Before being picked as CEO-to-be, Barbara Sugg was senior vice president of IT and chief security officer for SPP, which oversees the electric grid and wholesale electricity prices in 17 states. She was responsible for IT strategy and policy, as well as a 165-employee department.
Sugg has been on the SPP management team since 1999, and is founder and chair of the Leadership Foundation for Women.
Sugg earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 1986, and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in 2013. She will officially succeed SPP President and CEO Nick Brown in April.
Could you explain in simplest terms what a nonprofit regional transmission organization does?
Many moving pieces come together in perfect sync so that the lights come on when you flip a switch. Utilities work constantly to provide electricity when and where it’s needed, and they depend on a network of transmission lines to move electricity from where it’s produced to where it’s used.
An RTO works with and on behalf of our member utilities to direct that complicated process. We monitor the regional power grid to ensure it operates reliably minute by minute. We study and direct enhancements to the grid to keep it reliable and efficient. And we operate a wholesale electricity market to guarantee demand is met with the most affordable electricity possible. The efficiencies we provide save utilities in our 17-state region more than $2 billion a year and keep the lights on for more than 17 million people!
How will it feel filling the shoes of longtime CEO Nick Brown?
Nick has been an outstanding leader at SPP, serving as president and CEO for nearly 17 years. His focus on culture will live on as his legacy. Nick led us through massive organizational growth, expansion of our services and numerous challenging opportunities. He leaves behind very big shoes to fill. I’m both humbled and honored to have been chosen.
While my approach to the CEO position will undoubtedly be different, I’m every bit as passionate as he is about protecting the unique qualities that make SPP a phenomenal place to work. I’m equally excited about the opportunities that lie ahead in working with our board, customers, member companies and regulators to ensure that we exceed the high expectations placed upon us.
What is the business model for your reliability coordination services? What benefits do clients receive?
What we’re ultimately providing our customers is peace of mind. Threats to electric reliability are varied and constant. There are economic factors like fuel and maintenance costs, environmental ones like storms that can damage infrastructure, and surprising things most people wouldn’t think of like squirrels and sagging tree limbs. That’s not to mention threats to physical and cybersecurity, changing public policy, unforeseen outcomes of new technology … on and on. We come alongside utilities as a reliability coordinator to monitor the grid for threats and plan for contingencies. We make quick, methodical decisions 24 hours a day to ensure the lights stay on.
As CEO, will you be a caretaker or a tradition-shaker?
I’m a big believer in the concept “What got you here won’t get you there.” Striking the balance between maintaining the best things about SPP and determining how best to move forward will require maximum effort across our team. We will work hard to protect and promote the unique qualities that have been underpinnings of our success and our high degree of employee and stakeholder engagement. Likewise, continuous improvement is a culture driver at SPP, one we take very seriously.
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