425 Business Magazine's IDEA Awards recognize the Eastside business community's Innovation, Distinction, Excellence, and Achievement.
Puget Sound Energy's Kimberly Harris was a finalist for the IDEA CEO of the Year award. Here's an excerpt from 425 Business Magazine about Harris's path to PSE, and the leadership which qualified her for the award:
The combination of engineering and physics drew Puget Sound Energy president and CEO Kimberly Harris even further into the electrical industry after serving as outside counsel for a local electric company upon graduating from law school.
“I was hooked immediately,” she said. “I was captivated by the dedication of the individuals in the field.”
You could say Harris is deeply passionate about her career — the safety of PSE’s employees and customers keeps her up at night — and she’s incredibly proud of the gas and electric service people who are first responders to emergencies. She’s also fond of two new programs, Green Direct and Solar Choice, which will help customers lower their carbon footprints. “There are many moments where I’m extremely proud of my team at PSE,” she said.
Harris said she’s certainly grown as a professional during her 18 years with the company. Some of the best lessons she’s learned are to “never stop stretching,” “surround yourself with great people,” and “celebrate success.”
In January, Harris will chair the American Gas Association, as the organization treks into its 100th anniversary and hosts the World Gas Conference. She just wrapped up a year serving as the chair of the 2017-2018 United Way of King County campaign and said, “It was an incredible opportunity to connect with so many in our community.”
See the complete list of winners and finalists here.