Insights, Tools, and Leadership"
EMC25
Winner of the EMC - Leadership and Integrity - Award
NRG Energy
Energy Markets,
Insights, Tools, and
Leadership"
EMC25
Winner of the EMC - Leadership and Integrity - Award
NRG Energy
EMC25 Sponsors
Welcome to EMC25 Energy Marketing Conference at the Hilton post Oak. Energy Marketing Conferences is thrilled to host EMC25 this spring. April 20-21, 2026. 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.
Energy Marketing Conferences is proud to announce and recognize EMC25 Award Nominees!
“Supplier of the Year” Award: APG&E, Chariot Energy, CPV Retail, Discount Power, Indra Energy, Northeastern Power, Rhythm Energy, Atlantic Energy, and Vistra Corp.
This award recognizes competitive energy suppliers demonstrating exceptional leadership, strong market performance, innovation, and meaningful impact across the industry. These nominees reflect the strength and momentum shaping today’s competitive energy marketplace.
“Broker Excellence Award”: Usource Consulting, a NextEra Energy Resources Company, Spartan Marketing Group, Eisenbach Consulting, Arbor, and AMPICA Energy Solutions.
This inaugural award honors brokers whose professionalism, market influence, customer commitment, and measurable contributions continue to elevate the role of brokers across competitive energy. With nominations now closed, EMC is proud to recognize these firms and the value they bring to the industry and the community.
The winners will be revealed live on the main stage on Day 2 of EMC25 as the industry comes together to see who will be named EMC25 Supplier of the Year and this year’s Broker Excellence Award winner!
This award recognizes competitive energy suppliers demonstrating exceptional leadership, strong market performance, innovation, and meaningful impact across the industry. These nominees reflect the strength and momentum shaping today’s competitive energy marketplace.
NOMINEES
• APG&E
• Chariot Energy
• CPV Retail
• Discount Power
• Indra Energy
• Northeastern Power
• Rhythm Energy
• Atlantic Energy
• Vistra Corp.
This inaugural award honors brokers whose professionalism, market influence, customer commitment, and measurable contributions continue to elevate the role of brokers across competitive energy. With nominations now closed, EMC is proud to recognize these firms and the value they bring to the industry and the community.
NOMINEES
• Usource Consulting
• NextEra Energy Resources
• Spartan Marketing Group
• Eisenbach Consulting
• Arbor
• AMPICA Energy Solutions
The winners will be revealed live on the main stage on Day 2 of EMC25 as the industry comes together to see who will be named EMC25 Supplier of the Year and this year’s Broker Excellence Award winner!
EMC25 will be hosted in Houston, Texas.
April 20-21, 2026
We are looking forward to seeing you there.
Please check back to see updated agendas, speaker information and more.
EMC25 Panel Speakers at a Glance
EMC25 Agenda
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10:00am – Chairman’s Welcome, Jack Doueck
10:05am – 10:35am – Day 1 Keynote – “Leadership Through Mentorship – Insights & Strategies” by Barbara Clemenhagen
10:40am – 11:25am – Panel #1 “Market Design, Regulation, and Growth Pathways in Competitive Energy” ” Sponsored by Kinergy Solutions
11:30am – 12:15pm – Panel #2 “Emerging Markets : The Next Wave of Retail Choice States (West Virgina, Indiana, Missouri, South Carolina)
12:15pm – 1:45pm – Networking Lunch
12:15pm – 1:45pm – Private Luncheon (by invitation) hosted by WNS (The Westheimer Room)
1:45pm – 2:30pm – Panel #3 “The War on Fraud”
2:35pm – 3:20pm – Panel #4 Breakout Session: “The State of Retail Energy: An Industry Brainstorming Session” Sponsored by Customized Energy Solutions
3:25pm – 4:10pm –Afternoon Networking Break
4:10pm – 4:55pm – Panel #5 “AI in Action: Transforming Acquisition, Operations, and Market Strategy – Sponsored by ESG GLOBAL
5:00pm –5:40pm – Panel #6 – Women’s Energy Alliance “From Kilowatts to Clicks: How the Next Generation Is Redefining Energy Engagement”
5:45pm – 6:50pm – Welcome Reception
7:45am – 9:15am – Networking Breakfast
8:00am – 9:00am Women’s Energy Alliance members only Networking Breakfast (The Westheimer Room)
9:15am – 9:30am – Chairman’s Welcome with Jack Doueck
9:30am – 10:00am – Day 2 Keynote Speaker “Ten Lessons” – Neville Ravji, CEO Budget Power
10:00am – 10:45am – Panel #1 – “All the Same – But All Different – Five ISOs. Five Different Worlds” Sponsored by Customized Energy Solutions
10:45am – 11:15am – Networking Morning Break
11:15am – 11:40am – Fastball – 5 companies compete for 4 minutes each to win this exciting competition.
