The Edison Electric Institute today announced that Dan Brouillette has been selected as EEI’s President and Chief Executive Officer Elect, effective October 1, 2023, following a comprehensive search process. Brouillette will become EEI President and CEO on January 1, 2024, and will succeed Tom Kuhn, who previously announced his plans to step down on December 31, 2023.
“I am pleased to welcome Dan to the EEI team,” said EEI Chair Pedro J. Pizarro, President and CEO of Edison International. “With his deep experience in both the public and private sectors, as well as his extensive energy industry expertise, Dan is the clear choice for EEI’s next leader.”
“Dan’s strong policy background and proven track record of collaboration across political lines will be key to EEI’s success and that of our member companies as we continue our work to get the energy we provide as clean as we can as fast as we can, without compromising customer affordability and reliability,” Pizarro added. “Most important, Dan’s appreciation for the culture and values that make EEI such an effective organization and a wonderful place to work were evident throughout our discussions with him during the search process. It is clear to EEI’s Board that Dan shares our strong commitment to safety, integrity, bipartisanship, and excellence. We are confident he will embody these long-standing values as he leads the EEI team in supporting our members’ clean energy transition, maintaining strong relationships with our partners in organized labor and other stakeholders, and advancing our workforce development and DEI efforts.”
“I am honored to be joining the world-class team at EEI at a pivotal point for the industry,” said Brouillette. “EEI is a preeminent voice helping to guide the nation’s energy policy, and I believe the leadership role it performs has never been more important than it is today. I have long admired the determination of EEI and its member companies to deliver clean, reliable, and resilient energy in the most affordable and inclusive manner possible. In my former role as U.S. Secretary of Energy, I witnessed firsthand EEI’s relentless dedication to these goals, and I am excited to now work with the EEI team in support of their member companies, their customers, and our country.”
“On behalf of the EEI Board, I would like to thank Tom Kuhn for his visionary leadership and the incredible legacy he has established over the last three decades,” Pizarro continued. “His passion and commitment to advancing EEI’s mission and his clear love for the industry have been instrumental to the countless public policy and operational milestones we have achieved during his tenure. We trust that our industry, our members, the customers and communities they serve, and the country as a whole will reap the benefits of these initiatives for years to come. We look forward to benefiting from Tom’s wisdom and support until the end of the year and wish him all the best in his next chapter.”
“It has been an incredible honor to have led EEI for more than three decades, and I am incredibly proud of the significant results that EEI and our member companies have achieved in so many critical areas for the benefit of electricity customers across the country,” Kuhn said. “When Dan was leading the Department of Energy, I got to know him well through our work on energy issues and the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council, addressing storms and other extreme weather events and cyber issues. I have full confidence in his ability to guide EEI as the organization continues its important work in support of our members’ clean energy, reliability, and energy security goals. I look forward to working alongside Dan and the rest of our talented EEI team in the coming months to ensure a seamless transition for our employees, member companies, and all of our stakeholders.”
Brouillette currently serves as president of Sempra Infrastructure, a leading global energy transition company. Prior to joining Sempra, Brouillette served as the 15th United States Secretary of Energy. He served as the President’s primary advisor on energy and nuclear weapons matters, and was a member of the President’s National Security Council as well as the Vice President’s National Space Council. Brouillette also served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy, the chief operating officer of the department. Brouillette is the only person ever to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve in both roles.
In the private sector, Brouillette has held leadership positions at USAA, where he served as a senior vice president and corporate officer, and at Ford Motor Company, where he was a vice president and served on its North American Operating Committee.
Brouillette is a veteran and former tank commander with the U.S. Army’s highly decorated 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. He has been awarded Distinguished Public Service awards by both the U.S. Secretary of Defense and the U.S. Secretary of State, the highest award an individual can receive by either department. Brouillette holds a master’s degree in intelligence and national security from The Citadel and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Maryland.
EEI is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. Our members provide electricity for nearly 250 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.