Corporate Governance

Kenneth Young

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Kenneth Young is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Babcock & Wilcox (B&W), a leader in energy and environmental products and services for power and industrial markets worldwide.

Mr. Young, who has served as Chief Executive Officer since November 2018 and Chairman since September 2020, has more than 30 years of global operational, executive and director experience primarily within the energy, communications and finance industries.

Known for strategic acumen and effective transformational leadership, Mr. Young has driven a successful turnaround at B&W, improving the company’s profitability with solid increases in bookings, revenues and earnings, while reducing its senior debt by more than $200 million. He also has led a number of acquisitions to expand the company’s products and services portfolio, and successfully launched B&W’s ClimateBright™ suite of hydrogen production and decarbonization technologies that are providing critical solutions to address global climate change goals.

Mr. Young also serves as President of B. Riley Financial, Inc., and Chief Executive Officer for B. Riley Principal Investments, a wholly owned subsidiary of B. Riley Financial.

Before joining B. Riley, he held executive leadership positions with Lightbridge Communications Corporation (LCC), which was the largest independent telecom construction and services company in the world and a recognized leader in providing network services. 

Prior to joining LCC, Mr. Young was Chief Marketing and Operations Officer with Liberty Media’s TruePosition and held various senior executive positions with multiple corporations, including Cingular Wireless, SBC Wireless, Southwestern Bell Telephone and AT&T as part of his 16-year tenure within the now-combined AT&T Corporation.

Mr. Young holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Graceland University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern Illinois. Mr. Young has previously served on nine public company boards.

Jimmy B. Morgan

Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Jimmy Morgan is Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of The Babcock & Wilcox Company (B&W), a leader in energy and environmental products and services for power and industrial markets worldwide.

Morgan is responsible for the Company’s strategic growth and operational performance under its B&W Environmental, B&W Renewable and B&W Thermal brands and growth platforms.

From January 2019 until August 2020, Morgan was Senior Vice President, responsible for B&W’s aftermarket, new-build and environmental products and services businesses worldwide. In March of 2020 Morgan also took on the role as Managing Director of its Babcock & Wilcox Vølund subsidiary.  He also was responsible for the company’s global licensing activities.

From December 2016 through January 2019, Morgan led the company’s renewable energy business, including Babcock & Wilcox Vølund and its operations and maintenance services businesses. Prior to that, Morgan was Senior Vice President of Operations, responsible for B&W’s Global Manufacturing, Global Supply Chain Management, Quality, Facility Services, and Environmental, Health, Safety & Security functions. He also was responsible for Babcock & Wilcox Construction Co., LLC.

Morgan has been in the global energy and construction industry for more than 30 years, and has considerable large project management, operations and construction experience. He joined B&W in February 2016 as Vice President and General Manager, Babcock & Wilcox Construction Co., LLC., serving in that position until he was named Vice President, Operations, in May 2016 and Senior Vice President of Operations in August 2016. Before joining B&W, he was Executive Vice President for Allied Technical Resources, Inc. Previous positions included serving as Chief Operating Officer with BHI Energy, Vice President of Installation and Modification Services with Westinghouse and as Managing Director for AREVA T&D. He began his career with Duke Energy as a Maintenance Engineer at one of the largest operating plants in the United States. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of South Carolina, and a Master’s of Business Administration from the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina.

Louis Salamone

Chief Financial Officer

Louis Salamone Jr. is Chief Financial Officer for Babcock & Wilcox (B&W), a global leader in energy and environmental technologies and services for the power and industrial markets.

Salamone, who joined B&W in November 2018 as Executive Vice President of Finance, has more than 25 years of experience as a chief financial officer of diversified public companies such as Nextel Communications, Applied Graphics Technologies and LCC International, Inc.; as well as with private equity-backed companies such as USi, GXS and CityMD.

Before joining B&W, Mr. Salamone served as non-executive Managing General Partner for MDx Diagnostics LLC, a medical devices provider. Before that, he served as Chief Financial Officer for CityMD from 2013 to 2017.

He also served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of OpenPeak Inc. from 2009 to 2013, and Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of LCC International, Inc. from 2006 to 2009.

Prior to that, from 1993 to 2006, Mr. Salamone held various key executive positions with GXS, USinternetworking, Inc., Applied Graphics Technologies and Nextel Communications. He also was previously a partner at Deloitte & Touche.

