PINNACLE WEST CAPITAL CORPORATION - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer ( CNO ) at Palo Verde Generating Station for Arizona Public Service Company
- Executive Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Palo Verde Generating Station, Arizona Public Service Company
Adam Heflin is executive vice president and chief nuclear officer (CNO) at Palo Verde Generating Station for Arizona Public Service Company (APS). Based in Phoenix, APS is Arizona's largest electric company and serves more than 1.4 million customers across the state.
Heflin is responsible for all nuclear-related activities associated with the Palo Verde Generating Station, the nation's largest power producer of carbon-free energy.
Previously, Heflin served as chief executive officer and CNO of the Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation in Kansas until his retirement in 2019. Prior to that, he was the CNO at Ameren's Callaway Energy Center in Missouri. Heflin worked with Palo Verde in 2022 as part of its Offsite Safety Review Committee and has served on the board of the STARS Alliance, a collaborative alliance of four western U.S. utilities that operate nuclear generating stations. Heflin began his nuclear career in the United States Navy, followed by positions at Entergy's Arkansas Nuclear One.
Heflin holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical and general engineering from Arkansas Tech University and has previously served on the boards of both the Nuclear Energy Institute and the Institute for Nuclear Power Operations.
Job Titles:
- Media Relations / Corporate Communications
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Senior Vice President
- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and Arizona Public Service Company
Andrew Cooper is senior vice president and chief financial officer for Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and its primary subsidiary, Arizona Public Service Company (APS), Arizona's largest energy provider. The companies are headquartered in Phoenix.
Cooper is responsible for the organization's accounting, corporate treasury, financial planning and budgeting, internal audit, investor relations, pension and trust investments, and tax services.
Before joining Pinnacle West in 2020, Cooper was director of corporate finance at Consolidated Edison Company of New York. In this role, he developed and implemented the company's capital structure and financing strategy for Con Edison's parent company and all regulated and non-utility subsidiaries. Cooper began his career as an investment banker, including more than a decade with Barclays, serving clients in the power and utilities sector.
Cooper serves on the board of directors for Valle del Sol and is a trustee of the Phoenix Art Museum.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in government with citation in Spanish from Harvard College. He went on to earn his law degree from Harvard Law School and is admitted to the New York Bar. Cooper is also a graduate of the Nuclear Reactor Technology Course at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Sustainability for Arizona Public Service Company
Ann Becker is vice president, sustainability for Arizona Public Service Company (APS). Based in Phoenix, APS is Arizona's largest energy company and serves more than 1.3 million homes and businesses across the state.
Becker is responsible for the company's sustainability strategies, with a focus on integrating ESG (environmental, social and governance) standards across the company's core business operations.
Becker most recently served as vice president and chief procurement officer, responsible for the company's extensive supply chain, procurement, warehousing, logistics, facilities and transportation functions. Prior to that, she was vice president, environmental and chief sustainability officer and served as associate general counsel for APS's parent company, Pinnacle West Capital Corporation, with responsibility for the environmental, labor and employment, commercial and litigation legal teams. Before joining the Pinnacle West law department in 2001, Becker practiced with the law firm of Foley & Lardner in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Becker is on the boards of the Morrison Institute and the Grand Canyon Conservancy. She received the 2017 Most Influential Women in Arizona award from Arizona Business magazine.
Becker graduated from Marquette University Law School and from the University of Northern Iowa. She completed the Executive Program for Women Leaders at Stanford University and the Nuclear Reactor Technology Program at MIT.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Resource Management for Arizona Public Service Company
Brian Cole is vice president, Resource Management for Arizona Public Service Company (APS). Based in Phoenix, APS is Arizona's largest energy provider, serving approximately 1.4 million homes and businesses across the state.
Cole is responsible for long-term resource planning, resource acquisition, wholesale energy market engagement and energy commodity trading for APS. In addition to experience in Resource Planning, Resource Acquisition and Western Market Affairs, Cole previously served as the Director of Transmission and Distribution Engineering. He was responsible for transmission and distribution planning, system design, system health and asset management, and distributed energy resource integration and analytics.
