Dan Richard

Founder and Principal of Haskell Point Advisors

Dan Richard is a Founder and Principal of Haskell Point Advisors, LLC, and brings more than 40 years of experience in energy, transportation, and infrastructure development to the leadership team of Great Plains Data. He has served in senior executive, board, and governmental roles, guiding complex organizations through major regulatory, political, and operational challenges.

Dan began his career at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), where he worked on civil applications of space technology and the Apollo-Soyuz joint mission. He later joined the Office of California Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr., serving as Deputy Assistant for Science and Technology and later as Deputy Legal Affairs Secretary, contributing to energy policy and regulatory reform. At the California Energy Commission, he served as Advisor to the Chairman, helping to launch the state’s pioneering efforts in energy efficiency and renewable technology.

From 1992 to 2004, Dan was an elected member of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Board, serving as its President in 1996 and 1999. He led efforts to secure over $4 billion for system expansion, seismic upgrades, and modernization, including the extension to San Francisco International Airport. BART’s financial performance and customer satisfaction both reached record levels during his tenure, culminating in its recognition as the top U.S. transit system in 2004.

In 1997, Dan joined Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E Corporation), where he served as Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Government Relations. He managed government, regulatory, and communications functions and was a key member of the leadership team that guided PG&E through California’s energy crisis and Chapter 11 reorganization. Under his direction, PG&E became a leader in climate change policy and community engagement, while strengthening stakeholder confidence and corporate governance.

Dan co-founded Morse, Richard, Weisenmiller & Associates, a leading consultancy serving the independent energy and financial sectors. He also co-founded Heritage Oak Capital, an infrastructure investment firm focused on labor-based public-private partnerships. Through his firm Haskell Point Advisors, he has advised utilities, private equity firms, and government agencies on major energy, infrastructure, and environmental initiatives, including the successful effort to reverse the planned closure of California’s last operating nuclear power plant, Diablo Canyon.

From 2011 to 2019, Dan served as Chairman of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, overseeing the nation’s largest infrastructure project. Under his leadership, the Authority secured legislative funding, implemented new governance and management systems, and repositioned the program as the backbone of an integrated statewide rail network. In recognition of his leadership, he was honored by the Obama Administration as a White House “Champion of Change” in 2012.

Dan holds a B.A. in Political Science from Washington University in St. Louis and a J.D. from the McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. He is a member of the State Bar of California and serves on the Board of the California Council for Environmental and Economic Balance. A licensed pilot with ratings in airplanes, seaplanes, gliders, and jets, he is also active in charitable organizations including the Veterans Airlift Command and Elevate Ukraine.