Mr. Salamone holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Franklin & Marshall College, has successfully completed the Executive Program for Entrepreneurial Businesses at Stanford University and is a Certified Public Accountant. nt.

Brandy Johnson

Chief Technology Officer

Brandy Johnson is Chief Technology Officer, responsible for the development of B&W’s ClimateBright™ suite of decarbonization and hydrogen production technologies, including the deployment, scale-up and commercialization activities of its BrightLoop™ novel hydrogen generation technology. She was named to this position in 2022.

From April 2020 to May 2022, Johnson was Vice President of Global Engineering, responsible for overseeing all service and OEM proposal and project engineering activities throughout B&W’s global operations. Before that, from June 2018 until April 2020, Johnson was Vice President, Global Projects, responsible for executing and delivering new build and aftermarket projects for boiler and environmental equipment customers around the world.

Previous B&W positions included serving as Vice President, Global Project Development, Director, Supply Management, and Team Champion for the company’s Global Competitiveness Initiative. Johnson joined the company in 1995 as a Field Service Engineer.

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Kent State University, and an Advanced Master Certificate in Integrated Supply Management from Michigan State University’s Executive Development Program.  She is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Ohio, a Project Management Institute Certified Project Management Professional, and has completed several advanced leadership development programs, including the 2016 B&W Executive Development Program led by Korn Ferry.  She is also a contributing author of the 41st edition of Steam/its generation and use. Published by B&W, it is the world’s longest continually published engineering textbook of its kind.

John J. Dziewisz

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

John Dziewisz is Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Babcock & Wilcox (B&W), which is a global leader in energy and environmental technologies and services for the power and industrial markets. 

Dziewisz oversees the legal operations for all B&W business segments as well as Risk Management and Ethics and Compliance. He also serves as the company’s Chief Compliance Officer.

Dziewisz joined B&W in 1997 as an attorney. He subsequently held a number of more responsible positions including Managing Attorney, in which he led the legal activities of multiple B&W business operations, including service, construction and various international operations. From June 2013 until January 2019, Dziewisz served as Assistant General Counsel, Operations & Intellectual Property, responsible for the legal activities for all B&W operations related to proposal/project management, human resources, dispute resolution, intellectual property, business entity formation and mergers & acquisition activities in domestic and international markets. He was named Vice President, Assistant General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer in January 2019. He was named Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary in January 2020, and Executive Vice President in January 2022.

A native of Northeast Ohio, Dziewisz graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and earned his law degree from the University of Akron. He has also completed numerous leadership and management programs.

Gillianne Hetrick

Vice President, Corporate Operations

Gillianne Hetrick is Vice President, Corporate Operations, for Babcock & Wilcox (B&W), which is a global leader in energy and environmental technologies and services for the power and industrial markets.

A skilled and effective leader with a broad range of operational experience across a number of industries, Hetrick leads B&W’s global Human Resources (HR), Information Technology (IT) and Facility Services functions. She joined B&W in 2019 and subsequently took on several new roles of increasing responsibility, including for the company’s corporate projects, mergers and acquisitions, real estate management, and IT functions. She assumed her current role in August 2022.

Prior to that, Hetrick held a number of positions at small to mid-sized publicly traded companies, where she led Human Resources, IT and Safety functions, and focused on business strategy, as well as process and operational efficiency improvements.

She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations, Advertising and Applied Communication from Northern Michigan University. She also is an active supporter of the business community, currently serving on CAK Regional Air Service Task Force, and charitable organizations, including serving as Co-Founder and Director of The Beacon Principle, a non-profit organization that provides programs and support for those serving in the military and emergency services professions.

Chris Riker

Senior Vice President, Thermal

Chris Riker is Senior Vice President, Thermal, for Babcock & Wilcox (B&W), a leader in energy and environmental products and services for power and industrial markets worldwide. Riker is responsible for Company’s global thermal energy business that provides advanced technologies and equipment, as well as replacement parts and services, to keep thermal and industrial plants operating efficiently. His responsibilities include Babcock & Wilcox Construction Co., LLC, the Optimus / package boiler business unit, B&W de Monterrey, and the B&W Canada, B&W Diamond Power^® and B&W Allen-Sherman-Hoff^® operations, and B&W’s Pulp & Paper business. He assumed his position in August 2022.

Prior to his most recent position, he served as Senior Vice President, Global Parts & Service, leading the company’s worldwide parts and field engineering services business, which includes B&W, Diamond Power, Allen-Sherman-Hoff and Vølund™ systems branded products.

