Duke Energy today announced a change in its executive leadership in South Carolina focused on strengthening the company’s long-standing commitment to its 730,000 electric and 139,000 gas customers in the Palmetto State.
Kodwo Ghartey-Tagoe – currently senior vice president of state and federal regulatory legal support – will succeed Clark Gillespy as South Carolina state president. Ghartey-Tagoe, 53, will be responsible for the financial performance of South Carolina and manage state and local regulatory and government relations, and community affairs. He will work closely with the corporate and regulatory strategy team to advance rate and regulatory initiatives in South Carolina.
Gillespy will become senior vice president of economic development, a new position, leading an enterprise-wide economic development team that will seek to identify and attract new and expanding industries to Duke Energy’s service areas. Gillespy, 54, will also lead the company’s efforts to identify and promote wider adoption of new and emerging grid-enabled technologies, including electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
“Kodwo's decades of experience have prepared him well for this important role," said Lloyd Yates, executive vice president, market solutions, and president, Carolinas region. "In his new role, he will build on the great progress Clark and team have already accomplished, and he will continue to advocate for policies and practices that meet the energy needs of our customers and South Carolina in cost-effective, environmentally sound ways.”
Ghartey-Tagoe previously served as vice president, legal, for Duke Energy’s Commercial Businesses organization, and was responsible for providing legal advice to the company’s commercial businesses, including Duke Energy International, Duke Energy Renewables, Midwest Commercial Generation and Commercial Transmission. He has also served as Duke Energy’s general counsel for litigation, as well as vice president, legal – state regulation for Duke Energy’s Regulated Utilities business. Ghartey-Tagoe joined the company in 2002 as chief regulatory counsel for Duke Power.
Before joining the company, Ghartey-Tagoe was a partner with McGuireWoods LLP in Richmond, Va.
A native of Ghana, Ghartey-Tagoe earned a Juris Doctor degree from Duke University and a Bachelor of Arts degree, with joint honors in economics and finance, from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec.
