CFO Tom Dunn retires from Southwest Power Pool; replacement selected

Little Rock-based regional transmission organization Southwest Power Pool (SPP) has named Deborah Sterzing as chief financial officer after Tom Dunn retired in December.

Dunn retired on Dec. 1 after serving 21 years as senior vice president of finance and CFO. He joined SPP in 2001. According to SPP, the organization did not issue news releases on his retirement or the search for his replacement.

On Monday (Feb. 27), SPP announced Sterzing as Dunn’s replacement. Sterzing’s role as senior vice president of finance and CFO is effective March 13.

“After an extensive nationwide search, I’m pleased to welcome Deborah Sterzing to the SPP team,” said Barbara Sugg, president and CEO for SPP. “Her strategic, financial and regulatory expertise will ensure SPP has the organizational readiness necessary to lead our industry to a brighter future.”

According to a news release, Sterzing will develop and execute the organization’s financial strategy “aligned to SPP’s vision and objectives.” She’s also responsible for overseeing the financial settlement of all SPP tariff transactions, serving as the primary risk management officer, and leading the organization’s accounting, settlements and credit departments.

“I am thrilled to be joining the executive leadership team at SPP,” Sterzing said. “I look forward to bringing my diverse experience in the energy industry to be a strategic financial partner with the CEO, board of directors and organization, with the goal of enabling the best outcomes for our members and stakeholders.”

Sterzing has worked for more than 20 years in finance and electricity industry financial planning. Most recently, she was senior vice president and CFO at Wind Energy Transmission Texas (WETT), where she led the utility’s finance, accounting, treasury, regulatory, risk governance and contract teams. She previously worked in financial roles for Cognitive Scale, Citigroup, High Bridge Energy Development, Skaia Energy LLC, Green Mountain Energy and General Electric.

She has a master’s degree in business administration from Carnegie Mellon University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Colorado College.

SPP manages the electrical grid across 17 central and western U.S. states, including a portion of Arkansas, and provides energy services to customers in the Eastern and Western Interconnections.