Brian Holt Brings Central Valley Sensibility to New CSAEW Leadership Role
Welcome to CSAEW’s new Vice President Brian Holt, Business Manager of IBEW Local 428 in Bakersfield. Holt, who was installed earlier this year, is the first CSAEW officer elected from the Central Valley, rounding out the geographic diversity of the organization’s leadership with President Neal Lauzon from Orange County and Secretary Treasurer John Doherty from San Francisco.
Holt brings his no-nonsense sensibility to his CSAEW leadership role, where he must balance the politics of a red Bakersfield district with the goals of the IBEW – “we’re a red dot in blue California,” he likes to say. He laughs about others’ perception of Bakersfield — many call it the drive through county–but Bakersfield has the legacy industries of oil and gas that have kept his members busy.
In his years as a leader of his 1,300-member local — both his four years as Business Manager and eight years as Assistant Business Manager — he’s seen the local membership more than double in size working on massive renewable energy projects, at Edwards Air Force Base, China Lake Naval Weapons Center, schools, prisons and wastewater treatment plants. Holt also points with pride to the tripling of the size of the Local’s apprenticeship program, which means more good jobs for the next generation of energy workers.
Holt sat down with us to discuss his new CSAEW leadership role.
Tell us a little about yourself and your leadership role at Local 428.
I’m an inside Wireman by trade. I’ve been an officer at IBEW 428 in the Central Valley for a dozen years, where we’ve lobbied for and overseen a lot of work coming our way. I’m very proud that we’ve been able to help the Investor-Owned Utilities with their big push for renewable energy here in Kern County, including gigawatts of solar panels, photo voltaic infrastructure, and battery storage. We have what will soon be the largest solar-plus-storage facility in the US: The Bellefield Solar + Storage project. Phase 1 of the Bellefield 1,000 megawatt project just came online this past June and Phase 2 will include another 500 megawatts of solar and 500 megawatts of battery-based energy storage. It’s wrapping up now.
What do you see as the value of the CSAEW?
We talk to politicians regularly and lobby for the bills that are important to our 83,000 IBEW members. I started out as a delegate to the CSAEW in 2013, so I have a little bit of time with the organization. I think it’s very helpful for us to host our meeting in Sacramento now. I also appreciate that our meetings are strategically timed with the legislative calendar for maximum impact. The organization has been focusing on the State’s energy future: renewables, electrification, carbon capture sequestration and hydrogen. All of that means jobs for our members.
As the new Vice President, what do you bring to the role?
Really I’m interested in being of service to the organization itself. I’m excited to be part of the team and honored to be the first officer from the Central Valley to serve in CSAEW leadership. The energy policy we promote is important for all the IBEW, but particularly for my own local. Local 428 has directly benefitted from legislation that the CSAEW has sponsored or promoted.
What are the most exciting areas CSAEW and IBEW has been focusing on?
Renewables–no question. The establishment and escalation of the Renewable Portfolio Standards has increased the utilities requirements to build out the clean energy infrastructure. Not only has this created thousands of jobs for our members, but it has played a significant role in helping the State reach its very aggressive climate goals.
We face different issues in the Central Valley—it’s known to be a very conservative area. But we’re taking these workforce development opportunities and putting people to work. No one can deny that. I truly believe that these projects bridge the political divide. They’re a win-win for all of us.
What are your goals for CSAEW while you’re in office?
I’m just happy to serve. I don’t come with an agenda other than serving the members. I’m carrying the baton to finish up some of the good work that was started before. I realize it’s a marathon, not a sprint. We’re handed the baton, and our job is to run with it before being asked to hand it off to the next generation. As proud as I am of the work we do here locally, it truly is an honor to have a seat at the table and have a statewide impact. People laugh and say Bakersfield is the place everyone drives through–never the destination. But we’ve played a very important role in helping the state reach its climate goals and look to continue this work with carbon management and everything that it brings to the table. This truly is the future for the IBEW and for our members.