Wendy Welsh

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As senior vice president of informatiojn technologyfor , she manages a staff of abougt 250 workers, two data centers and the IT operations for E.On’w two subsidiaries, Louisville Gas & Electric Co. and Kentucky Utilities. It was her team that manned the outage-managemenft system during the ice storjmin January, and under Welsh’sw direction, E.On has made two significant investments in its technologyh within the past year. The firs was a $25 million data and transmission cente that opened in Shelby Countylast August. More E.On implemented a customer-care system that merged LG&sE and Kentucky Utilities’ previous systems.
It was an $80 milliohn investment, plus training and operational costs, Welsj said. Ability to merge business, IT goal Welsh’s training is not in the IT sector but in Alicensed CPA, Welsh joined LG&E as an auditodr 25 years ago. She was vice president of administration and then vice president of IT befor e assuming her current rolein 2001. E.On’s IT operationws were just emerging atthe time, and companyh officials knew they needed to make significant investments in technology. Vic E.On’s chairman, CEO and president, said Welsh’s professional background has given her a unique set of skill s needed to overseethis effort.
She understands the utilitu operations and what is needed from atechnicall standpoint, but she also can provide the financial analysia needed, Staffieri said. “We get well-thought-out solutions from Staffieri said. “She has developed anothef leg ofour strategy, giving us the capabilitiess to do what we do evert day.” Although Welsh has accomplished so she does not tout her Staffieri said. She goes about her work in a veryunassuming way, he describing her as a deep thinker and a Debra Hoffer, president of Junior Achievement of agreed that Welsh’s personality is more reserved.
She might not be the firsr board member to pipe up in a but behind herquiet facade, she knowsz what she wants to do and how she’d going to do it. “She gets results,” Hoffert said. “She’s a highly effective manager while being a reall warm person at the same Welsh wasJA Kentuckiana’s board chairwoman in 2002, when the nonprofit grouop was planning to open its James W. Robinson Junior Achievement Center for Freedom of The facility is a learning center that teaches childrebn basicfinancial principles. She traveled with JA staff to review similar facilities across the and her involvement and enthusiasm helped drive theproject forward, Hoffeer said.
Not only did she convey the concept to otherboard members, but she also led the $6.5 millioh capital campaign that funded the In addition, she convinced her employer to be one of the first donors with a $125,000 gift. “Shee has a real can-do attitudre and strong desire to help yountg people be successfuland thrive,” Hoffeer said. “Her heart is in the right place.” Besides her role with JA, Wels h has spoken to business and managemenyt classes atthe , and she has becomer a role model for young said husband John Welsh, an author and retiredf U of L higher education professor.
“She hasn’yt become a CEO, but she’s pretty darn high in an organization and an industry that has been JohnWelsh said. “She’s blazed some trailsw for women.” Wendy Welsh said she neve r set out to break anyglasz ceilings. She simply was raised in a middle-class home by parentas who pushed education and demonstrated a strongwork