Gale Klappa

Klappa has more than 40 years of experience working in the public utility industry, and more than 25 years at the senior executive level. With his extensive experience, Klappa leads the company and board with a deep understanding of the investment decisions and public policy issues facing large public companies.

Klappa joined Wisconsin Energy as president in April 2003. He was elected to the company’s board of directors in December 2003. From May 2004, Klappa served as chairman and chief executive officer of Wisconsin Energy and We Energies. Under his leadership, the company successfully completed its 2015 acquisition of Integrys Energy Group, at which time he assumed those same roles for WEC Energy Group.

Klappa served as non-executive chairman of WEC Energy Group after retiring as CEO in May 2016. In October 2017, Klappa resumed the role of chairman and chief executive officer to provide leadership and continuity following a medical setback that sidelined his successor.

Prior to joining the company, Klappa held executive leadership roles at Southern Company, a public utility holding company based in Atlanta serving the southeastern United States. He served as executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer. Klappa also was chief strategic officer at Southern Company, North American group president of Southern Energy Inc., and president and CEO of South Western Electricity — Southern Company’s electric distribution utility in the United Kingdom. Before his assignment in the U.K., he was senior vice president of marketing for Georgia Power, Southern Company’s largest subsidiary.