FirstEnergy Powers Up Board
It should come as no surprise that Steven E. Strah was tapped as FirstEnergy’s permanent CEO and a member of the board of directors in March. A well-respected leader with more than 36 years of industry experience and a deep understanding of FirstEnergy’s business, Strah has been serving as acting CEO since October 2020 and as president, a position he continues to hold, since May 2020.
But changes continue to come at the energy provider.
Sandra Pianalto, a member of the company’s board since 2018 has opted out of re-election at the company’s 2021 annual meeting to focus on other commitments. Pianalto, who stepped down as president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland in 2014, continues to serve as a director of Eaton Corp. plc, Prudential Financial Inc. and J.M. Smucker Co. To replace Pianalto, FirstEnergy’s board has nominated Melvin D. Williams for election at the company’s 2021 Annual Meeting. Williams, 57, retired in 2020 as president of Nicor Gas, a natural gas distribution company and subsidiary of Southern Co., and senior vice president of Southern Co. Gas, positions he held since 2015. He began his career at Southern Co. Gas in 1989 and served in a wide range of leadership positions at the company and its subsidiaries.
Wing Lands at Dix & Eaton
Former communications officer for Cuyahoga County, Eliza Wing has joined PR firm Dix & Eaton as a senior adviser, specializing in strategic counsel with a focus on digital media and marketing communications. Wing brings a broad range of C-suite experience. She served as the chief communications officer for Cuyahoga County from 2015 to 2020. She also was director for digital brands at American Greetings from 2013 to 2015 and was founder, president and CEO of cleveland.com from 1998 to 2010. Wing is just one of four new additions to Dix & Eaton. The others include Vincent Dorsey as account executive and Kayla Pretzer as assistant account executive. Daijha Thompson will also join the firm as assistant account executive following her internship and graduation from Syracuse University later this month.
Cleveland Play House Adds Interim Cast
The curtain has gone up on new interim leadership at the Cleveland Play House (CPH). Collette Appolito Laisure has joined the CPH as its interim managing director, while Anita H. Cook steps in as CFO of the 105-year-old institution. The two will lend their leadership and executive expertise from the nonprofit sector to the CPH, which started a search for a permanent managing director this spring. There’s no word yet on whether either of the execs are candidates for the open position, left vacant by the death of former Managing Director Kevin Moore last fall. Both women will also participate in CPH’s ongoing equity, diversity, inclusion and antiracism efforts, according to the CPH.
A Summer Change for Steris
Walt Rosebrough, president and CEO of Steris, is stepping down at the end of July in conjunction with the sterilization and infection prevention products maker’s annual general meeting. Rosebrough will remain as CEO emeritus and senior adviser to STERIS’s leadership and board for the next two years. Dan Carestio, COO, was named to the company’s board in January and will succeed Rosebrough. The board will include Carestio on the slate of directors for election at the upcoming annual general meeting. Rosebrough will not stand for re-election.