Gerry Anderson Elected EEI Chairman; Warner Baxter And Pedro J. Pizarro Elected Vice Chairmen

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Jun 08, 2021, 20:21 ET

WASHINGTON, June 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Gerard M. "Gerry" Anderson, executive chairman of Detroit-based DTE Energy, today was elected chairman of the board of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), the national association of investor-owned electric companies. Also elected were two vice chairmen: Warner Baxter, chairman, president, and CEO of St. Louis-based Ameren Corporation; and Pedro J. Pizarro, president and CEO of Rosemead, Calif.-based Edison International.

The announcement was made during EEI's June board and annual meeting, which was held virtually. EEI's chairmanship rotates on an annual basis, and Anderson succeeds Ben Fowke, chairman and CEO of Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy.

"On behalf of EEI and our member companies, I extend our thanks to Ben Fowke," said EEI President Tom Kuhn. "During a year of many uncertainties, Ben demonstrated tremendous leadership as he steered our industry's quick and effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, Ben maintained a strong focus on our industry's clean energy transition, and he worked to advance solutions to racial and social justice issues that are front and center across our nation. We are grateful for Ben's dedication to our customers and to our member companies throughout his chairmanship."

"We also are excited to announce that Gerry Anderson was elected EEI Chairman for the 2021-2022 cycle," added Kuhn. "Gerry previously served as an EEI vice chairman and is an outstanding leader for our industry and in his community. I look forward to continuing our work with Gerry to advance our industry's clean energy goals and commitments."

"As the country emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, America's electric companies remain steadfast in our commitment to becoming as clean as we can as fast as we can – while providing our customers and our communities with the reliable, affordable, and secure energy that powers our economy and our lives," said Anderson. "Despite the many challenges we all faced this past year, EEI's member companies continued their strong and steady transition to clean energy, and the progress we have made is clear. Today, our industry's carbon emissions are down 40 percent and are at their lowest level in more than 40 years. We are now focused on developing the new carbon-free technologies that will help to deliver a 100-percent clean energy future," Anderson added.

"We also remain focused on advancing racial and social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion across our workforce and throughout our communities. Our companies can be powerful agents of change, but truly addressing these issues will require focus and persistence – and we intend to demonstrate those qualities," Anderson said.

Kuhn also applauded the vice chairs who will support Anderson as part of the leadership team.

"Warner and Pedro are champions for our industry. Each is committed to achieving the long-term goals that will provide the clean energy future, and we are extremely fortunate to have them continue to serve on the EEI leadership team."

Gerry Anderson joined DTE Energy in 1993 and held various senior executive leadership roles throughout the enterprise until being named president in 2004, CEO in 2010, and chairman in 2011. He was the architect and leader of the company's strategy to focus on cost and operational excellence and to develop its non-regulated businesses. As CEO, he focused on building a positive, highly engaged culture – and on deeply connecting DTE Energy to the communities it serves, enabling it to act as a force for good.

In 2019, Anderson was elected executive chairman to serve as an advisor to DTE Energy's CEO on business issues and to focus on DTE Energy's community, state, federal, and broader industry roles.

Prior to joining DTE Energy, Anderson was a senior consultant at McKinsey & Company, an international management consulting firm. Anderson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering at the University of Notre Dame. He also earned an MBA and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Michigan.

Anderson is the founder and leader of the Detroit Regional CEO Group. He chairs both the recently formed Detroit Regional Partnership and the Detroit Economic Club. He also chairs Business Leaders for Michigan. In addition, Anderson is involved in various local community and civic activities, including serving on the boards of trustees of The Nature Conservancy (Michigan chapter), the McGregor Fund, the Downtown Detroit Partnership, and the West Michigan Policy Forum. He serves on the Board of Directors of The Andersons, a publicly traded company.

Warner Baxter is chairman, president, and CEO of St. Louis-based Ameren Corporation, parent company of rate-regulated energy companies that serve 2.4 million electric and 900,000 natural gas customers in Illinois and Missouri.

