​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Meet the Board of Directors

At CenterPoint Energy, our board of directors and executive management team are committed to building a company that is Always There for its customers, employees and shareholders.

Wendy Montoya Cloonan

Wendy Montoya Cloonan 

Experience

  • Houston Managing Partner (Jan. 2023 – Present) at Cantu Harden Montoya LLP, a public law and public finance firm
  • Founder and Sole Shareholder (Aug. 2019 – Dec. 2022) of The Law Office of Wendy Montoya Cloonan, PLLC, a public law and public finance firm based in Houston, Texas
  • Senior Program Officer in Education, Assistant General Counsel and Director of Legal (Feb. 2015 – July 2019) at the Houston Endowment, Inc., a private foundation that partners with other organizations in the non-profit, public, and private sectors to improve quality of life for the residents of greater Houston
  • Public law and finance attorney at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP (formerly Andrews Kurth LLP) (2013 – 2015), Schwartz, Page & Harding, L.L.P. (2011 – 2013) and Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. (2006 – 2011)

Other Boards (For Profit and Non-Profit Entities)

  • Commissioner—Port of Houston Authority and Chair Business Equity/Procurement Committee, Community Relations Committee, Governance Committee, Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, Dredge Task Force Committee (2019 – Present)
  • Board Member—Harris County Hospital District Foundation (2021 – Present) 
  • Executive Board Member—ALMAAHH—Advocates of a Latino Museum of Art & Architecture Houston/Harris County (2021 – Present)
  • National Association of Corporate Directors Tri-Cities Chapter (2021 – Present)
  • Morgan Stanley Women Energy Directors Network (2021 – Present)
  • Latino Corporate Directors Association (2021 – Present)
  • Chair (2024 – Present) and Board Member (2023 – Present), Harris County Commissioner Precinct One Community Foundation
  • Executive Board Member and Secretary Officer—Houston Downtown Management District (2016 – 2021)

Earl Cummings

Earl M. Cummings 

Experience

  • Managing Partner (2012 – Present) of MCM Houston Properties, LLC, a real estate fund that invests in single family residential properties in Houston, Texas
  • Served in various positions, including currently as Chief Executive Officer, at The BTS Team (1997 – Present), that started as an information technology and staffing firm providing solutions and services across various regions and evolved into a company that also invests financial resources in various industries
  • Chief Executive Officer (2008 – 2014) of BestAssets, Inc., a private company providing real estate portfolio management and related services

Other Boards (For Profit and Non-Profit Entities)

Public Company

  • Halliburton Company (2022 – Present)

Other

  • Texas Children's Hospital (2022 – Present)
  • UH Energy Advisory Board (2021 – Present)
  • Board of Visitors of University of Houston (2016 – 2018)
  • Yellowstone Academy (2004 – 2017)

Christopher Franklin

Christopher H. Franklin 

Experience

  • Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President (2015 – Present) of Essential Utilities, Inc., a public company providing regulated utilities, including water, wastewater and natural gas, to customers in 10 states; Has served in various roles of increasing responsibilities at Essential Utilities, Inc. (f.k.a. AquaAmerica, Inc.) since 1992

Other Boards (For Profit and Non-Profit Entities)

Public Company

  • Chairman, Essential Utilities, Inc. (2015 – Present)
  • ITC Holdings (2011 – 2016)

Other

  • University of Pennsylvania Board of Trustees (2015 – Present)
David Lesar

Raquelle W. Lewis 

Experience

  • Held various positions (2008 – Present) of increasing responsibilities including the position of Southeast Texas Director of Communications & Public Information Offices (2017 – Present) of TxDOT, a state government organization that plans, constructs, operates, and maintains Texas’ integrated transportation system including highways and multimodal programs
  • Served as Special Advisor to TxDOT Executive Director and the Executive Administration (2015)
  • Held various positions (1998 – 2008) of increasing responsibilities including the position of Supervising Planner/Program Manager at Parsons Brinkerhoff, Inc., a multinational engineering and design firm that specializes in strategic consulting, planning, engineering, construction management, energy, infrastructure, and community planning

Other Boards (For Profit and Non-Profit Entities)

  • Success House A Road to Recovery, Inc. (2023 – Present)
  • South Main Alliance Advisory Board (2022 – Present)

Other Professional Experience and Community Involvement

  • National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) – Houston Branch
  • WTS International
  • Leadership Women, Inc.

David Lesar

Thaddeus J. Malik

Experience

  • Principal (2022 – Present) at S2T Solutions, LLC, a transactional advisory services company
  • Partner (2010 - 2022) at Paul Hastings, LLP, a global law firm
  • Partner (2002 – 2010) at Jenner & Block, LLP, an international law firm
  • Vice President and General Counsel (2000 – 2002) at Lante Corporation, a former publicly traded technology consulting company

Other Boards (For Profit and Non-Profit Entities)

  • Health Care Service Corporation (2019 - Present)
  • President (2022 – 2024) and board member (2009 – Present) of The First Tee of Greater Chicago
  • Illinois PGA Foundation (2005 – Present)
  • The TimeLine Theater Company (2014 – 2020; 2023 – Present)

