CHARLOTTE – Lloyd Yates, longtime executive veteran with Progress Energy before it was acquired by Duke Energy in 2012, is leaving his post as president of Duke Energy’s Carolinas region.

Duke Energy photo

Lloyd Yates

Yates is retiring at the end of September, the energy conglomerate announced Friday.

Also retiring at the same time is Frank Yoho, former head of Piedmont Natural Gas which Duke Energy acquired in 2016.

The two departures are parts of a massive management realignment Duke announced early Friday.

Julie Janson, Duke Energy’s executive vice president, external affairs and chief legal officer, will become executive vice president, external affairs and president of the Carolinas region.

“In addition to the external affairs organization, Julie will be responsible for the strategic direction and performance of the company’s regulated utilities in North Carolina and South Carolina,” the company explained.

“I am extremely grateful for the contributions of Lloyd Yates and Frank Yoho and am excited about the depth of talent in our company, which positions us for success in a rapidly changing environment. The incredible pace of change within our industry puts a premium on having an agile organization,” said Lynn Good, Duke Energy’s chairman and CEO, said in a statement. “We have been at work over the last several years to develop talent to respond to these changes and are prepared to continue our strategic momentum.”

Yates was president and CEO of Progress Energy Carolinas before the Duke Energy acquisition. He had taken that job in 2007, having previously served as vice president of energy delivery.

Good also is making organizational as well as other changes in duties and responsibilities for several executives.

Here is how Duke Energy explained the changes:

  • Kodwo Ghartey-Tagoe, currently Duke Energy’s state president in South Carolina, will become executive vice president and chief legal officer. Kodwo will be the primary legal advisor to Duke Energy’s board of directors and senior management and lead the Office of the General Counsel, which includes the company’s legal, corporate governance, ethics and compliance, and audit functions.
  • Brian Savoy, currently senior vice president, business transformation and technology, will become senior vice president, business transformation technology, and chief administrative officer. In addition to leading our business transformation, information and technology organizations, Brian will have responsibility for the administrative services and supply chain organizations.
  • Harry Sideris, currently senior vice president and chief distribution officer, will become senior vice president, customer delivery and services. Harry will lead an organization that consolidates the customer delivery, customer experience, customer services and grid solutions organizations under one leader.
  • Doug Esamann, currently executive vice president, energy solutions and president, Midwest and Florida regions, will add the company’s natural gas business to his responsibilities. With these added responsibilities, Doug will oversee all of the company’s natural gas operations in the Carolinas, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee.

The changes take effect Oct. 1.

Duke Energy’s other changes include:

  • Michael Callahan, currently vice president, investor relations, will become Duke Energy’s state president in South Carolina.
  • Bryan Buckler, currently director of finance for the Carolinas, will become vice president of investor relations.
  • Sasha Weintraub, currently senior vice president, chief commercial officer for natural gas, will add operational and regulatory responsibilities and become senior vice president, natural gas business unit.
  • Peter Toomey, currently senior vice president of enterprise strategy and planning, will become senior vice president of strategic regulatory initiatives.
  • Cari Boyce, currently senior vice president of stakeholder strategy and sustainability, and president of the Duke Energy Foundation, will become senior vice president of enterprise strategy and planning.
  • Louis Renjel, currently senior vice president of federal government affairs, will also add stakeholder strategy and sustainability to his responsibilities, becoming senior vice president, federal government and corporate affairs.
  • Shawn Heath, currently vice president and chief of staff, will become vice president, chief of staff and president of the Duke Energy Foundation.