Ameren Illinois Announces The Appointment Of Two New Officers And The Retirement Of A Senior Officer

Ameren Illinois has announced the appointment of two new officers and the retirement of an officer. Patrick Smith, Sr. has been named Senior Vice President, Operations and Technical Services at Ameren.

Smith will lead electric and natural gas field operations; including subtransmission and distribution maintenance, engineering design, safety and training, reliability planning, dispatch operations, electrical and natural gas emergency response, and construction services for Ameren Illinois. Smith’s appointment is effective Nov. 16, 2022.

New executive appointments

Patrick Smith, Sr. holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology

Patrick Smith, Sr. holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology and an Executive MBA degree from Washington University.

He spent more than 37 years working for Ameren’s Missouri segment and most recently served as Vice President, Economic, Community and Business Development for Ameren Missouri. 

Patrick Smith, Sr. led a team focused on driving energy solutions, including customer renewable energy and sustainability options, clean electrification, and community and economic development, to create sustainable growth for the 500 communities Ameren Missouri serves.

Extensive industry experience

David Wakeman, Senior Vice President, Operations and Technical Services, will retire at end of 2022. He has held numerous leadership positions in his 40-year career with Ameren, before serving as SVP of Operations and Technical Services for Ameren Illinois the last two years.

Throughout the remainder of the year, David Wakeman will work with Smith on transitioning operations and lead special projects for the Ameren Illinois executive office. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and an MBA degree, both from Washington University in St. Louis. He is also a licensed Professional Engineer (PE).

New VP - Electric Operations and Distribution appointed

Craig Gilson has been named Vice President, Electric Operations and Distribution

Craig Gilson has been named Vice President, Electric Operations and Distribution. Gilson has more than 40 years of experience with the company serving in a variety of roles, including most recently as Senior Director of Electric Operations and Distribution.

Under Craig Gilson’s direction, the company has made significant improvements in safety, storm response, power outage restoration and field communications.

He holds a Civil Engineering degree from University of Illinois and a MBA degree from Bradley University. Craig Gilson's appointment is effective from Nov. 16, 2022.

Building a cleaner, greener and more resilient energy grid

“These leadership changes position us to continue executing on our plan to build a cleaner, greener and more resilient energy grid, and deliver value for our customers,” said Leonard Singh, the Chairman and President of Ameren Illinois.