Gregory Baird Water Utility Financial Services - Rate Studies

Experience

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  Brigham Young University

  Jan 1990 - Jan 1991

  Instructor Japan Business Management

  Intercultural Communications TA, Working/Doing Business in Japan, Social-Cultural-Anthropological Research Methodologies, Multi-Cultural workgroup analysis.

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  Continental Airlines

  Jan 1991 - Jan 1995

  Senior Financial Analyst

  Financial Analysis and Reporting, Statistics, Business Process Improvement, Reservations Division Administration (Utah-Texas-Colorado-Florida)

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  Novell

  Jan 1996 - Jan 1997

  Project Administration

  Business Intelligence Research, Novell Business Development, Novell Japan. Competitive Analysis Research, VP level support, Project Administration, Business Group Financials

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  CGI

  Jan 1998 - Jan 2001

  Municipal Finance Business Consultant

  Municipal Financial, HR, Payroll and Budget Systems:Business Process Improvements, Software Development, Beta Testing, Conversion, Implementation and End User Training (State-County-Local Levels of Government)

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  City of Modesto

  Jan 2001 - Jan 2007

  Acting Director of Finance/Deputy Director

  General Fund -Full City Services, Redevelopment Agency, Water and Sewer Enterprise Funds, Investments, Bonds, Accounting, COA, GASB34 Implementation, Grants, Auditors, Annual Operating and Capital Budget, City Manager Budget/Department Negotiations, Customer Service and Utility Billing, Financial Software, Utility Master Planning, Taxes, Rates and Fees, Proposition 218 Process and Rate Development and Implementation, Stakeholder Relations, Developer Negotiations, County Finance Liaison, County Investment Committee Oversight $900m, Modesto Irrigation District MID Liaison, California Society of Municipal Finance Officers (CSMFO) Central Valley Chapter Chair, CSMFO 50th Anniversary Host and Co-Chair, GFOA, AWWA Show less

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  City of Aurora

  Jan 2007 - Jan 2010

  Chief Financial Officer/Acting Utility Director

  Colorado's 3rd largest utility $150 m(water and sewer), The Prairie Waters $750 m reuse/regional project, $2b CIP, Water Rates, Customer Service, Conservation, Drought Planning, Regional Modeling, Water Acquisitions, Public Outreach, Utility Billing, Accounting, Budget, Finance, and developing an Infrastructure Asset Management program, AWWA, GFOA, WERF, WEF

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  Aging Water Infrastructure (AWI Consulting)

  Jul 2010 - Jul 2023

  Executive Utility Management Consultant/Strategic Advisor- Business Development

  Reviewing data on 800 water utilities and 200 sewer utilities, Municipal Infrastructure Asset Management, Finance, Business Development Strategic Advisory (SewerAI, Fracta, FontusBlue, 120Water, Wachs Water, Pure Tech, PPIC, Innovyze, Waterworth, BioBots, Trimble, Cityworks, etc.Financial Reviews: Miami Dade, WSSC, Toronto, PRASA, Baltimore, DC Water, Louisville, San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia, Montreal, Dallas, Houston, Fort Collins, Fort Worth, Boston, Knoxville, Jacksonville, Detroit, Chicago, Seattle, LADWP, SAWS, Denver, Detroit, Calgary, Raleigh, Santa Clara, Portland, San Diego, Atlanta Water Industry Business DevelopmentWriting, Research, Presentations Show less

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  GHD

  Jan 2011 - Jan 2012

  Principal Financial Management Consultant

  Utility Infrastructure Asset Management Program Development, Utility Asset Management Engagements and Projects, CMMS/Asset Management Software, Management Consulting, Business Development, Financial Planning and Services

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  Water Finance Research Foundation

  Jun 2012 - now

  President, Water Infrastructure Planning, Funding and Affordability

  The Water Finance Research Foundation (non-profit) is dedicated to promoting water affordability and collaboration in order to help find solutions for local governments and utilities to address the challenges of aging infrastructure, funding and affordability. The WFRF supports and provides research, surveys, analysis, and publications for utilities. The WFRF works with elected officials, utility managers, rate payers and advocates, private industry, municipal organizations, academia and other non-profits. The WFRF promotes municipal infrastructure asset management practices for state, county and local governments which increase inefficiencies while reducing long-term operations, maintenance, and capital costs. A special focus is on wet infrastructure which includes water, wastewater, storm drain and reuse. A core program also includes creating opportunities for the next generation to gain knowledge and experience through research and publication opportunities. The WFRF also strives to help municipalities and utilities explore financing and funding solutions which includes rate and fee increases, infrastructure funding, private-public partnerships, grants and other innovative programs. The WFRF supports efforts of the American Water Works Association (AWWA), the American Public Works Association (APWA), U.S. Conference of Mayors, US Water Alliance, the Virginia Tech Sustainable Water Infrastructure Management (SWIM) Center, the Buried Asset Management Institute - International (BAMI-I), the Water Environmental Research Foundation (WERF), the Water Environment Federation (WEF) and UIM Water Finance Conference series. www.WaterFinanceRF.org Show less

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  MWH, now part of Stantec

  Jan 2013 - Jan 2015

  Sr. Financial Consultant Water-Sewer Rates, Consent Decree Affordability, Due Diligence