Cole has over 25 years of experience in the utility industry that also includes nuclear, fossil and renewable power plant engineering and operations, FERC interconnection and transmission rules, and engineering consultation.
Cole earned a Master's Degree in Business Administration as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, both from Arizona State University.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Audit Committee
- Member of the Corporate Governance and Public Responsibility Committee
- Member of the Finance Committee
- Member of the Nuclear and Operating Committee
- Director since
- Member of Corporate Governance and Public Responsibility Committee
- of Counsel & Certified Public Accountant, Nordstrom & Associates, P.C
Bruce J. Nordstrom has been a director since 2000. As the former president of and current Of Counsel to an accounting firm, Bruce possesses an extensive accounting, auditing, and financial skill set, as well as experience in strategy development and the principles of risk oversight and risk management. His tenure with the Company, in addition to operating an Arizona-based business, has provided him with extensive knowledge of the Company's business environment. Furthermore, as an individual who built an accounting firm in Flagstaff, Arizona, Mr. Nordstrom has obtained experience in human capital management and compensation, and corporate governance, as well as a familiarity with the perspectives of customers in the northern Arizona service territory of APS.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President
- Senior Vice President, Site Operations, Palo Verde Generating Station, Arizona Public Service Company
Cary Harbor is senior vice president, Site Operations at Palo Verde Generating Station for Arizona Public Service Company (APS). Based in Phoenix, APS is Arizona's largest energy provider, serving approximately 1.4 million homes and businesses across the state.
Harbor is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the three units at Palo Verde, the nation's largest power producer, and its Water Resource Facility. At Palo Verde, he previously was responsible for regulatory affairs and nuclear oversight functions, including nuclear assurance, licensing, compliance, environmental, organizational effectiveness, performance improvement and communications.
Prior to joining APS, Harbor spent more than 33 years at PG&E's Diablo Canyon Power Plant, where he served most recently as station director. He has held leadership roles of increasing responsibility for engineering, emergency services, business operations, risk, compliance, maintenance, construction, quality assurance, licensing, chemistry, radiation protection and operations - including time as a control room supervisor and shift manager.
Harbor earned a Bachelor of Science degree in nuclear engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara and attended Stanford University's Executive Education Program.
Job Titles:
- Chief Accounting Officer
- Controller
- Vice President
- Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer, Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and Arizona Public Service Company
Beth Blankenship is vice president, controller and chief accounting officer for Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and its primary subsidiary, Arizona Public Service Company (APS), the state's largest energy company. The companies are headquartered in Phoenix.
In her role, Blankenship oversees all the companies' accounting activities, including the accounting and billing for APS's power plants, internal controls for marketing and trading activities, regulatory accounting, external reporting and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance.
Since joining APS in 2000, Blankenship has served in various roles within the accounting department. Prior to being promoted to her current role, she served as the general manager and director of accounting operations. Before coming to APS, Blankenship held accounting positions in the banking and health care industries.
Blankenship earned her Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Arkansas State University. She is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the State of Arizona and is a member of the Arizona Society of CPAs. Beth currently serves on the board of directors for the Arizona K12 Center.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Audit Committee
- Member of the Finance Committee
- Member of the Nuclear and Operating Committee
- Chief Financial Officer, Insight Enterprises Inc.
- Director since
Glynis A. Bryan has been a director since 2020. She is the Chief Financial Officer of Insight Enterprises, Inc. As a CFO for more than 15 years, Glynis brings to the Board broad functional experience in financial planning and analysis, treasury, capital markets, and managing financial risk. In addition to her executive leadership experience, she also has more than 15 years of public company board experience, having served on the Board of Pentair plc, where she served as the Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee and previously served on the Compensation Committee. She also brings added diversity to the Board as a woman of color.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Audit Committee
- Member of the Human Resources Committee
- Member of the Nuclear and Operating Committee
- Director since
- Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Emerging Airport Ventures
- Has Been a Director
Gonzalo A. de la Melena, Jr. has been a director since 2022. As the Founder and CEO of Emerging Airport Ventures, Gonzalo brings a deep understanding of finance, investment experience, business strategy, regulatory, and CEO experience to the Board. As an Arizonan, he can provide valuable insight into our customers' expectations, needs, and perspectives. As the former CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Gonzalo brings extensive experience in economic development, which is a valuable attribute in light of Arizona's fast growth and development. He also brings added diversity to the Board as a member of the Hispanic community.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President, Operations
- Executive Vice President, Operations, Arizona Public Service Company
Jacob Tetlow is executive vice president, operations for Arizona Public Service Company (APS). Based in Phoenix, APS is Arizona's largest electric company and serves more than 1.4 million customers across the state.
