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Our 2026 Keynote Speaker
Curtis Bradley
Safety Takes Effort
Curtis Bradley, a native of Pachuta, Mississippi, embodies the American Dream. Raised by a resilient mother who instilled the values of hard work and perseverance, he learned early on the importance of dedication and giving his all. After marrying his high school sweetheart and starting a family, Curtis faced uncertainty with no clear career path. However, a fateful encounter with an inspiring instructor ignited a passion within him, revealing a talent he never knew he possessed.
Driven by a desire to provide for his family, Curtis enrolled in a trade program at the local community college, where he diligently acquired valuable skills that would not only transform his income but also his life. Over the past 20 years, he has dedicated himself to the powerline industry, progressing from entry-level positions to executive roles, and transitioning from a student to an esteemed instructor.
Curtis has achieved remarkable success throughout his career. However, his greatest
accomplishment lies in his unwavering commitment to helping others. He founded the "Want Plus Work Foundation," a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting individuals seeking to pursue trade careers and improve their lives. He is also a self-published author who has written such books as "Welcome to Linework," "I Am Lineman," and "Selected to Lead." Curtis's story is a testament to the power of hard work, perseverance, and the profound impact of mentorship. He continues to inspire others to embrace the trades and build fulfilling careers.
Additional Featured Speakers
Arden Whisenand
Sales Manager | Utility Technology Strategist | Fast Forward
Arden Whisenand has spent more than three decades helping electric utilities modernize their operations through innovative technology and operational best practices. His career began with the Nebraska Public Power District, where he supported SCADA implementation and utility system modernization before moving into leadership roles with General Electric and Siemens, helping utilities across North America implement advanced SCADA, GIS, Outage Management, and distribution automation systems. Today, as Sales Manager for Fast Forward, Arden works with municipal utilities, electric cooperatives, and investor-owned utilities to improve safety, reliability, and operational efficiency through panoramic imaging, thermal inspections, GPS asset verification, and digital switching maps.
Arden's passion is helping utilities transition from reactive maintenance to predictive operations by providing actionable field intelligence that enables better decisions, improves reliability, and most importantly, helps ensure every lineworker returns home safely. He is an advocate for using technology to give utilities time back, reduce operational risk, and build a stronger culture of safety.
Brock Mowry
Data Analyst | Certified Utility Safety Professional (CUSP) | Fast Forward
Brock Mowry brings more than 20 years of electric utility experience, beginning his career as a utility intern and advancing through the ranks to Lineman, Line Superintendent, and Safety Coordinator. His career has been built around protecting lineworkers while improving the efficiency and reliability of electric utility operations. As a Certified Utility Safety Professional (CUSP), Brock has led safety initiatives, coordinated field operations, and developed practical solutions to help crews work more safely and effectively. His firsthand experience responding to outages, planning switching operations, and managing utility crews gives him a unique understanding of the decisions lineworkers make every day.
Today, Brock serves as a Data Analyst for Fast Forward, where he combines his extensive field experience with advanced utility imagery, thermal analytics, and digital mapping technologies. His passion is helping utilities transform field data into actionable information that reduces risk, improves planning, and provides crews with greater confidence before arriving at every job site.
Brock believes the safest job is the one where there are no surprises—and that every lineworker deserves to have the best information available before leaving the yard.
Check back for additional speaker biographies...
