CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Duke Energy today named Catherine S. Stempien vice president, corporate development, replacing Richard Bates, who is leaving Duke Energy to pursue other interests.
In this role, Stempien will report directly to Steve K. Young, executive vice president and chief financial officer.
"Catherine will help us execute corporate development initiatives and to integrate these efforts into Duke Energy's strategic planning process," said Young.
Stempien, 44, has served as vice president, legal, for Duke Energy's Commercial Businesses organization since December 2012. She has held leadership positions in the legal department in numerous areas including state and federal regulation, litigation, environmental, nuclear and commercial transactions. Stempien led the legal transactions team in the spinoff of Spectra Energy Corp in 2007 and the $2.1 billion Crescent Resources joint venture transaction with Morgan Stanley Real Estate Fund in 2006.
Stempien joined the company in 2003 as an associate general counsel for Cinergy Corp. in Cincinnati. Previously, she was a senior attorney for AT&T Corp. in Basking Ridge, N.J., and AT&T Broadband in Englewood, Colo.
Stempien earned a Juris Doctor degree, magna cum laude, from Boston University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in government from Dartmouth College. She also completed a joint Dartmouth/London School of Economics program in comparative political studies and recently participated in the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 250 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at: www.duke-energy.com.