Barbara Sugg, president and CEO of Southwest Power Pool, announced Thursday that she plans to retire in April after 35 years with the regional transmission organization.
In a news release, SPP said its board of directors has engaged search firm Heidrick & Struggles of Chicago to assess internal and external candidates to identify Sugg’s replacement. The board intends to name a new CEO prior to Sugg’s departure.
Sugg joined SPP in 1997 and was appointed president and CEO in April 2020. Her career has spanned every level of leadership, including roles as SPP’s senior vice president of IT and chief security officer, in which she led strategic technology initiatives while protecting the organization from cyber risk.
Under her guidance, SPP has expanded its service offerings and territory into new parts of the country and garnered consistently high stakeholder satisfaction ratings.
“Barbara’s dedication, passion and support of SPP’s mission and people have been evident throughout her tenure,” John Cupparo, SPP board chair, said in a statement. “Her impact as a CEO will be felt for years to come, and the board joins SPP’s stakeholders in thanking her for the high standard of leadership she’s set.”
In Sugg’s successor, the board will be looking for “someone equipped to continue SPP’s work toward the goals identified in our Aspire strategic plan and who is committed to fostering the traits of our organization that our stakeholders value the most, most notably our governance process grounded in transparent and robust stakeholder engagement, Cupparo said.
Sugg’s announcement comes as SPP moves forward with a comprehensive plan to address resource adequacy challenges across its 14-state footprint and awaits responses from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regarding RTO expansion and tariff filings.
SPP is also in the process of upgrading its consolidated transmission planning processes, and continues work with neighboring systems to optimize seams in the interest of reliability and affordability.
“It’s been an exciting and rewarding time to be part of the electric utility industry, and it’s an honor to have played a part in SPP’s growth along the way,” Sugg said. “Working with our dedicated staff and diverse stakeholders, we’ve accomplished a lot together throughout my career, and there’s still much to do.
“I look forward to the next chapter in my own life, but for now I remain energized, committed and focused on ensuring SPP’s success and partnering closely with my replacement to ensure she or he is prepared to take the reins.”
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