Wednesday, January 21, 2015The Harvard Business School Club of Minnesota is delighted to present Ben Fowke as the inaugural speaker of the 2015 CEO Series. The CEO Series offers a platform for CEOs from high-profile companies to share their visions and thoughts on current and future issues facing their industries as well as provide a forum to share personal insights about a wide range of regulatory, technological and socio-economic trends that impact their businesses.
Please join us as Ben speaks about the opportunities and challenges facing our current power infrastructure, state of our electric-grid, role of renewables, and Xcel's place within the industry. Xcel Energy is Minnesota's largest electricity provider. The company serves approximately 5.3 million electricity and natural gas customers in eight states in Midwest, Southwest, and Colorado.
About Ben Fowke
Ben Fowke is Chairman of the board, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Xcel Energy. He previously served as President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) with responsibility for overall corporate operations as well as Xcel Energy's four operating companies, which do business in eight states.
Prior to being named President and COO in 2009, Fowke held a variety of executive positions at the company, including Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Vice President and CFO of Energy Markets, where he was responsible for the financial operations of the company's commodities trading and marketing business unit. Prior to the 2000 merger of Northern States Power Co. and New Century Energies (NCE) to form Xcel Energy, he was a vice president in the NCE Retail business unit.
Prior to Xcel Energy, Fowke served 10 years with FPL Group, Inc., where he held various management positions. He also has held positions outside the energy industry with DWG Corp. and KPMG.
Currently he serves on the board of directors of the Edison Electric Institute, Electric Power Research Institute, Nuclear Energy Institute, Energy Insurance Mutual, Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, American Wind Energy Association, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Minnesota Business Partnership and Greater MSP. He also serves on the advisory board of the Metropolitan Economic Development Association.
Fowke earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and accounting from Towson University and obtained his CPA in 1982.
