Alliant Energy names Barton as president, chief operating officer

Former AEP executive vice president, COO brings extensive industry knowledge

Lisa Barton Alliant Energy
Lisa Barton has been named president and chief operating officer, effective Feb. 27. CREDIT ALLIANT ENERGY

Alliant Energy has named Lisa Barton to the newly-created role of president and chief operating officer, effective Feb. 27.

Ms. Barton will work with Alliant Energy chair and chief executive officer John Larsen to execute the company’s investment growth plan and continue advancing Alliant Energy’s work to enable a clean energy future for the customers and communities Alliant serves, according to a release.

She will oversee the company’s two public utility subsidiaries, Interstate Power and Light (IPL) and Wisconsin Power and Light (WPL), as well as Alliant Energy’s customer experience, sustainability and regulatory strategies.

Ms. Barton, 57, most recently served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of American Electric Power (AEP), one of the largest electric utility companies in the United States. She was appointed to that role in 2020 and was responsible for all of AEP’s regulated operations across 11 states and for the health and safety of 16,700 employees.

Ms. Barton is known as an advocate for a responsible clean energy transition, and is credited with guiding AEP’s expansion into regulated renewables and shaping the company’s grid reliability and resiliency initiatives.

In 2019, she was named AEP executive vice president – utilities after holding leadership positions in AEP Transmission. She joined AEP in 2006 from Eversource (formerly Northeast Utilities).

“Lisa is a well-rounded executive with an outstanding record of driving strategic outcomes,” Mr. Larson said. “She has demonstrated a deep commitment to serving customers, while also generating substantial, sustainable shareholder value. We are delighted to welcome Lisa to the Alliant Energy team and confident that her experience will further Alliant Energy’s operating excellence as we deliver safe, reliable and affordable clean energy to the customers and communities we proudly serve.”

“In getting to know the Alliant Energy team, their commitment to creating value for all stakeholders is front and center. I was drawn to Alliant Energy’s purpose to serve customers and build stronger communities, and I am honored to have the opportunity to work with the talented employees across the organization to build on the progress Alliant Energy is making to achieve a resilient, affordable, clean energy future for the communities Alliant Energy serves across Iowa and Wisconsin. Alliant Energy has tremendous opportunities ahead in energy innovation, and I look forward to contributing to the company’s industry-leading performance.”

Ms. Barton is on the board of directors for Commercial Metals Co. She has also served the industry as vice chair and member of the Electric Power Research Institute’s executive board and former chair of the ReliabilityFirst board.

A former International Women’s Foundation (IWF) Fellow and member of G100 Next Generation Leadership, Ms. Barton is a member of IWF and C200. She earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and a juris doctorate degree from Suffolk University Law School.