Katie Aittola has been appointed as senior vice president of supply chain and real estate, and chief procurement officer at Duke Energy, effective January 1. She will take over from Dwight Jacobs, who is retiring after 23 years with the company.
Aittola will be responsible for sourcing and supply chain functions across the enterprise. She will also oversee real estate operations, including strategic planning, transactions, and facilities management that support energy delivery in Duke Energy’s service areas.
Bonnie Titone, executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Duke Energy, said: “Katie brings to the role a depth of experience with strategic planning, operational transformation and enterprise leadership. 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.”
During Jacobs’ tenure, the company’s supply chain operations were recognized as industry leading while adapting to changing conditions. Titone added: “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.”
Aittola currently serves as senior vice president of enterprise strategy and insurance, as well as chief risk officer. Since taking on those roles, she has led initiatives that changed her organization’s approach to risk management and strategy. Aittola joined Duke Energy in 2009 and has held several positions in finance—including corporate development—and previously managed risk and business support within the supply chain function.
“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 lives 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 provides electric utility services to approximately 8.6 million customers across six states—North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky—and owns more than 55 gigawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve about 1.7 million customers in five states.
The company is focusing on modernizing its electric grid infrastructure while investing in cleaner generation sources such as natural gas plants, nuclear power facilities, renewable resources like wind or solar energy systems, along with energy storage technologies.
For more information about Duke Energy’s operations or recent developments visit duke-energy.com or check updates at the Duke Energy News Center.
