Mark Axford has more than 25 years of energy experience as an engineer, product manager, sales and marketing executive, and independent consultant. His current clients are primarily fleet owners of gas turbine equipment who rely on Mr. Axford for advice on O&M contracting, cycle optimization, new technology assessment and new project opportunities. His practice also provides market analysis and forecasting services for clients evaluating acquisitions and new product introductions.

Prior to becoming an independent consultant, Mr. Axford was the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for General Electric’s Aero Energy Products division, acquired from Stewart & Stevenson Services Inc. in 1998. He joined Stewart & Stevenson in 1978 to launch their new gas turbine compressor business venture. As the first employee at S&S dedicated to non-military application of gas turbine technology, Mr. Axford redirected the business from compressor drive to electric power generation as the cogeneration market began to blossom in the US. Products were upsized from the 3-5MW range to the 20-50MW range featuring GE LM2500, 5000 and 6000 gas turbines. Mr. Axford championed the addition of spray intercooling to the LM6000 gas turbine (known as “Sprint”) and the growth of a stand-alone O&M business for various makes and models of gas turbines. Annual sales grew from essentially zero in 1978 to more than $500 million per year at the time of the GE acquisition. Mr. Axford was retained by GE as Vice President of North American Sales for the Aero Energy products business which recorded orders exceeding $2.5 billion in year 2000.

Prior to his tenure at Stewart & Stevenson, Mr. Axford worked at Dresser Industries in Olean, NY, in positions involving product design, testing and application engineering of centrifugal compressors and gas turbines.

Mr. Axford received his BS degree in Industrial Distribution from Clarkson University in 1974 and an MBA from St. Bonaventure University in 1978. He has written technical and business articles for publications such as Turbomachinery, Gas Turbine World, Cogeneration, Independent Power and Diesel & Gas Turbine World and has been quoted by the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Houston Chronicle and other periodicals.

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