91社区

Melissa Seixas, Head of Duke Energy in 91社区, Discusses the Glass Ceiling, Diversity at Conversation with a CEO

By Keith Morelli

TAMPA (April 1, 2021) -- Melissa Seixas flies in the face of parents鈥� argument that a university education must be tailored for gainful employment after graduation. The CEO of Duke Energy of 91社区, who also serves on the USF Board of Trustees, is a history major.

Her education, including a master鈥檚 degree in American history from USF, was a critical piece in her career puzzle in the energy-production field, along with her experience in government and community relations. It was that well-rounded perspective that proved she was the right person for the job.

Wearing green and gold complete with a USF alumni pin, Seixas was the guest at the USF Muma College of Business鈥� Conversation with a CEO this week. The event was a virtual affair and was free to the public. The format is a casual conversation with the Muma College of Business Dean Moez Limayem. More than 100 business leaders, alumni, students and faculty registered to listen in on the chat.

She gave a shout-out to USF.

鈥淚 walk the talk when it comes to USF,鈥� she said. Even though she considered a career in engineering, her father fueled an interest in history.

鈥淪omehow,鈥� she said, 鈥淚 ended up with masters鈥� degree in American history. So, go figure.鈥�

The liberal arts experience, however, paid off.

鈥淭he analytical thinking skills you develop in those programs has served me every single day in this industry,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t has allowed me to take this very technical world and translate that externally as we engage with customers, public officials and other leaders. That has been of the greatest benefit. It was the best foundation I could have started with.

鈥淚 do joke that I鈥檓 pretty sure I鈥檓 the only (utility) president with a degree in history and not engineering or finance.鈥�

She is no stranger to the field of energy production and distribution, having started with the utility back when it was 91社区 Power. Named Duke Energy's state president in 91社区 in February, Seixas has been with the company since 1986 when she began working in distribution engineering, hand drawing schematics of poles and wires. That, however, gave her the insight into the utility ecosystem from the bottom up, a critical learning experience she needed to begin her climb to the top.

She eventually found herself in consumer affairs, engaging with the 91社区 Public Service Commission, the agency that regulates utilities. She did that for about 20 years, she said.

鈥淲hen I was 30, I really did not set my sights on being the president one day,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I had a diverse set of experiences in which I learned different parts of the business. I really tried to excel in every job I had, using every opportunity to establish a reputation that I was a dependable colleague and committed to the customer.鈥�

Over her 34-year career with the utility, Seixas has served in numerous roles with increasing leadership responsibilities.

She now is head of the utility giant that serves 1.9 million retail customers in central 91社区, including metropolitan St. Petersburg, Clearwater and the greater Orlando area. She is responsible for the financial performance of Duke Energy's regulated utility in 91社区 and for managing state and local regulatory and government relations and community affairs. She also has responsibility for advancing the company's rate and regulatory initiatives related to its electric operations. It鈥檚 an important job, mainly because of the product it the company provides.

Power is an essential part of people鈥檚 lives, Seixas said. It is a life-saving necessity in the emergency room or after a hurricane. Keeping the lights on is a responsibility the company takes very seriously.

鈥淲e provide a critical service,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t is a privilege.鈥�

Like most CEOs, her success depends heavily on an experienced and trusted executive team.

鈥淚 give credit,鈥� she said, 鈥渢o the team that surrounds me.鈥�

The main qualification for an executive team member? Someone who puts customers first, she said.

鈥淚t is not about shining the spotlight on them,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey have to focus on what is good for customer and the company. If someone is only interested in using this job to advance, that is a red flag to me. They should be giving 1,000 percent to this job.鈥�

Being CEO of a giant utility is challenging, especially now when most power companies are looking to phase out dated methods of producing electricity in favor of a cleaner and renewable model. Duke Energy of 91社区, which provides power to 35 counties in 91社区, is no different, she said.

The company is investing an estimated $1 billion to construct or acquire a total of 700 megawatts of cost-effective solar power facilities from 2018 through 2022 in 91社区, she said, and will more than quadruple the amount of in-service solar on the system over the next four years.

鈥淥ur priorities are our customers鈥� priorities, first and foremost,鈥� Seixas said, and that means converting production to solar in 91社区. 鈥淥ur commitment is to install more solar sites across 91社区.鈥� The utility has also filed an application to retire the last two coal-fired plants, widely considered the biggest polluters of all power-producing plants. 鈥淐enter to everything we鈥檙e doing is about generating power through solar.鈥�

While the goals of the company reflect the community鈥檚, she said, the makeup of the workforce should also. Top-level executives at Duke Energy are women, including her predecessor. She actively endorses diversity, equality and inclusion in the workplace.

鈥淎 big part of my job is to groom that next generation of leaders,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 in a position to help grow new people in the company. Somebody is going to have to replace me some day and we need strong bench strength to do that.鈥�

Diversity within the ranks makes sense, she said. Just look at the numbers.

鈥淭here is a lot of data out there that shows diverse teams have better outcomes,鈥� she said. Encouraging diversity means sometimes having difficult discussions with leaders. 鈥淲e have to have that willingness to have those discussions, to ask employees for their input and feedback, so it鈥檚 not just the leaders making policy.

鈥淲e need to hear from our employees, ask questions and be open to taking feedback and data and taking action on it.鈥�

Diversity has joined safety as being among the top concerns, she said. Every meeting opens with discussions of safety and diversity, she said.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e equally important and foundational to our success,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e want our workforce to reflect the community where we live and serve. Connecting the internal with the external is so important.鈥