Chief Operating Officer, LG&E and KU

Tom Jessee

Tom Jessee was named to his current position in March 2024. He has 38 years of experience in the gas and electric industry. As Chief Operating Officer, Jessee is responsible for Electric Distribution and Transmission and Gas Distribution and Storage.

Jessee began his career in 1986 and has held various engineering and management positions, including manager of Substation Construction and Maintenance. In 2006, he was named manager of the Louisville Arena Project, and successfully oversaw the challenging relocation of a major LG&E substation and other equipment to accommodate the new KFC Yum! Center arena in downtown Louisville. Jessee was then promoted to director of Asset Management for the Energy Delivery business and was responsible for the oversight of electric and gas system engineering and planning, gas and electric distribution asset information and mapping, and budgeting and financial reporting.

In 2013 he was promoted to Vice President-Transmission where he was responsible for LG&E and KU's electric transmission systems and for effectively meeting evolving operational and regulatory demands. In January 2020, he was named Vice President-Gas Operations and was responsible for the safe, reliable and strategic operation of LG&E’s natural gas transmission and distribution systems and the delivery of low-cost gas to customers.

Jessee holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Kentucky. He is a former adjunct faculty member of the University of Louisville J.B. Speed School of Engineering, where he taught power systems analysis. Jessee is on the board of the Southern Gas Association and The Nest - Center for Women, Children and Families in Lexington. He is a graduate of the Leadership Kentucky class of 2014 and a registered Professional Engineer in Kentucky.