Tom Tobin

Vice President, Research & Development
S&C Electric Company

Tom Tobin is the Vice President of R&D for S&C Electric Company, a major manufacturer of high-power and high-voltage switching, protection, and control systems for utilities and large industrial power users. In this position, Mr. Tobin is responsible for the major new product development projects, supporting the five operating divisions. These products span the range of circuit breakers, rated up to 230 kV and 25 kA interrupting rating to giant uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) rated up to 20 MVA. In addition, the R&D organization is responsible for advance technology development that can be used in new products, and for the high power and high voltage electrical laboratories and the chemical analytical laboratories. Tom is responsible for introducing good product development practices and techniques for innovating new products starting with the customer problems and ending with production units. Mr. Tobin graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with Bachelor and Master Degrees in Electric Power Engineering. His career has spanned 35 years with S&C Electric Company in various roles from product development engineer to the Director of engineering for all of S&C products. His expertise lies in the design, testing, and application of switching devices and controls for large electric power systems. He is a member of various IEEE standards development committees in the area of switchgear, and is active in international standards development through the IEC where he is the U.S. Technical Advisor to Technical Committee 17?Switchgear and Controlgear. Mr. Tobin has also participated in several CIGRE Committees (International Council on Large Electric Systems), providing analysis and guidance for future standards writing. Mr. Tobin holds 23 US patents with another 5 pending, and several international patents related to high voltage switches, fuses, or circuit interrupters, and is a Registered Professional Engineer in Illinois.