Jim Rogers, chairman, president and CEO of Duke Energy, has been named the 2009 Citizen of the Carolinas by the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce. Rogers will be presented with the award at the chamber's Annual Meeting in November.
The Citizen of the Carolinas Award is the most prestigious award presented by the Charlotte Chamber. Rogers will be honored for his broad history of service and success in the energy field. He joins a list of past winners that includes the Rev. Billy Graham, Marion Wright Edelman, Coach Dean Smith, Hugh McColl, Michael Jordan, Ben Bernanke and Jerry Richardson.
Rogers has more than 20 years of experience as a chief executive officer in the electric utility industry.
Rogers' impact on Charlotte is undeniable, and he has reasserted Duke Energy's role as a local civic leader. He is leading an initiative to make the region the "New Energy Capitol of the United States." In April 2009, Rogers convened the first-ever energy summit that included executives from major energy companies operating in the Charlotte region, elected officials and local business leaders. The summit kicked-off the effort to make the region a nationally recognized hub for innovation in the energy industry.
Rogers and Duke Energy further established a commitment to the growth and vitality of Charlotte's center city when it was announced in February that the company's corporate headquarters will relocate to 550 S. Tryon Street, a tower currently under construction owned by Wachovia-Wells Fargo. Once completed, the new building will be named the Duke Energy Center.
In April of 2006, Rogers was named president and chief executive officer of Duke Energy following the merger of Duke Energy and Cinergy and moved to Charlotte. Before the merger, he served as Cinergy's chairman and chief executive officer since 1994. Prior to the formation of Cinergy, he joined PSI Energy in 1988 as the company's chairman, president and chief executive officer.
Rogers' role as a civic leader extends beyond Duke Energy with his involvement on local boards. In 2007, Rogers co-chaired the Arts & Science Council's $82.5 million Capital Campaign to fund the Cultural Arts Facilities including the Bechtler Art Museum, Gantt Afro-American Cultural Center, Knight Theater and Mint Museums.
Rogers attended Emory University and earned a bachelor of business administration and a juris doctor degree from the University of Kentucky. A native of Birmingham, Ala., Rogers and his wife, Mary Anne, have two daughters, a son and eight grandchildren.
The one-hour Annual Meeting will be held at the Charlotte Convention Center on Monday, November 16, and the program is followed by a cocktail reception with heavy hors d'oeuvres and entertainment. For more details or sponsorship information, call (704) 378-1314.