During his 25-year tenure at Ameren, Baxter has served in a variety of leadership roles, including chief financial officer and president of Ameren Missouri.

Before joining Ameren in 1995, Baxter served as senior manager in PricewaterhouseCooper's LLP national office in New York City, serving as one of the firm's liaisons with the major accounting standard-setting bodies in the United States. From 1983 to 1993, Baxter worked in the firm's St. Louis office, where he provided auditing and consulting services to clients in a variety of industries, including the energy industry.

Today, Baxter sits on several industry boards. He serves on the board of the Electric Power Research Institute (and is a past chairman of the board), as well as the management committee of The Edison Foundation's Institute for Electric Innovation. Baxter also serves on the board of directors of U.S. Bancorp and BJC HealthCare.

In addition, Baxter was past chairman of Civic Progress St. Louis. He now sits on the Chairman's Executive Council of Greater St. Louis, Inc., and is actively involved with several charitable organizations, including as board member for Variety the Children's Charity of St. Louis (and as past chairman of the board); council member of the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer National Board; past chair and current council member of the St. Louis Chapter of CEOs Against Cancer of Missouri; and board member for The Muny.

Baxter earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the University of Missouri–St. Louis and has made meaningful and long-lasting contributions to higher education through his involvement with the University of Missouri System. He is a member of the University of Missouri–St. Louis Chancellors Council and serves on the University of Missouri 100 Board.

Pedro J. Pizarro is president and CEO of Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison (SCE), one of the nation's largest electric companies. Edison International also is the parent company of Edison Energy, a portfolio of competitive businesses providing commercial and industrial customers with energy management and procurement services. Pizarro is a member of Edison International's Board of Directors.

Pizarro served as president of SCE from October 2014 through May 2016, when he was elected president of Edison International. He was elected CEO in October 2016. Previously, Pizarro was president of Edison Mission Energy (EME) and chaired its board of directors from 2011 until the sale of its assets to NRG Energy in April 2014. EME, a subsidiary of Edison International at the time, was an independent power producer that owned, leased, operated, and sold energy and capacity from electric power generation facilities and engaged in hedging and energy trading activities in competitive power markets. Pizarro joined Edison International in 1999, moved to SCE in 2001, and progressed through several leadership roles before joining EME.

Before his work at Edison International and SCE, Pizarro was a senior engagement manager with McKinsey & Company in Los Angeles, providing management consulting services to energy, technology, engineering services, and banking clients. There, he developed corporate strategy, handled mergers and acquisitions, and oversaw operational and organizational engagements.

Pizarro serves on the boards of the Electric Power Research Institute as immediate past chair, Argonne National Laboratory, the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and the Analysis and Resilience Center for Systemic Risk. He has served on the boards of the Electric Power Supply Association, California Power Exchange, Colburn School, House Research Institute, Southern California Leadership Council, and Western Energy Institute.

Pizarro represents the electric industry on the U.S. Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB) and co-chairs the SEAB Innovation Working Group. The SEAB provides advice and recommendations to the U.S. Secretary of Energy on energy policy, research and development, and economic and national security policy. Pizarro also serves on the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council, which is the principal liaison between the federal government and the electric power industry to prepare for and respond to national-level disasters or threats to critical infrastructure. Pizarro also recently served on California Gov. Gavin Newsom's Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery.

Pizarro earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from Caltech and held National Science Foundation and Department of Defense graduate fellowships. He earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Harvard University.

EEI is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. Our members provide electricity for more than 220 million Americans, and operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. As a whole, the electric power industry supports more than 7 million jobs in communities across the United States. In addition to our U.S. members, EEI has more than 65 international electric companies, with operations in more than 90 countries, as International Members, and hundreds of industry suppliers and related organizations as Associate Members.

SOURCE Edison Electric Institute