Just Energy Group Announces Leadership Transition, New CEO

Just Energy Group Inc. announced that Deborah Merril and James Lewis will be transitioning out of their President and Co-CEO roles, and that Patrick McCullough, Just Energy’s current CFO, will be appointed as President and CEO, and will join the Board of Directors, effective April 1, 2018.

Jim Brown, the President of Just Energy’s commercial business, will replace Mr. McCullough as CFO as of April 1, 2018.

Merril and Lewis will continue as directors of the company, and will also provide advisory services to the company until December 31, 2018.

"This executive transition puts the Company in a great position to move into the next phase of growth and expansion, while continuing to benefit from the continuity and experience of Deb Merril and James Lewis as advisors and directors of the Company," said Rebecca MacDonald, Executive Chair of Just Energy.

McCullough joined Just Energy in August 2014 as its CFO. Prior to this, McCullough was Chief Executive Officer at Amonix, a California-based designer and manufacturer of concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) solar power systems. He had served as CFO of Amonix since May 2010. Prior to that, he was CFO at IMI Severe Service from May 2007; Division CFO for Johns Manville (a Berkshire Hathaway Company) from April 2005; and held various roles with Ford Motor Company and its spin-off Visteon Corporation, culminating as Deputy General Manager and CFO of a joint venture in Shanghai, China.

Brown joined Just Energy in April 2013 as a Senior Vice President responsible for commodity settlements. Since April 2015, Brown has been the President of Hudson Energy, responsible for Just Energy’s commercial business. Prior to joining Just Energy, he was the Vice President of Accounting and Finance for Gexa Energy, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Inc. from March 2009. Prior to that Brown was a Vice President of Accounting at Constellation Energy Resources Group from January 2007. From 2000 until 2007, he held various roles in accounting and finance at other power and gas companies, and for the eight years prior to 2000, Brown was an audit manager, with an emphasis on power and gas trading companies.