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Two out of the six plenary speakers for a state energy conference expected to draw leaders from more than 20 countries are high-profile board members of . The company was formed last December and hopes to take over Hawaiian Electric Industries.

has been a forum for the global exchange of ideas in the energy sector, and has highlighted the state’s , signed by Hawaiian Electric Co., the state and U.S. Department of Energy.

The three-year old conference, which starts on Sept. 13, is sponsored by Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

The selection of two of Kuokoa’s board members could make for an awkward situation with Hawaiian Electric Co., which plays an integral role in the conference. Representatives from the utility will help lead six out of 38 panel discussions, similar to last year.

Kuokoa board member, , a former director of the CIA, will kick off the conference with . Board member , a former member of President Barack Obama’s White House transition team, will speak on the last day.

“They are not coming to talk wearing their hat of Kuokoa,” said Lois Hamaguchi, an energy analyst at DBEDT. “We made it very, very, very clear.”

Both Woolsey and Glauthier have extensive experience in the energy sector beyond their affiliation with Kuokoa.

Other plenary speakers include: , vice president of government and energy markets for Lockheed Martin; , the mayor of Taichung City, Republic of China; and .

Rocky Start

The announcement of Kuokoa’s launch made headlines in January, sent HEI stock analysts scrambling for information and stunned many within Hawaii’s energy sector. Ted Peck, who had lead the state’s energy office and played a prominent role in the state’s Clean Energy Initiative, left his job in January to join the company as president.

Kuokoa’s board of directors was recently .

The company’s plan was met with widespread skepticism. HEI analysts, local business leaders and members of the state’s energy sector, questioned the financial feasibility of the plan which could require financing in the range of $3.7 billion, including the cost of the company’s shares and its debt.

HEI and Hawaiian Electric executives have declined to comment publicly about Kuokoa.

Speakers Chosen From a Large Pot

The plenary speakers were chosen by a committee that included 15 to 20 members, according to Hamaguchi. Roughly 10 were from DBEDT, and five to 10 from various sectors, including business organizations, the University of Hawaii, economic development boards, and city and county representatives, she said. One person was from The Clean Technology & Sustainable Industries Organization, a national organization that is conference co-host.

Hamaguchi said that a broad range of potential plenary speakers were debated and more than 25 invitations were sent out — including Leon Panetta, U.S. Secretary of Defense. But not everyone accepted.

Woolsey and Glauthier were chosen for their extensive energy experience, excellent speaking skills and their breadth of experience in the government, business and international sectors, said Hamaguchi.

Peck, who was a plenary speaker last year when he was state energy administrator, said that the choice of Woolsey and Glauthier, “wasn’t via any discussions I had directly with DEBDT.”

He said that his communication about the conference was through The Clean Technology & Sustainable Industries Organization. Kuokoa met with the organization once in the spring to discuss their overall energy plan, said Peck.

Not Trying to Start a War

Peck said that Woolsey is involved with the company on a weekly basis, Glauthier is involved on a daily basis. Both have invested in the company.

“They’re not passive players,” said Peck. “They’re not just names that we brought on.”

He said that their presence at the conference was not meant to embarrass anyone.

“We’re not trying to start a war,” said Peck. “It’s not us versus them. It’s about what is the better idea and what is the best thing for us as a state, and really a realization of how close to the precipice we are.”

Kuokoa is also led by Roald Marth, a entrepreneur who recently moved to Hawaii from Minnesota, and Richard Ha, a respected farmer on the Big Island, who also chaired the state’s last year and sits on the state Board of Agriculture.

The company hopes to buy all the shares of HEI, which is the holding company for American Savings Bank, Hawaiian Electric Co. on Oahu, Maui Electric Co. and Hawaii Electric & Light Co. on the Big Island. Kuokoa said they would sell American Savings Bank, take the publicly-traded company private, and chart a new direction for Hawaii’s energy future.

Peck said that the company was still working on financing.