Katie Aittola has been appointed as senior vice president of supply chain and real estate, and chief procurement officer at Duke Energy, effective January 1. She will take over from Dwight Jacobs, who is retiring after 23 years with the company.
Aittola will be responsible for leading sourcing and supply chain functions across the enterprise. She will also oversee strategic planning, transactions, and facilities management for Duke Energy’s real estate operations.
Bonnie Titone, executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Duke Energy, commented on the appointment: “Katie brings to the role a depth of experience with strategic planning, operational transformation and enterprise leadership. She is a true cross-functional leader and well positioned to oversee these operations, which are crucial to our success as we undertake the largest generation build in our company’s history.”
Under Jacobs’ leadership, Duke Energy’s supply chain operations have received industry recognition for their performance during challenging conditions. Titone expressed gratitude for Jacobs’ service: “I am thankful for Dwight’s significant contributions throughout his tenure. In addition to his impacts within our business and industry, his mentorship of emerging leaders, commitment to volunteerism and philanthropic efforts in support of our communities have established a legacy that will endure for years to come.”
Aittola currently serves as senior vice president of enterprise strategy and insurance, as well as chief risk officer. Since taking on these roles, she has led initiatives that have changed the organization’s approach to risk management and strategic direction. She joined Duke Energy in 2009 and has held various positions in finance, including corporate development and financial planning. She also previously led risk management within the company’s supply chain function.
In response to her new role, Aittola said: “As we continue to transform the future of energy, delivering business outcomes that move our company forward and deliver value for our many stakeholders remains my focus. Our supply chain, real estate and procurement functions are essential enablers of our business strategy and have demonstrated their best-in-class skills as they responded to an extraordinary external environment during a critical time of our energy modernization journey. I’m excited to lead this important work and highly experienced team.”
Aittola resides in Davidson, North Carolina with her family. She volunteers with Scouting America and serves on the board of the YMCA of Greater Charlotte.
Duke Energy is one of the largest energy holding companies in the United States. The company provides electric utilities service to 8.6 million customers across six states—North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky—and owns 55,100 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in five states.
The company is currently investing in grid upgrades and cleaner forms of energy generation such as natural gas, nuclear power, renewables, and energy storage while maintaining reliability for its customers.
More information about Duke Energy can be found at duke-energy.com or through its news center.
