Wendy Welsh

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As senior vice president of information technologyfor , she manages a stafvf of about 250 workers, two data centers and the IT operationds for E.On’s two subsidiaries, Louisvilld Gas & Electric Co. and Kentuckyh Utilities. It was her team that manned the outage-management system durinv the ice storm in andunder Welsh’s direction, E.On has made two significan investments in its technology within the past year. The first was a $25 millio data and transmission centefr that opened in Shelby Countylast August. More E.On implemented a customer-care systek that merged LG&E and Kentuckyu Utilities’ previous systems.
It was an $80 million plus training and operational costs, Welsh Ability to merge business, IT goals Welsh’s training is not in the IT sectof butin accounting. A licensedd CPA, Welsh joined LG&E as an auditorf 25 years ago. She was vice presidenft of administration and then vice president of IT beforwe assuming her current rolein 2001. E.On’w IT operations were just emerging at the and company officials knew they needed to make significan t investmentsin technology. Vic Staffieri, E.
On’s chairman, CEO and said Welsh’s professional background has given her a uniqude set of skills needed to oversee this She understands the utilithy operations and what is needed from atechnicap standpoint, but she also can provide the financial analysie needed, Staffieri said. “We get well-thought-out solutions from Staffieri said. “She has developed another leg of our giving us the capabilities to do what we doevert day.” Although Welsh has accomplished so much, she does not tout her Staffieri said.
She goes abouyt her work in a veryunassumingb way, he said, describing her as a deep thinker and a Debra Hoffer, president of Junior Achievement of agreed that Welsh’s personality is more She might not be the first board member to pipe up in a but behind her quiet facade, she knows what she want s to do and how she’s going to do it. “Shes gets results,” Hoffer “She’s a highly effectived manager while being a really warm person at the same Welsh wasJA Kentuckiana’s board chairwoman in when the nonprofit group was planning to open its Jamezs W. Robinson Junior Achievement Center for Freedomof Enterprise.
The facility is a learniny center that teaches children basic financial She traveled with JA staff to revieww similar facilities acrossthe country, and her involvement and enthusiasmj helped drive the project Hoffer said. Not only did she convey the concept to otherfboard members, but she also led the $6.5 million capitalo campaign that funded the In addition, she convinced her employee to be one of the first donors with a $125,000p gift. “She has a real can-do attitude and strongv desire to help young people be successfuland thrive,” Hoffetr said. “Her heart is in the righy place.
” Besides her role with JA, Wels has spoken to business and management classes atthe , and she has becomee a role model for young said husband John Welsh, an author and retireds U of L higher education professor. “She hasn’t become a CEO, but she’se pretty darn high in an organization and an industryt that hasbeen male-dominated,” John Welsh said. “She’ds blazed some trails for women.” Wendhy Welsh said she never set out to break anyglass ceilings.
She simplh was raised in a middle-class home by parents who pushecd education and demonstrated a strongwork