Under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office starting in 2020, SEAC has a Steering Committee that guides its activities. The following individuals sit on the SEAC Steering Committee: 

  • California Solar + Storage Association (CALSSA): Ben Davis, Igor Tregub
  • International Association of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI): Joseph Wages
  • International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF): Sean DeCrane, Paul Rogers
  • International Code Council (ICC): Ryan Colker, Shawn Martin
  • National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM): Philip Oakes, Butch Browning
  • Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA): Evelyn Butler, Joe Cain
  • Underwriters Laboratories (UL LLC ): Steven Jones, Christopher Jensen
  • At Large AHJ: Pete Jackson (Bakersfield, CA), Joanne Kurz (Woodside, CA)
  • At-Large Industry: Jeff Spies (Planet Plan Sets)
  • Fire Service Representative: Kevin Reinertson (CAL FIRE/Riverside County, CA), Anthony Granato (Vernon, CT)
  • U.S. Department of Energy: Andrew Graves

​The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) is the administrator of SEAC, managing all SEAC operations under the cooperative agreement. IREC facilitates SEAC activities including Steering Committee meetings but is not a voting member of the Steering Committee. IREC President and CEO Larry Sherwood leads IREC’s activities in this capacity.

Role of the SEAC Steering Committee

The Steering Committee sets SEAC priorities, direction, and strategies. It oversees the management of activities identified by the participating members, and can establish working groups to investigate and develop recommendations on identified issues. 

The Steering Committee also appoints members of the SEAC Assembly, which formally approves SEAC recommendations. The Steering Committee votes to provide final approval of all Assembly votes to ensure that the procedures in the SEAC Operating Guidelines and the SEAC objectives were followed.

Decisions attributed to SEAC shall be approved by the Steering Committee. Only the Steering Committee has the authority to make statements/decisions on behalf of SEAC. SEAC decisions may not reflect the decisions or policy of Steering Committee members and the organizations they represent and should not be communicated as such. Steering Committee members reserve the right to set their own policies which may or may not align with SEAC decisions.

Additional information about the role of the Steering Committee can be found in the SEAC Operating Guidelines.