Panel Three: American Interests in Eastern Mediterranean Energy

Date: April 15, 2015
Time: 3:15pm – 4:30pm
Location: 1100 New York Avenue, NW 7th Floor, West Tower

Conference Details: The Geopolitics of Energy in the Eastern Mediterranean

Join ASP and our panelists in a discussion about the geopolitics of energy in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The US will not be a consumer of energy exported from the Eastern Mediterranean, so why has it been so involved? This panel will discuss the role of outsiders in promote energy cooperation among the countries in the Eastern Mediterranean. The panel will examine America’s role in building energy cooperation between countries in the region, as well as promoting economic and investment opportunities for new found energy reserves.

Speakers

Panelist: Steve Lutes
Steve Lutes is director of Middle East and North Africa Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He is specifically responsible for managing the U.S.-Iraq Business Initiative and serves as its director. In this capacity, Lutes is responsible for developing and implementing policies and programs that promote U.S. business opportunities and investment in Iraq. He works closely with Chamber member companies and business and government leaders to advance and broaden commercial relationships between the United States and Iraq. Prior to his current position, Lutes was the director of the Chamber’s Corporate Leadership Advisory Council. He was responsible for overseeing the council which serves as a platform for midmarket business executives to share input on a range of policy issues and shape the Chamber’s probusiness agenda. Lutes also successfully led the Government Withholding Relief Coalition to repeal the onerous 3% withholding tax. Lutes came to the Chamber from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA) where he was a senior legislative affairs specialist in the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs. He focused on educating members of Congress on the benefits of trade and foreign direct investment and on advancing the Administration’s trade agenda on Capitol Hill, including securing passage of the United StatesDominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). Lutes also served as the congressional liaison to the President’s Export Council and the Manufacturing Council for the Department. Previously, Lutes worked for the Republican Party in Columbus, Ohio, where he worked in conjunction with the Bush-Cheney reelection effort in Ohio through 2004, successfully directing political and grassroots strategy in central Ohio and helping turnout the largest county vote for former President George W. Bush in Ohio. Earlier in his career, he worked on Capitol Hill for both Representative Ed Pease (R-IN) and Representative Brian Kerns (R-IN). He held a variety of positions, including press secretary, legislative director, and chief of staff. Lutes earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. He is currently pursuing a Masters in Public and International Affairs from Virginia Tech. He and his wife met on Capitol Hill and live in Alexandria, Virginia.

Panelist: David Gillers

David Gillers is Senior Counsel on the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources under Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D- Washington), where he works on energy finance and international energy issues.  Gillers previously worked for Senator Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana) in her capacity as Chairman of both the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.  He has worked on international energy cooperation, energy market pricing, and Securities and Exchange Commission involvement in the energy industry.  In addition to his international energy expertise, Gillers has worked extensively on both banking and finance matters.  He authored several provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act and the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. Prior to his time in Congress, Gillers worked as a corporate attorney in Goulston & Storrs’ Boston office.  He is a graduate of Columbia College and received his JD from Boston College Law School, where he was a Weinstein Scholar.

Panelist: Ben Dillon

Ben Dillon is Vice President, Communications and Government Relations for Noble Energy. Ben joined Noble Energy in October 2011. From June 2002 through September 2011 he served in various capacities with Shell, including Communications Manager for the Upstream International Division in The Hague, Vice President, Shell Oil Company, and Regional Communications and Government Relations Manager for Shell Americas. Prior to Shell, Ben Served as Vice President, Political Affairs and Public Resources for the Independent Petroleum Association of America and held position in the House Resources Committee and Department of Interior.

Ben has more than 30 years experience in the Ohio and gas sector with extensive direct experience in communications and government affairs within the energy industry. He has a diverse background as a petroleum engineer, a U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) policy analyst, industry regulator and administrator, a Congressional committee professional for oil and gas legislation, and a global communications and government affairs leaders at Shell and Noble Energy. Ben has a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering (magna cum laude) from Montana Tech.

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