11:45am – 12:30pm – Panel #2 – “SB-6 and the Future of ERCOT: Capacity, DERs and the Competitive Uncertainty” Sponsored by VertexOne
12:30pm – 1:45pm – Networking Luncheon
1:45pm – 2:00pm – Executive Talk “New Rules. New Triggers. New Risks” with Natara Feller
2:00pm – 2:15pm – Competitive Supplier of the Year Award Presentation
2:15pm – 3:00pm – Panel #3 – Suppliers and Brokers: “Whose Customer Is It?” Sponsored by Atlantic Energy
3:00pm – 3:30pm – Networking Afternoon Break
3:30pm – 4:15pm – Panel #4 – “The Biggest Proven Competitive Advantage in Retail Energy” Sponsored by CG Infinity
4:15pm – 5:15pm – The CEO Round Table: “The Power Shift: Redefining Competitive Energy Markets, Insights, Tools, and Leadership” Sponsored by Capco
5:15pm – 6:15pm – Closing Reception
EMC24 Highlight Reel
EMC23 Day 2 Panels Highlight Reel
EMC25 Keynote Speakers
Barbara Clemenhagen - Executive Director Gulf Coast Power Association
Barbara Clemenhagen is the Executive Director of the Gulf Coast Power Association, a seasoned energy executive with deep expertise in commodity markets, energy policy, and competitive power market design.
Neville Ravji - CEO of Budget Power
Neville is the CEO of Budget Power. Over the past two decades, he has co-founded and led several successful retail electricity providers in Texas. His first was Tara Energy, founded in 2002 and acquired by Just Energy in 2011.
Sponsorship Opportunities Available
EMC25 Panel Discussions - Day One
Sponsored by: Kinergy Solutions (an Origin Energy Company)
Competitive energy markets in the U.S. continue to evolve under a wide range of regulatory frameworks, market designs, and operational constraints. This panel examines how market structure, regulatory clarity, infrastructure readiness, and flexibility mechanisms shape participation and innovation across competitive and hybrid markets.
Industry leaders from retail supply, aggregation, and flexibility enablers will share perspectives on:
- How differences in market rules influence business models and operational strategies
- The role of demand response, DERs, and flexibility programs within existing market constructs
- Common regulatory and operational barriers companies encounter across jurisdictions
- What decision frameworks companies use to assess participation opportunities—without presuming policy outcomes
This discussion is designed to provide practical insight for suppliers, brokers, and service providers navigating today’s complex market landscape, while remaining grounded in current regulatory realities and market design principles
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Sponsored by: Customized Energy Solutions
The energy market is undergoing a fundamental transformation — and the operational infrastructure supporting it is struggling to keep pace. Distributed generation, behind-the-meter batteries, electric vehicles, and the explosive growth of data centers are reshaping how energy is consumed, generated, and exchanged. For retail suppliers, brokers, and technology providers alike, the question is no longer whether complexity is coming. It’s whether the industry is ready for it.
This interactive session brings together retail suppliers, brokers, and solution providers to examine the market forces driving operational strain — and what it will take to get ahead of them. Structured breakout discussions will give attendees the opportunity to diagnose shared challenges, surface where supplier and technology partner expectations are misaligned, and explore what a truly market-ready back office looks like as prosumer activity accelerates and regulations like FERC Order 2222 move from horizon to reality.
