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December 10, 2007
This Week’s Boston’s
Future Leader
Tom Birmingham
Title:
Manager, Regulatory Policy
Company:
Bay State
Gas
Education: B.A., Communications
Sciences – University of Connecticut; M.A.,
Energy and Environmental Policy – Boston
University
After receiving his M.A. from
Boston University, Tom joined the MA Department
of Public Utilities as an analyst in the Natural
Gas Division, where he worked for seven years on
a variety of rate cases, energy efficiency
programs, and facility siting issues. He then
joined Bay State Gas Company, where he has
worked for 10 years in various capacities,
including senior analyst and his current
position as Manager of Regulatory Policy. Since
joining Bay State, Tom has worked on a variety
of interstate pipeline, rate case, service
quality, forecast and supply plan, and consumer
issues in MA, ME and NH.
PG: What is the
coolest part of your job?
TB: From my vantage
point I have a great view of nearly everything
that our company does - from understanding how
we set rates to how we maintain a safe and
reliable natural gas distribution system. It is
easy to take for granted that when we wake up in
the morning we can take a hot shower, eat a warm
breakfast, or walk around in a tee shirt during
the winter. However, there is an incredible
amount of hard work that goes into making this
happen. I am very proud to be a part of a
dedicated team who makes sure this happens every
day, 365 days a year, year in and year out.
PG: If you were
recruiting someone to work for you, what would
be your number one selling point about the
company you work for?
TB: Bay State Gas
Company provides an incredible opportunity to
develop skills essential for building a greener
energy path. Because many of our senior
employees from service techs to call center reps
are approaching retirement age, and energy
policies are more strongly embracing greater
efficiency, there is an acute need to recruit
and hire young, enthusiastic employees eager to
embrace a changing utility and energy
environment.
PG: What is your
favorite thing about working in Boston?
TB: The people. I am
constantly impressed with the level of
intelligence and commitment found among my
colleagues in the energy and environmental
industries. For example, I recently participated
in a series of public hearings at the MA
Department of Public Utilities (“Department”) on
“decoupling” - a term used to describe the
process of separating utility revenues from
customer consumption. The questions and
responses parlayed around the hearing room over
the course of the six day proceeding were not
only provocative but respectful and sincere.
PG: Favorite place to
take a client for lunch?
TB: I am usually the
client being taken out to lunch, because I hire
and work with a number of outside consultants
and lawyers. One of my favorites to be taken is
the Boston College Club at 100 Federal Street.
Tough to beat that view, and the service is
exceptional.
PG: Where do you see
yourself in 10 years?
TB: I anticipate that
by 2017 there will be an international, full
court press on developing better ways to deliver
energy services to our homes, businesses and
transportation infrastructure. The goal will be
to reduce both our dependence on fossil fuels
and our overall carbon footprint. Senior
leadership will be necessary to make this happen
at every level of society – from green community
activists to heads of state and from the local
service technician to the board rooms of the
largest energy conglomerates. I hope to be in a
position to facilitate this critical cultural
and economic transition in a thoughtful and
meaningful way.
PG: Favorite place to
relax after a long day or week?
TB: I love spending
time in my garden in Canton, MA. Over the past
12 years my wife, Amy, and I have put in over 14
different beds with over 250 varieties of
perennials, flowering shrubs, trees and
evergreens. This summer a friend and I began
building a 60 foot stone wall out of 12.5 tons
of New England fieldstone, and I still need a
few more tons to finish the job. There is
nothing like tossing a few tons of rock around
to instill a Zen-like state of mind.
PG: What’s the best
piece of career advice you have ever received?
TB: My Dad, who is a
successful Wall Street attorney, encouraged me
to pursue my dream, but to figure out what I
wanted to do by the time I reached 30. His
rationale was that it becomes more and more
difficult to reach the top of your chosen
profession the older you get, so the sooner you
start the better.
PG: Best place for an
after work drink?
TB: If I’m in Boston,
I’ll throw one back at J.J. Foleys, but if I’m
in Westborough, which is where I end most of my
days, the Piccadilly Pub serves up frosty mugs
of beer and plenty of popcorn to munch on.
PG: Who do you admire
in the business world?
TB: Jimmy Buffett and
Al Gore. On one hand, Jimmy is the epitome of
someone who has succeeded doing what he loves to
do – packaging escapism in a song and a bottle.
On the other, Vice President Gore has arguably
taken on the toughest issue we face,
human-induced global climate change, and become
its poster child. It certainly is more fun being
a Parrothead than a lightning rod, but both men
offer an important message – don’t take yourself
too seriously, while working hard at making a
difference.
PG: How can young
professionals expand their networks and increase
their impact in Boston?
TB: I find the
following two networking techniques work well
for me. The first is to volunteer for local
organizations that are involved in activities
I’m interested in, but not directly related to
my profession. This helps broaden my circle of
contacts, and stay connected to my local
community. The second is to join a professional
trade group or association, and volunteer on a
committee. This helps deepen my understanding of
the industry and highlights my capabilities to
others outside the company.
PG: What reading
material is on your nightstand?
TB: Final Exam: A
Surgeon’s Reflection on Mortality, by
Pauline Chen. Pauline and I were classmates at
Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, CT, and I
recently enjoyed a reading from her during our
25th Reunion. She has written a very thoughtful
book on the challenges she faced learning how to
balance medical detachment with being an
empathetic caregiver. I highly recommend it,
because this is an issue we will all face. A
Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill
Bryson. Bryson tackles the major scientific
discoveries with clarity and his sense of humor
- a peppering of awe for life on Earth and a
salting of futility for those who try
controlling the laws of nature. A good overview
on why things are, and you’ll look smart in
front of your kids. The Massage Therapy
Journal. This is a trade publication for
members of the American Massage Therapy
Association. Journal of Bodywork and Movement
Therapy. This is a review of practical
issues in musculoskeletal function, treatment
and rehabilitation.
PG: Tell us something
we should know about you.
TB: I am a licensed
massage therapist with a small practice at the
Canton Club in Canton, MA. I learned the
benefits of deep tissue massage while on the
swim team at the University of Connecticut over
20 years ago, and since that time used to work
on family and friends without any formal
training. However, in 2004 I finally made it
official and received my certification from the
Bancroft School of Massage Therapy in Worcester,
MA. Over this time I have come to appreciate
just how much stress people hold inside their
bodies, and how important good body work can be
to soft tissue injury recovery.
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For more information on the
Boston’s Future Leaders Program, please contact
Jody Kieval,
director of member services.
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