August 7, 2006

At the 7th Tech Valley Energy Forum on August 7, 2006, Roger Saillant addressed a group of over 100 executives on the "Big Picture" of the energy industry in the United States.  For the Times Union article on Dr. Saillant's speech, please click here.

Dr. Saillant shocked the audience with facts such as the amount of solar energy reaching the earth's land areas in one hour is enough to supply the US energy needs for one year, and that each gallon of gas burned in a car produces 19 pounds of carbon dioxide.  The need to conserve energy is increasingly more apparent and several Tech Valley companies, Plug Power among them, are striving to meet this demand. 

Roger Saillant
Roger Saillant, Ph.D., joined Plug Power Inc. as President and Chief Executive Officer in December 2000. Dr. Saillant plans and directs all aspects of the organization's policies, objectives, and initiatives, and is responsible for the short and long-term profitability and growth of the company.

Previously, Dr. Saillant served for more than 30 years with Ford Motor Company and Visteon Corporation, a spin-off of Ford, where his most recent position was Vice President and General Manager of the Company's Energy Transformation Systems Group. While at Ford Motor Company and Visteon Corporation, he held numerous management positions in the areas of component engineering, catalysis, quality, electronics and manufacturing.

Dr. Saillant is a member of the Board of Directors of the New York State Audubon Society, the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York and The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education. He also serves as a Director on the Alumni Fund Committee for Bowdoin College and Chair of the Implementation and Integration Team of Tech Valley High School. Dr. Saillant holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Bowdoin College, a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Indiana University and a post-doctorate degree in Organometallic Chemistry from the University of California at Los Angeles.