The conversation starts here. The industry builds the answer together.
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Sponsored by:
Sponsor/Moderator Available
West Virginia, Indiana, and Missouri are all seeing real movement. This session will bring together the people closest to the work: the advocates and market leaders who are tracking the bills, engaging regulators, and building support on the ground.
You will hear what is happening in each state right now, what has changed, what is slowing progress, and what a realistic path forward looks like. We will cover who is driving momentum, where resistance is coming from, and what the next milestones are that would signal a market is truly heading toward enabling choice of power supplier.
If your team is watching new state opportunities, planning expansion, or supporting market education and rollout, you will leave this session with a clearer view of where things stand and what to monitor next. And, if you want your company’s voice to be heard and assist in these efforts, your help would be welcome.
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Focus: Practical Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Retail Energy.
Sponsor by: ESG Global
This technology-focused panel explores the transformative potential of artificial intelligence across the retail energy value chain. Industry innovators and technology partners will discuss real-world AI applications that are driving operational efficiency and competitive advantage.
Key topics include advanced demand forecasting using machine learning algorithms, Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) modeling for improved acquisition targeting, sophisticated fraud detection systems that adapt to new threats, and DER aggregation optimization through AI-powered grid management.
The panel will also examine the deployment of conversational AI and chatbots for customer experience enhancement, discussing implementation challenges, ROI metrics, and the balance between automation and human touch.
Attendees will learn about practical AI adoption strategies, vendor selection criteria, data requirements, and the organizational changes necessary to leverage AI effectively in their operations.
Focus: Protecting Markets and Consumers from Bad Actors
Sponsored by:
Sponsor/Moderator Available
This critical panel addresses the growing challenge of fraudulent activities in competitive energy markets that threaten industry credibility and consumer trust. Industry leaders, regulatory enforcement officials, and consumer advocates will discuss the evolving landscape of energy fraud, including slamming, cramming, deceptive marketing practices, and identity theft.
The panel will examine current detection methodologies, prevention strategies, and the role of technology in identifying fraudulent patterns before they cause harm. Discussion topics include industry self-policing initiatives, regulatory enforcement actions, collaboration between suppliers and utilities to prevent fraud, and the balance between market access and consumer protection.
Panelists will share case studies of successful fraud prevention programs and discuss emerging threats, including digital fraud schemes and synthetic identity fraud, providing attendees with actionable strategies to protect their businesses and customers.
Sponsored by:
Sponsor/Moderator Available
This panel explores how the next generation of consumers is fundamentally reshaping how energy is purchased, paid for, and experienced. As digital wallets, real-time payments, and flexible financing options become the norm, traditional models—from billing systems to customer acquisition channels—are being challenged.
Industry leaders will discuss how regulatory frameworks, IT infrastructure, and go-to-market strategies must evolve to meet these shifting expectations while maintaining compliance, financial discipline, and operational integrity. The conversation will also address whether legacy channels like D2D and telemarketing can adapt to a digital-first consumer—and what role emerging payment solutions like BNPL may play in the future of energy.
EMC25 Panel Discussions - Day Two
Focus: Comparative Analysis of ISO Operations and Regulations
Sponsored by: Customized Energy Solutions
This comprehensive panel features five senior executives, each representing a major Independent System Operator: PJM, ERCOT, NYISO, ISO-NE, and MISO. Despite operating under similar fundamental principles of competitive wholesale electricity markets, each ISO presents unique challenges and opportunities for retail energy providers.
The discussion will dive deep into the operational differences that impact retail suppliers, including marketing regulations, billing mechanisms, wholesale supply structures (capacity vs. energy-only markets), and settlement procedures. Panelists will explore innovative product offerings enabled or constrained by each ISO’s rules, Time-of-Use product implementation, demand response opportunities, and emerging grid services.
The session will also address how regulatory differences affect customer acquisition costs, margin management, and risk profiles across these markets, providing attendees with practical insights for multi-ISO operations and strategy development.
