Consumers Energy CEO Poppe to step down; Rochow named as replacement

Garrick Rochow Courtesy Consumers Energy

CMS Energy announced Patti Poppe is leaving the company, effective Dec. 1, to take the position of chief executive officer at PG&E Corporation in California.

Garrick Rochow, current executive vice president of operations, will succeed Poppe as CMS Energy and Consumers Energy president and CEO, as well as on CMS Energy’s board of directors.

“Garrick’s leadership approach, vast industry and company expertise will take CMS Energy and Consumers Energy to the next level,” said John G. Russell, chairman of the CMS Energy board of directors. “You can count on CMS Energy to have consistent and predictable performance because of our strong succession planning and the quality of our executive team. I wish Patti the best of luck.”

Rochow, who has more than 20 years of industry experience, has been with CMS Energy for 17 years and has held his current position since July 2016. In this role, he is responsible for the company’s electric and natural gas distribution and transmission operations, generation and compression operations.

Prior to this role, Rochow served in a variety of leadership positions across the business as Consumers Energy’s senior vice president of distribution and customer operations; vice president of customer experience, rates and regulation; and quality and chief customer officer after serving as vice president of energy delivery. He also works closely with the Michigan Public Service Commission, state and federal legislators and is on the board of directors of The Right Place in Grand Rapids.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to lead a company with amazing co-workers who make a difference every day for our customers, investors and the communities we serve,” Rochow said. “I look forward to continuing our strong operational and financial performance while creating an environment that keeps our customers and co-workers safe, reflects our culture and is inclusive and respectful of everyone.”

Rochow graduated from Michigan Technological University with a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering and earned a master’s degree in business administration from Western Michigan University. He also attended an executive education program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Wisconsin School of Business.

Rochow also serves on the board for the West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology.

Poppe joined Consumers in 2011 as vice president of customer operations and served in numerous leadership roles with the company before becoming president and CEO in 2016.

“Since 2011, I have considered CMS Energy as my home and my co-workers as my family, and I will miss everyone immensely,” Poppe said. “Garrick is a world-class leader and will continue to deliver on the triple bottom line of people, planet and prosperity as we have for many years now.”