Ben Fowkes ’84 appointed to National Infrastructure Advisory Council

The council is composed of a maximum of 30 members, appointed by the President of the United States from private industry, academia, and state and local government.

By Megan Bradshaw on June 8, 2016

Ben Fowke, the chairman, president and CEO of Xcel Energy
Ben Fowke, the chairman, president and CEO of Xcel Energy

President Barack Obama appointed Towson University College of Business and Economics alumnus Ben Fowkes ’84 to the National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC), the White House announced in May.

“I am honored to represent the energy industry as part of the NIAC,” said Fowke. “These kinds of public-private partnerships are an important part of helping to mitigate potential risks to our industry and ensuring the integrity of our nation's critical infrastructure.”

Fowkes is the chairman, president and CEO of Xcel Energy, a position he has held since 2011. He has also held the roles of executive vice president, vice president and chief financial officer for the company.

Prior to the 2000 merger of Northern States Power Co. and New Century Energies (NCE) to form Xcel Energy, Fowkes was a vice president at NCE.  From 1987 to 1997, he held management positions at the Florida-based utility company FPL Group, Inc. and its subsidiary Qaltec Quality Services. Fowke received a B.S. from Towson University in accounting.

The National Infrastructure Advisory Council provides the President, through the Secretary of Homeland Security, with advice on the security of the critical infrastructure sectors and their information systems. The council is composed of a maximum of 30 members, appointed by the President from private industry, academia, and state and local government.