Paul J. Bonavia, Board Chair and Chief Executive Officer of UNS Energy
Corporation, has announced he will retire as CEO on May 2, 2014 and
transition to a new role as Executive Board Chair of UNS Energy.
Bonavia also announced that the Board has named David G. Hutchens, UNS
Energy’s President and Chief Operating Officer, to succeed him as CEO
upon his retirement, culminating a succession plan years in the making.
Bonavia, 62, has led UNS Energy since January 2009, when he became Board
Chair, President and CEO of the company then known as UniSource Energy
Corporation. His tenure has been marked by increasingly efficient
operations, an emphasis on safety and a renewed focus on customer
service. The company also is addressing customers’ long-term energy
needs by updating its generation portfolio and expanding its renewable
energy resources to a degree that has earned national acclaim.
“UNS Energy has achieved unprecedented success under Paul’s leadership,”
said Robert A. Elliott, Lead Director of UNS Energy’s Board of
Directors. “His wisdom, experience and commitment to achieving the
highest standards of safety, efficiency and service have made a deep
impact on this company and the communities we serve.”
In his upcoming role as Executive Board Chair, Bonavia will provide
continued direction and oversight for UNS Energy and its subsidiaries,
including Tucson Electric Power (TEP) and UniSource Energy Services
(UES).
“I’m proud of our accomplishments over the last five years and utterly
confident that Dave and the rest of our talented management team will
continue making solid progress toward our long-term goals,” Bonavia said.
Hutchens will retain his seat on the UNS Energy Board and his roles as
President and Chief Operating Officer after he succeeds Bonavia as CEO.
“It has been clear since I joined UNS Energy that Dave is an outstanding
talent,” Bonavia said. “In nearly two decades with this company, he has
consistently demonstrated exemplary management skills, sharp strategic
vision and an ability to deliver the operational improvements necessary
to address our industry’s challenges.”
“Dave is a proven leader whose intellect and integrity leave him well
suited to oversee UNS Energy’s continued success,” Bonavia continued.
“Now is the right time to carry out our succession plan, and I could not
be more pleased to see Dave Hutchens named as our next CEO.”
Hutchens, 47, served as a nuclear submarine officer in the U.S. Navy and
worked as an engineer before joining TEP in July 1995. He advanced to
management positions overseeing wholesale energy trading and marketing
and, in January 2007, was named Vice President of Wholesale Energy and
UNS Gas, an operating subsidiary of UES. He became Vice President of
Energy Efficiency and Resource Planning in May 2009 and rose to
Executive Vice President in March 2011 before being named President in
December 2011 and Chief Operating Officer in August 2013.
“I’m honored by the opportunity to lead a company with such talented,
dedicated employees,” Hutchens said. “We’ve achieved remarkable success
under Paul’s leadership, and I’m confident we have the right team in
place to extend UNS Energy’s strong track record of safe, reliable and
affordable service while successfully addressing the challenges and
opportunities that await us in coming years.”
Both Bonavia and Hutchens exemplify UNS Energy’s longstanding commitment
to community service. Bonavia will continue to serve as Board Chairman
for the United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, Board Chairman of the
Southern Arizona Leadership Council (SALC) and board member of Tucson
Regional Economic Opportunities (TREO), the Arizona Commerce Authority
and the University of Arizona Foundation. Hutchens serves on the boards
of TREO, SALC and Salpointe Catholic High School and is a member of the
Tucson Conquistadores.
The leadership transition was anticipated by a comprehensive succession
plan that predates the UNS Energy Board’s December 2013 approval of a
definitive merger agreement with Fortis, Inc. (TSX: FTS), Canada’s
largest investor-owned gas and electric utility holding company, that
calls for Fortis to acquire all of UNS Energy’s outstanding common stock
and maintain its corporate headquarters in Tucson under the current
management team. Pursuant to the merger agreement, Fortis has reviewed
and consented to the leadership transition.
“Our board members have long recognized Dave’s potential and
development, and we are excited about his prospects in this new role,”
Elliott said. “Dave is an energetic, engaging leader who will work
tirelessly to serve the best interests of this company and all of our
customers.”
About UNS Energy
UNS Energy is a Tucson, Arizona-based company with consolidated assets
of approximately $4 billion. TEP serves approximately 412,000 customers
in southern Arizona. UES provides natural gas and electric service for
approximately 242,000 customers in northern and southern Arizona. UNS
Energy shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and trade under
the symbol UNS. To learn more, visit uns.com.
The proposed acquisition of UNS Energy’s outstanding common stock by
Fortis is subject to the approval of UNS Energy shareholders. It also is
subject to the approval of regulators, including the Arizona Corporation
Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; the expiration
or termination of the applicable waiting period under the
Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended; and
the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. UNS Energy anticipates
the transaction will be finalized before the end of 2014.
Additional details about the proposed transaction are available online
at uns.com/acquisition/.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements included in this press release and any documents incorporated
by reference which are not historical in nature are intended to be, and
are hereby identified as, “forward-looking statements” for purposes of
the safe harbor provided by Section 21E of the Exchange Act.
Forward-looking statements may be identified by words including
“anticipates,” “intends,” “estimates,” “believes,” “projects,”
“expects,” “plans,” “assumes,” “seeks,” and similar expressions.
Forward-looking statements including, without limitation, those relating
to UNS Energy and its subsidiaries’ future business prospects, revenues,
proceeds, working capital, investment valuations, liquidity, income, and
margins, as well as the timing and consequences of the merger, are
subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking
statements, due to several important factors, including those identified
from time-to-time in the forward-looking statements. Those factors
include, but are not limited to: the possibility that various conditions
precedent to the consummation of the merger will not be satisfied or
waived; the ability to obtain shareholder and regulatory approvals of
the merger on the timing and terms thereof; state and federal regulatory
and legislative decisions and actions; regional economic and market
conditions which could affect customer growth and energy usage; weather
variations affecting energy usage; the cost of debt and equity capital
and access to capital markets; the performance of the stock market and
changing interest rate environment, which affect the value of our
pension and other retiree benefit plan assets and the related
contribution requirements and expense; unexpected increases in O&M
expense; resolution of pending litigation matters; changes in accounting
standards; changes in critical accounting estimates; the ongoing
restructuring of the electric industry; changes to long-term contracts;
the cost of fuel and power supplies; cyber-attacks or challenges to our
information security; and the performance of TEP's generating plants;
and certain presently unknown or unforeseen factors, including, but not
limited to, acts of terrorism. UNS Energy and its subsidiaries undertake
no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether
as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Given these
uncertainties, undue reliance should not be placed on the
forward-looking statements.
Additional Information about the Acquisition and Where to Find It
In connection with the proposed acquisition, UNS Energy has filed a
proxy statement with the SEC. Investors and security holders of UNS
Energy are urged to read the proxy statement and other relevant
materials filed with the SEC because it contains important information
about the proposed acquisition and related matters. The final proxy
statement was mailed to UNS Energy stockholders on or about February 21,
2014. Investors and stockholders may obtain a free copy of the proxy
statement, and other documents filed by UNS Energy, at the SEC's
website, www.sec.gov.
These documents can also be obtained by investors and stockholders free
of charge from UNS Energy Corporation by directing a request to Library
and Resource Center, UNS Energy, 88 E. Broadway Boulevard, Mail Stop
HQW302, Tucson, Arizona 85701.
Copyright Business Wire 2014