Duke Energy has named Kendal Bowman as president of its North Carolina operations.
Bowman takes over Jan. 1 from state President Stephen De May, who is retiring after 33 years.
She is currently the company's vice president of regulatory affairs and policy for North Carolina. Bowman has been the leading advocate for Duke's carbon plan, which is under review at the North Carolina Utilities Commission. She also has lobbied for the company at the General Assembly.
In her new job, she will oversee Duke's regulated electric and gas utilities in the state. She will continue to work on state and local regulatory issues and community affairs.
“Kendal’s solutions-oriented approach brings together diverse interests to achieve productive outcomes for our state,” Julie Janson, executive vice president and chief executive officer for Duke Energy Carolinas, said in a news release. “Advancing the clean energy transition will require steadfast collaboration and addressing challenges in new ways, and I’m thrilled Kendal will be at the helm for Duke Energy in North Carolina.”
Bowman also formerly worked on legal affairs at both Duke and Progress Energy, which Duke acquired in 2012.
De May has held many jobs with Duke and related companies since starting his career there in 1990. He was the company's treasurer for 11 years and has been Duke's North Carolina president since 2018.
“Throughout his career, Stephen has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to our company, our customers and our employees,” CEO Lynn Good said in a news release. “Through his work, he consistently positioned Duke Energy for success, whether through financing the company’s growth cost-effectively, advocating for our customers’ interests during federal tax reform, or advancing our clean energy transition in North Carolina."
