Resort and Convention Center
EMC24 Gaylord National
Resort & Convention Center
to be the next sponsor at
EMC24 Washington, DC
Competitive
Energy Supplier
of the Year Award
EMC24 Founding Sponsors
“REIMAGINING COMPETITIVE ENERGY” Empowering Consumers • Driving Innovation • Shaping the Next Generation of Energy Leaders
Welcome to EMC24 Energy Marketing Conference at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention center, located just outside of Washington DC. Energy Marketing Conferences is thrilled to host EMC24 this fall. October 27 & 28 – 2025. EMC is one of the largest retail energy conferences in North America, and host to some of the most influential energy providers, brokers and suppliers in the energy industry.
EMC24 will be hosted in Washington, DC
October 27-28, 2025.
We are looking forward to seeing you there.
Please check back to see updated agendas, speaker information and more.
EMC24 Agenda
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
8:15am – 11:00am – Registration
8:30am – 9:15am –Networking Breakfast
9:15am – 9:30am – Chairman’s Welcome, Jack Doueck
9:30am – 10:00am – Day 1 Keynote, “Mentor, Develop, Empower: The Role of a True Leader” with Belle Jones – Army Brigadier General and Psychologist
10:00am – 10:30am Session #1 – “The Next-Generation Retail Energy Mix: Aligning Supply Portfolios with Customer Expectations” sponsored by VertexOne
10:30am – 11:00am Session #2 – “Building Bridges: Improving Cooperation between Energy Retailers and Regulated Utilities.” with Jim Steffes, Washington Gas & Light
11:00am – 11:30am Morning Networking Break, sponsored by Engie
11:30am – 12:00pm Session #3 – “There is no Reward without Risk – The Evolution Of Risk Management For REPs” sponsored by Capital Foundry and ElectronX
12:00pm – 12:30pm – Session #4 – “Reimagining Retail Energy Sales (in a World of AI)” sponsored by Enerex
12:30pm – 1:30pm – Networking Lunch
1:30pm – 2:00pm – Session #5 – “Entering and Surviving in the PJM Market” with Brian Chisholm, MD State Delegate, Jason Stanek, Executive Director, PJM and Customized Energy Solutions
2:00pm – 3:00pm – Session #6 – Debate: “Does Consumer Choice Help or Hurt Consumers?”
3:00pm – 3:30pm –Afternoon Networking Break
3:30pm – 4:00pm – Session #7 “From Passive Ratepayer to Power Player: Should Consumers Control the Pace of America’s Energy Transition?” sponsored by The DDC Group
4:00pm –4:30pm Session #8 – “Powering the Digital Surge: How Retail Energy Providers Can Serve the Next Generation of High-Demand C&I Customers” sponsored by ESG
4:30pm –5:00pm – Session #9 –“25 Years Later: The State of the Electric and Gas Customer Choice” with Obi Linton, MD PUC Commissioner, Frank Caliva, III, RESA and R Street Institute
5:00pm – 5:30pm – Session #10 – “Mentorship: Empowering the Next Generation in Retail Energy” with the Women’s Energy Alliance
5:45pm – 6:45pm – Welcome Reception, sponsored by Axpo
7:00 am – Registration
7:45am – 8:45am – Networking Breakfast sponsored by Quantum
8:45am – 9:00am – Chairman’s Welcome with Jack Doueck
9:00am – 9:30am – Keynote Speaker, PJ Popovic, CEO, Rhythm Energy
9:35am – 10:20am – Panel #1 – “Opportunities for Retail Suppliers with CCA’s and Municipal Aggregation”, sponsored by Customized Energy Solutions
10:25am – 10:40am – EMC Executive Talk “Artificial Intelligence and Energy Demand: Exponential Growth” with Scott Hart, SVP, NRG
10:45am – 11:05am – Fastball – 5 companies compete for 4 minutes each to win this exciting competition.