Tetlow oversees safe, reliable and efficient operations of the company's non-nuclear generation and power delivery systems. His team also includes resource management, supply chain, corporate safety, enterprise security, sustainability, customer to grid solutions, facilities, transportation and environmental services.
Tetlow has a wealth of experience in both transmission and distribution operations and fossil generation at APS. He previously served as senior vice president of Operations, vice president of Transmission and Distribution, and general manager of T&D Operations. Prior to that, he spent 11 years in Fossil Generation, working his way up the ranks from boiler inspector to roles such as director of Gas and Oil Generation, director of Coal Generation and in various frontline and leadership positions at the Four Corners and Cholla power plants.
He serves on various boards and committees for regional organizations and industry-related groups, including the Electric Power Research Institute's Research Advisory Committee and the Board of Directors for the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees for The Nature Conservancy Arizona Chapter.
Tetlow earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from ASU.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Corporate Governance and Public Responsibility Committee
- Member of the Finance Committee
- Member of the Human Resources Committee
- Member of the Nuclear and Operating Committee
- Director since
- Member of Corporate Governance and Public Responsibility Committee
James Trevathan has been a director since 2018. He retired from serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Waste Management in July 2012. Jim brings to the Board almost 40 years of complex operational experience, serving 20 years in an executive capacity, with a focus on safety, environmental issues, customer service, acquisitions, business development, disruptive technology, risk oversight and risk management, and community and regulatory affairs. Through his experience at Waste Management, he has gained significant experience in human capital management, and business strategy development, as well as literacy in finance and accounting.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board
- Chief Executive Officer
- President
- Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, Pinnacle West Capital Corporation Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Arizona Public Service Company
Jeff Guldner leads Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and its primary subsidiary, Arizona Public Service Company (APS). The companies are headquartered in Phoenix.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Site Services at Palo Verde Generating Station for Arizona Public Service Company
John Hernandez is vice president of site services at Palo Verde Generating Station for Arizona Public Service Company (APS). Based in Phoenix, APS is Arizona's largest energy company and serves more than 1.4 million homes and businesses across the state.
Hernandez oversees Palo Verde supply chain, business operations, facilities, emergency services, administrative controls and support, nuclear strategy & policy, and works closely with the Palo Verde IT team. He is active in leader training and mentoring programs. He joined APS in 2014 and previously served as director, plant engineering, with an operational focus on strengthening reliability and fostering a culture of innovation that resulted in cost reductions across multiple programs. He was also instrumental in the creation of a consequence bias culture for risk management.
Before joining Palo Verde, Hernandez worked in engineering and leadership positions for Areva Inc. and Areva GMBH and served as a systems engineer for Florida Power & Light.
Hernandez earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- Vice President, New Generation, Arizona Public Service Company
John Lucas is vice president, New Generation for Arizona Public Service (APS). Based in Phoenix, APS is Arizona's largest energy provider and serves approximately 1.4 million homes and businesses across the state.
In his position, Lucas is responsible for building the strategy for future generation including the development and construction of renewable energy, energy storage and gas generation to meet increasing demand. Prior to this role, Lucas was responsible for all facets of the company's generation (non-nuclear) operations, maintenance, engineering and construction at nine facilities in Arizona and New Mexico as well as the company's utility-scale renewable and energy storage and microgrid sites.
