Exelon and IBEW leaders receive John D. Dingell Award for work to protect clean energy in Illinois
Chris Crane, president and CEO of Exelon Corp., and Dean Apple, president and business manager of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 15 in Illinois, have been awarded the John D. Dingell Award for their partnership in working toward a clean energy future in Illinois.
The John D. Dingell award, named after the longest-serving member of Congress, is presented to leaders who help advance the common objectives of the electric power industry and IBEW members.
“The collaboration between Chris and Dean to find solutions to help protect jobs and increase clean energy in Illinois is a terrific example of the importance of working together for the benefit of customers and our communities,” said Tom Kuhn, president of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), where Crane also serves as vice chairman.
Commonwealth Edison, a unit of Chicago-based Exelon, and IBEW Local 15 worked together to fight for passage in the Illinois Legislature of the Future Energy Jobs Act in December 2016. The law expands energy efficiency and low-income programs; protects 4,200 jobs, preserves $1.2 billion in economic activity; and keeps Illinois’ nuclear facilities open.
“The Future Energy Jobs Act preserves good jobs for the dedicated members of the IBEW who work in partnership with energy companies to provide customers with affordable, safe, and reliable energy,” IBEW International President Lonnie Stephenson said. “This award rightly recognizes Dean and the rest of the members of IBEW for their work with Chris and his team at Exelon and Commonwealth Edison to ensure the passage of this important legislation.”
A decade ago, EEI and IBEW created the National Labor Management Public Affairs Committee, which aims to foster collaboration among energy company executives and IBEW leaders to address the nation’s energy challenges.
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) presented the John D. Dingell award to Crane and Apple at a reception on Monday night. John D. Dingell, a Michigan Democrat, served in Congress for 59 years from 1955 to 2015.
