FirstEnergy Announces Management Promotions in Utility Operations

AKRON, Ohio, June 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) has announced several management promotions within its utility operations group that support delivery of reliable, affordable electricity to customers. 

Jim Haney has been promoted to vice president, Utility Operations.  In addition to his new responsibilities overseeing the operations and safety programs for FirstEnergy's 10 utility operating companies, he will maintain responsibility for regulated generation, environmental and utility services.  Haney replaces Mark Julian, who retired after 38 years with the company. 

Reporting to Haney is George Farah, named vice president, Sustainability and Utility Services.  Farah will oversee corporate sustainability and environmental programs as well as regulated generation services including dispatch, fuels, commercial operations, engineering, field services and operations support. 

Bob Mattiuz replaces Haney as vice president, Compliance and Regulated Services and chief Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) compliance officer.  He will manage FERC and regional transmission organization technical support, regulatory compliance and regulated commodity sourcing and settlements while reporting to Senior Vice President and President, FirstEnergy Utilities Sam Belcher.

Regional Utility Promotions
Rich Sweeney has been named regional president, Ohio Edison and Penn Power, managing the day-to-day operations of the two utilities that serve more than 1.1 million customers in northeast and north central Ohio and western Pennsylvania.  He replaces Randy Frame, who was named executive director, Emerging Technologies Program.  Mark Jones has been promoted to regional president, Toledo Edison, replacing Sweeney and overseeing utility service to more than 300,000 customers in northwest Ohio.  Sweeney and Jones report to Jon Taylor, president, Ohio Operations.

In addition, Lorna Wisham has been named to the new position of vice president, Community Outreach and Support for The Illuminating Company.  In this role, she will work with local officials in Cleveland, Ohio, the largest city served by the company, and report to John Skory, regional president of The Illuminating Company.

Biographical Information
Haney joined FirstEnergy in 1978 as an engineer.  He has held numerous leadership roles in transmission projects, customer operations, transmission and distribution and West Virginia operations.  Haney holds a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from West Virginia University.

Farah began his career in 1986 as an engineer at Allegheny Energy, which merged with FirstEnergy in 2011.  He has held several generating plant operation and engineering positions over the years as well as leadership positions in project management, construction and human resources.  Farah earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Business Administration from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Mattiuz joined the company at West Penn Power in 1984 as a distribution planning engineer.  Over the years, he held management positions in transmission and distribution engineering, planning and operations and federal and state regulatory compliance.  He earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Science in industrial administration from Carnegie Mellon University. 

Sweeney joined the company's Information Technology department in 1999 as a programmer analyst.  He held leadership roles in supply chain and operations for Ohio Edison and Toledo Edison before being named regional president of Toledo Edison in 2015.  Sweeney earned a Bachelor of Arts and master's degree in German and a Master of Business Administration in finance from Kent State University.

Jones joined FirstEnergy in 1999 as a customer support representative.  Most recently, he served as vice president, Operations for Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L).  Over his career, he has held management positions in national accounts and customer service as well as in external affairs for JCP&L.  Jones earned a degree in technology from Kent State University.

Wisham began her career with the company in 2005 as regional vice president, External Relations for The Illuminating Company.  She most recently served as senior advisor, Federal Affairs in Washington, D.C.  Prior to FirstEnergy, Wisham held marketing and public affairs leadership roles with The Downtown Cleveland Partnership and City of Cleveland.  She earned a Bachelor of Arts in business and organizational communication from The University of Akron and a master's degree in public communication from American University, Washington, D.C.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence.  Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York.  The company's transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp or online at www.firstenergycorp.com.

Editor's Note: Photos of the new leaders are available on Flickr.

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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.