Industry & Services >> CEO Interviews >> June 16, 1999
DENNIS W. BAKKE is co-founder of The AES Corporation (AES), serves as
President and Chief Executive Officer, and is a member of the AES Board
of Directors. Formed in 1981 to generate and sell electricity, AES has
grown into a leading global power company with operations and
development in 15 countries. Mr. Bakke is the co-author of the book
Creating Abundance, America's Least Cost Energy Strategy published by
McGraw-Hill in June of 1984. Prior to 1981, Mr. Bakke was Deputy
Director of the Energy Productivity Center, Carnegie-Mellon University.
During this time, he was also Director of the Gas Requirements Agency of
the American Gas Association and a private energy consultant.
Previously, Mr. Bakke was the Executive Assistant to the Administrator,
Federal Energy Administration (FEA), and assisted in the development and
implementation of energy policy during the oil crisis period of '73-'74.
Later he became the Deputy Manager for energy conservation programs. In
addition, he served for 18 months as Chairman of the International
Energy Agency Conservation Group in Paris, France where he published
critical evaluation and ranking of the conservation programs of major
petroleum consuming countries (OECD). He left FEA to attend the
National War College, graduating with Distinction in 1977. Mr. Bakke
also held positions in the Federal Government's Office of Management and
Budget and the Department of Health, Education and Welfare in the
Management Planning Group. Mr. Bakke graduated with Honors from the
University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington, in 1968. He received an
M.B.A. from Harvard University, 1970, and an Honorary Doctorate in
Humane Letters from Eastern University, 1998. He was born and raised in
rural northwest Washington State. Over these past 20 years, he has
served as a member of the President's Advisory Council of University of
Puget Sound; Chairman, Church Deacons Board; member of the President's
Advisory Board of Winthrop College, SC; Moderator of Washington
Community Fellowship Church; and Director of Van Horn Designs, Inc. In
June 1992, he and Roger Sant, Chairman of the Board of The AES
Corporation, were jointly awarded Entrepreneur of the Year' for the
Washington area, in the category of social responsibility. He is married
to the former Eileen Harvey of Beaufort, SC and father of five children.
Mr. Bakke currently serves as Director of International Urban
Associates, Director of Young Life of Washington, DC, Co-Founder and
President of the Mustard Seed Foundation, Trustee and Treasurer of
Rivendell School, board member of Council for Excellence in Government,
board member of Electric Power Supply Association, board member of
MacroSonix Corporation, and member of the American Business Conference. Profile
Corporation your company's history, services, customers, those kinds of
things?
Mr. Bakke: The AES company began in late
