Washington, D.C.—Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) today announced Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings Chief Executive Officer William Flynn, LS Power Chief Executive Officer Paul Segal, General Carlton Everhart II (Ret.), General Larry Spencer (Ret.), and Admiral James Stavridis (Ret.) are joining SAFE’s Energy Security Leadership Council (ESLC).

“Our outsized reliance on oil as the single fuel for our global mobile economy has long proved to be a  danger for U.S. national security, but the ESLC has always proven itself to be an effective advocate for policies that enhance our energy security with a comprehensive suite of solutions. We are grateful our latest ESLC members have joined us as we continue to work for solutions to end our oil dependence, and we will doubtless benefit from their passion, expertise and experience,” said General James Conway (Ret.), the 34^th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps and Co-Chair of the ESLC.

Co-chaired by FedEx Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Frederick W. Smith and General Conway, the ESLC is a group of business and retired military leaders committed to reducing U.S. oil dependence as an economic and national security priority. Under the ESLC’s guidance, SAFE has produced a variety of influential policy documents and crucial energy security research, including A National Strategy for Energy Security: The Innovation Revolution, America’s Workforce and the Self-Driving Future and The Military Cost of Defending the Global Oil Supply.

Serving as Atlas Air’s Chief Executive Officer since June 2006, Mr. Flynn has had a 42-year career in international supply chain management and freight transportation. Prior to joining Atlas Air, Mr. Flynn served as President and Chief Executive Officer of GeoLogistics Corporation since 2002 where he led a successful turnaround of the company’s profitability and the sale of the company in September 2005. Prior to his tenure at GeoLogistics, Mr. Flynn served as Senior Vice President at CSX Transportation from 2000 to 2002. Mr. Flynn spent over 20 years with Sea-Land Service, Inc., a global provider of container shipping services, serving in roles of increasing responsibility in the U.S., Latin America, and Asia.

“As the CEO of an airline with a longstanding global presence, the economic effect of oil price volatility has been a perennial concern. I look forward to working with SAFE and the ESLC to bolster U.S. energy security by advocating for lasting policy solutions that reduce the oil intensity of our economy and diversify our fuel sources in transportation,” said Mr. Flynn.

Mr. Segal has served as Chief Executive Officer of LS Power since 2011 and is a member of LS Power’s Management Committee, overseeing one of the largest independent power and transmission developers in the United States. Since its inception, LS Power has developed, constructed, managed and acquired more than 41,000 MW of power generation capacity, built over 600 miles of transmission infrastructure, and raised over $40 billion in debt and equity financing for its activities. Prior to his appointment as Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Segal oversaw LS Power’s asset management and renewables development activities. In 2002, Mr. Segal founded Luminus Management, a hedge fund which invested across the capital structure of publicly-traded power, energy, utility and related companies, for which he was President and Portfolio Manager until 2011.

“As our transportation sector shifts toward a digitized and electrified future, securing our national grid has never been more important. SAFE and the ESLC are working to implement concrete responses that enhance grid security, and I am delighted to work with them on the solutions to one of our country’s most pressing problems,” said Mr. Segal.

Admiral Stavridis is an Operating Executive of The Carlyle Group, following five years as the 12th Dean of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. A retired 4-star officer in the U.S. Navy, he led the NATO Alliance in global operations from 2009 to 2013 as Supreme Allied Commander with responsibility for Afghanistan, Libya, the Balkans, Syria, counter piracy, and cyber security. He also served as Commander of U.S. Southern Command, with responsibility for all military operations in Latin America from 2006-2009.

“The escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf remind us of the central role the U.S. military plays in securing the global oil supply and ensuring this strategic commodity makes it to market. We must reduce our dependence on oil as a national security priority, and I am pleased to be working with SAFE and the ESLC on policies that achieve this critical goal,” said Adm. Stavridis.

General Everhart was Commander, Air Mobility Command (AMC), responsible for providing rapid global mobility and sustainment for America’s armed forces and partner nations. AMC projects U.S. military power to any point around the world and provides humanitarian response at home and abroad. As the Air Force’s lead command for air mobility, the 120,000 men and women of AMC – active duty, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and civilians – provide combat airlift, aerial refueling, air mobility support, and aeromedical evacuation with more than 1,100 aircraft from nine bases, 18 Wings, and 116 total force air mobility operating locations.

“Our operations at Air Mobility Command, which requires us to supply our military worldwide at a moment’s notice, demonstrated to me just how much we continue to rely on a stable oil supply from unstable regions. I look forward to working with SAFE on energy security solutions that reduce our dependence on crude and decouple our economic and national security priorities from oil,” Gen. Everhart added.

Retiring as a four-star general, General Spencer spent over 40 years in the Air Force. His last assignment was as the Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. In this capacity, Spencer was the second highest-ranking military member in the Air Force. He presided over the Air Staff and served as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Requirements Oversight Council and Deputy Management Advisory Group. He assisted the Chief of Staff of the Air Force with organizing, training, and equipping 690,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve, and civilian forces serving in the United States and overseas.

The new ESLC members join as tensions flare in the Middle East following a high-profile attack on Saudi oil infrastructure. Robbie Diamond, SAFE President and CEO, added: “The attack on the Abqaiq oil processing facility in Saudi Arabia reinforces the need for a group like the ESLC to help focus policymakers on America’s need to reduce its dependence on oil through greater fuel diversity and other demand-side solutions. We at SAFE are thrilled to welcome these new members and believe they will help us make the case that U.S. oil dependence is our greatest economic and national security threat.”

About Securing America’s Future Energy

 Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) is an action-oriented, nonpartisan organization that aims to reduce America’s dependence on oil. Near-total dependence on petroleum in the transportation sector undermines the nation’s economic and national security, and constrains U.S. foreign policy. To combat these threats, SAFE advocates for expanded domestic production of U.S. oil and gas resources, continued improvements in vehicle fuel efficiency, and transportation sector innovations including electric vehicles, natural gas trucks, and autonomous vehicles. In 2006, SAFE joined with General P.X. Kelley (Ret.), 28th Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, and Frederick W. Smith, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of FedEx Corporation, to form the Energy Security Leadership Council (ESLC), a group of business and former military leaders committed to reducing the United States’ dependence on oil. Today, the ESLC is co-chaired by Frederick W. Smith and General James T. Conway (Ret), 34th Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps.

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