Lucas has more than 39 years of experience in the power generation and energy delivery business. Lucas held general manager roles in both engineering and operations within Generation before becoming vice president.
Lucas earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Texas Tech University. He is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys traveling with his wife, Teresa.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Public Policy for Arizona Public Service
- Senior Vice President, Public Policy, Arizona Public Service Company
Jose Esparza is senior vice president, public policy for Arizona Public Service (APS). Based in Phoenix, APS is Arizona's largest energy provider and serves approximately 1.4 million homes and businesses across the state.
In his role, Esparza leads APS's Federal and State Regulatory and Legislative teams, its Rates and Rate Strategy teams, as well as the Sustainability team.
An Arizona native, Esparza joined APS after a 25-year career at Southwest Gas, where he most recently served as senior vice president, customer engagement and information technology.
Gained through years of practice in regulatory and public policy affairs at both state and federal levels, Esparza possesses deep insights into Arizona's regulatory and political landscapes. Previously, he held positions of increasing responsibility for customer service, corporate strategy, regulatory affairs and public affairs - after beginning his career as a meter reader.
Esparza earned his Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and political science and an executive MBA from Arizona State University.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Supply Chain
- Senior Leader
- Vice President, Supply Chain, Arizona Public Service Company
Juli West is vice president, supply chain for Arizona Public Service (APS). Based in Phoenix, APS is Arizona's largest energy provider and serves approximately 1.4 million customers across the state.
West is responsible for the company's extensive supply chain, procurement, warehousing and logistics functions.
Prior to joining APS in 2020, West served as vice president of supply chain at StandardAero since 2013. In this role, she was responsible for strategic sourcing, logistics, inventory management, acquisition and planning for more than 40 global locations.
West is an experienced senior leader with almost 30 years of supply chain management experience. Prior to StandardAero, she spent two years as the chief operating officer at AvAir, Inc. following a 15-year career at Honeywell where she left as vice president of Aerospace Planning and Asset Management.
During her career, she has managed billions of dollars in inventory, moved assembly line operations and facilities, served as a plant manager and brought expertise in strategic sourcing, contract negotiations, cost savings, process improvements, logistics and distribution, inventory management, and the development of high-performing supply chain organizations at the corporate and plant level.
West earned her Bachelor of Science in production and operations management and MBA degrees from Bowling Green State University. She is a Six Sigma Black Belt. West enjoys volunteering in the community and serves on the Metro YMCA board of directors.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Corporate Governance and Public Responsibility Committee
- Member of the Finance Committee
- Member of the Human Resources Committee
- Member of the Nuclear and Operating Committee
- Director since
- Member of Corporate Governance and Public Responsibility Committee
- Principal, BridgeWest L.L.C
Kathryn L. Munro has been a director since 2000. As principal of an investment company, former CEO of BofA's Southwest Banking Group, and President of BofA Arizona, Kathy brings business and investment acumen, financial and capital allocation experience, and leadership skills to the Company. Her extensive knowledge of the Company's business environment includes experience with the cycles in Arizona's economy, which assists a growing infrastructure company like Pinnacle West in accessing capital and meeting its financing needs. She is an experienced Director, currently serving on the boards of Knight-Swift, providing her experience in human capital management and compensation, corporate governance, and risk oversight and risk management.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Audit Committee
- Member of the Nuclear and Operating Committee
- Director since
- Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan Former Chairman, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Kristine L. Svinicki has been a director since 2023. She is an Adjunct Professor, Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, at the University of Michigan. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission ("NRC") oversees nuclear power plant operations in the United States. As the former Chairman of the NRC, Kristine brings expertise in all aspects of nuclear energy regulation, operation, technology, cybersecurity, and safety. Her broad national and international experience in all aspects of the nuclear utility industry, nuclear energy, government, and regulation brings value to the Board, particularly from the perspective of our operations at Palo Verde Generating Station and business environment. Kristine's service with the NRC, including her tenure as Chairman, gives her senior leadership experience in operating large, complex organizations, financial literacy, and human capital management and compensation experience. She is certified in cybersecurity oversight from Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Generation for Arizona Public Service
- Vice President, Generation, Arizona Public Service Company
Michael Kohrt is vice president, Generation for Arizona Public Service (APS). Based in Phoenix, APS is Arizona's largest energy provider and serves approximately 1.4 million homes and businesses across the state.
