Bert Valdman
President and CEO at NorthStar Energy
Bert Valdman is a program advisor within Northwestern's Master of Science in Energy and Sustainability (MSES) Program.
In 2018, Bert became the President & CEO of NorthStar Energy, Saltchuk's energy distribution line of business. Valdman brings a wealth of experience in the energy sector to the Saltchuk family of companies, most recently serving as the President & CEO of Optimum Energy, the leading provider of data-driven cooling and heating optimization solutions for enterprise facilities. Prior to joining Optimum Energy he was the Chief Strategy Officer of Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison, one of the largest electric utilities in the country. Prior to Edison, he was the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Puget Sound Energy where he was responsible for regulated electric and natural gas distribution operations, as well as the Customer Service, Information Technology, and Community Affairs functions. He also served as Puget Energy’s Chief Financial Officer from 2003 through 2007. Before joining Puget Energy, he was managing director with JP Morgan where he spent 16 years in a variety positions in the investment bank in New York and Paris. Valdman has a bachelor’s degree in history from Northwestern University and masters and doctoral degrees from Stanford University.