Kimberly Harris, president of Puget Sound Energy, was named chief executive officer, effective March 1, by the board of directors of Washington’s oldest local energy utility. Harris, who has been with PSE since 1999, succeeds Steve Reynolds, who retired after heading the utility since 2002.

“Our customers count on us at work and at home every day, and I am honored to take on these new responsibilities,” said Harris. “My focus will be on finding ways the many emerging technologies and innovations in energy can help us improve service and reliability for our customers while also helping to preserve the Puget Sound area.”

Harris, 46, came to the Puget Sound area in 1995 to practice law with the firm of Perkins Coie. She joined PSE as associate general counsel four years later. Prior to being named president of PSE in June 2010, Harris served as executive vice president and chief resource officer beginning in 2007. In this role she led the operation of the company’s wind power facilities, which, with a capacity to produce the electricity equivalent to that used by more than 100,000 homes, is the nation’s second-largest utility owned and operated wind resource. She also guided development of the company’s Lower Snake River Wind Project, currently under construction near Pomeroy, Garfield County, which will add to the utility’s renewable energy resources in Washington when it enters service in 2012.

Harris was also responsible for the utility’s residential and business energy efficiency services, with her twelve-year career with PSE encompassing project development, contract management and government relations. She has served as senior vice president of Regulatory Policy and Energy Efficiency, vice president of Regulatory and Government Affairs, associate general counsel, and director of Load Resource Strategies.

Harris serves on the Washington state Clean Energy Leadership Council and the Energy Strategy Advisory Committee. She also has a long history of civic involvement and is a member of the board of directors of the American Red Cross of King and Kitsap counties. She is married with two grown children.

Harris serves on the Washington state Clean Energy Leadership Council and the Energy Strategy Advisory Committee. She also has a long history of civic involvement and is a member of the board of directors of the American Red Cross of King and Kitsap counties. She is married with two grown children.