Titles

• Adjunct Faculty, School of Sustainability, College of Global Futures

Biography

Mr. Bayless is a member of the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority and a retired Utility Executive and University President. Until June 30, 2008 Mr. Bayless was President and Provost of the West Virginia University Institute of Technology, a divisional Campus of West Virginia University. Prior to Dec 27, 1999 Mr. Bayless specialized in troubled utility restructuring and was Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Illinova Corporation, and its’ wholly owned subsidiary, Illinois Power Company, an electric and natural gas utility with more than half a million customers and approximately 4,500 megawatts of electricity generating capacity.

Prior to joining Illinova Corporation in June 1998, Mr. Bayless was Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Tucson Electric Power Company (UniSource Energy) from 1981 to 1989 Mr. Bayless was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Public Service Company of New Hampshire where he guided the company through the first bankruptcy of a large utility. Before that, he was employed by Consumers Power Company in Jackson, Michigan, first as an attorney, then as the Director of Nuclear Fuel Supply, and finally as the Director of Special Corporate Projects. Prior to that Mr. Bayless had summer jobs in line construction and at power plants at Kentucky Power and Pennsylvania Power and Light.

Mr. Bayless received his BSEE from West Virginia Institute of Technology in 1968. In 1971, he earned his MSEE, in power engineering, and in 1972 his law Degree, both from West Virginia University. He earned his MBA in 1977 from the Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Michigan.

Mr. Bayless is a board member of, Aquilon Energy Services, and West Virginia American Water and a member of the advisory boards of E Source, Pi Energy, Energy Impact Partners and the Angeleno Group and is a board member and Co-Chair of the Climate Institute. He is a past Board Member of Recycled Energy Development, Essential Power where he was Chairman, Independent Wireless One, where he was Chairman, the Ontario Power Authority. Pike Electric where he was Chair of the Audit Committee Patina Oil and Gas, where he was Chairman of the Audit Committee, Dynegy, where, he has been Chairman of the Audit Committee and of the Governance and Nominating Committee, Primary Energy, Trigen Energy Inc., Thermon, Inc, Primary Energy Inc., EPRI and EEI. In 1993, Financial World awarded Mr. Bayless its CEO of the Year Bronze Medal. Also in 1993, the Wall Street Transcript named Mr. Bayless the winner of its CEO of the Year Bronze Medal. In 1995, Financial World awarded Mr. Bayless its CEO of the Year Silver Medal. He is past Chairman of the West Virginia Industrial Council. He is a judge for the Platt’s Global Energy Awards.

Mr. Bayless has had multiple involvements with foreign utilities having spent time in Russia, Egypt and Romania for various organizations on electricity sector design. His involvement with the Boy Scouts of America is extensive. He is a member of the National Advisory Board, a past member of the National Board of Directors, a Member and past Chairman of the Philmont Ranch Committee; a Board Member of the Buckskin Council and past President of the Catalina Council. He was Support Chairman for the Boy Scouts of America at the 1999 World Jamboree (held in Chile), was Program Chairman of the Boy Scouts of America 1997 National Jamboree and led the Project 2005 team at the 2001 Jamboree. Mr. Bayless was Chairman of the National Venture Exploring Committee and he is a recipient of the Boy Scouts Silver Beaver and silver Antelope Award and the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award.

Mr. Bayless is also past Chairman of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council (a CEO Organization): a past Member of the University of Arizona Business School National Board of Advisors; a Member of the West Virginia University Engineering Academy; a past member of the Arizona Commission on Appellate Judicial Appointments, a past Board Member of the Public Utilities Reports, Inc.; and a past Board Member and Vice President of the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Bayless is an inactive member of the Michigan and West Virginia Bar Associations. He is a frequent speaker on the future of utilities.

Mr. Bayless is a native of Dunbar, West Virginia and attended high school at Greenbrier Military School. He is married to the former Joan Schulter, a native of Allentown, Pennsylvania. They are the parents of one daughter Lisa and one son, Charles.