Making an exception, taking a new role
If Denis O'Brien, chief executive officer of Exelon Utilities, had his way, he'd never be at a breakfast meeting. A collegiate rower, O'Brien, 54, guards the 90 minutes between 7 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. for a private workout in his office at 2301 Market St., with its sweeping view of the Schuylkill and Boathouse Row.
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If Denis O'Brien, chief executive officer of Exelon Utilities, had his way, he'd never be at a breakfast meeting.
A collegiate rower, O'Brien, 54, guards the 90 minutes between 7 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. for a private workout in his office at 2301 Market St., with its sweeping view of the Schuylkill and Boathouse Row.
O'Brien needs that time to oversee Peco, Baltimore Gas & Electric and Commonwealth Edison Co. He's also senior executive vice president at Exelon Corp., the Chicago-based parent company.
But on Wednesday, O'Brien will make an exception to join 1,200 members of Philadelphia's business community for the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce's annual breakfast meeting.
It's a non-skip event because he'll become the chamber's new chairman, replacing Citizens Bank executive Daniel Fitzpatrick.
Question: Any priorities for the chamber?
Answer: I think Rob [Wonderling, the chamber's chief executive] has set a very nice agenda. If I would have any twist, it would be to try to put a little more focus on growth - population, economic, business, all forms of it.
Q: What would it take?
A: We want new jobs and new business. We don't want to rearrange the business that's already in the region. What's the new thing coming? Let's grow that.
Q: Nice sentiment, but it seems like the old joke: How do you get rich and get a million dollars? Answer. You get a million dollars; then you are rich.
A: If the answers were obvious and apparent, then we'd be there. I think the key is to get the folks together and start the dialogue about how to do it and build the champions in the right places.
Q: In college, you worked as a Peco ditch-digger.
A: I was digging trenches in the gas gangs of the old Philadelphia Electric/Peco. The guys were great. I loved the work because you are outside in the sun. It's physical. At lunch, [they'd] say, 'You love the work today, but you won't love this work in January and you won't love being out here 35 years from now.' They'd all say, 'Go back to college. Get your degree.'
Q: Your father worked for Peco.
A: My father worked for Philadelphia Electric for 38 years before me.
Q: You've seen Peco go through a lot of mergers. In 2012, you presided over a major acquisition, and now Exelon is trying to acquire Atlantic City Electric and Delmarva Power. What's the toughest part of merger?
A: Once it's approved, working through the social and cultural issues.
Q: Any lessons?
A: When we first put Peco and ComEd together [to form Exelon], we said, 'We're going to drive to one culture.' In retrospect, that was a mistake. Look, these are big companies. They've been around for hundreds of years and they've got lots of culture and heritage and legacy. Let's teach them to work together versus trying to make them all the same.
Q: Does the power ever go out at your house?
A: It does. Whenever it's out, if there's a storm, I'm going to be somewhere to see what's going on.
Q: What's your role?
A: Hopefully, the things I have done up to that point have made a difference. I'm probably good for coffee and doughnuts and not a whole lot more.
DENIS O'BRIEN
Titles: Chief executive officer, Exelon Utilities; senior executive vice president, Exelon Corp.
Home: Havertown, five doors down from his 91-year-old mother.
Family: Wife, Carolyn; children, Emily, 18, Joseph, 16, Charlie, 9.
Diplomas: Rutgers, industrial engineering, Drexel, master's in business.
Multi-tasking: Works while attending his kids' swim meets.
Harry met Sally: Realized he and his future wife were more than good friends when they dined together on Christmas Eve and Valentine's Day.
Friday night: Pizza at home with the family. EndText
EXELON UTILITIES
Where: Center City.
Parent company: Exelon Corp., Chicago.
Business: Electric and natural gas distribution.
Companies: Peco, Commonwealth Edison, Baltimore Gas & Electric
Combined 2013 revenues: $10.6 billion.
Customers: 6.6 million, electric; 1.2 million gas.
Employees: 11,616.
Territory: 15,700 square miles in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Illinois.
Point of pride: Peco building's green roof.
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MORE ONLINE
Denis O'Brien: Introvert, goes from shy to hi. www.inquirer.com/ jobbing
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215-854-2769 @JaneVonBergen