11:10am – 11:55am – Panel #2 – “The Geopolitical Impact on the Energy Transition and Retail Energy”, sponsored by VertexOne
12:00pm – 1:30pm – Networking Lunch sponsored by Constellation
1:30pm – 1:40pm – Leadership and Integrity Award
1:45pm – 2:30pm – Panel #3 – “Driving Innovation in Retail Energy” sponsored by Astral Tech
2:30pm – 2:45pm EMC Executive Talk, “Common Denominators of Successful Retail Energy Companies and People”, Gary Pudles, CEO, AnswerNet
2:45pm – 3:30pm – Networking Afternoon Break sponsored by Stevens & Lee
3:35pm – 4:40pm – Panel #4 – “Fueling the Future: Why Gen Z & Millennials Should Care About Competitive Energy—and Lead It”, sponsored by Atlantic Energy
4:40pm – 5:40pm – The CEO Round Table: “Reimaging Competitive Energy” – Sponsored by CAPCO
5:45pm – 6:45pm – Closing Reception, sponsored by EDF Trading
EMC23 Day 1 Expert Forum Highlight Reel
EMC23 Day 2 Panels Highlight Reel
EMC24 Keynote Speaker
PJ brings a unique perspective to competitive energy leadership:
Track Record That Matters:
PJ Popovic is a growth-minded energy executive who builds consumer brands around trust, data, and innovation that cuts carbon impact.
In under five years as CEO and co-founder, he scaled Rhythm Energy from launch to 300k residential customers across 10 states and three brands—Rhythm Energy, Energy Texas, and Inspire Clean Energy—vaulting it into the top tier of independent US retail electricity providers.
Rhythm’s transparent, tech-driven model engineered Texas’s first true time-of-use plans, trimmed customer peak demand 14%, and earned a +50 NPS with 4.7-star reviews.
Prior to Rhythm, PJ led the successful turnaround of a $2 billion consumer division of an international energy services and solutions business.
Why This Keynote Matters:
Rhythm Energy is a next-generation retail electricity provider specializing in clean, affordable power solutions and industry-setting technology.
Unlike traditional utility companies, Rhythm operates on a transparent, technology-driven model that puts the customer at the center. It leverages advanced data analytics, digital acquisition channels, and behind-the-meter offerings, such as solar plans and demand response programs, to empower households with more control over their energy usage. Rhythm’s proprietary platform integrates billing, customer support, and smart-home functionalities to create an end-to-end experience that’s both user-friendly and cost-efficient.
By prioritizing transparency, innovation, and renewable energy, Rhythm is redefining what consumers expect from their electricity provider and driving meaningful change in the broader energy market.
Sponsorship Opportunities Available
EMC24 Panel Discussions
Panel 1
"Opportunities for Retail Suppliers with CCA’s and Municipal Aggregation"
As Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) and municipal aggregation programs continue to expand across the U.S., they are transforming the retail energy landscape by shifting purchasing power to local governments and community coalitions. These programs open compelling opportunities for retail energy suppliers to forge strategic partnerships that prioritize community goals such as clean energy adoption, competitive pricing, and customer empowerment.
This panel brings together policy experts, retail executives, and local government advisors to explore the evolving regulatory environment, emerging market structures, and successful supplier-CCA collaborations. Attendees will gain insight into the tactical and strategic considerations that enable suppliers to align with aggregation goals while maintaining profitability and scalability.
Key discussion points may include:
- Navigating state-level legislation and regulatory risk
- Building supplier-aggregator trust and transparency
- Designing offerings that reflect community values and energy priorities
- Leveraging data and technology to enhance customer engagement and program performance
- Lessons learned from successful CCA rollouts and supplier integrations
Whether you’re a supplier seeking growth channels, a policymaker evaluating impact, or a community leader exploring energy autonomy, this session will help you understand how retail suppliers can position themselves not just as vendors—but as true partners in local energy transformation.
Panel 2
"The Geopolitical Impact on the Energy Transition and Retail Energy”
As the global energy landscape continues to evolve, the influence of geopolitics, executive orders from the current administration that prioritizes economic nationalism, and climate divergence is increasingly reshaping the trajectory of retail energy. From disrupted supply chains caused by international conflict to shifting alliances, higher tariffs and trade dynamics, today’s retail energy market must operate within a high-stakes geopolitical arena.
This critical panel explores how the Trump Administration’s energy policies and executive actions—including withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, promotion of domestic fossil fuel production, and rollback of several climate-related regulations—are recalibrating the United States’ position in global energy markets. With a focus on “energy dominance,” the administration’s stance has direct implications for retail energy supply strategies, regulatory uncertainty, and global decarbonization efforts.
Key discussion points may include:
- The impact of reversing climate-focused policies and reasserting fossil fuel supply chains
- Geopolitical risks tied to U.S.–China trade tensions, OPEC+ relations, and global security concerns
- The future of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) under contrasting energy agendas
- How retail suppliers can respond to an uncertain climate policy environment
- Strategic positioning for companies amid U.S. disengagement from global climate pacts and institutions
With the reorientation of U.S. energy priorities, this panel offers essential insights into how retail energy players can navigate domestic deregulation, global policy divergence, and supply chain fragility while remaining agile and resilient in a time of transition.
