Debra L. Reed
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Energy services |
| Headquarters | San Diego , United States |
Key people | Debra L. Reed (former CEO and chairman) |
| Products | Energy services |
Number of employees | 17000 |
Debra L. Reed (born 1957) is a prominent American executive who held the position of CEO at Sempra Energy from 2011 until her retirement in 2018. She made history as the first woman to lead Sempra Energy, a Fortune 500 corporation specializing in energy services and headquartered in San Diego, California.
Early life
Reed's upbringing took place in Southern California.
Education
She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Southern California in 1978. Eight years later, in 1986, she obtained her certification as an Engineer in Training.
Career
From 2012 through 2018, Reed held the role of chairman of the board of directors at Sempra Energy, concurrently serving as CEO from 2011 to 2018. Her ascent to CEO followed her tenure as executive vice president. Before assuming the top leadership at Sempra, she was CFO and subsequently President and CEO (2006–2010) of Sempra’s subsidiaries, San Diego Gas & Electric and Southern California Gas Co (SoCalGas). Upon her retirement in 2018, Jeffrey Martin succeeded her.
During her leadership at Sempra, Reed managed assets valued at $37 billion, directed operations generating over $10 billion in revenue, and led a workforce of approximately 17,000 employees. Her career commenced at SoCalGas in 1978. In 2013, her total earnings amounted to $9.79 million, and by 2014 she owned 57,762 shares of company stock.
Business achievements
In 1988, Reed broke ground as the first female officer at SoCalGas and was one of the relatively few women serving as CEOs within the Fortune 500 companies.
Business awards
The U.S. Secretary of Energy appointed Reed to the National Petroleum Council in 2014. Fortune recognized her among its "Most Powerful Women in Business" for six consecutive years, ranking her #23 in 2015 and #22 in 2016.
Board memberships
Reed holds board positions with Halliburton Co., the Board of Councilors for the University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering, Chairman’s Competitiveness Council, The Trusteeship, and The Business Council. Her past leadership includes chairing the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation and serving on boards for Genentech and Avery Dennison Corp. In April 2015, Caterpillar Inc. announced her nomination to join its board, effective at their annual meeting in June.
Personal life
Reed lives in San Diego with her husband; together they have one daughter.