7F Users Group


35th ANNUAL CONFERENCE

MAY 19-23, 2025

SHERATON BIRMINGHAM HOTEL / BJCC
BIRMINGHAM, AL

7F Users Group, Inc. has grown dramatically since its first meeting in Baltimore, November 19-20, 1991, attended by 14 O&M personnel from four companies. The only 7F engine in service at that time was Virginia Electric & Power Co’s Chesterfield 7. It had been integrated with an existing steamer and new heat-recovery steam generator to configure a 1 x 1 combined cycle.

Fast forward to today: The OEM has shipped to customers more than 1000 F-class gas turbines since Chesterfield 7 left the shop. the majority of these units are 7FAs.

7F Users Group Steering Committee


2024 Conference, St Louis, MO

Front Row, Left to Right: Dave Such, Brian Richardson, Sam Graham, Carroll Gunter, and Zach Wood
Back Row, Left to Right: Luis Barrera, Dan McQuade, Alex Fortman, Edwin Rivera, Dennis Long, and Clinton Lafferty
Not in the picture: Doug Leonard, Justin McDonald, and John Rogers

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2025 Chairman: Clinton Lafferty, TVA
2025 Vice-Chairman: Brian Richardson, FPL
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2025 STEERING COMMITTEE

 


Luis Barrera, Calpine
(34 units across 14 sites)
(28) 7FA.03 (21 flared and 13 unflared); (6) 7FA.04/AGPs
Committee member since 2014 (2018 Chairman)
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Photo coming soon…

Alex Fortman, PE, Xcel Energy
(?? units across ?? sites)
Committee member since 2024
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Photo coming soon…

Sam Graham, Tenaska
(24 units across 6 sites)
(20) 7FA.03; (3) 7FA.04
Committee member, 2007-2018, 2022-Present (2011 & 2013 Chairman)
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Photo coming soon…

Carroll Gunter, ExxonMobil
(?? units across ?? sites)
Committee member since 2024
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Clinton Lafferty, TVA (2025 Chair)
21 Units at 6 Sites
12 – 7FA.04’s & 9 – 7FA.05’s
Committee member since 2020
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Photo coming soon…

Dennis Long, Duke Energy
(25 units across 8 Sites)
(3) 7FA.02; (12) 7FA.03; (8) 7FA.04; (2) 7FB SynGas
Committee member since 2024
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Justin McDonald, Southern Company Generation

(39 units across 10 sites)
(28) 7FA.o4; (11) 7FA.03
Committee member since 2013 (2022 Chairman)
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Photo coming soon…

Dan McQuade, Vistra Corporation
(?? units across ?? sites)
Committee member since 2023
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Photo coming soon…

Brian Richardson, FPL (2025 Vice-Chair)
(?? units across ?? sites)
Committee member since 2022
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Photo coming soon…

Edwin Rivera Hernandez, Dominion Energy
(19 units across 6 sites)
(2) 7FA.01; (9) 7FA.03; (8) 7FA.04
Committee member since 2023
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John Rogers, SRP

(16 units across 4 sites)
(16) 7FA.03
Committee member since 2019 (2023 Chairman)
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Dave Such, Xcel Energy

(15 units across 7 sites)
(1) 7FA.01; (1) 7FA.02; (10) 7FA.03; (3) 7FA.05
Committee member, 2006-2019; 2022 – Present (2024 Chairman)
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7F Users Group – Founders:

Bill Wimperis – Constellation Energy
Pierre Bohler
Larry Rose

Past 7F Committee Members:

Don Barnett
Tom Berry
Carine Bullock
Richard Clark, (2010 & 2014 Chairman)
Ben Cowart
Matt Dineen, 2016 – 2021 (2020 Chairman)
Carey Frost
Ed Fuselier, 2005 – 2019 (2009 Chairman)
Dan Giel
William (Jeff) Gillis, 2007-2020
Bryan Graham, 2014 – 2022 (2019 Chairman)
Ken Gross
Art Hamilton
Jim Harbaugh
Bob Holm
Joel Holt
Kaitlyn Honey, 2017-2022
Tricia Keegan, 2017-2019
Bill Kessler
Rizwan James (2021-2023)
Robert LaRoche, 2013-2019 (2015 Chairman)
Doug Leonard, 2020-2024
Ed Maggio, 2013-2023 (2016 Chairman)
Peter Margliotti, 2014-2020
Robert Mayfield
Marshall McDuffie
Ben Meissner, (2012 Chairman)
Dave Merkley
Timothy Null, 2019-2023
Clift Pompee (2017 Chairman)
Jim Sellers
Peter So, 1999-2019
Chuck Spanos, ?? – 2021
Jennifer Stenger
Eugene Szpynda, 2008-2019
Larry Swan
Terry Toland, 2020-2022
Scott Trantham
Miles Valentine
KK Venkataraman, 2019-2019
Christa Warren, 2016-2021 (2021 Chairman)
Paul White (2008 Chairman)
Paul Whitlock
Zack Wood, 2020-2024

Mission Statement of the GE7FA Users Group

7F Users Group, Inc. is organized to provide an open forum through conferences and technological aids to the Owners/Operators of 7F Combustion Turbine generator systems for effective communication, discussion, and information dissemination regarding the operation, maintenance, inspection, troubleshooting, and repair of such systems to maximize equipment performance and reliability. These purposes will be achieved through providing an opportunity at meetings, conferences, company email, and website for the open exchange of ideas between owner / operators and owner / operators with vendors.

