Richard C. Kelly, chairman and CEO of Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy, has been elected chairman of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), the national association of shareholder-owned electric companies, international affiliates and industry associates worldwide. The announcement was made during EEI’s annual meeting. The institute’s chairmanship rotates on an annual basis.
“Our industry faces tremendous change and significant challenges as we continue the transition to a low-carbon future,” Kelly said. “We are in the midst of a major transformation of everything from generation to distribution to electric transportation.”
Kelly will be supported by EEI Vice-Chairmen Thomas F. Farrell II, chairman, president and CEO of Richmond, Va.-based Dominion, and Lewis Hay III, chairman and CEO of NextEra Energy, formerly FPL Group, based in Juno Beach, Fla.
Prior to his current role at Xcel Energy, Kelly served as president and CEO of the company, as well as president and COO, vice president and CFO, and president of Xcel Energy Enterprises. He held various positions with Xcel Energy’s predecessor companies, including executive vice president and CFO for New Century Energies, and senior vice president of Public Service Company of Colorado.
Kelly is chairman of the board of the Science Museum of Minnesota and sits on numerous other boards, including the Capital City Partnership, the Electric Power Research Institute, Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), the Canadian Pacific Railway and Regis University, and he serves on the National Advisory Council of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Kelly received his master's degree in business administration and a bachelor's degree in accounting from Regis University. He attended the University of Colorado's Executive Education Conference and the University of Michigan's Public Utility Executive Program.
Tom Farrell has held his current positions at Dominion since April 2007. Mr. Farrell served as president and chief executive officer of Dominion from January 2006 to April 2007, and prior to that, president and chief operating officer, as well as executive vice president. He joined Dominion in 1995 after practicing law with a regional law firm and has held several executive management positions for Dominion and its subsidiaries. Mr. Farrell has been a director since 2005.
Mr. Farrell is also a director of Altria Group, Inc, and a member of the board of visitors at the University of Virginia's College at Wise. He received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Virginia, where he is currently a member of the Board of Visitors and has served as rector.
Lew Hay was elected CEO of NextEra Energy, then known as FPL Group, in June 2001 and chairman in January 2002. NextEra Energy is one of the nation’s leading electricity-related services companies and the largest renewable energy generator in North America. Mr. Hay also is chairman of NextEra Energy’s two primary subsidiaries, Florida Power & Light Company and NextEra Energy Resources, LLC (formerly FPL Energy, LLC). He joined NextEra Energy as chief financial officer in August 1999. In March 2000 he was appointed president of NextEra Energy Resources.
Mr. Hay serves on the board of directors of Capital One and Harris Corporation, and is a director of the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations and the NEI. He is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business, a member of the Business Roundtable, and a director of the Florida Council of 100. He received a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Lehigh University in 1977 and a master of science degree in industrial administration from Carnegie Mellon University in 1982.