Panel 3
“Driving Innovation in Retail Energy”
In an industry where disruption is no longer a threat but a requirement, innovation is the engine driving the future of competitive retail energy. From digital transformation to customer-centric design, retail energy providers are now leveraging breakthrough technologies to redefine how energy is generated, marketed, sold, delivered, and experienced.
This high-impact panel brings together tech innovators, utility disruptors, and retail market leaders to showcase how advancements in AI, blockchain, IoT, and data science are not only optimizing operational efficiency but also enhancing customer satisfaction, loyalty, and trust.
Key discussion points may include:
- Smart Metering 2.0: How intelligent, real-time metering is unlocking granular insights and enabling proactive energy management.
- AI-Driven Personalization: From predictive billing to tailored rate plans and home energy automation, AI is revolutionizing engagement.
- Blockchain for Transparency: Use cases in energy trading, carbon tracking, and decentralized authentication for peer-to-peer models.
- Resilient Systems: How cloud-native platforms and edge computing are future-proofing retail operations and outage response.
- Customer Experience by Design: Using behavioral science, UX research, and digital feedback loops to turn utility customers into brand advocates.
- Open APIs & Interoperability: The shift toward flexible, plug-and-play ecosystems to support DERs, EVs, and behind-the-meter innovation.
Attendees will gain a clear vision of what innovation looks like beyond the buzzwords, and what it takes to execute transformative strategies that drive value for both the customer and the company. Whether you’re scaling a startup, modernizing a legacy utility, or investing in next-gen platforms, this session delivers a blueprint for retail energy reinvention.
Panel 4
"Fueling the Future: Why Gen Z & Millennials Should Care About Competitive Energy—and Lead It"
As the energy industry undergoes a historic transformation, one truth is clear: the future belongs to Gen Z and Millennials. This dynamic panel at EMC24 invites next-generation thinkers, creators, and changemakers to share why competitive energy matters to them—and why it should matter to their peers.
Through a candid and forward-looking conversation, panelists will explore how the energy sector connects with the values of younger generations, including climate action, equity, innovation, and choice. We’ll examine how the industry can empower and engage rising leaders by fostering opportunities in entrepreneurship, tech, policy, and purpose-driven work.
Key Questions We’ll Explore:
- What does competitive energy mean to the next generation?
- How can the industry evolve to reflect their values and expectations?
- What tools, platforms, and narratives will spark engagement and leadership?
- How can companies attract and retain Gen Z/Millennial talent and consumers?
Whether you’re a seasoned energy leader or a next-gen professional, this session is a call to collaborate, reimagine, and build an industry where the next generation doesn’t just care—they lead.
Let’s fuel the future—together.
Panel 5
“CEO Round Table – Reimagining Competitive Energy”
At a time when the competitive energy landscape is being redefined by shifting consumer expectations, technology acceleration, and regulatory flux, the need for bold, visionary leadership has never been greater. In this flagship session, CEOs and C-suite executives from across the retail energy industry will convene for a powerful and unfiltered dialogue on the future of energy competition.
This round table is more than a thought exchange—it’s a strategic forecast of where the industry is headed and how its most influential leaders are reimagining market models, customer relationships, and innovation pipelines.
Key discussion points may include:
- Post-Commodity Energy Models: How leaders are moving beyond price competition to value-added services, digital experience, and trust-based differentiation.
- M&A, Market Entry, and Exit Strategies: Executive perspectives on consolidation, disruption, and navigating uncertainty.
- Balancing Innovation and Risk: What it takes to invest boldly in emerging technologies while maintaining operational excellence and shareholder value.
- The New Leadership Mandate: Fostering cultures of agility, inclusion, and purpose in organizations navigating generational and technological change.
- Digital Transformation at Scale: Lessons from the top on integrating AI, customer intelligence, automation, and flexible infrastructure across large-scale operations.
- Purpose-Driven Growth: How climate change, DEI, and public policy are no longer side strategies but central to competitive positioning and long-term relevance.
With a focus on authentic and interactive conversation, this session will challenge assumptions, highlight hard-earned lessons, and inspire the next wave of leadership in competitive energy.
Fastball
Who will be the fastball winner? Live voting at EMC24!