Executive Staff

Meet the Executive Staff of the Long Island Power Authority.

Michael D. Hervey, Chief Operating Officer

Michael D. Hervey, as Chief Operating Officer for the Long Island Power Authority, has responsibility for oversight of the operations, customer, resource, and industry facing aspects of LIPA’s T&D business and oversees the organization of the corporate office and contractual outsource agreements. The COO oversees development and maintenance of T&D business practices, policies and procedures, and associated functions of each. He also currently directly supervises the operational aspects of the T&D System and direct oversight responsibilities include planning, engineering, fleet management, construction, reliability, project management, system operations, and power restoration. He has over 29 years of experience in various operating roles in investor owned utilities and at the Authority.

Recent work includes development of SmartGrid strategies, implementation of storm hardening policies, capital expenditure value analysis, contract process metrics, maintenance policy review, substation and transmission system condition assessment, and reliability program policies, system spares methodology, improved planning criteria, root cause failure analysis, life cycle cost methodology and probability based risk analysis.

Mr. Hervey graduated from Iowa State University in 1981 with a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering. He also graduated from Hofstra University in 2003 with Honors with a Masters in Business Administration degree.

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Michael J. Taunton, Chief Financial Officer

Michael J. Taunton is Chief Financial Officer for LIPA. He has overall responsibility for financial stewardship of LIPA including financial reporting and control; corporate finance and treasury; planning and budgeting; and risk management. He is also responsible for interfacing with the rating agencies and the financial community.

Prior to joining LIPA, Mr Taunton was Vice President and Treasurer for Arrow Electronics, a $20 billion+ global distributor of electronic components and enterprise computing solution. In addition, he has over 30 years of business experience in the energy industry with KeySpan Corporation, where he last served as Senior Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Risk Officer.

Mr. Taunton earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting at St. Francis College and an MBA in Finance at Adelphi University. He also completed the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School and the Public Utility Executive Program at the University of Michigan.

Bruce Germano, Vice President of Customer Services

Mr. Bruce Germano is Vice President of Customer Services for the Long Island Power Authority. In this capacity, Mr. Germano is responsible for all aspects of the Authority’s Retail Business, including Customer Service, Credit and Collections, Sales and Marketing, Economic Development, and Rates and Pricing. Mr. Germano has worked in the energy field both Domestically and Internationally for over 37 years, holding positions with KeySpan Energy, Long Island Lighting Co., American Electric Power, and Gibbs and Hill Inc.

Mr. Germano holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering from Manhattan College, and a Master of Science Degree in Industrial Management from SUNY Stonybrook. He is a member of the Board of the Advanced Energy Center at Stonybook and a member of the Board of the New York State Smart Grid Consortium. Mr. Germano is also a past Chairman of the Steering Committee of Intelligrid, an international electric utility consortium under the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) whose mission is to develop the Smart Electric Grid.

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Michael Deering, Vice President of Environmental Affairs

Michael Deering joined the Long Island Power Authority in November, 2007 as LIPA’s first Vice President for Environmental Affairs. In this capacity, Mr. Deering will oversee the finalization and implementation of one of the most ambitious energy efficiency programs in the country, has been charged with establishing a workable repowering strategy and will be responsible for acquiring new renewable energy resources into LIPA’s energy portfolio.

Mr. Deering brings 25 years of environmental and energy experience to the position having served most recently as Vice President of Government Affairs for the Long Island Association, the region’s largest business and civic organization. He previously served as the first Commissioner of Suffolk County’s Department of Environment and Energy where he helped to overhaul the county’s open space and farmland preservation programs. Prior to his tenure with the County, he served first as Legislative Director for the New York State Legislative Commission on Water Resource Needs of Long Island and later as Chief of Staff for New York State Assemblyman Thomas P. DiNapoli.

Mr. Deering has crafted and negotiated legislative measures to preserve open space, remediate properties, restore Long Island Sound, protect the island's underground drinking water supply and water resources throughout the state, and to address the public health implications of pesticides.

Mr. Deering earned a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from C.W. Post College and a Master's Degree in Government and Politics from St. John's University. As an adjunct instructor at St. John's, he has taught courses on Government and Politics and Environment and the Law.

Michael Deering has served on the Board of Directors of the Suffolk County Water Authority, the Long Island Pine Barrens Society, State Board of Environmental Advocates, Long Island Board of the New York State League of Conservation Voters as well as a number of local, regional and state technical and policy committees.

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Paul DeCotis, Vice President of Power Markets

Paul DeCotis is Vice President of Power Markets at Long Island Power Authority where he oversees strategic resource planning; fuel, energy and capacity purchases and sales; power project development and management; and participation in the region’s wholesale power markets. Prior to this Paul was Deputy Secretary for Energy in New York, serving as senior energy advisor to Governor Spitzer and Governor Paterson. Paul was also Chair of the State Energy Planning Board.

Paul previously served as Director of Energy Analysis for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority where he oversaw corporate strategy and planning, forecasting and analysis, and energy program evaluation. Prior to this, Paul was Chief of Policy at the State Energy Office. Until his appointment as Deputy Secretary, Paul was President of a management consulting business, specializing in executive and Board development, strategy, and mediation. Since 1985, he has served as an adjunct faculty member at several colleges and universities including Cornell University, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Sage Graduate School.

Paul is a member of the Board on Energy and Environmental Systems of the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC; Board member of US Offshore Wind Collaborative; Board member of the Clean Energy States Alliance; Editorial Board member of the Energy Efficiency Journal; Executive Committee member of the New York State Reliability Council; New York’s representative to the Eastern Interconnection States Planning Council, and a member of Montclair Publishing LLC. “Who’s Who in North America” among other boards and committees. Paul has served on and chaired many professional organizations and associations and has extensive community service experience. Paul has published dozens of articles and professional papers on energy and industry matters.

Paul received his Bachelor of Arts in International Business Management from the State University College at Brockport, his Master of Arts in Economics from the University at Albany, and his Master of Business Administration in Finance from the Sage Graduate School at Russell Sage College.

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Kenneth Kane, Controller of the Authority

Mr. Kane joined the Authority in 1999 as its Director of Financial Reporting. Prior to joining the Authority, Mr. Kane held the position of Manager of Regulatory and Financial Reporting for LILCO. Prior to this, Mr. Kane held positions at Mitchell Hutchins Institutional Investors and Ernst & Young, LLP. Mr. Kane is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of New York, is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, holds a B.A. from Pace University and a MBA in Finance from Hofstra University.

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Lynda Nicolino, General Counsel and Secretary

Ms. Nicolino joined the Authority in June 1999 in the position of Assistant General Counsel. In April 2007, the Board appointed her Acting General Counsel of the Authority, which was followed by her March 2008 appointment as General Counsel and Secretary. Prior to joining the Authority, Ms. Nicolino supervised and managed the Suffolk Regional Office for the New York State Attorney General for nearly four years during her tenure as Assistant Attorney General In Charge. Prior to her work with the New York State Attorney General, she worked both for a private law firm and as an Assistant District Attorney in Suffolk County. Ms. Nicolino graduated from Stony Brook University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and received a Juris Doctor from Hofstra University Law School.

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