Matthew “Zac” West, PE, PMP, has over 40 years of project management and operational/strategic planning experience.  He is a team lead within the Project Controls Division of the Office of Project Management at the U.S. Department of Energy.  He served in the U.S. Army for 32 years, retiring as a Colonel of Engineering.  From 1982 to 1996, Mr. West served the Army as a reserve member while working as a process engineer in industry.  He worked on over 40 projects in various leadership roles in the pulp and paper and utility industries with a focus on large non-traditional fuel boilers.  His work includes ASME “R” and “S” stamp work to increase capacity over the original design, ensure safe operations, gain efficiency in operations, and to reduce or mitigate emissions.   Mr. West is a registered professional engineer in the State of Washington, an Assistant Professor at National Defense University, and a Project Management Professional.  He holds a MS in Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy from the National Defense University, a MBA from Touro University International, and a BS in Pulp and Paper Science, Technology, and Engineering from the University of Washington.