Katie Aittola has been named as the new senior vice president of supply chain and real estate, and chief procurement officer at Duke Energy. Her appointment is effective January 1, succeeding Dwight Jacobs, who will retire at the end of the year after 23 years with the company.
Aittola will be responsible for leading sourcing and supply chain operations across the enterprise. She will also oversee strategic planning, transactions, and facilities management related to Duke Energy’s real estate function.
“Katie brings to the role a depth of experience with strategic planning, operational transformation and enterprise leadership,” said Bonnie Titone, executive vice president and chief administrative officer. “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 received recognition as industry-leading while navigating complex operating conditions. “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,” Titone added.
Currently serving as senior vice president for enterprise strategy and insurance as well as chief risk officer, Aittola has led initiatives reshaping risk posture and strategic direction since assuming her combined roles. Since joining Duke Energy in 2009, she has held positions in corporate development, financial planning and analysis, risk governance, and business support functions within supply chain.
“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,” said Aittola. “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 YMCA of Greater Charlotte board.
Duke Energy is one of the largest energy holding companies in the United States. The company supplies electricity to 8.6 million customers across six states—North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky—and owns over 55 gigawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in five states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, and Kentucky.
The company continues its transition toward cleaner energy sources by investing in electric grid upgrades along with natural gas infrastructure improvements; it also operates nuclear plants duke-energy.com.
More information about Duke Energy can be found at its main website or through its news center online.
