Scenting opportunity in a potential
major industry and jumping at the
chance to do some work that feels like
the right thing two Reno public relations
veterans have joined forces to promote
Nevada's renewable energy industry.
The Renewable Energy Practice
Group brings together Misty Young of
KPS/3 and Jeneane Harter of HiTech
Communications.
Rounding out the team are Kim
Swearingen of Sunrise Sustainable
Resources Group, Tom Clark of Syndetic
Partners and attorney Bill Kockenmeister.
The Renewable Energy Practice
Group scored an early victory when it
was retained in November by the Nevada
Task Force for Renewable
Energy and Energy
Conservation.
The job put the team
right to work. A major
report on renewable energy
is due to the Legislature at
the end of January a
deadline that kept the team
working through the holidays.
"We are very focused on the task at
hand," said Harter as she took a break
from the documents on her laptop computer
a few days ago.
Young and Harter believe they're in
the right place at the right time.
"I see it as an industry that's about to
pop a place where Nevada can
demonstrate national leadership," said
Young.
The Renewable Energy Practice
Group sees business for itself in a number
of niches such as advising private
companies, assisting with legislative programs
and helping government agencies
promote development of renewable energy
resources.
Depending on the job, as few as two
or three of professionals on the
Renewable Energy Practice Group may
be involved.
Clark's expertise, for instance, is at the
legislative level. Swearingen's background
is in public advocacy. Kockenmeister's
practice has focused on renewable-energy
issues.
Members of the group work independently,
relying heavily on e-mail communication,
and don't need a boss to tell
them how to approach the job.
"There's no babysitting.We're all
adults," said Harter.
While the group scouts profitable
business for itself, it's also the manifestation
of the personal beliefs of its
founders.
Young, who is deeply interested in
development of renewable energy
resources, had been collecting data on the
issue for several years with the thought
that KPS/3 might find a role in the issue.
Harter, meanwhile, had developed a
similar interest in the topic while she
worked as a marketing consultant to
high-technology companies in northern
California and Nevada.
"It was a natural extension of my technology
practice," she said.
Meeting by chance at a solar-energy
meeting last summer, Harter and Young
compared notes and decided to join
forces.
To Harter's extensive background in
technology, Young said, "I brought a ton
of relationships to the table."
KPS/3 and HiTech Communications
sometimes have been rivals for accounts
in the past, and Young and Harter expect
to compete for business in the future. But
on this issue, they're on the same team,
driven by a belief that renewable energy
is the right thing for the environment
and the right thing for Nevada's economic
development.
"This is work worth doing," said
Young. "It's the kind of thing where you
can go to work and be proud of what
you're doing."
