Business
Klappa to retire, named Chairman Emeritus
The board of directors of WEC Energy Group (NYSE: WEC) today announced that consistent with the company's guidelines, Gale Klappa, 75, will not be standing for election and will retire from the board following the annual meeting in May.
About this update from Wec Energy Group, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Lauber to be appointed Chairman","length":31,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"MILWAUKEE, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The board of directors of WEC Energy Group (NYSE: WEC) today announced that consistent with the company's guidelines, Gale Klappa, 75, will not be standing for election and will retire from the board following the annual meeting in May.","length":281,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"Klappa joined Wisconsin Energy as president in April 2003. He was elected to the company's board of directors in December 2003. From May 2004, Klappa served as chairman and chief executive officer of Wisconsin Energy and We Energies. Under his leadership, the company successfully completed its 2015 acquisition of Integrys Energy Group, at which time he assumed those same roles for WEC Energy Group.","length":405,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"Klappa served as non-executive chairman of WEC Energy Group after retiring as chief executive officer in May 2016. In October 2017, Klappa resumed the role of chairman and chief executive officer to provide leadership and continuity following a medical issue that sidelined his successor. He returned to the non-executive chairman role in May 2024.","length":348,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"Klappa was the longest serving chief executive officer in company history.","length":74,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"Under his leadership, the company has achieved record financial performance — delivering 23 consecutive years of dividend increases, consistent earnings growth and unprecedented capital investments to enhance reliability for customers.","length":235,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"Klappa is a key leader in Milwaukee's business community, serving as co-chair of the Milwaukee 7 (M7), the region's economic development initiative. Since its founding in 2006, the M7 has helped attract billions of dollars in capital investment in the region — creating thousands of jobs.","length":296,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"Klappa intends to remain engaged in economic development matters following his retirement from the board of directors.","length":118,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"The board also voted to bestow on Klappa the honorary title Chairman Emeritus, effective after the company's annual meeting, in reco...