Dominion Energy has revealed on July 31 that Thomas F. Farrell II, chairman, president and CEO, will become the company's executive chair, effective Oct. 1, 2020.

In that role, Farrell will continue to serve as chair of the board of directors. Also, effective that date, Robert M. Blue, executive vice president and co-COO, will be promoted to president and CEO, reporting to Farrell. Diane Leopold, executive vice president and co-COO, will be promoted to Dominion Energy’s sole COO, responsible for all the company’s operating segments, reporting to Blue. Edward H. “Ed” Baine will be promoted to president-Dominion Energy Virginia. He will report to Leopold. 

Farrell joined Dominion Energy in 1995, was promoted to president and CEO in 2006 and added the role of chairman in 2007.

“One of my goals as CEO was to build a strong leadership team and a long-term succession plan,” Farrell said. “Today’s announcement is the next step in that process.”

Blue joined Dominion Energy in 2005 and has held a succession of services and operational executive roles since his promotion to officer in 2007, including vice president-state and federal affairs; senior vice president-public policy and corporate communications; senior vice president-regulation, law, energy solutions, and policy; president-Dominion Virginia Power; and his current role as executive vice president and co-COO. Blue is a graduate of the University of Virginia, Yale Law School and the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business. 

Leopold joined Dominion Energy in 1995 and became an officer in 2004. She held a wide range of executive roles in both the electric and natural gas businesses of the company prior to her current role as executive vice president and co-COO. Leopold currently serves as chair of the American Gas Association. Leopold is a graduate of the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom and has a master's degree in engineering from George Washington University. She earned her MBA from Virginia Commonwealth University. 

Baine joined the company in 1995 as an associate engineer after earning a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Virginia Tech, and since has held numerous engineering, operational and management positions. He is a board member of the Dominion Energy Credit Union, ChamberRVA, Venture Richmond, CJW Medical Center, the Valentine and MEGA Mentors. 

Succeeding Baine as senior vice president of power delivery will be Charlene Whitfield, effective Oct. 1, 2020. Whitfield will oversee Dominion Energy Virginia’s electric transmission, distribution and customer solutions business and will report to Baine. Whitfield joined Dominion in 1982 and has held a wide range of leadership roles within Dominion Energy Virginia. She has a bachelor's degree in accounting from Virginia Union University and is a board member of the Dominion Energy Credit Union and the Greater Richmond Partnership.

Onshore