Charles Matthews embraced difficult challenges throughout his career, building effective strategies and then achieving superior results. He retired in 2022 as President, Illinois Operations WEC Energy Group, President and CEO of Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas. With 30 plus years of executive level experience, Charles Matthews provides expertise in operations, finance, marketing, risk management, mergers and acquisitions in tackling complex problems.

As president and CEO of Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas, Charles Matthews led two companies employing 2,000 people who provided natural gas service to nearly 1 million customers in the city of Chicago and 54 northern suburbs. Under his leadership from June 2015 to July 2022, the company earned its allowable rate of return for the first time in several years while JD Powers studies showed increased satisfaction for residential and business customers with “best in class” scores for trustworthiness, reliability and communications. He brought their 2,000 mile, multi-billion dollar pipeline modernization program in-house and also did in-house transformation with customer service operations.

In prior executive roles at We Energies, Charles Matthews had responsibility for wholesale energy and fuels, and customer solutions.  He successfully executed long term contracts and hedging programs that directly contributed to net income, cash flow and customer savings.  He also had responsibility for relationship management with the most important commercial, industrial and wholesale customers. Matthews previously was president and CEO of Jamaica Public Service Co. Limited, a subsidiary of Mirant Corp. He structured and led the company’s transition from government-owned to private ownership.

Matthews earned a Master of Business Administration (Finance), Clark Atlanta University School of Business, and a bachelor’s degree in economics, Talladega College.  Matthews currently serves on the boards of Rush University Medical Center, Start Early and Talladega College, and previously served on the boards of the American Gas Association, Chicago Urban League, Navy Pier, The Economic Club of Chicago and The United Way of Metro Chicago.