From March 2018 to January 2022, Riker was Vice President, Global Parts and Service. From June 2016 until March 2018, he was Vice President, Industrial Steam Generation, and led the company’s package boiler, pulp and paper, and petrochemical businesses. Before that, Riker led the Finance organization for B&W’s former Global Services segment and was responsible for all financial-related reporting, forecasting and analysis, and target setting for the company’s entire suite of aftermarket projects, parts and service businesses.

Previous positions included serving as Controller for B&W’s Diamond Power International, Inc., subsidiary, and as Manager of Internal Audit in B&W’s corporate headquarters. Riker joined the company in July 2010, after serving as a consultant with KPMG LLP.

He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and Economics from Florida State University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina.

Sarah Serafin

Vice President, Corporate Development

Sarah Serafin is Vice President, Corporate Development, for Babcock & Wilcox (B&W), a leader in energy and environmental products and services for power and industrial markets worldwide. Serafin leads the company’s merger, acquisition and other corporate development responsibilities.

From 2021 to 2022, she served as Director, Corporate Development & Investor Relations, for B&W.  From 2019 until 2021, Serafin was with LPL Financial, the nation’s largest independent broker-dealer, as a senior finance professional with responsibilities for planning, forecasting and business analytics including managing a forecast model of approximately $2 billion in annual gross profit.

Serafin originally joined B&W as Manager, Corporate Development, in 2016 and served in that role until 2019. Before that, she served roles of increasing responsibility within KPMG’s Deal Advisory practice, performing business and financial due diligence focusing primarily on buy-side and sell-side due diligence assistance for private equity firms and their portfolio companies.

Serafin holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Eric Powell

Advisory Board

With 25-plus years of energy and infrastructure experience, Eric Powell has a successful record of driving major strategy and transformation in complex situations for corporations, private equity, and governments. He serves as strategic advisor and interim executive in growing top-line revenue, improving bottom-line costs, and stabilizing operations across the broad energy and infrastructure complex (oil, natural gas, power, water, chemical, renewables, and alternative fuels). Partner to executives, boards, investors, and policy makers, he has guided approximately $125 billion in transactions across the Americas, Europe, Asia, Middle East, and Africa.

Currently, he serves as a power market leader in the Enterprise Improvement Practice at the global management consulting firm, AlixPartners. Prior to joining AlixPartners, Mr. Powell was a founding partner at Enovation Partners, Head of B&V’s Strategy & Business Performance, and a principal leader in Booz & Company’s energy practice. Mr. Powell is a frequent speaker and a published author and has presented to industry, technology, and investment forums, including providing expert-witness testimony. He began his career in power generation with TXU Corp. (now Vistra Corp.) and held strategic planning and operational leadership roles across supply, delivery, and customer operations for both natural gas and power markets.

Mr. Powell and his wife, Tai, have two daughters. He has a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from Jacksonville State University (Alabama) and is certified in lean business operations from the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. He is also founder of his own non-profit, CUE Leadership Institute, Inc.

Rod O'Connor

Advisory Board

Rod O’Connor is the Chief Commercialization and Engagement Officer and the architect of the American Clean Power Association’s (ACP) long-term development and activation strategy. He oversees the Revenue, Communications and Engagement divisions and works across the association as ACP continues to unroll its multi-tech policy agenda.

Mr. O’Connor has a history of advising leaders in business, government, and politics through strategic transitions. He served as an Executive Producer for the 2021 Presidential Inaugural, for which he received an Emmy nomination, as a senior policy advisor for the 2021 Presidential Transition, and he led the effort to re-imagine the four-day 2020 Democratic National Convention as a virtual event during the Covid-19 pandemic. Previously, he was Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of Energy during the Obama-Biden Administration. His experience in that administration is bookended by two stints at AEG, the world’s largest sports and live entertainment company, as Senior Vice President and Executive Vice President of Facilities and Sports where he helped grow the company from a Los Angeles-based venue operator to a global business. He has also served as a Senior Advisor to former Vice President Gore, President of the XPRIZE Foundation, a Principal of The Messina Group and Global Head of Communications and External Affairs for McCourt Global.

Mr. O’Connor holds Master’s of Public Administration from Harvard University and a Bachelor’s Degree from Hampden-Sydney College. He resides with his family in Washington D.C.

