Mr. Heier has over ten years of experience working with Governors; he has been the Washington Director of the Midwestern Governors Association since 2003.  At the MGA, he directs the Congressional activities of the MGA’s governors’ staff advisory committee, the annual Chair’s agenda, and oversees operations of the Association.  Previously, he worked for a former governor of Maryland and the National Governors Energy Summit held this past November.  Mr. Heier holds a Bachelor’s degree from American University and a Master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins University.

Charles Griffith serves as director of the Ecology Centers Clean Car Campaign, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. With more than 20 years experience monitoring the auto industry, he directs several projects aimed at reducing the environmental impacts of automobiles throughout their product life-cycle.? He currently coordinates the Ecology Center’s Green Machines Tour and Sustainable Biofuels Campaign, and serves on the Michigan Renewable Fuels Commission. Mr. Griffith received a BA from the University of Colorado and completed a Masters program at the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment.

MICHAEL J. DOHERTY is the Senior Economist and Policy Analyst Governmental Affairs and Commodities Division for Illinois Farm Bureau. Mike Doherty has been serving as Senior Economist and Policy Analyst at the Illinois Farm Bureau since March 15, 2004. Doherty is responsible for research and policy analysis on a variety of economic and public policy issues.  He manages and conducts research projects on the structure of agriculture and the key factors that impact Illinois, the United States and world agricultural production systems.  Doherty also provides analysis of external research projects; governmental policies and regulations; proposed legislation; and other factors affecting the profitability of agriculture. Doherty earned his B.S. in Economics at Illinois State University and his M.S. (with an emphasis on financial analysis and structural change in grain farms) in Agricultural Economics from Clemson University in South Carolina.  He served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the South Pacific and has been an advisor to agricultural foreign aid projects in Costa Rica, the West Bank, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Ecuador.