JACKSON—Officials at CMS Energy Corp., the Jackson-based utility holding company, announced that CEO Patti Poppe is leaving the company effective Dec. 1 to take the position of CEO of San Francisco, Calif.-based PG&E Corp., the parent company of Pacific Gas & Electric.
Garrick Rochow, current executive vice president of operations, will succeed Poppe as CMS Energy and Consumers Energy president and CEO and on CMS Energy’s Board of Directors. Poppe has served as president and chief executive officer of CMS Energy and Consumers Energy since 2016.
“Garrick’s leadership approach, vast industry and company expertise will take CMS Energy and Consumers Energy to the next level,” said John G. Russell, chairman of the CMS Energy Board of Directors. “You can count on CMS Energy to have consistent and predictable performance because of our strong succession planning and the quality of our executive team. I wish Patti the best of luck.”
Added Poppe: “Since 2011, I have considered CMS Energy as my home and my co-workers as my family and I will miss everyone immensely. Garrick is a world class leader and will continue to deliver on the triple bottom line of people, planet and prosperity as we have for many years now.”
Rochow, 46, has been with CMS Energy for 17 years, with over 20 years of industry experience, and has held his current position since July 2016. In this role, he is responsible for the company’s electric and natural gas distribution and transmission operations, generation, and compression operations. Prior to this role, Rochow served in a variety of leadership positions across the business as Consumers Energy’s senior vice president of distribution and customer operations, vice president of customer experience, rates and regulation and quality and chief customer officer after serving as vice president of energy delivery. He also works closely with the Michigan Public Service Commission, state and federal legislators and is on the board of directors of Right Place Inc., the economic development agency for the Grand Rapids area.
Rochow earned a Bachelor of Science in environmental engineering from Michigan Technological University and an MBA from Western Michigan University. He also has attended an executive education program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Business.
Said Rochow: “I am honored to have the opportunity to lead a company with amazing co-workers who make a difference every day for our customers, investors and the communities we serve. I look forward to continuing our strong operational and financial performance, while creating an environment that keeps our customers and co-workers safe, reflects our culture and is inclusive and respectful of everyone.”
More at www.cmsenergy.com.