Home » LG&E and KU announce organizational changes

LG&E and KU announce organizational changes

Staffieri remains as Chairman and CEO; Thompson named President and COO

 

Victor Staffieri
Victor Staffieri

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – LG&E and KU Energy announced today a series of organizational changes. Chairman and CEO Victor A. Staffieri maintains responsibility for the overall strategic and financial direction of the company, while providing President and Chief Operating Officer Paul W. Thompson the opportunity to become increasingly involved in the day-to-day activities and fiscal matters of the company.

Under the new structure, Staffieri continues to report to Bill Spence, PPL chairman, president and CEO. Thompson continues to report to Staffieri.

Thompson has nearly 25 years of experience in the energy industry. He joined LG&E in 1991 in Business Development and held a number of leadership roles before being promoted to his current role, in which he is responsible for all operational areas including generation, energy supply and analysis, electric distribution and transmission, gas distribution and storage, and customer service. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in business administration in finance and accounting from the University of Chicago. He is active in the community and is currently serving as the 2017 Fund for the Arts campaign chair. He is a past chair of the Louisville Downtown Development Corporation and currently serves as a board and executive committee member. He is a past chair of the Louisville Free Public Library Foundation Board and currently serves as the Advocacy Committee chair. He is a board and executive committee member of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and a board member of Trees Louisville.

Paul Thompson
Paul Thompson

Effective Jan.15, Lonnie Bellar, vice president-Gas Distribution, will be promoted to senior vice president-Operations, reporting to Thompson. Bellar has more than 25 years of experience in the electric and natural gas utility industry. He joined Kentucky Utilities in 1987 as an engineer and has held a number of leadership roles including general manager of LG&E’s Cane Run and Ohio Falls generating stations, director of Financial Planning and Controlling, director of Transmission, and vice president of State Regulation and Rates before being named to his current role in 2013. Bellar participated in a dual-degree program receiving a bachelor’s degree in engineering arts from Georgetown College and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Kentucky.

Gerald A. Reynolds, general counsel, corporate secretary and chief compliance officer, Kent Blake, chief financial officer, and Greg Meiman, vice president-Human Resources, also will report to Thompson and continue to have a dotted-line reporting relationship to Staffieri.

“This new structure will allow me to continue to oversee the strategic and financial direction of the company, while providing Paul increased responsibility in day-to-day activities,” Staffieri said. “The energy industry and the needs of our customers continue to evolve, and we have a solid team dedicated to meeting those challenges.”

Lonnie Bellar
Lonnie Bellar

In addition, John P. Malloy, vice president-Customer Services, will be promoted to vice president-Gas Distribution, and Beth McFarland, director of Asset Management, will be promoted to vice president-Customer Services.

Malloy has 36 years of experience in the electric and gas utility industry. He joined LG&E as an instrument/electrical technician and has held a number of management positions including, plant manager, director of Generation Services, and vice president of Energy Delivery Retail Business which included oversight of LG&E’s natural gas storage operations. In addition to his new responsibilities, he will continue oversee the advanced meter project and report to Bellar.

McFarland joined the company in 1997 as an engineer. She has held a number of engineering roles including lead engineer and manager of Substation Construction and Maintenance before taking on her current role in 2013. She has been responsible for system enhancements, substation upgrades and, most recently, the engineering, specification and evaluation of major electrical equipment in distribution substations, as well as the maintenance of those substations. She will report to Bellar.

Also reporting to Bellar will be: Ralph Bowling, vice president-Power Production; Tom Jessee, vice president-Transmission; Ken Sheridan, director Safety & Technical Training; David Sinclair, vice president-Energy Supply and Analysis; John Voyles, vice president-Transmission and Generation Services; John Wolfe, vice president-Electric Distribution.