This site is managed by Users for Users!

2025 ANNUAL CONFERENCE

May 19-23, 2025
Sheraton Birmingham Hotel and BJCC
2101 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd N
Birmingham, AL 35203

Open Conference Details

Contact: SV Events
Email: Planning.Team@SV-Events.net

Conference dates: May 15-19, 2023

  • 184 User attendees
  • 125 Vendors represented at vendor fairs

Evening Vendor Fair: Monday, May 15, 2023 – 86 Exhibit booths
Evening Vendor Fair: Tuesday, May 16, 2023 – 86 Exhibit booths

(10 Platinum Sponsors)

Conference dates: May 23-27, 2022

  • 197 User attendees
  • 126 Vendors represented at vendor fairs

Evening Vendor Fair: Monday, May 23, 2022 – 69 Exhibit booths
Evening Vendor Fair: Tuesday, May 24, 2022 – 69 Exhibit booths

(10 Platinum Sponsors)

Conference dates: August 23-27, 2021

  • 193 User attendees
  • 104 Vendors represented at vendor fairs

Evening Vendor Fair: Tuesday, August 24, 2021 – 104 Exhibit booths
Lunch Vendor Fair: Wednesday, August 25, 2021 – Same exhibitors

(1 Platinum Plus, 3 Platinum and 5 Gold Sponsors)

Conference dates: June 2020

Conference dates: May 20-24, 2019

  • 222 User attendees
  • 141 Vendors represented at vendor fairs

Vendor Fair: Tuesday, May 21, 2019 – 78 Exhibit booths
Vendor Fair: Wednesday, May 22, 2019 – 78 Exhibit booths

(1 Platinum Plus, 2 Platinum and 4 Gold Sponsors allowed to exhibit both evenings)

Conference dates: May 7-11, 2018

  • 219 User attendees
  • 126 Vendors represented at vendor fairs

Vendor Fair: Tuesday, May 8, 2018 – 67 Exhibit booths
Vendor Fair: Wednesday, May 9, 2018 – 67 Exhibit booths

(2 Platinum Plus, 2 Platinum and 4 Gold Sponsors allowed to exhibit both evenings)

Conference dates: May 15-19, 2017

Vendor Fair: Tuesday, May 16, 2017 – 75 Exhibit booths
Vendor Fair: Wednesday, May 17, 2017 – 75 Exhibit booths

(1 Platinum Plus, 2 Platinum and 2 Gold Sponsors allowed to exhibit both evenings)

Conference dates: May 9-13, 2016

Vendor Fair: Tuesday, May 10, 2016 – 66 Exhibit booths
Vendor Fair: Wednesday, May 11, 2016 – 66 Exhibit booths

(1 Platinum Plus, 4 Platinum and 2 Gold Sponsors allowed to exhibit both evenings)

Conference dates: May 11-15, 2015

Vendor Fair: Tuesday, May 12, 2015 – 64 Exhibit booths
Vendor Fair: Wednesday, May 13, 2015 – 64 Exhibit booths

(4 Platinum and 2 Gold Sponsors allowed to exhibit both evenings)

Conference dates: May 19-23, 2014

Vendor Fair: Tuesday, May 20, 2014 – 68 Exhibit booths
Vendor Fair: Wednesday, May 21, 2014 – 68 Exhibit booths
(1 Platinum Plus, 2 Platinum and 2 Gold Sponsors allowed to exhibit both evenings)

Conference dates: May 20-24, 2013

  • 253 User attendees
  • 101 Vendors represented at vendor fairs

Vendor Fair: Tuesday, May 21, 2013 – 53 Exhibit booths
Vendor Fair: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 – 53 Exhibit booths

(3 Platinum and 2 Gold Sponsors allowed to exhibit both evenings)

Conference dates: May 14-18, 2012

Vendor Fair: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 – 55 Exhibit booths
Vendor Fair: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 – 55 Exhibitors

(3 Platinum and 2 Gold Sponsors allowed to exhibit both evenings)

Conference dates: May 9-13, 2011

Vendor Fair: Tuesday, May 10, 2011 – 67 Exhibit booths
Vendor Fair: Wednesday, May 11, 2011 – 66 Exhibit booths

(14 sponsors allowed to exhibit both evenings)

Conference dates: May 10-14, 2010

Conference dates: May 12-15, 2009

Conference dates: May 13-16, 2008

Conference dates: May 15-18, 2007

  • 237 Users attended
  • 62 Vendors represented at vendor fair – Wednesday, May 16, 2007

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