Martin Nesbitt

Martin H. Nesbitt

Experience

  • Co-Chief Executive Officer (2013 – Present) of The Vistria Group, LLC, a Chicago-based investment firm focused on the education, healthcare and financial services industries
  • Chief Executive Officer (1996 – 2012) of PRG Parking Management (known as The Parking Spot), an owner and operator of off-airport parking facilities

Other experience (For Profit and Non-Profit Entities)

Public Company

  • American Airlines Group (2015 – Present)
  • Chewy, Inc. (2020 – Present)
  • Jones Lang LaSalle (2011 – 2020)
  • Norfolk Southern Corp. (2013 – 2019)

Other

  • Chairman, Barack Obama Foundation (2013 – Present)
  • Trustee, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago

R.A. Walker

Theodore F. Pound

Experience

  • Private Investor and Attorney (2016 – Present)
  • Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary (2013 – 2016) at Select Energy Services, LLC, a private company providing water solutions and well-site services to energy producers
  • Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary (2004 – 2011) at Allis-Chalmers Energy, Inc., a publicly traded oilfield services company

Phillip R. Smith

Ricky A. Raven 

Experience

  • Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel (2021 – Present) at Allstate Insurance Company, a publicly traded property and casualty insurer
  • Partner (2013 – 2021) at Reed Smith, LLP, an international law firm

Other Boards (For Profit and Non-Profit Entities)

  • National Judicial College Board of Directors (2022- Present)
  • International Academy of Trial Lawyers Board of Directors (2022 – Present)
  • University of Houston Board of Regents (2021 – Present)
  • Southwestern University Board of Trustees (2015 – Present)
  • City of Houston Civil Service Commission (1999 – Present), previously serving as the Commissioner of the City of Houston Civil Service Commission
Phillip R. Smith

Phillip R. Smith 
Independent Chair of the Board

Experience

  • Chief Financial Officer (2023 – Present) and previously President and Chief Executive Officer (2019 – 2022) of Marathon-Sparta Holdings, Inc., a private company involved in non-healthcare related employee benefits programs and affiliated through common ownership with Torch Energy Advisor Inc.
  • President and Chief Executive Officer (2013 – 2019) of Torch Energy Advisor Inc., a private energy company with interests in oil, gas and renewable energy, including the development of wind and solar renewable projects
  • Partner (2002 – 2012) at KMPG LLP, a global network of professional firms providing audit, tax and advisory services

Other Boards (For Profit and Non-Profit Entities)

  • Health Care Service Corporation (2021 – Present
  • Oilstone Energy Services, Inc. (2014 – 2016)
     
Barry Smitherman

Barry T. Smitherman 

Experience

  • President and principal attorney (2017 – Present) of Barry Smitherman, P.C., a law firm specializing in water, electricity and natural gas
  • Managing Partner (2017 – Present) of Smitherman + Associates, a firm providing consulting services to energy infrastructure-related entities
  • Adjunct Professor (2016 – Present) at The University of Texas School of Law
  • Partner (2015 – 2017) at Vinson & Elkins LLP, an international law firm
  • Managing Director and National Head of Tax-Exempt Securities (1999 – 2002), Banc One Capital Markets (later acquired by J.P. Morgan)

Other Boards (For Profit and Non-Profit Entities)

Public Company

  •  NRG Energy, Inc. (2017 – 2018)

Other

  • Chairman and President, Texas Geothermal Energy Alliance (2022 – Present)
  • Chairman, Brookwood in Georgetown (2018 – 2023)
  • Centric Infrastructure Group, LLC (2019 – 2021)
  • Chairman (2012 – 2014) and Commissioner (2011 – 2014), Railroad Commission of Texas
  • National Association of Regulatory Utility Commission (2011 – 2014)
  • Southern States Energy Board (2011 – 2013)
  • Member, Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (2011 – 2013)
  • Southwest Power Pool (SPP) Regional State Committee (2008 – 2011)
  • Member, U.S. Department of Energy Electricity Advisory Committee (2008 – 2011)
  • Vice-Chair, Texas Advisory Panel on Federal Environmental Regulations (2008 – 2009)
  • Chairman (2007 – 2011) and Commissioner (2004 – 2011), Public Utility Commission of Texas
  • Electric Reliability Council of Texas (2007 – 2011)
  • Member, Texas Public Finance Authority (2002 –2004)


Jason P. Wells

Jason P. Wells 

Experience

  • President and Chief Executive Officer (2024 – Present) of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
  • President and Chief Operating Officer (2023 – 2024) of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
  • President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer (2023) of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
  • Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (2020 – 2022) of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
  • Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (2019 – 2020) of PG&E Corporation, a publicly traded electric utility holding company serving approximately 16 million customers through its subsidiary Pacific Gas and Electric Company. PG&E Corporation filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy on January 29, 2019 and successfully emerged from bankruptcy on July 1, 2020
  • Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (2016 – 2019) at PG&E Corporation
  • Vice President, Business Finance (2013 – 2016) at Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Other Boards (For Profit and Non-Profit Entities)

  • M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (Present)
  • Kinder Rice Institute for Urban Development Advisory Board (2021 – Present)
  • Central Houston, Inc. (2022 – Present)
  • Bauer College Board of the C.T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston (2022 – Present)
  • Executive Committee and Board, Greater Houston Partnership (2023 – Present)
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