Utah Commissioner of Higher Education Richard E. Kendell announced Tuesday that Lynne N. Ward, currently Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Olene S. Walker, will become the next director of the Utah Educational Savings Plan (UESP), the state-sponsored college savings program. UESP, which is a division of the Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority (UHEAA), was created by the Utah Legislature in 1996, and since then has consistently been ranked as one of the top "529" savings plans in the nation. In addition to being director of UESP, Ms. Ward, a Certified Public Accountant and former State Budget Director, will serve as a Special Assistant to Commissioner Kendell on budgetary matters.

"I am so pleased that Lynne has agreed to accept this appointment. She is a consummate professional, with a distinguished career in state government and accounting and a person of unquestioned integrity. There is no question that, working with the staff of UESP and UHEAA, she will be able to further strengthen this program which provides an important vehicle for college savings for Utah families and, because of its national reputation, people from throughout the United States. She will also make important contributions to the entire Utah System of Higher Education as a Special Assistant to the Commissioner."

Commenting on her new position, Governor Olene S. Walker stated: "Lynne has been a valuable contributor to my administration as well as to state government in her many years of service," said Gov. Olene Walker. "Her expertise with state policy issues, including those regarding the budget, has kept Utah in sound fiscal health. She has left a lasting legacy on state government and her absence will be noticed."

Prior to being named Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Walker in 2003, Ward served as Director of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget from 1993 to 2003. Previously, she was Assistant Director of the State Division of Finance (1987-1993), worked as an accountant in the Division of Finance (1984-1987), and was a Senior Auditor and Staff Auditor with the State Auditor’ s Office (1982-1984, 1980-1982). A member of the National Association of State Budget Officers, she has been active in the organization, including serving as president in 1998. She received that organization’s prestigious Gloria Timmer Award in 2004. A licensed Certified Public Accountant since 1981, she is a member of the American Women’s Society of CPAs, and was named "Outstanding CPA in Business and Management" in 2003 by the Utah Association of Certified Public Accountants. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Utah in 1980, and has served on the University of Utah School of Accounting and Information Systems Advisory Board since 2001.

Beginning October 1, Ms. Ward will divide her time between the Governor’s Office and UESP, and will assume her responsibilities at UESP full-time January 3, 2005

The Utah Educational Savings Plan currently has more than 48,000 accounts, with total balances of more than $790 million. The program is overseen by the UHEAA Board of Directors and the State Board of Regents. Since July, Dr. Mark Spencer, UHEAA Interim Executive Director, and UHEAA Deputy Director for Finance and Administration Richard Davis, have supervised the program, with day-to-day management under the direction of Ms. Geri Peterson, Manager of Outreach for the College Savings Plan.

2:07:38 PM    

DENVER -- The Rocky Mountain Area Transmission Study (RMATS), initiated by the governors of Utah and Wyoming one year ago, will release its recommendations for expanding transmission lines and next steps for moving forward when it meets Sept. 29 in Salt Lake City.

Govs. Dave Freudenthal (Wyo.), Olene Walker (Utah) and Judy Martz (Mont.) will attend and have invited all interested stakeholders to participate. Nora Brownell, Commissioner of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, is also expected to attend.

"The RMATS group has identified the actual projects which appear likely to be the most cost-effective additions to transmission and generation in the Rocky Mountain West," the governors said in a letter announcing the meeting.

"We endorse the process and its results, and continue to believe that the collaboration sponsored by RMATS will provide the framework for the increased success of the Western interconnection and provide economic and environmental benefits to our states. This report is just a beginning; the group is identifying next steps to having the needed projects actually built."

The year-long study involved a broad range of stakeholders drawn from utilities, industry, federal and state regulators, customers, environmental groups, project developers and consumer advocates.

Sub-regional transmission planning is supported by the Western Governors' Association as part of its overall energy policy and clean-energy initiative. A primary goal of the RMATS effort is to make greater use of the region's coal and wind resources, reduce the volatility of electricity prices and lower power costs to consumers.

The RMATS meeting will be held at the Downtown Marriott in Salt Lake City, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Attendees will hear reports on the study results, recommendations and next steps. The modeling team also will discuss its inputs and assumptions and will be available to answer questions. Copies of the final reports will be provided.

The RMATS Web site can be accessed from the Wyoming Energy Commission's home page, at http://psc.state.wy.us.

2:04:57 PM