Senior Advisor
Saber Partners, LLC
2000-Present
Area of expertise and assignment responsibility includes financial modeling, and identification and quantification of transaction savings opportunities. Has provided expert sworn testimony on several transactions. Also, handles utility expense auditing where appropriate.
Board of Finance – Vice Chairman (elected)
Town of Ridgefield
2011 to 2016
The Board of Finance is responsible for protecting the financial integrity of the town by approving capital and operating budgets, and setting corresponding property tax rates. The town has an annual operating budget of over $126 million and over $90 million of AAA-rated municipal debt outstanding.
Member (elected) – Board of Education
2007-2011
The Board of Education presides over an operating budget in excess of $81 million. Mr. Sutherland served on various Committees, including Negotiating, Finance, Policy and Energy.
Director, Finance, Accounting & Systems
FPL Group and Florida Power & Light Co. (FPL)
FPL Energy Marketing & Trading
1997-1998
Created and implemented credit risk management procedures. Managed selection of trading and risk management software.
Assistant Treasurer and Manager of Corporate Finance
1991-1997
Wrote testimony and testified as expert witness in various regulatory proceedings. Completed over $2 billion of debt and equity financing for FPL, FPL Group, and FPL Group Capital. Executed various exotic and innovative financial transactions, such as an exchange offer of tax-deductible preferred stock for conventional retail preferred stock. Responsible for capital structure analysis, dividend policy and rating agency relations.
Interim Assistant Controller
1993-1994
Responsible for SEC and management reporting, and accounting research to ensure compliance with GAAP and other accounting standards.
Assistant Treasurer and Manager of Financial Analysis & Forecasting
1987-1991
Developed forecasting tools which saved FPL over $10 million in 1989 by identifying non-earning assets. Prepared testimony to the Florida Public Service Commission supporting cost of equity and financial integrity.
Manager of Utility Finance and Coordinator of Financial Systems
among other positions
1976-1984
Managed first electric utility use of variable rate tax exempt demand notes backed by bank letters of credit. Developed business plan and executed start-up of FPL Investments, an unregulated subsidiary engaged in leveraged leasing. Testified before subcommittee of U.S. House of Representatives regarding the economics of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion.
Controller, Industrial Products Division, Spain
The Singer Company
among other financial positions
1973-1975
Electrical Engineer, Brazil
U.S. Peace Corps
1969-1971
Rural electrification program. Fluent in Portuguese.
MBA (1973) in Finance from University of Chicago.
BS (1969) in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University.