Innovative Pathways for University Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century, Advances in the Study of Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Economic Growth (ASEIEG) Volume 24, May 2014.

In progress

Application of statistical (Monte Carlo) simulation to energy supply portfolio cost projection, budgeting, and value at risk analysis, target: Interfaces.


Energy commodity hedging strategies based on interpretation of futures contracts as options and application of the Black Scholes option pricing model, target: Journal of Futures Markets.

Articles in Professional Journals

Standard contract for energy purchasing: an idea whose time has come, Contract Management, July 2007


Small gas buyers work to mitigate price increases, Pipeline & Gas Journal, July 2005.


Technology is finding a way to recharge energy and utility purchases, Inside Supply Management, Institute for Supply Management, June 2005.

Presentations and Workshops

Mapping success in entrepreneurship curriculum design, US Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Annual Conference, New Orleans, January 6, 2020.

Learning entrepreneurship from real world experience: from entrepreneurial co-op programs to venture failure, Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers, Annual Conference, Halifax, NS, October 14, 2018

Historical lessons and supporting for credit learning, Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers, Annual Conference, Halifax, NS, October 13, 2017.

Importance of entrepreneurship education and research topics to startup enterprise success, Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers, Annual Conference, London, October 3, 2014.

Entrepreneurship education and text needs for the 21st century, Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers, Annual Conference, Kansas City, October 24, 2013

Energy Markets, Pricing, Forecasting, and Budgeting, Presentation to the Council for the Great City Schools Chief Operating Officers, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, April 2009.


Applying Monte Carlo simulation to retail energy cost projection, budgeting, and value at risk analysis, Palisade Risk and Decision Analysis Conference, Jersey City, New Jersey, November 13, 2008.


How to use savvy energy procurement to reduce operating costs significantly, 93rd Annual International Supply Management Conference & Educational Exhibit, sponsored by the Institute for Supply Management, St. Louis, Missouri, May 4-7, 2008


Natural gas price trends: new perspectives and implications for buyers, National Accounts Conference & Technology and Market Assessment Forum, St. Louis, Missouri, June 19, 2007.


Energy customer choice update, Edison Electric Institute National Accounts Workshop, Orlando, Florida, September 28, 2004.


Energy e-procurement, International Mass Retail Association (IMRA) Store Planning, Energy, Electricity, & Design Conference, Orlando, Florida, November 15, 2001

An international comparison of nuclear power plant training programs, Presented at the Third Annual Meeting of the Soviet Nuclear Society, St. Petersburg, Russia, September 1992 (based on MS thesis and Sloan Fellow research in the US, France, Germany, and Japan)

Application of submarine extended operating cycle methods to the enhancement of operations of commercial nuclear power plants," American Nuclear Society Topical Meeting on Nuclear Plant Life Extension, August 1988 (Co-author).

Application of practical methods for reliability engineering to maintenance program optimization," American Nuclear Society/American Society of Mechanical Engineers Topical Meeting on Engineering for Nuclear Plant Operations and Maintenance, Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Volume 56 Supplement 2, April 1988 (Co-author)

System engineers: an approach to operational excellence, Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Volume 54, June 1987.

Integrated planning in the U. S. Navy, Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Volume 46, June 1984 (Co-author).

Configuration management: can the nuclear industry gain from US Navy experience?, Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Volume 46, June 1984 (Co-author).

PWR overpower detection for control element assembly ejection transients, Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Volume 33, November 1979, (Co-author).

A post-DNB fuel design limit, Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Volume 30, November 1978, (Co-author).

White Papers

An Approach for Corporate Energy Strategy Development

A process and example products for developing a corporate energy and environmental impact management strategy based on sound management concepts, proven best practices, and experience with numerous national companies in various vertical markets.


Monte Carlo Statistical Simulation for Energy Portfolio Cost Projection and Value at Risk Analysis

Use of rate research and statistical simulation to project retail energy costs for multiple facility portfolios for budgeting and value at risk analysis in support of energy supply management and procurement


How to Use Energy Procurement to Reduce Operating Costs

Application of strategic sourcing and procurement best practices to energy procurement and supply management.


How Black Swan Events Impact Energy Portfolios

Consideration of "Black Swans" events, as defined by author Nassim Taleb in his 2007 book, The Black Swan, in energy supply portfolio management.


Energy Rises to C-Level

The role of C-level executives in setting and implementing energy supply and risk strategies.


Shedding Light on Energy Price Trends and Their Drivers

Considerations, drivers, and analysis of wholesale and retail energy prices

Strategic Sourcing of Energy: Integrating Energy Procurement into Your Supply Chain Strategy


Adaptation of strategic sourcing to energy supply management.

Natural Gas Price Trends and Practical Strategies for Managing Escalating Supply Costs


Energy e-Procurement Offers Exceptional Financial Returns

Application of e-procurement to energy procurement and supply management

Academic Courses and Seminars

Strategic Management capstone graduate course in hybrid in class and online format, Global Energy Management Program, University of Colorado Denver Business School, developed and taught twice 2019 and 2020.


Energy Asset and Productions Management, graduate operations management course in hybrid in class and online format, Global Energy Management Program, University of Colorado Denver Business School, developed and taught 13 times since 2010.


Advanced Finance in the Energy Industry, graduate finance course in options, derivatives, futures, and hedging and in entrepreneurial finance, Global Energy Management Program, University of Colorado Denver Business School, developed and taught 5 times since 2014.


Entrepreneurial Finance, graduate and undergraduate course Duquesne University Business School, developed and taught spring semesters since 2013. I also obtained approval for the course as writing intensive.


Entrepreneurial Decision Making in High Velocity Markets, undergraduate entrepreneurship major capstone course, developed and taught spring semesters since 2013.


Basic Entrepreneurship, basic undergraduate entrepreneurship course for non-business majors, developed and taught multiple semesters since 2013.


Graduate Entrepreneurship, graduate online entrepreneurship course for students in the MBA program, I taught multiple summer semesters since 2013.


Graduate Seminar in the Energy Industry, seminar for MBA students on the energy industry developed and taught summer 2014.


New Venture Experience I and II, undergraduate experiential entrepreneurship two-semester course sequence in which students start and operate micro-businesses for two semesters in sophomore year with an investment of up to $5000, developed and taught 2016-2017, 2017-2018.


Entrepreneurship Fundamentals, undergraduate advanced entrepreneurship course for majors involving deeper engagement and development of a business plan for a real venture, developed and taught fall 2017. First venture was a real joint venture between Duquesne University and Achieva, a region organization that supports individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.


An Overview of the Electrical and Natural Gas Utility Industry, Guest Lecture for the University of Colorado Denver Business School, Global Energy Management Program, April 2009.


Management of Research and Development and Innovation, graduate course, Engineering Management Program, College of Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado, Fall Semester 1997 and 1998.


Numerous seminars and workshops for freshmen introduction to business, biomedical engineering students, and sustainability MBA students.


Master syllabus for the capstone course for MBA students and am writing a master syllabus for online risk management course for MS in management students.


Restructuring and development of an undergraduate guerrilla marketing course, including obtaining approval as a writing intensive course, and searching for and hiring an adjunct to teach the course.