  Hawksley Consulting/MWH Global Leader in Wet Infrastructure (Water/Wastewater/Storm/Re-use) Business Solutions Group offering management consulting, comprehensive asset management and tools, integrated financial and risk services including rates, financial modeling, affordability and sustainability, project or bond feasibility, service level and performance measures cost factors for rate discussions, regionalization and consolidations, AM cost savings tracking and reporting, capital budgeting and project prioritization.• Cost of Service / Rate Studies• Water Conservation Studies/Water Audits• Financial Feasibility Studies• System Development Charges / Impact Fee Studies• Formation of Authorities and Commissions (Regionalization/consolidation)• Benchmarking and Competitiveness Studies• Strategic Financial Planning• Management Reviews/Audits• Asset Management Programs• Integrated Water Resource Programs • Bond-Related Studies• Organizational, Staffing and Management Studies• Financial Capacity/Affordability and Alternative Funding (PPP)• Litigation Support / Expert Witness Testimony • Specialized Accounting Studies and Procedures• Financial and Economic Impact Studies and Models Show less

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  Infrastructure Financial Consulting

  May 2015 - Jul 2023

  Utility Financial Assessment/Construction Damage Claim Expert Witness applying large diameter PCCP Infrastructure Asset Management for risk mitigation and cost analysis. Reviewing over 500 water asset management plansWater Infrastructure Asset Management TrainerFinancial and Integrated Asset Management/GISLegal Expert WitnessCapital Project and Financial PlanningSustainability PlanningLife Cycle Cost Subject Matter Expert

  • Executive Consultant - Expert Witness

    Apr 2019 - Jul 2023

  • Utility Financial and Asset Management Consulting

    May 2015 - Dec 2019
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  WSSC (Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission)

  Sept 2015 - Mar 2016

  Executive Financial and Infrastructure Asset Management Consultant Life Cycle Cost/

  (Reporting to the WSSC CFO) Reviewing and Assessing Water Infrastructure Asset Management Practices, Policies, Business Processes, CMMS, Performance Metrics, and Financal Impacts to Operations and Capital budgets. Develop life cycle training thinking training, making recommendations for business process improvements, technology, reporting, etc.

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  Trimble Cityworks

  Sept 2016 - Jan 2018

  Director of Enterprise Strategies - Developing GIS Centric CMMS Asset Management Functionality

  Developing asset management criticality scoring and budgeting functionality for Cityworks 15.2 which is the GIS-centric computerized maintenance management and asset management software system providing cost effective public asset management for Smart Communities including local governments, utilities and other industries. Cityworks with over 700 clients, implementation and developer partners empowers Esri GIS to manage both physical infrastructure and land-focused (permitting, licensing, code enforcement) asset management. Cityworks and Esri ArcGIS combine to make the perfect open platform for designing and creating Web GIS-centric public asset management solutions for decision makers while meeting the vision and goals of Smart Cities and Communities. http://www.cityworks.com/ Show less

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  Fracta

  Sept 2018 - Jan 2020

  Director - Applying AI and Machine Learning to Underground Water Infrastructure Asset Management

  Water Main Digital Water Technology Solutions Business Development and Marketing, AI/Machine Learning product development for water pipe distribution systems/Sales team water infrastructure asset management training and support

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  Xylem

  Jan 2020 - Jan 2021

  Consultant, Digital Water Transformation

  Water and Sewer Digital Technology Solutions (Xylem Vue) and Asset Condition Assessment, Advisory, Product Development, Marketing and Municipal Water and Sewer Strategy Development, Competitive Analysis.

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  BlueConduit

  Dec 2021 - Jul 2022

  Chief Strategy Officer, National Awareness and Compliance Development

  Lead(Pb) Service Line Machine Learning Predictive Modeling - SaaS Platform- Greg Baird is the National Lead(Pb) Service Line Inventory and Replacement Executive Director for BlueConduit combining water infrastructure asset management, AI/Machine Learning Modeling and Innovation and Water Infrastructure Finance to address the Environmental Justice concerns of "Getting the Lead Out" with accuracy and allocating federal, state and local funding in the most cost effective manner.

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  Black & Veatch

  Jul 2023 - now

  Principal Consultant

  Black & Veatch is a leading, global engineering, construction and consulting company specializing in infrastructure development in the fields of energy, water, and telecommunications. Our Mission sets the bar high—Building a World of Difference® . We live up to this ideal by delivering reliable and advanced infrastructure solutions to our clients’ most complex challenges, helping to improve and sustain the quality of life around the world. Founded in 1915, Black & Veatch is an employee-owned company based in Overland Park, Kansas that has over 10,000 professionals operating out of more than 120 offices worldwide. Through this network of collaboratively connected offices, we serve our clients and commit ourselves to professional excellence and innovation. As evidenced by our latest rankings in Engineering News Record (ENR), Black & Veatch serves as an industry leader. In 2022, we were ranked No. 1 in Solar Power design, No. 2 in Power, and hold Top 10 spots for telecommunications and Environment categories such as Sanitary and Storm Sewers, Water Supply, Water Treatment, and Sewer and Waste. We’re also leaders in more than 15 other categories. Our professionals earn this kind of recognition by understanding our clients’ business needs and objectives. We have the financial and technical resources to expertly execute projects from the most basic to the highly complex. Black & Veatch Management Consulting brings together more than 200 professionals, experienced industry executives, senior analysts, and technology experts from across the electric, water, oil, natural gas, and technology industries. This experience—combined with seamless access to the company’s world class engineering, procurement, construction and operations capabilities, experienced senior executives, economists, senior policy experts and regulatory officials, and internationally respected subject-matter experts. Show less