Kohrt is responsible for all facets of the company's generation (non-nuclear) operations, maintenance, and engineering at nine facilities in Arizona and New Mexico as well as the company's utility-scale renewable, energy storage, and microgrid sites. He is navigating the APS generation fleet, consisting of 42 generating units, through significant change while maintaining focus on safety and reliability.
Kohrt has 30 years of experience in the energy industry, 15 of which have been with APS. His industry experience spans multiple disciplines including both nuclear and non-nuclear generation, transmission operations, as well as state and federal regulatory compliance.
Prior to joining APS, Kohrt served in the U.S. Navy, worked for the Department of Defense following his honorable discharge from military service, and then went on to become the manager of engineering and compliance for a 1200 MW commercial fossil power plant. Mike started his career at APS as a field operator, moving into roles with progressively higher levels of responsibility with a focus on strategic optimization and operational excellence.
Kohrt earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nuclear Engineering Technology from Thomas Edison State College, and an MBA from Arizona State University.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Chief Information Officer for Arizona Public Service
- Vice President, Chief Information Officer, Arizona Public Service Company
Michelle Ferrara is vice president, chief information officer for Arizona Public Service (APS). Based in Phoenix, APS is Arizona's largest energy provider and serves approximately 1.4 million homes and businesses across the state.
Ferrara is responsible for the company's information technology (IT) infrastructure and applications including planning, architecture, development and operations, and for managing the technology strategy and the digital challenges faced by a major electric utility.
Prior to joining APS in 2021, Ferrara built a 20-plus year career with Exelon and its predecessor companies in Baltimore, holding several IT leadership positions of increasing scope and complexity. She is deeply experienced in IT at innovative electric utilities, and in leading large operational support teams and delivering key transformational projects and initiatives.
Ferrara is familiar with the Valley, having worked for the Arizona State Land Department as her first job out of college. She attended the University of Baltimore and holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in Information Systems Management. Ferrara is currently serving on the board of the Inspire Leadership Network - ArizonaCIO organization.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Customer Experience and Communications for Arizona Public Service
- Vice President, Customer Experience and Communications, Arizona Public Service Company
Monica Whiting is vice president, customer experience and communications for Arizona Public Service (APS). Based in Phoenix, APS is Arizona's largest energy company and serves more than 1.4 million homes and businesses across the state.
Her responsibilities include leadership of customer experience, customer service operations, external communications and marketing.
Whiting cares deeply about customers and has nearly 30 years of experience in leading customer experience organizations, most recently with Tampa Electric Company (TECO) & Peoples Gas Systems (PGS) where she served as vice president of customer experience for the utility's 1.2 million customers. Prior to TECO, she spent three years as the chief customer officer at Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA) and had a 17-year career at Colorado Springs Utilities where she served as the general manager of customer revenue and service, as well as other various roles.
Passionate about serving her communities, Whiting has spent her career serving on various boards, commissions and industry groups. She is currently a director of the APS Foundation, chair of the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies (AEIC) Customer Service Committee, and co-chair of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) Customer Solutions Executive Advisory Committee. She is also a member of the Valley of the Sun United Way's board of directors.
