Duke Energy announces key leadership appointments

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Mar 30, 2021, 09:00 ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) today announced it is expanding the company's senior management team and realigning roles and responsibilities to further accelerate its clean energy transition and best position the company to grow and serve its customers and communities.

The company also announced that Doug Esamann, executive vice president, energy solutions and president, Midwest/Florida regions and natural gas business, is retiring after a 42-year career at Duke Energy and its predecessor companies. Esamann's retirement is effective Aug. 1, 2021.

"Doug is an extraordinary leader who embodies our values and purpose and played a critical role in shaping Duke Energy into the company it is today," said Lynn Good, chair, president and CEO. "I'm extremely grateful for his many contributions. He will leave a powerful and lasting impact on our company, customers and the communities we serve."

Throughout his career, Esamann has served in a number of roles, ranging from state president to head of corporate strategy to overseeing energy portfolio strategy and management. In his current role, Esamann was instrumental in creating the company's clean energy strategy, expanding its renewables portfolio, cultivating new growth opportunities and delivering positive policy, regulatory and legislative outcomes that benefited customers in Florida and the Midwest.

New appointments and organizational changes

"The next decade will be defined by our ability to advance our clean energy vision, and we are fortunate to have a deep and talented pool of leaders who are ready to take on new responsibilities to deliver on this vision," said Good. "With these appointments, we're aligning our company to more effectively execute our clean energy strategy, collaborate with stakeholders, and deliver value to our customers and shareholders."

The following changes are being made to the senior management committee:

Julie Janson, executive vice president and chief executive officer, Duke Energy Carolinas, will have responsibility for regulatory and legislative affairs and for the long-term strategic direction and growth, execution and overall financial performance of the company's regulated utilities in the region, which will allow the company to deliver greater customer value.
Alex Glenn, senior vice president and chief executive officer, Duke Energy Florida and Midwest. Glenn will have responsibility for regulatory and legislative affairs and the overall financial performance of the company's regulated utilities in Florida and the Midwest, as well as driving the strategic direction and execution in these states, all of which will deliver greater customer value.
Brian Savoy, executive vice president and chief strategy and commercial officer. Savoy will have responsibility for enterprise strategy as well as strategies to transform our generation and transmission assets. He will also have responsibility for commercial renewables, the natural gas business unit, business ventures and development, and relationship management and sales for large customer accounts.
Harry Sideris, executive vice president, customer experience, solutions, and services. In addition to focusing on customer delivery and enhancing the customer experience, he will be responsible for the development of mass-market products and services and the company's electrification efforts, including continued development of long-term grid strategies and solutions.
Louis Renjel, senior vice president, external affairs and communications. Renjel will have responsibility for federal government affairs, strategic policy and sustainability, stakeholder strategy, the Duke Energy Foundation and corporate communications.
Melody Birmingham, senior vice president and chief administrative officer. Birmingham will have responsibility for the information technology, administrative services and supply chain organizations.
Ron Reising, senior vice president and chief human resources officer, is responsible for human resources policies, strategies and programs, as well as the delivery of business partner services.

Glenn, Renjel, Birmingham and Reising will now report to Good. Janson, Savoy, Sideris, Dhiaa Jamil, Kodwo Ghartey-Tagoe and Steve Young will continue to report to Good.

Other executive changes:

Bill Currens, currently senior vice president financial planning & analysis, will become senior vice president, integrated planning, Carolinas.
Diane Denton, currently vice president state energy policy, will become vice president, integrated planning, Florida and Midwest.
Swati Daji, currently senior vice president, customer solutions and strategies, will become senior vice president, enterprise strategy and planning.
Regis Repko, currently senior vice president and chief regulated and renewable energy officer, will become senior vice president, generation and transmission market transformation.
Dwight Jacobs, currently senior vice president, chief accounting officer, tax and controller, will become senior vice president, supply chain and chief procurement officer.
Michael Luhrs, currently vice president, market solutions and innovation, will become vice president, integrated grid strategy.
Paul Draovitch, currently senior vice president, environmental health and safety, CCP and major projects, will become senior vice president and chief regulated and renewable energy officer.
Jessica Bednarcik, currently vice president, CCP operations, maintenance and governance, will become senior vice president, environmental health and safety, and CCP.
Lara Nichols, currently vice president nuclear and environmental health and safety support, will become vice president, state and federal regulatory legal support.
Michelle Spak, currently deputy general counsel, will become vice president nuclear and environmental health and safety support.
Cindy Lee, currently director, investor relations, will become vice president, chief accounting officer and controller.
Nick Giaimo, currently director, Carolinas utilities and CAO support, will become vice president financial planning & analysis.

The changes will be effective May 1, 2021, except for Dwight Jacobs and Cindy Lee, which will be effective May 16.

Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S. It employs 30,000 people and has an electric generating capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its regulated utilities, and 3,000 megawatts through its nonregulated Duke Energy Renewables unit.

Duke Energy is transforming its customers' experience, modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit's regulated utilities serve approximately 7.7 million retail electric customers in six states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to more than 1.6 million customers in five states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Renewables unit operates wind and solar generation facilities across the U.S., as well as energy storage and microgrid projects.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2020 "World's Most Admired Companies" list, and Forbes' 2019 "America's Best Employers" list. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Media contact: Neil Nissan
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SOURCE Duke Energy