Lauber to be appointed Chairman
MILWAUKEE, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The board of directors of WEC Energy Group (NYSE: WEC) today announced that consistent with the company's guidelines, Gale Klappa, 75, will not be standing for election and will retire from the board following the annual meeting in May.
Klappa joined Wisconsin Energy as president in April 2003. He was elected to the company's board of directors in December 2003. From May 2004, Klappa served as chairman and chief executive officer of Wisconsin Energy and We Energies. Under his leadership, the company successfully completed its 2015 acquisition of Integrys Energy Group, at which time he assumed those same roles for WEC Energy Group.
Klappa served as non-executive chairman of WEC Energy Group after retiring as chief executive officer in May 2016. In October 2017, Klappa resumed the role of chairman and chief executive officer to provide leadership and continuity following a medical issue that sidelined his successor. He returned to the non-executive chairman role in May 2024.
Klappa was the longest serving chief executive officer in company history.
Under his leadership, the company has achieved record financial performance — delivering 23 consecutive years of dividend increases, consistent earnings growth and unprecedented capital investments to enhance reliability for customers.
Klappa is a key leader in Milwaukee's business community, serving as co-chair of the Milwaukee 7 (M7), the region's economic development initiative. Since its founding in 2006, the M7 has helped attract billions of dollars in capital investment in the region — creating thousands of jobs.
Klappa intends to remain engaged in economic development matters following his retirement from the board of directors.
The board also voted to bestow on Klappa the honorary title Chairman Emeritus, effective after the company's annual meeting, in recognition of his exemplary leadership and decades of dedicated service to both the board and the company. This is the first time this honor has been bestowed on anyone in the company's more than 125 year history.
"On behalf of the board, the company, and the communities that have benefited from Gale's tremendous leadership, we extend our deepest gratitude," said Thomas Lane, independent lead director. "Gale's accomplishments over the years have been extraordinary, and his vision has helped position WEC Energy Group and its customers for long-term success. True to form, Gale isn't slowing down — we look forward to his continued involvement in economic development initiatives that will strengthen both our company and the region we serve."
The board plans to appoint Scott Lauber, president and chief executive officer, to the additional role of chairman following the company's annual meeting, subject to his election by stockholders in the annual director election. Lauber has served as president and chief executive officer of WEC Energy Group and as a member of the board of directors since February 2022. He joined the company in 1990 and has held a series of leadership roles of increasing responsibility throughout his career.
"Scott's leadership has been instrumental to the company's success. His experience, insight, and steady guidance will continue to serve the organization and the board in the years ahead," Lane said.
WEC Energy Group (NYSE: WEC), based in Milwaukee, is one of the nation's premier energy companies, serving 4.7 million customers in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota.
The company's principal utilities are We Energies, Wisconsin Public Service, Peoples Gas, North Shore Gas, Michigan Gas Utilities, Minnesota Energy Resources and Upper Michigan Energy Resources. Another major subsidiary, We Power, designs, builds and owns electric generating plants. In addition, WEC Infrastructure LLC owns a growing fleet of renewable generation facilities in states ranging from South Dakota to Texas.
WEC Energy Group (wecenergygroup.com) is a Fortune 500 company and a component of the S&P 500. The company has approximately 32,000 stockholders of record, 7,000 employees and more than $49 billion of assets.
SOURCE WEC Energy Group
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