Phillip Piddington

Advisory Board

Phil Piddington is an independent advisor to the energy, waste and infrastructure sectors. He previously was the Chief Executive Officer of Viridor, the leading U.K. waste-to-energy and recycling company. Before this, he was Global Director of Biomass for RWE Innogy GmbH, the renewables business within the RWE Group.

Mr. Piddington has gained more than 35 years of leadership experience in the Energy and Major Capital Projects sectors, among others as MD of BP Energy Ltd.

In addition to his executive roles, Mr. Piddington has extensive non-executive and lobbying experience including Chairman of the Environmental Services Association in the U.K., Chairman of Cogen Europe and numerous other non-executive positions.

Peter O'Keefe

Advisory Board

Peter O’Keefe is a professional in the financial services industry, an advisor to both privately held and publicly traded companies and a Venture Partner in one of the leading cyber-security investment funds in the United States. He is a recognized national political operative who served as a liaison to the business community in the Clinton White House.

Mr. O’Keefe is a Venture Partner in the private equity firm Paladin Capital Group, a global investment fund with over $1 billion in assets under management and a focus on advanced security technologies and biotechnology. He consults for numerous companies involved in financial services, infrastructure, technology and Big Data seeking guidance on the intersection between capital markets and governments through his company, Capital Management International. He specializes in public policy at the state level. He also is a Partner at one of Washington, D.C.’s leading bipartisan public affairs firms, Forbes-Tate.

He serves on the Board of Directors for Leaf Clean Energy (LEAF.L) and RegScan Corporation.

Mr. O’Keefe has worked on more than a dozen political campaigns, beginning with the Clinton for President Campaign of 1992. He recently served as a member of the 2020 Biden for President Finance Committee and as a National Finance Vice Chair for the Democratic National Committee. He was a five- time National Treasurer for the Democratic Governors Association from 2014-2018, a record, and helped lead the association to its most successful fundraising campaign, raising more than $250 million and picking up eight key governorships. In 2013 he played a leading role in the election of his longtime friend, Terry McAuliffe, as the 72nd Governor of Virginia.

Previously, Mr. O’Keefe was a registered professional with the National Association of Securities Dealers. He served as the Senior Advisor to the Chairman of the Democratic National Committee and as the Director of Major Donor Development for the William J. Clinton Presidential Foundation.

Mr. O’Keefe served on The White House staff during the Clinton Administration and spearheaded the President’s effort to coordinate with the business community to pass key sections of the Clinton Economic Program.

He holds degrees from Marist College and the London School of Economics. He resides in Washington D.C. with his wife Sara and their two children.

Homaira Akbari

Advisory Board

Dr. Homaira Akbari is President and CEO of AKnowledge Partners, LLC, a global strategy advisory firm providing services to leading private equity funds and large corporations in the sectors of Internet of Things, Cyber Security, Artificial Intelligence, and FinTech. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Banco Santander (NYSE: SAN) Temenos AG (SWX: TEMN), and Landstar System (NASDAQ: LSTR).  She has extensive governance experience and in the past has served on the Board of Directors of Veolia Environment (EN:VIE) and Gemalto N.V. (EN: GTO).

Dr. Akbari has held senior management roles in Fortune 1000 companies including Microsoft, Thales, and Liberty Media subsidiary, Trueposition. Dr. Akbari also has served as the President and CEO of SkyBitz, Inc., a leading provider of remote asset tracking and security solutions. Under her leadership, the company had record performance. She successfully sold SkyBitz to Telular Corporation (NASDAQ: WRLS).

She holds a Ph.D. with honors in particle physics from Tufts University and an MBA with distinction from Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business. She is the author of more than 50 scientific articles in international journals, has two patents in IoT and Advertising, and is a frequent speaker at industry conferences. She has published numerous governance and technology opinion editorials and podcasts.

Throughout her life, Dr. Akbari has been active in and a contributor to many non-profit organizations.  She is currently a member of Business Board of Advisors for Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business.  Dr. Akbari was the inaugural Chair of the Johns Hopkins University Physics and Astronomy Advisory Council from 2012-2018, and a member since 2009.  She has established the Homaira Akbari Fellowship Endowment at Carnegie Mellon University and Akbari-Mack Postdoctoral at the Johns Hopkins University.  She is a member of Board of Trustees of FIAF.org, a not-for-profit organization with the mission to promote French culture, art and language.