Gale E. Klappa - Outgoing Leader Takes Title of Best Energy Sector CEO

LONDON, June 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Gale Klappa, outgoing CEO of one of America's largest utility companies, has won the title of Business Worldwide Magazine's (BWM) CEO of the Year 2016 -Electricity and Natural Gas Industry.

Klappa, who successfully served as head of Milwaukee-based WEC Energy Group Inc. for more than a decade, retired from the post in May this year. During his time with the huge Mid Western power company he oversaw the $9 billion acquisition of Integrys Energy Group in 2015. He will continue to help shape the future of the organization in his role as non-executive chairman of the company.

On being told of the BWM award, Klappa said: "I'm delighted to receive this award on behalf of both myself and the company. Our culture and our customer focus are at the heart of everything we do as a company."

WEC Energy currently supplies power to 4.4 million homes and businesses in areas of Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota (the eighth largest natural gas provider in the United States). The company has around 8,500 employees and 55,000 stockholders, making it the 15th largest investor-owned utility company in the United States. Meanwhile capital spending has doubled to around $1.5 billion within the past year.

A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and honorary Doctor of Commercial Science, Klappa was voted Wisconsin Business Leader of the Year from the Harvard Business School Club of Wisconsin in 2013.

Chair of WEC's board succession planning committee, John Bergstrom referred to Kappa, 65, as "an extraordinary leader" and praised his commitment to raising "the vitality, focus and performance" of the company.

Part of Klappa's managerial style included ongoing reviews of staff in order to ensure they carried out the company's core values on a daily basis (he included himself in this assessment procedure). His main priority was impeccable customer service. At the same time, he encouraged an 'inclusive' company culture where staff felt valued and engaged. His reward was an impressively low staff turnover.

More information on WEC Energy can be found on the group's website at http://www.wecenergygroup.com

An article on the company can also be found on BWM website

http://www.bwmonline.com/2016/05/wec-energy-customer-service-core/

For more details on Business Worldwide Magazine Awards 2016, go to  http://www.bwmonline.com/awards/

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SOURCE Business Worldwide Magazine