Jeff Wells

Jeff Wells has over 14 years of work experience, primarily in the field of transmission system operations. Jeff started their career in 2007 as a Transmission System Operator at the Grand River Dam Authority, where they were responsible for ensuring the safe and reliable operation of the Bulk Electric System. Jeff complied with all NERC reliability standards and oversaw the regulation of balancing area, voltage, frequency, and line loading. Jeff also coordinated and arranged switching, clearances, and restoration of high voltage transmission.

In 2010, Jeff was promoted to Senior System Operator at the same company. In addition to their previous responsibilities, they supervised and trained new operators and served as a lead worker. Jeff held this position until 2013 when they became a Transmission System Operations Supervisor. In this role, Jeff supervised system operators and ensured compliance with NERC requirements for the safe and reliable operation of BES feeders and equipment. Jeff also worked closely with the GRDA Compliance Department and served as a mentor to lead workers.

In 2015, Jeff was promoted to Unit Supervisor System Operations, where they led the Transmission System Operations department and day-to-day operations of the GRDA Bulk Electric System. Jeff acted as a liaison between GRDA, Southwest Power Pool, and neighboring entities. Jeff was responsible for ensuring compliance with NERC requirements and meeting the company's NERC compliance requirements for a safe and reliable operation.

Finally, Jeff joined the Grand River Dam Authority as System Operations Manager in 2018. In this role, they led the Transmission System Operations Department and was responsible for implementing transmission outage management systems. Jeff also served as a policy leader and voting member of stakeholder groups within Regional Transmission Organizations. Jeff fostered positive relationships among peers while steering policy and criteria for markets and reliability.

Prior to their work at the Grand River Dam Authority, Jeff gained early experience as an Operations Team Member at the Walmart Distribution Center in 2006.

Jeff Wells has a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science and General Business from Northeastern State University, which they obtained from 1998 to 2001. Jeff also has an Associate of Science (A.S.) degree in Business Administration and Management, General from Connors State College, which they completed from 1997 to 1998. Prior to that, they earned their High School Diploma from Bay Area Christian from 1992 to 1996. In addition to their formal education, Jeff has obtained several certifications, including Coaching Skills for Leaders and Managers, Dealing with Difficult People in Your Office, Executive Presence on Video Conference Calls, and Managing Virtual Teams, all from LinkedIn in December 2020. Jeff also holds a NERC Reliability Coordinator certification from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, which they obtained in December 2007.