David G. Hutchens, a 19-year employee of Tucson Electric Power (TEP) who has served as the company’s president and chief operating officer, assumes an expanded role today as chief executive officer of TEP and its parent company, UNS Energy Corp. (UNS).
Hutchens, 48, succeeds Paul J. Bonavia, who retires May 2 as the companies’ top executive as part of a previously announced succession plan established by the UNS Energy board of directors. Bonavia, 63, will remain executive board chair of UNS Energy. Hutchens retains his seat on the UNS Energy board, as well as his role as president.
Hutchens’ tenure begins as UNS Energy seeks approval of its proposed acquisition by Fortis Inc. The company would remain headquartered in Tucson under local control with current management and staffing levels. The transaction, which remains subject to the approval of the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) and other conditions, is expected to be finalized by the end of 2014.
Hutchens moved from Minneapolis to Tucson to attend the University of Arizona, where he received a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and later an MBA with an emphasis in finance. He served as a nuclear submarine officer in the U.S. Navy and worked as an engineer before joining TEP, UNS Energy’s largest subsidiary, in July 1995. He advanced to various management positions and became a vice president in January 2007 before being named president in December 2011 and COO in August 2013.
UNS Energy is a Tucson, Arizona-based company with consolidated assets of about $4 billion. UNS Energy’s primary units include Tucson Electric Power (TEP), which serves about 414,000 customers in southern Arizona, and UniSource Energy Services (UES), provider of natural gas and electric service for about 243,000 customers across Arizona.