Whiting earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations and Journalism from the University of Southern California.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Finance and Treasurer, Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and Arizona Public Service Company
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Director
- Member of the Corporate Governance and Public Responsibility Committee
- Member of the Human Resources Committee
- Member of the Nuclear and Operating Committee
- Director since
- Member of Corporate Governance and Public Responsibility Committee
Paula J. Sims has been a director since 2016 and currently serves as the Company's Lead Director. Paula worked directly in the utility industry for more than 13 years. She brings extensive leadership experience to the Company in business and finance strategy, electric utility operations, nuclear strategy, and operating in a regulated environment. In her prior roles at Progress Energy, Paula was responsible for complex business operations and strategy, including new generation, supply chain, and information technology and cybersecurity, as well as overall process and efficiency improvements. Prior to that, she held leadership positions within GE's Aviation business for 12 years. Her experience gives her extensive insight into the operational, financial, regulatory, and risk-related matters that are of ever-increasing significance to the Company.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Nuclear Engineering, Palo Verde Generating Station, Arizona Public Service Company
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Audit Committee
- Member of the Corporate Governance and Public Responsibility Committee
- Member of the Human Resources Committee
- Member of the Nuclear and Operating Committee
- Director since
- Independent Consultant and Former Managing Partner, Ernst & Young
- Member of Corporate Governance and Public Responsibility Committee
Richard P. Fox has been a director since 2014. As a former Managing Partner of Ernst & Young, former CFO of Wall Data, and President and COO of CyberSafe, Rick has a deep understanding of auditing, financial, and accounting matters. He has also served on the boards of several companies throughout his career, including eight public companies, giving him extensive insights into corporate governance, human capital management and compensation, investment opportunities, risk oversight and risk management, and the customer perspective. His extensive board experience, including service on various audit, governance, human resources, and finance committees, including chairmanships, adds to the Board's depth and capabilities.
Job Titles:
- Chief Development Officer
- Executive Vice President
- General Counsel
Robert (Bob) Smith is executive vice president, general counsel and chief development officer of Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and its primary subsidiary, Arizona Public Service Company (APS).
Smith is responsible for overseeing all facets of the company's legal affairs, governance function and the company's strategies and growth plans.
He has nearly 30 years of energy industry and legal experience. Prior to Pinnacle West, Smith served as senior vice president and general counsel of Columbia Pipeline Group, where he led the company's merger with TransCanada Corporation, which was completed in 2016.
Prior to Columbia, Smith worked for NiSource, Inc., as vice president, deputy general counsel and corporate secretary. He has also worked for Progress Energy (now Duke Energy) as associate general counsel and the Mirant Corporation as securities counsel and assistant secretary.
Smith earned his law degree from The Ohio State University and completed his bachelor's degree in history and political science at the University of South Alabama.
He currently serves as chair of the board of directors for Global Action, an international compassion and leader training organization, and on the board of directors of the Musical Instrument Museum located in Phoenix, AZ. Smith is active with the Sustainable Missions Project, which aims to help visionary leaders in developing nations transform their communities through bi-vocational work and training that supports their mission over the long-term. He also serves on the board of the National Association of Manufacturers and on the Business Advisory Council for the Arizona Attorney General's Office.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Development Officer, Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and Arizona Public Service Company
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- Vice President, Federal Affairs
Robbie Aiken is vice president of federal affairs for Pinnacle West Capital Corporation.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Human Resources and Ethics for Arizona Public Service Company
Shannon Standaert is vice president of human resources and ethics for Arizona Public Service Company (APS). Based in Phoenix, APS is Arizona's largest electric company and serves more than 1.4 million homes and businesses across the state.
Standaert oversees the company's human resources functions, including talent acquisition and transformation, compensation and benefits, employee and labor relations, ethics, employee communications and HR technology and training.
Since joining the APS Human Resources team in 2016, she has helped navigate Covid-related workplace challenges, modernize the performance management process and introduce emphasis on coaching and feedback. Prior to joining APS, she spent more than 20 years in HR leadership and professional roles of increasing responsibility in a variety of industries, including time at Target Corporation and PetSmart.
Standaert earned a BA in psychology and an MBA with a focus on leadership from Binghamton University.
Job Titles:
- Certified Public Accountant
- Deputy General Counsel
- Vice President of Law
- Vice President, Law, Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and Arizona Public Service Company
Shirley Baum is vice president of law for Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and its primary subsidiary, Arizona Public Service Company (APS), Arizona's largest energy company. The companies are headquartered in Phoenix.
Since 2019, Baum has served as deputy general counsel with oversight of various legal functions, including corporate/commercial, regulatory, litigation, environmental, nuclear, and labor and employment practice groups. As vice president of law, she assumed additional responsibility for law department operations and oversight of the external firms that bring additional expertise to the department.
