Barry Smitherman

Biography

Barry Smitherman is the Chairman, President, and co-founder of the Texas Geothermal Energy Alliance (TxGEA), an organization dedicated to education, public awareness, and advocacy on behalf of the Texas geothermal industry. (www.txgea.org) Barry presently serves as an independent director of CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (www.centerpointenergy.com), a Houston-based electric and gas delivery utility serving almost 3 million electric metered customers in the greater Houston area and in southern Indiana, and 4 million natural gas customers in six states, including Texas.

Barry served on the Texas Railroad Commission from 2011 through 2014 and was Chairman of the Commission from March 2012 through August 2014.

Prior to the RRC, Barry was on the Public Utility Commission of Texas, from April 2004 through July 2011, and was Chairman for the last four years of his tenure. During this time, he served two terms on the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Electricity Advisory Committee, the Board of Directors of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC,) was Chairman of the NARUC Gas Committee, the ERCOT Board of Directors, the Southern States Energy Board, the Interstate Oil & Gas Compact Commission, and the Regional State Committee of the Southwest Power Pool.

Barry has also served on the boards of Ballet Austin, the Eanes ISD Educational Foundation, the Texas Public Finance Authority, the Harris County Health Facilities Development Corporation, and was Vice-Chairman of the Texas Advisory Panel on Environmental Regulations.

Barry received his J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law, his M.P.A. from Harvard University, and his B.B.A. summa cum laude from Texas A&M University.

He has been married for 37 years, has four grown children, and two adorable (and smart) granddaughters.