Carl Monroe, Southwest Power Pool’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, has announced plans to retire effective in the first quarter of 2020.
Monroe joined SPP in 1997 and as COO has been responsible for the organization’s 24/7 operations across a 14-state service territory in the areas of reliability coordination of the bulk power grid, provision of transmission service on SPP’s 66,000-mile network of extra-high voltage transmission lines and administration of SPP’s wholesale electricity market.
“It has been the opportunity of a lifetime to work at SPP and a privilege to work alongside such bright, talented and caring people in the interest of a worthwhile shared mission,” Monroe said. “SPP is poised for continued success, which I’ll observe with great interest, but the time is right for me to begin a new chapter with regard to family, travel and other experiences.”
Monroe was instrumental in the expansion of SPP’s service territory from eight to all or part of 14 states as well as the organization’s recent growth to the west, where it will begin offering reliability coordination and market services over the next two years.
“Carl has been more a partner in developing the company than just an employee of mine,” SPP President and CEO Nick Brown said. “He’s helped to shepherd us through tremendous change and growth as we evolved from an entrepreneurial startup to one of seven U.S. regional transmission organizations. We just wouldn’t be where we are today without his leadership.”
“There is no one like Carl Monroe,” said Larry Altenbaumer, chair of SPP’s board of directors. “In nearly 15 years as a director at SPP, I’ve met no one with greater knowledge of markets and operations or with such ability to collaboratively address complex issues. The entire SPP organization and region owes him thanks for his commitment to creating value and for many years of extraordinary contributions that will benefit us for the foreseeable future.”
Monroe joined SPP from Middle South Utilities and was originally hired to manage the organization’s growing information technology department. He was elected as an officer of the company and promoted to executive vice president and COO in 2004.
SPP will celebrate Monroe’s service as part of the January 2020 meetings of its Board of Directors and Members Committee in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
