John J. Easton, Jr.

Maryland, USA


 

As Principal of Easton Global Energy, John works with both international and US companies seeking to expand their markets and find new business opportunities.

During his over 20-year career with Edison Electric Institute (EEI) as Vice President of International Programs, he built an international membership program of 70 electricity companies around the world who looked to EEI for leadership on emerging trends and public policy issues affecting them. John represented EEI and the US electricity industry to these members and to worldwide energy organizations, including the International Energy Agency, the World Energy Council, the Global Sustainable Electricity Partnership, Eurelectric, Montreux Energy and the Windsor Energy Group. He was a frequent speaker to these organizations and at energy conferences held around the world. Additionally, under a USAID-funded program he provided restructuring advice to the Bulgarian government and the state-owned electricity company, NEK, in the early days of transition to a free-market economy.

He was selected Chair of the US Commerce Department / US Trade Representative Advisory Committee on Energy and Energy Services, providing valuable private sector advice to these agencies on energy-related issues in trade agreements and other international negotiations.

Prior to joining EEI John was appointed by President George H. W. Bush and confirmed by the US Senate to three different positions at the US Department of Energy (DOE). In his first year as Assistant Secretary for International Affairs and Energy Emergencies, he organized and conducted DOE’s response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait to assure oil security for the US and its allies. As Assistant Secretary of Energy for Domestic and International Energy Policy, he directed the development of priorities adopted by Congress and enacted in the the Energy Policy Act of 1992. As General Counsel of DOE he negotiated energy policy with foreign governments and led the domestic legal effort to obtain permits necessary to evaluate Yucca Mountain, Nevada as a repository for spent nuclear fuel.

Prior to his federal government service John was twice elected Attorney General of Vermont and was the Republican nominee for Governor. As Attorney General he successfully defended Vermont’s Community Corrections system before the U.S. Supreme Court. Additionally John served as Vermont’s first Director of Rate Setting and as Chief of Consumer Protection.

He has held leadership positions in the American Bar Association and the Vermont Bar Association. John holds a BS in Accounting from the University of Colorado and a JD from Georgetown University.