Lynn Good Elected EEI Chairman; Chris Crane and Ben Fowke Elected Vice Chairmen

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Jun 06, 2018, 09:20 ET

SAN DIEGO, June 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Lynn J. Good, chairman, president, and CEO of Charlotte-based Duke Energy, has been 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: Christopher M. "Chris" Crane, president and CEO of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation, and Ben Fowke, chairman, president, and CEO of Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy.

The announcement was made today during EEI's annual convention in San Diego. The Institute's chairmanship rotates on an annual basis, and Good replaces Patricia "Pat" Vincent-Collawn, chairman, president, and CEO of Albuquerque-based PNM Resources.

"On behalf of the entire EEI team, I would like to extend our thanks to Pat Vincent-Collawn for her dedication and terrific leadership as EEI Chairman," said EEI President Tom Kuhn. "During her chairmanship, Pat has worked tirelessly to advance EEI's policy goals, while also bringing our industry's commitment to diversity and inclusion into the spotlight. Pat also is a thought leader on how electric companies can best work with customers and policymakers to develop the smart communities of the future, and, thanks to Pat's efforts, more electric companies are now engaging with their communities about 'smart initiatives.'"

"I am excited to announce that Lynn Good has been elected EEI chairman for the 2018-2019 cycle," added Kuhn. "Lynn has been an invaluable member of the EEI leadership team while serving as vice chairman, and we look forward to her continued leadership as we work to deliver on our commitment to meeting our customers' needs by building and using smarter energy infrastructure, by providing even cleaner energy, and by creating the energy solutions customers want and expect."

"Today's environment provides an incredible opportunity for our industry to innovate," said Good. "As EEI chairman, I look forward to collaborating with leaders, policymakers and other stakeholders to meet the changing needs of our customers and deliver the experience they expect from their energy provider."

Kuhn also praised the vice chairs who will support Good as part of the EEI leadership team.

"Chris is a tremendous leader for our industry, and we are fortunate to have him continue serving as vice chairman," said Kuhn. "We are also excited for Ben to join EEI's leadership team, and we look forward to drawing upon his wealth of industry experience."

Lynn Good is chairman, president, and CEO of Duke Energy. Before becoming CEO in 2013, Good served as Duke Energy's CFO, and earlier led the company's commercial energy business during its initial development of renewable energy projects. She began her career in the electric power industry in 2003 with Cincinnati-based Cinergy, which merged with Duke Energy in 2006. Prior to 2003, Good was a partner at two international accounting firms, including a long career with Arthur Anderson.

Good is a member of Boeing's board of directors and serves on the company's audit and finance committees. She is also a board member of the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) and is a member of the Business Roundtable. Good serves on the advisory committee of the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art and on the board of the Foundation for the Carolinas in Charlotte.

Good holds bachelor of science degrees in systems analysis and accounting from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Chris Crane is president and CEO of Exelon Corporation, where he oversees a family of companies representing every stage of the energy value chain, including Exelon Generation, one of the largest competitive U.S. power generators; Constellation, which provides energy products and services to approximately two million residential, public sector, and business customers; and Exelon's six electric and natural gas delivery companies, which serve approximately 10 million customers in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania through its Atlantic City Electric, BGE, ComEd, Delmarva Power, PECO, and Pepco subsidiaries. Exelon has business operations in 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada.

Crane joined Exelon, which was then ComEd, in 1998 and was named chief nuclear officer in 2004. He later served as Exelon president and COO, where he oversaw the company's portfolio of electric generating capacity and directed a broad range of business operations, including major acquisitions, transmission strategy, cost-management initiatives, oversight of major capital programs, generation asset optimization, and generation development. Prior to joining Exelon, Crane served as Browns Ferry site vice president for Tennessee Valley Authority, and he worked in new plant start-up at the Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant in Texas and Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station in Arizona.

Crane is chairman of INPO, and an executive committee member and immediate past chairman of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), the nation's nuclear industry trade association. He also is a member of the board of directors of the Economic Club of Washington, D.C., Chicago's Museum of Science & Industry, Get-In Chicago, and AEGIS Insurance Services. Crane studied at New Hampshire Technical College and attended Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Program.

Ben Fowke is chairman, president, and CEO of Xcel Energy. The company provides electric service for 3.6 million customers and natural gas for 2 million customers in eight Western and Midwestern states. For more than a decade, the company has led the industry in wind energy, reducing carbon emissions and in developing clean energy options for customers.

Fowke previously served as president and chief operating officer of corporate operations and Xcel Energy's four operating companies. Prior to being named president and COO in 2009, Fowke held a variety of executive positions at the company, including vice president and chief financial officer. He was previously vice president and CFO of Energy Markets, where he was responsible for the financial operations of the company's commodities trading and marketing business unit. Prior to joining Xcel Energy, Fowke served 10 years with NextEra, which was then FPL Group, Inc., where he held various management positions. He also has held positions outside the energy industry with DWG Corp. and KPMG.

Fowke currently serves on the National Infrastructure Advisory Council, which advises the executive branch through the Secretary of Homeland Security on the security of the nation's critical infrastructure sectors and information systems. He serves on the board of directors of Energy Insurance Mutual and INPO, and is an executive committee member of NEI. He is also a member of The Business Council. Fowke was named the 2018 Executive of the Year by the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal. In the community, Fowke serves on the board of directors of the Minnesota Business Partnership and Greater MSP, and is an advisory board member of the Metropolitan Economic Development Association in the Twin Cities. Fowke earned a bachelor of science degree in finance and accounting from Towson University.

EEI is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. Our members provide electricity for 220 million Americans, and operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. 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 60 international electric companies, with operations in more than 90 countries, as International Members, and hundreds of industry suppliers and related organizations as Associate Members. Organized in 1933, EEI provides public policy leadership, strategic business intelligence, and essential conferences and forums.

SOURCE Edison Electric Institute