President and CEO of Duquesne Light Holdings Appointed to Pitt’s Board of Trustees

The Pitt Chronicle reported on June 26, 2006 that Morgan K. O'Brien, president and CEO of Duquesne Light Holdings, was appointed by Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell and confirmed by the Pennsylvania Senate to be a Commonwealth trustee on Pitt’s Board of Trustees.

Depending upon whether FirstEnergy is still Pitt's supplier (and the press release cited in my last post is not up to date) or whether Duquesne has replaced FirstEnergy, this appointment could have an impact on the future prospects of the CGUP. If Duquesne Light is currently Pitt's supplier then it would seem unlikely that Mr. O'Brien would vote in favor of Pitt purchasing 10% of its energy from renewable energy sources (RES), and thereby lower Duquesne Light's revenues.

The Board of Trustees is composed of 36 voting members, therefore, Mr. O'Brien's vote would be 1/19th of a majority. Here is some interesting information on the constitution of the Board:

The Board of Trustees is composed of thirty-six voting members consisting of: the Chancellor; seventeen Term Trustees, elected by the Board; six Alumni Trustees, elected by the Board, on nominations by the University Alumni Association Board of Directors; and twelve Commonwealth Trustees, four each appointed by the Governor, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House. There is, in addition, a class of fourteen Special Trustees elected by the Board of Trustees. They may attend all meetings of the Board and are entitled to and exercise all rights, responsibilities, and privileges of Trusteeship, except the right to vote at Board meetings. The Board of Trustees includes the Governor of Pennsylvania, the Secretary of Education, and the Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh, all three of whom are non-voting, ex officio members.