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Focus: Navigating Texas Market Evolution
Sponsored by: VertexOne
This Texas-focused panel examines the implications of Senate Bill 6 and other regulatory changes on the ERCOT market’s future structure and competitive dynamics. Expert panelists will analyze proposals for capacity market mechanisms or alternatives to address reliability concerns while maintaining competitive markets.
The discussion will explore the rapid growth of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) in Texas, including rooftop solar, battery storage, and virtual power plants, and their integration into wholesale and retail market operations. Panelists will address the uncertainty facing competitive retailers, including potential changes to wholesale market design, cost allocation methodologies, and the role of competitive suppliers in grid reliability.
The session will provide strategic insights for navigating regulatory uncertainty, positioning for potential market restructuring, and capitalizing on DER opportunities while managing associated risks in the nation’s largest competitive electricity market.
Focus: Redefining Partnership Dynamics for Market Success
Sponsored by: Atlantic Energy
his collaborative panel brings together suppliers and brokers to address the ongoing tensions and opportunities in their critical business relationships. The discussion will tackle the fundamental question of customer ownership and explore models for more effective partnership structures that benefit all parties, including end consumers.
Topics include commission structures and transparency, customer retention responsibilities and economics, data sharing and privacy considerations, and conflict resolution mechanisms.
Panelists will discuss best practices for channel partner management, the role of technology in facilitating supplier-broker collaboration, and emerging partnership models that align incentives for long-term success.
The session will feature case studies of successful partnerships and provide frameworks for negotiating agreements that protect interests while fostering market growth and customer satisfaction.
Sponsored by: CG Infinity
In an increasingly crowded and margin-compressed retail energy marketplace, lasting competitive advantage no longer comes from commodity pricing alone. The most successful retail energy companies have discovered a far more powerful differentiator: technology.
This panel brings together senior executives and technology thought leaders from some of the largest and most innovative retail energy companies in the United States to explore how technology has become the single most proven driver of scale, efficiency, and profitability in the industry today.
Panelists will share real-world insights into how advanced platforms, data analytics, automation, and customer-centric digital tools are reshaping every layer of a retail energy business — from acquisition and pricing strategy to customer retention, compliance, billing, and risk management.
Rather than theoretical discussions, this session will focus on what has worked, highlighting practical examples of technology investments that have delivered measurable competitive advantages.
Key topics will include how leading retailers leverage technology to lower operating costs, improve customer experience, enhance speed-to-market, and respond more effectively to regulatory complexity and market volatility. The panel will also examine how technology enables smarter decision-making through better data visibility, forecasting, and real-time performance metrics — and why firms that fail to modernize increasingly find themselves at a structural disadvantage.
Whether you are a growing retailer looking to scale, a mature organization seeking operational efficiency, or an executive evaluating where to allocate capital for maximum impact, this panel will provide clear takeaways on how technology can move from being a support function to becoming your company’s most durable competitive moat.
This is a must-attend session for leaders who understand that in retail energy, technology is no longer optional — it is strategic.
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Focus: Executive Perspectives on Industry Transformation
Sponsored by: CAPCO
This exclusive CEO Round Table brings together chief executives from leading retail energy companies for a high-level strategic discussion on the forces reshaping competitive energy markets.
Topics include the acceleration of energy transition and its impact on business models, consolidation trends and M&A opportunities, the role of competitive markets in achieving decarbonization goals, and technology investments that will define market leaders.
CEOs will share insights on navigating regulatory and political headwinds, building resilient organizations capable of adapting to rapid change, and the leadership qualities necessary for success in an evolving industry.
The discussion will address strategic positioning for the next decade, including capital allocation priorities, talent development strategies, and the balance between traditional energy supply and emerging energy services. This candid executive dialogue will provide attendees with strategic insights and inspiration for leading their organizations through industry transformation.
Fastball Pitches
Want to see some great Fastball Pitches from EMC24? Choose a video below and see how companies present to EMC attendees.
