Fletcher to become CEO of WEC Energy Group
Gale Klappa is stepping down — again — as CEO of WEC Energy Group.
The company’s board of directors on Tuesday announced Kevin Fletcher, 60, president of WEC Energy Group, will become chief executive officer and join the board of directors on Feb. 1.
Klappa, 68, will become executive chairman of the company and has agreed to remain with the company for three years.
He retired as CEO in 2016 but returned in October 2017 after CEO Allen L. Leverett had a stroke.
In October, the company announced that Leverett, who has been on medical leave since his stroke, was resigning as the company’s president but would remain on its board.
Fletcher, an electrical engineer, was president of We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service before becoming
president of the parent company.
In September, he also was made president of Minnesota Energy Resources Corp., Michigan Gas Utilities and Upper Michigan Energy Resources Corp.
He was vice president community and economic development at Georgia Power, Southern Co.’s largest subsidiary, before joining WEC Energy in 2011.
WEC Energy also appointed two executives to its newly created Office of the Chair:
❚ Scott Lauber, 53, executive vice president and chief financial officer, who will become senior executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer.
❚ Rick Kuester, 68, senior executive vice president, who oversees capital investment plan, information technology and power generation.
The appointments also will be effective Feb. 1.
“The team that will work together in the Office of the Chair has delivered industry leading results over many years with a clear commitment to reliability, customer satisfaction and shareholder value,” Klappa said in a statement. “Our focus remains on the fundamentals of our business and on continuing to develop the next generation of senior leadership.”
WEC Energy Group serves 4.4 million customers in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota. The company has about 8,500 employees.
WEC Energy Group’s utilities include We Energies, the largest utility in Wisconsin.