Baum joined Pinnacle West in 2007 as a senior attorney and became associate general counsel in 2010. Prior to joining Pinnacle West, she was the assistant general counsel for Mobility Electronics, Inc., an associate attorney with Snell & Wilmer, LLP, and a tax consultant for Deloitte.
Baum is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the State Bar of Arizona and the Arizona Board of Accountancy. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame and earned a law degree from the Arizona State University College of Law. Baum is currently serving on the Board of the Sandra Day O'Connor Institute for American Democracy and the Board of the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, External Affairs, Arizona Public Service Company
Job Titles:
- President of Arizona Public Service Company
Ted Geisler is president of Arizona Public Service Company (APS). Based in Phoenix, APS is Arizona's largest electric company and serves more than 1.4 million customers across the state.
Geisler is responsible for the company's core utility functions, specifically non-nuclear operations, public policy, technology, customer experience and strategy.
He began his career at APS in 2001 in generation and has served in a variety of roles throughout the company. Geisler was promoted from senior vice president and chief financial officer to his current position. His other leadership roles include vice president and chief information officer, general manager of transmission and distribution operations as well as director responsibilities for investor relations, corporate strategy and transmission operations. He also has experience in renewable energy and energy trading.
A Phoenix native, Geisler is engaged in the community, currently serving on the boards of Chicanos Por La Causa, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC).
Geisler earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Colorado State University and an MBA with an emphasis on strategy from Arizona State University. He is also a graduate of the Nuclear Reactor Technology Course at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Strategic Financial Leadership Program at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President
- Senior Vice President, Nuclear Regulatory and Oversight, Palo Verde Generating Station, Arizona Public Service Company
Todd Horton is senior vice president, Nuclear Regulatory and Oversight at Palo Verde Generating Station for Arizona Public Service Company (APS). Based in Phoenix, APS is Arizona's largest energy provider, serving approximately 1.4 million customers across the state.
Horton provides leadership at Palo Verde Generating Station - the nation's largest power producer - for regulatory affairs and nuclear oversight functions, including nuclear assurance, licensing, compliance, environmental, organizational effectiveness, performance improvement and communications. Prior to this role, Horton was responsible for the day-to-day operation of the three units at Palo Verde including maintenance and maintenance projects, work management, chemistry, radiation protection and executive projects.
Prior to joining APS, Horton held positions as on-line work control manager, operations manager and operations shift manager at St. Lucie Nuclear Plant in Florida. He also worked as a control room supervisor and senior reactor operator (SRO) at Fermi Nuclear Generating Station in Michigan. He obtained SRO licenses from both St. Lucie and Fermi. He started his nuclear energy career serving in the U.S. Navy for eight years.
Horton participated in the INPO nuclear industry executive working group to identify key attributes of maintaining excellence in nuclear plant operation. The resulting document, "Staying on Top," was published by INPO in 2019.
He holds an MBA degree from the University of Arizona.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Transmission and Distribution Operations, Arizona Public Service Company
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Operations Support for Arizona Public Service
- Vice President, Operations Support, Arizona Public Service Company
Traci Stooks-Dermer is vice president, operations support for Arizona Public Service (APS). Based in Phoenix, APS is Arizona's largest energy provider and serves approximately 1.4 million homes and businesses across the state.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Corporate Governance and Public Responsibility Committee
- Member of the Finance Committee
- Member of the Nuclear and Operating Committee
- Director since
- Member of Corporate Governance and Public Responsibility Committee
William H. Spence has been a director since 2021. As the former Chief Executive Officer of an investor-owned electric utility company, Bill brings a broad range of operating experience in the energy industry. He has extensive experience in strategy development and risk management and has a comprehensive understanding of the issues facing an electric utility, including regulatory strategy and customer service. Bill also co-chaired an Edison Electric Institute task force that developed an industry strategy for cybersecurity threats. He brings significant public board experience both from his role as Chairman of PPL Corporation and from his service as a director of Williams Companies, Inc.