Careers in Energy Week: IT Professionals Drive Business Success

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Each October, Careers in Energy Week helps to increase awareness about the rewarding careers available in the energy industry. As we celebrate Careers in Energy Week from Oct. 18 to 22, we're proud to recognize the many employees that work in the field and behind-the-scenes to deliver the electric service customers depend on each day. 

Information technology (IT) professionals are among the many behind-the-scenes personnel that have a hand in providing safe and reliable power. IT involves developing and managing the information technology systems and services responsible for transferring data through computers or computer systems.

Whether they’re securing the digital infrastructure behind our electric system, improving customer service with technical solutions, or building systems that improve employee efficiency, IT professionals help FirstEnergy meet customer expectations in a wide variety of ways.

“Every single business segment at FirstEnergy is supported by IT,” said Ernie Maley, vice president of Information Technology at FirstEnergy. “IT partners with these segments to enable the automation necessary for them to complete their work efficiently.”

Meet a few of the IT professionals that are at the heart of helping FirstEnergy achieve business success:

Brett Phillips, Supervisor, System & Data Center Operations

What is your team’s role at FirstEnergy?

As supervisor of System & Data Center operations, I oversee three groups responsible for monitoring FirstEnergy's extensive network of communications and technology assets, as well as the installation and configuration of many of our data center devices. These teams are crucial for ensuring the reliability of technologies that support the Bulk Electric System – the high-voltage power lines and equipment that move electricity from power plants to local communities.

What role do you see IT professionals playing in the future of energy?

As the world becomes increasingly virtual and connected, technology is required to perform daily operations in an efficient manner. With the abundance of data at our fingertips, we need IT professionals to embrace data analytics to identify opportunities that help us work smarter, safer and always with the customer in mind.

Marcus Noel, Manager, Cyber Security & Transmission Security Operations Center

What is your team’s role at FirstEnergy?

The Cyber Security group’s mission is to protect FirstEnergy’s technology and data, including customer data, from cyber attacks. Ultimately, this work ensures the reliability of the Bulk Electric System so that our customers receive electricity reliably.

What role do you see IT professionals playing in the future of energy?

At its core, the function of IT is to partner with the business unit to implement technology that solves problems. This can take the form of reducing costs, increasing efficiency, or even unlocking value by allowing the business to accomplish tasks that ultimately improve the customer experience.

Michael Hedrick, Manager, Business Solutions

What is your team’s role at FirstEnergy?

I am the manager of the IT Corporate Solutions team, which provides support for the technology solutions and business processes utilized by various departments, such as Human Resources, Finance, Supply Chain and Corporate Communications.

What role do you see IT professionals playing in the future of energy?

The world we live in is always changing and moving in different directions, and the utility industry is no different. IT professionals are uniquely able to be at the forefront of changes and shifts in technology that are focused on making continuous improvements to the services and options available to support our employees and customers.

IT and the Future of Energy

FirstEnergy is undergoing a digital transformation focused on meeting the expectations of customers, employees and shareholders through accelerated digital delivery and reimagined business processes.

To drive FirstEnergy’s digital transformation, a newly formed Innovation & Digital Enablement group is designed to serve as a highly agile digital construction site to rapidly enable customer- and employee-focused technology solutions. 

“We have an obligation to operate as efficiently as possible,” said Scott Infante, vice president of Innovation & Digital Enablement at FirstEnergy. “This means significant investments in technology enablement across our entire company and a renewed focus on process improvement.” 

The Innovation & Digital Enablement group is composed of two teams: the Innovation Center and the Digital Factory. The Innovation Center is an existing team focused on producing improvements in automation, design and agile innovation, while the Digital Factory is a new team of IT professionals that will focus on developing new web and mobile features, advanced analytics and clould-based digital infrastructure.

With this new group comes new opportunities for IT professionals to take their careers to new heights. Interested in joining us? Visit www.firstenergycorp.com/careers for information on current intern/co-op and employment opportunities.

MEDIA CONTACT: Joshua Duke, (330) 607-5018

Last Modified: February 11, 2022